History Bohemia

1 history

1.1 ancient bohemia
1.2 přemysl dynasty
1.3 luxembourg dynasty
1.4 hussite bohemia
1.5 habsburg monarchy
1.6 20th century

history


an 1892 map showing bohemia proper outlined in pink, moravia in yellow, , austrian silesia in orange.


ancient bohemia

bohemia, neighbouring bavaria, named after boii, large celtic nation known romans migrations , settlement in northern italy , other places. part of nation moved west helvetii southern france, 1 of events leading interventions of julius caesar s gaulish campaign of 58 bc. emigration of helvetii , boii left southern germany , bohemia lightly inhabited desert suebic peoples arrived, speaking germanic languages, , became dominant on remaining celtic groups. south, on danube, romans extended empire, , southeast in hungaria, sarmatian peoples.

in area of modern bohemia marcomanni , other suebic groups led king marobodus, after suffering defeat roman forces in germany. took advantage of natural defenses provided mountains , forests. able maintain strong alliance neighbouring tribes including (at different times) lugii, quadi, hermunduri, semnones, , buri, partly controlled roman empire, , in conflict it, example in second century when fought marcus aurelius.

in late classical times , middle ages, 2 new suebic groupings appeared west of bohemia in southern germany, alemanni (in helvetian desert), , bavarians (baiuvarii). many suebic tribes bohemian region took part in such movements westwards, settling far away spain , portugal. them tribes had pushed east, such vandals, , alans.

other groups pushed southwards towards pannonia. last known mention of kingdom of marcomanni, concerning queen named fritigil in 4th century, , thought have lived in or near pannonia. suebian langobardi, moved on many generations baltic sea, via elbe , pannonia italy, recorded in tribal history time spent in bainaib .

after migration period, bohemia partially repopulated around 6th century, , slavic tribes arrived east, , language began replace older germanic, celtic , sarmatian ones. these precursors of today s czechs, though exact amount of slavic immigration subject of debate. slavic influx divided 2 or 3 waves. first wave came southeast , east, when germanic lombards left bohemia (c. 568 ad). after, 630s 660s, territory taken samo s tribal confederation. death marked end of old slavonic confederation, second attempt establish such slavonic union after carantania in carinthia.

other sources (descriptio civitatum et regionum ad septentrionalem plagam danubii, bavaria, 800–850) divide population of bohemia @ time merehani, marharaii, beheimare (bohemani) , fraganeo. (the suffix -ani or -ni means people of- ). christianity first appeared in 9th century, became dominant later, in 10th or 11th century.

the 9th century crucial future of bohemia. manorial system sharply declined, did in bavaria. influence of central fraganeo-czechs grew, result of important cultic centre in territory. slavic-speaking , contributed transformation of diverse neighbouring populations new nation named , led them united slavic ethnic consciousness.

přemysl dynasty


the coat of arms of přemyslid dynasty (until 1253-62).

bohemia made part of slavic state of great moravia, under rule of svatopluk (r. 870–894). after svatopluk s death great moravia weakened years of internal conflict , constant warfare, collapsing , fragmenting due continual incursions of invading nomadic magyars. bohemia s initial incorporation moravian empire resulted in extensive christianization of population. native monarchy arose throne, , bohemia came under rule of přemyslid dynasty, rule czech lands next several hundred years.

the přemyslids secured frontiers remnant asian interlocurs, after collapse of moravian state, entering state of semi-vassalage frankish rulers. alliance facilitated bohemia s conversion christianity, in 9th century. continuing close relations developed east frankish kingdom, devolved carolingian empire, east francia, becoming holy roman empire.

after decisive victory of holy roman empire , bohemia on invading magyars in 955 battle of lechfeld, boleslaus of bohemia granted march of moravia german emperor otto great. bohemia remain largely autonomous state under holy roman empire several decades. jurisdiction of holy roman empire definitively reasserted when jaromír of bohemia granted fief of kingdom of bohemia emperor king henry ii of holy roman empire, promise hold vassal once re-occupied prague german army in 1004, ending rule of boleslaw of poland.

