König Ottokars Glück und Ende

König Ottokars Glück und Ende, a blank-verse tragedy in five acts by F. Grillparzer, written within four weeks in 1823. It is his first mature historical play; for it he used sources (including the medieval Österrei-chische Reimchronik, see Ottokar von Steiermark) from the age in which Rudolf I founded the Habsburg dynasty, thus putting an end to the powerful rule of Ottokar II of Bohemia. It was not until 1825 that the play was passed for production at the Burgtheater by the Austrian censorship, and even then only after the intervention of the Empress. But, largely owing to the strong objections of the Czechs to Grillparzer's portrayal of Ottokar, it failed to win for Grillparzer the acclaim as a national dramatist for which he had hoped, thus proving a bitter blow to his patriotism and to his plan to proceed with a variety of similar dramatic projects.

The plot shows Ottokar at the height of his power and happiness after his divorce from Margarete of Austria, through whom he had acquired Austria and Styria, and his marriage to Kunigunde of Massovia, granddaughter of King Bela of Hungary. He is hailed as the future emperor before the news of Rudolf's election as emperor provokes him to defiance (Grillparzer uses the imperial title, aimed at but not attained by the historical Rudolf I, symbolically). After defeat and betrayal within his own ranks Ottokar submits to Rudolf in the seclusion of the imperial tent. As he kneels to receive the fiefs of Bohemia and Moravia, Zawisch von Rosenberg, who has deceived him with his unfaithful young wife, opens the tent to effect a public exposure of Ottokar's homage. Unable to bear this humiliation, Ottokar engages in renewed aggression and is killed by the young Seyfried Merenberg (whose father is the victim of Ottokar's impetuous tyranny), acting against Rudolf's express order not to harm the King of Bohemia except in self-defence. Rudolf honours the slain king, who at the time of his death had overcome the pride which had deprived him of loyalty, affection, and good fortune.

Rudolf I is portrayed as the ideal ruler, just and yet magnanimous, humble and yet dignified (perhaps a tribute to the enlightened despotism of Joseph II). Some aspects of the complex character of Ottokar were inspired by Grillparzer's study of Napoleon. Ottokar's death is preceded by that of his first and loyal wife Margarete, at whose bier the repentant king pays homage.