The House of Pernà ¡tejn () was one of the oldest and most important (uradel) families originating from Moravian nobility, along with the House of Rosenberg, that played an important role in the medieval history of Bohemian nobility from the 13th century until its extinction in the first half of the 17th century.
The first mentioned member of House of Pernà ¡tejn was Stephen I, Lord of Medlov, who lived in the 13th century and was first doucumented in a deed from 1203. His descendants took their name after their first main seat â the Pernà ¡tejn Castle.
Throughout history, Pernà ¡tejns held some of the most prestigious offices in both Kingdom of Bohemia and Margraviate of Moravia. Four members of the House of Pernà ¡tejn were appointed to the position of Land Hejtman of Moravia at various times. Their power peaked in the 16th century during the life of Vilém II of Pernà ¡tejn and his sons.
With John Vratislav of Pernà ¡tejn the male line of the family became extinct in 1631. The last member of the female line â Polyxena of Pernà ¡tejn â then married into the House of Lobkowicz, who incorporated the black bison of Pernà ¡tejn family into their coat of arms.
One of the most important authorities on the Pernstejn family history is a Czech historian Petr Vorel.
in 1558)]]
The recorded history of Pernà ¡tejns starts with Stephen I of Medlov, who became the burgrave of the royal DÃÂviÃÂky Castle () in the first half of 13th century. He also founded the Convent of Augustinian nuns in DoubravnÃÂk. Various members of the house under various name appear in historical sources after that. Friedrich von Pernstein ( 1270âÂÂ1340) became Archbishop of Riga though he spent most of his life at the Papal Court in Avignon. The next firmly established member of the Pernà ¡tejn family is Vilém I who held various offices before becoming the in 1421. He sympathized with the teaching of Jan Hus, both his sons â Bavor and Jan II â fought for the side of Hussites during the Hussite Wars. In 1473, Jan II was elected to be one of the four stewards of Margraviate of Moravia. Both brothers also financed the expensive reconstruction of the Pernà ¡tejn Castle after it burned out in 1457. Jan II's son Vratislav served first as the , then as Land Hejtman of Moravia like his grandfather. He extended the family holdings by buying the domains of Plumlov and ProstÃÂjov.
Vilém II of Pernà ¡tejn inherited all family holdings and became the most renowned member of the Pernà ¡tejn family. He held the offices of the Supreme Marshall and later that of . He was a skilled manager and acquired vast domains in both Bohemia and Moravia. House of Perà ¡tejn was the second richest and the second most powerful noble house in Bohemia after the House of Rosenberg at the time. Inspired by the Rosenbergs, he also built systems of ponds and promoted fish farming on his domains. He was respected for his unusual religious tolerance and lived to a high age of 86 years. The family holdings were then split between his two sons.
His son VojtÃÂch I inherited the Bohemian portion of the family holdings. He served as the Highest Hofmistr of the Kingdom of Bohemia like his father. In 1526, after the death of Louis Jagiellon, VojtÃÂch I was even considered a potential candidate for the emptied throne. He died suddenly at the age of 44 and with no male heirs. <br> Vilém II's other son â Jan IV of Pernà ¡tejn â inherited the Moravian part of the dominion. He finished the renaissance reconstruction of the Pernà ¡tejn Castle, started by his father. In 1526, he was in charge of the martial aid provided to the king Louis Jagiellon before the Battle of Mohács by the lords of Moravia. After his brother's premature death, he became the sole overlord of the Pernà ¡tejn dominion and gained the nickname "Jan the Rich". At that time the estimated size of the Pernà ¡tejn dominion was three times the size of the Rosenberg dominion. He too held the office of Land Hejtman of Moravia.
Jan IV the Rich had three sons: VojtÃÂch II, Jaroslav and Vratislav II. VojtÃÂch II expanded the family library and started the art collection of Pernà ¡tejn family. He and Jaroslav both died without heirs and so the whole dominion was once again in the hands of one person â Vratislav II. Vratislav II of Pernà ¡tejn was a well traveled man. He studied at universities in Prague, Vienna, later also in France and Italy. He served as an envoy to the Habsburg kings and â during his stay in Spain â married a Spanish noblewoman Maria Manrique de Lara (1538âÂÂ1608). They both moved back to Bohemia and Maria Manrique de Lara brought with her a statue that later became famous as the Infant Jesus of Prague. Their glamorous lifestyle in Prague combined with dowries for their five daughters resulted in a loss of domains and later debts, from which the House of Pernà ¡tejn never quite recovered.
In 1596, his son Jan V was forced to sell the main seat of their family â the Pernà ¡tejn Castle. He died a year later on a battlefield. His only son Jan Vratislav also died on a battlefield in 1631 during the Thirty Years War. He was the last male member of House of Pernà ¡tejn. His sister, Frebonie Eusebie of Pernà ¡tejn (1596âÂÂ1646)â the last female member of the family â died fifteen years later. Through the marriage of ZdenÃÂk Popel of Lobkowicz with Polyxena of Pernà ¡tejn â daughter of Vratislav II of Pernà ¡tejn (1530âÂÂ1582)â the black bison of Pernà ¡tejn family was added to the House of Lobkowicz coat of arms where it appears to this day.