What happened
Perchta of Rožmberk was born around 1429 in Český Krumlov, the daughter of Oldřich II of Rožmberk, one of the most powerful lords in Bohemia. In 1449 she married John of Liechtenstein and moved to Mikulov. The marriage was a nightmare: more than 30 of her letters to her father and brothers survive, complaining of humiliation, lack of money and ill-treatment by her husband and his family. According to legend, the dying John begged her forgiveness, and when she refused he cursed her, so her soul can find no rest. Perchta died in Vienna on 2 May 1476. From then on, a woman in white was said to appear in the castles of the Rožmberks and the lords of Hradec – Krumlov, Jindřichův Hradec, Telč and Rožmberk. When she wore white gloves, people said, she foretold joy; when she wore black ones, a death in the family.
Witnesses
Castle tradition; the 17th-century Jesuit historian Bohuslav Balbín linked the legend to Perchta's letters. Later accounts by residents of Krumlov and the Jesuit college.
Explanations and hypotheses
Perchta is a historical figure, and her letters are a valuable record of a 15th-century woman's life – among the oldest private letters in Czech. Her identification with the white lady, however, is late: it was made by Bohuslav Balbín in the 17th century, and the “White Lady” portraits at Krumlov and Jindřichův Hradec are imaginary images from the 16th and 17th centuries, not likenesses from her lifetime. Historians see the legend as a typical dynastic tale that aristocratic families were happy to keep alive as a sign of their antiquity and distinction.
Legend A story handed down through generations – it can be neither confirmed nor disproved.
Sources
- Český Krumlov – průvodce pro návštěvníky (Destinační management Český Krumlov, 2020)
- CNN Prima News – UNESCO, Rožmberkové, Bílá paní i medvědi. Český Krumlov ukazuje svou skutečnou tvář
More: Wikipedia (en)