Talmberk Castle History
Based on the original text by Rudolf Liska, a schoolteacher from Úžice, written in 1895
Part I – The Founding of Talmberk Castle and the Origins of the House of Talmberk
Talmberk Castle, originally known as Stolič, was founded around 1280 by Hroznata of Úžice, who served as the Highest Burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia between 1284 and 1286. At that time, he also owned the nearby market town of Rataje.
Hroznata had three sons. His eldest son, Heřman, inherited the market town of Rataje together with the villages of Mirošovice and Smilevice, one half of Úžice, and a mill with fishing rights at Ledečko.
His second son, Arnošt, received Talmberk Castle, along with the villages of Čekánov, Chrastná, and Karlovice, the remaining half of Úžice, the Chuchelník Mill, and the rest of the Ledečko estate.
The youngest son, Záviš, inherited the newly built fortress of Újezdec on the Vltava River.
After settling at his new residence, Arnošt adopted the surname of Talmberk, becoming the founder of the noble House of Talmberk. The family coat of arms featured two white water-lily blossoms facing one another on a red shield, surmounted by a knight’s helmet adorned with two eagle wings.
One of his descendants, Vilém of Talmberk, who served as a judge of the Land Court in 1297, also used the surname of Milčín, after another of his estates. His descendants continued to bear this name until the family line eventually became extinct.
The Siege of Talmberk Castle and the Conflict with Medek of Valdek
During the reign of King Wenceslas IV, the ancestral seat of the family was held by Diviš of Talmberk, also known as Diviš of Milčín. A bitter dispute arose between him and Havel Medek of Valdek, lord of nearby Rataje nad Sázavou. Their conflict escalated over time until it finally erupted into open battle.
Diviš was defeated and forced to retreat, while his enemy pursued him toward Talmberk Castle. Realising that a siege was imminent, Diviš immediately ordered his men-at-arms to strengthen the castle’s defences.
For the surrounding villagers, this was an ominous sign. In great haste, they gathered whatever possessions they could carry and fled behind the castle walls, hoping to find shelter and protection until the danger had passed.
The lord of the castle dispatched scouts in every direction to watch for the advancing enemy. Mercenaries had already reported that hostile forces were marching toward Talmberk. As soon as the approaching army was confirmed, the warning horn sounded, calling everyone to seek safety within the fortress.
Before long, the first enemy soldiers appeared, advancing cautiously toward the castle. More troops followed until a large force of armed men, both infantry and cavalry, established a camp within bowshot of the walls.
Soon afterwards, the besieging army seemed to disappear. Anyone believing that they had abandoned the siege, however, would have been mistaken. Throughout the night, watchfires flickered across the surrounding hills, where the soldiers kept warm and prepared their meals.
Eventually, the signal to attack was given. The besiegers advanced from several directions and launched an assault on the castle. Although the defenders initially drove them back, Havel Medek of Valdek repeatedly renewed the attack. Wave after wave of assailants stormed the fortifications until the walls were finally breached.
Talmberk Castle fell into enemy hands, and Diviš of Talmberk was taken prisoner and imprisoned.
Part II – Sigismund, Racek Kobyla and the Turbulent Years of 1402
When King Wenceslas IV was taken prisoner, many Bohemian nobles took advantage of the king’s absence to pursue their own interests. Bands of knights began attacking peaceful travellers and raiding settlements throughout the kingdom.
In an effort to restore order, Sigismund of Luxembourg, brother of King Wenceslas IV, entered Bohemia with a large army. His campaign was aimed at suppressing the so-called robber knights, and many of their strongholds were captured or destroyed.
Among the most famous of these nobles was Racek Kobyla, a knight pursued relentlessly by Sigismund and his Hungarian forces. After fleeing to Skalice Castle, he was forced to escape once again when the fortress fell to the invading army. Under the cover of darkness, Racek fled to Talmberk Castle, where he drove out its then-occupant, Havel Medek of Valdek, and seized control of the castle in 1402.
Sigismund, having already captured Skalice, continued his pursuit of Racek and laid siege to Talmberk as well. The castle eventually fell, but Racek once again managed to escape. This time he sought refuge at Rataje Castle, where he was warmly welcomed by Hanuš II of Pirkštejn, a nobleman who shared his political views.
Together with Erhard of Kunštát, lord of Bechyně, they carried out a series of bold military raids across the region. Their activities eventually attracted the attention of King Wenceslas IV, who summoned Hanuš and his allies before the Land Court in Prague to answer for their actions. The proceedings, however, produced no meaningful results.
