The criers in the lead, the adjutants behind them with sabres drawn, a little boy with a rose between his lips, other criers, and other riders…
The Ride of the Kings is a folk custom on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. In the Czech Republic, you can see it only in Moravian Slovakia and Haná, although it used to be abundant in all parts of our country.
The king and his attendants are dressed in women’s ceremonial clothing, the other riders in men’s. The retinue rides through the village on incredibly ornate horses. They stop at houses and shout jocular verses to the inhabitants and onlookers. In return, they receive gifts, mainly of a monetary nature. People throw them into their coffers or into their high boots!
It is the interest and honour of the king’s family and the whole community to make the ride a success. Therefore, every year, the upcoming king, aged 10–12, is carefully searched for. His royal retinue is made up of a dozen boys on the verge of adulthood, for whom the whole ceremony is something of an initiation ceremony to become adult members of the community. And since we each turn 18 only once in our lifetime, a person can be a member of the royal retinue only once.
They are accompanied by an equal number of girls. But being king isn’t easy! The king’s family has many responsibilities throughout the year… It starts in January, when they prepare folk costumes and treats for the retinue and the girls turning 18 that year. Then come the preparations for Easter, the building of the Maypole…
But why does the child king have a rose in his mouth?! Of course, there’s a nice legend attached to it. It is said that when King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary was fleeing from George of Kunštát and Poděbrady, he disguised himself in a woman’s folk dress and put a rose between his lips so that his speech would not betray him. But who knows…
And where to go for the Ride of the Kings? The most popular is probably the one in Vlčnov connected with the folk fair. However, it also has a 200-year tradition. But here we will tell you more about the one in Skoronice. It’s smaller, but the atmosphere is powerful and indescribable.
We have found other places you might like. Have a look at them.
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