The first mention of the Náchod region dates back to the middle of the 11th century, when the Bohemian Prince Vratislav II held an election of the Bishop of Prague in the nearby Dobenín during his campaign to Silesia in 1068. In the 11th and 12th centuries there was probably a guarding settlement near the provincial gate called Branka, in the place of today's Old Town. The castle itself and probably the town of Náchod were founded by Hron of the Načeratici family in the middle of the 13th century. The castle was built along the provincial trade route near the Czech-Glatz border and was therefore of great strategic importance. Hron's descendants held Náchod until 1321, when it was acquired by the Czech king Jan Lucemburský and from him in 1325 by Hynek of Dubá. The Lords of Dubá held the manor until 1367. In 1414, Náchod was acquired by Boček of Kunštát and Poděbrady and in 1427 it was inherited by the future Czech king Jiří of Poděbrady after the death of his father Viktorin. During the Hussite wars, the castle fell into the hands of the Hussites and its garrison had to repeatedly repel attacks from Catholic Silesia. In 1437, the castle and the town were conquered by the Hussite Jan Kolda of Žampach, who from there undertook robbery expeditions into Bohemia and Silesia. Jiří of Poděbrady did not take possession of his rightful inheritance until 1456, when he conquered the castle.