the first use title of king of bohemia přemyslid dukes vratislav ii (1085) , vladislav ii (1158), heirs return title of duke. title of king became hereditary under ottokar (1198). grandson ottokar ii (king 1253–1278) conquered short-lived empire contained modern austria , slovenia. mid-13th century saw beginning of substantial german immigration court sought replace losses brief mongol invasion of europe in 1241. germans settled along northern, western, , southern borders of bohemia, although many lived in towns throughout kingdom.

luxembourg dynasty

the coat of arms of kingdom of bohemia.

the house of luxembourg accepted invitation bohemian throne marriage premyslid heiress, elizabeth , crowning subsequent of john of bohemia in 1310. son, charles iv became king of bohemia in 1346. founded charles university in prague, central europe s first university, 2 years later.

his reign brought bohemia peak both politically , in total area, resulting in being first king of bohemia elected holy roman emperor. under rule bohemian crown controlled such diverse lands moravia, silesia, upper lusatia , lower lusatia, brandenburg, area around nuremberg called new bohemia, luxembourg, , several small towns scattered around germany.

hussite bohemia

the more extreme hussites became known taborites, after city of tábor became center.

during ecumenical council of constance in 1415, jan hus, rector of charles university , prominent reformer , religious thinker, sentenced burnt @ stake heretic. verdict passed despite fact hus granted formal protection emperor sigismund of luxembourg prior journey. hus invited attend council defend himself , czech positions in religious court, emperor s approval, executed on 6 july 1415. execution of hus, 5 consecutive papal crusades against followers of hus, forced bohemians defend themselves. defense , rebellion against roman catholics became known hussite wars.

the uprising against imperial forces led former mercenary, jan Žižka of trocnov. leader of hussite armies, used innovative tactics , weapons, such howitzers, pistols, , fortified wagons, revolutionary time, , established Žižka great general never lost battle.

after Žižka s death, prokop great took on command army, , under lead hussites victorious ten years, sheer terror of europe. hussite cause gradually splintered 2 main factions, moderate utraquists , more fanatic taborites. utraquists began lay groundwork agreement catholic church , found more radical views of taborites distasteful. additionally, general war-weariness , yearning order, utraquists able defeat taborites in battle of lipany in 1434. sigismund said after battle bohemians defeat bohemians.

despite apparent victory catholics, bohemian utraquists still strong enough negotiate freedom of religion in 1436. happened in so-called basel compacts, declaring peace , freedom between catholics , utraquists. last short period of time, pope pius ii declared basel compacts invalid in 1462.

in 1458, george of podebrady elected ascend bohemian throne. remembered attempt set pan-european christian league , form states of europe community based on religion. in process of negotiating, appointed leo of rozmital tour european courts , conduct talks. however, negotiations not completed, because george s position substantially damaged on time deteriorating relationship pope.

habsburg monarchy


bohemia heart of europa regina, 1570.

after death of king louis ii of hungary , bohemia in battle of mohács in 1526, archduke ferdinand of austria became new king of bohemia , country became constituent state of habsburg monarchy.

bohemia enjoyed religious freedom between 1436 , 1620, , became 1 of liberal countries of christian world during period. in 1609, holy roman emperor rudolph ii, made prague again capital of empire @ time, himself roman catholic, moved bohemian nobility publish maiestas rudolphina, confirmed older confessio bohemica of 1575.

after emperor matthias ii , king of bohemia ferdinand ii (later holy roman emperor) began oppressing rights of protestants in bohemia, resulting bohemian revolt led outbreak of thirty years war in 1618. elector frederick v of electorate of palatinate, protestant, elected bohemian nobility replace ferdinand on bohemian throne, , known winter king. frederick s wife, popular elizabeth stuart , subsequently elizabeth of bohemia, known winter queen or queen of hearts, daughter of king james vi of scotland.

after frederick s defeat in battle of white mountain in 1620, 27 bohemian estates leaders jan jesenius, rector of charles university of prague executed on prague s old town square on 21 june 1621 , rest exiled country; lands given catholic loyalists (mostly of bavarian , saxon origin), ended pro-reformation movement in bohemia , ended role of prague ruling city of holy roman empire.