By 1414, Racek Kobyla had regained the king’s favour and was appointed Royal Hetman of the Kutná Hora mining district. His mission was to recover taxes that had been withheld from the Crown.
According to the chroniclers, the townspeople devised a deadly trap. They entertained Racek’s soldiers with food and drink until they were intoxicated, then launched a surprise attack during the night. Most of the royal troops were killed. Racek himself was thrown from a window and brutally cut to pieces.
Following these events, Diviš of Talmberk repaired the damaged fortress and once again established his residence at Talmberk Castle.
Later, one of his descendants, Vilém of Talmberk, purchased the nearby estate of Jankov in 1433. The Talmberk family retained ownership of Jankov for nearly three centuries.
The Talmberk Family in the 16th and 17th Centuries
Between 1536 and 1712, the Lords of Talmberk also owned the fortified manor of Rataje, together with Talmberk Castle.
One of the family’s most distinguished members was Fridrich of Talmberk, lord of Jankov and Vlašim, who served as the Highest Steward of the Kingdom of Bohemia. Contemporary historians praised him as an exceptionally capable statesman.
In recognition of his loyalty, Emperor Ferdinand II appointed him President of the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1621, and later Highest Judge of the Kingdom in 1625. His successor, Emperor Ferdinand III, further honoured him by appointing him Highest Steward of the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1638.
On 27 August 1643, Fridrich drew up his last will and testament. According to its terms, his son František Vilém inherited the estates of Rataje, Talmberk, and Nemyšl, while his second son, Jan Arnošt, received Vlašim, Domašín, and Věžníky.
Fridrich also requested to be buried in the Loreto Chapel at Prague Castle. He bequeathed one thousand gold ducats, together with valuable jewels, to the chapel and ordered that more than one hundred Masses be celebrated for the salvation of his soul.
František Vilém ruled the Rataje and Talmberk estates until 1663, when he transferred them to his son, František Leopold Maxmilián, Baron of Talmberk.
Part III – The Ruins of Talmberk Castle and Local Legends
Following the stream from the village of Úžice through the north-western forest valley for about fifteen minutes, visitors will eventually catch sight of the grey ruins of Talmberk Castle.
The castle was strategically built on a rocky spur, almost entirely surrounded on three sides by the Úžice Stream, whose waters once filled a fishpond beneath the fortress. The only practical approach was from the north, where a defensive ditch—still visible today—protected the entrance. According to Rudolf Liska’s measurements, the moat was approximately four metres deep and eight metres wide.
Beyond the ditch lay the outer bailey, roughly twenty-three metres wide and fifty-seven metres long. The main castle was separated from this outer enclosure by two earth ramparts and additional defensive ditches stretching across the rocky ridge.
Access to the castle was through a vaulted gate, which remained remarkably well preserved even in the late nineteenth century. On the left side stood a massive round tower, protected by a defensive wall. Rising to a height of approximately nineteen metres, it was the strongest part of the castle’s fortifications and remains the best-preserved feature of the ruins today.
A similar tower once stood on the opposite side of the entrance.
The inner castle occupied a rectangular area measuring roughly fifteen by thirty-two metres. By the time Rudolf Liska visited the site in 1895, two small houses with gardens had already been built within the former courtyard. Fragments of the castle walls still extended southward from the surviving tower, with some sections still reaching a height of approximately ten metres..
The Hidden Cellars of Talmberk
Local tradition tells of vast underground cellars hidden beneath the castle, filled with barrels of wine. Their exact location, however, has never been discovered.
Believing that the entrance lay beneath the castle tower, many treasure seekers attempted to excavate the site over the centuries. Among them was a Polish explorer who devoted considerable effort to the search. Despite digging nearly three metres into the solid foundations, he found nothing
According to the old account, the masonry was so solid that it seemed “as hard as cast iron,” and all attempts to uncover a secret passage proved unsuccessful.
Another enduring legend concerns a nearby cave known as Zběhovka (“The Fugitive’s Cave”). Located about a fifteen-minute walk west of the castle on the hillside above the valley, many local people have long believed it to be a concealed entrance leading into Talmberk Castle itself. No evidence has ever confirmed the existence of such a passage, but the legend remains one of the castle’s most enduring mysteries.
Written in Úžice on 14 July 1895
Rudolf Liska
Schoolteacher of Úžice