elections that they made. The two rulers then became fast friends.
The war being over, Sobeslav turned his attention to internal improvements. He built and endowed churches and monasteries, and in all possible ways encouraged art and learning. In those days, Church and education were closely connected, the churches having elementary schools connected with them, and the monasteries being the seats of higher education, where painting, music, and sculpture were cultivated, and books written and transcribed. In the twelfth century there were many collegiate churches in Bohemia, where promising young men could obtain a good education. But those that desired to stand side by side with the great scholars of other nations, usually went to Paris or to some of the universities of Italy.
Sobeslav, seeing that the law of succession was continually violated, determined to go back to the old law of primogeniture, his personal interests doubtless having something to do in this decision, since then the choice would fall upon his own son Vladislav. The Diet approved of the plan, and Vladislav was accordingly elected. As he was a young man of strong character, who would be likely to rule the country without much regard to the wishes of the nobles, they protested against the election, and chose another Vladislav, the son of the previous Vladislav, as the successor of Sobeslav, believing that, both on account of his mild disposition and his gratitude to them, he would have so much regard to their wishes that they would really be the rulers of the kingdom. Sobeslav died in 1140, and Vladislav, having the lords upon his side, ascended the throne without any opposition.
