2017Christmas - Good King Wenceslas - First Day Cover

Wenceslas I, was a descendant of the Premsyl family that rose to power in Bohemia. Known for his generosity to the poor and to the church, he was the Duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 929 or 935. Based on the legend of Wenceslas I, English writer John Mason Neale wrote the lyrics to the popular Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas in collaboration with Thomas Helmore, which first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide (1853). It tells the story of a Bohemian king who is known for his acts of kindness and who braves the harsh weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen on 26 December.