in so-called renewed constitution of 1627, german language established second official language in czech lands. czech language formally remained first language in kingdom, however, both german , latin spoken among ruling classes, although german became increasingly dominant, while czech spoken in of countryside.

the formal independence of bohemia further jeopardized when bohemian diet approved administrative reform in 1749. included indivisibility of habsburg empire , centralization of rule; meant merging of royal bohemian chancellery austrian chancellery.

at end of 18th century, czech national revival movement, in cooperation part of bohemian aristocracy, started campaign restoration of kingdom s historic rights, whereby czech language regain historical role , replace german language of administration. enlightened absolutism of joseph ii , leopold ii, introduced minor language concessions, showed promise czech movement, many of these reforms later rescinded. during revolution of 1848, many czech nationalists called autonomy bohemia habsburg austria, revolutionaries defeated. old bohemian diet, 1 of last remnants of independence, dissolved, although czech language experienced rebirth romantic nationalism developed among czechs.

in 1861, new elected bohemian diet established. renewal of old bohemian crown (kingdom of bohemia, margraviate of moravia, , duchy of upper , lower silesia) became official political program of both czech liberal politicians , majority of bohemian aristocracy ( state rights program ), while parties representing german minority , small part of aristocracy proclaimed loyalty centralistic constitution (so-called verfassungstreue ).

after defeat of austria in austro-prussian war in 1866, hungarian politicians achieved austro-hungarian compromise of 1867, ostensibly creating equality between austrian , hungarian halves of empire. attempt czechs create tripartite monarchy (austria-hungary-bohemia) failed in 1871. state rights program remained official platform of czech political parties (except social democrats) until 1918.

20th century

bohemia (westernmost area) in czechoslovakia 1918-1938.



linguistic map of interwar czechoslovakia (c. 1930).

after world war i, bohemia (as largest , populous land) became core of newly formed country of czechoslovakia, combined bohemia, moravia, czech silesia, upper hungary (present-day slovakia) , carpathian ruthenia 1 state. under first president, tomáš masaryk, czechoslovakia became liberal democratic republic serious issues emerged regarding czech majority s relationship native german , hungarian minorities.

following munich agreement in 1938, border regions of bohemia historically inhabited predominantly ethnic germans (the sudetenland) annexed nazi germany. time in bohemian history territory politically divided. remnants of bohemia , moravia annexed germany in 1939, while slovak lands became separate slovak republic, puppet state of nazi germany. 1939 1945 bohemia, (without sudetenland), moravia formed german protectorate of bohemia , moravia (reichsprotektorat böhmen und mähren).

any open opposition german occupation brutally suppressed nazi authorities , many czech patriots executed result. after world war ii ended in 1945, vast majority of remaining germans expelled force order of re-established czechoslovak central government, based on potsdam agreement, , property confiscated czech authorities. severely depopulated area , moment on locales referred in czech equivalents regardless of previous demographic makeup.

the communist party won votes in free elections not simple majority. klement gottwald, communist leader, became prime minister of coalition government.

bohemian town karlovy vary.

in february 1948 non-communist members of government resigned in protest against arbitrary measures communists , soviet protectors in many of state s institutions. gottwald , communists responded coup d état , installed pro-soviet authoritarian state. in 1949, bohemia ceased administrative unit of czechoslovakia, country divided administrative regions did not follow historical borders.

in 1989, agnes of bohemia became first saint central european country canonized pope john paul ii before velvet revolution later year.

after dissolution of czechoslovakia in 1993, territory of bohemia remained in czech republic. new constitution of czech republic provided higher administrative units established, providing possibility of bohemia administrative unit, did not specify form take. constitutional act in 1997 rejected restoration of self-governing historical czech lands , decided regional system has been in use since 2000. petr pithart, former czech prime minister , president of senate @ time, remained 1 of main advocates of land system, claiming primary reason refusal fear of possible moravian separatism.

bohemia remains historical region, , administration divided between prague, central bohemia, plzeň, karlovy vary, Ústí nad labem, liberec, , hradec králové regions, parts of pardubice, vysočina, south bohemian , south moravian regions. in addition use in names of regions, historical land names remain in use in names of municipalities, cadastral areas, railway stations or geographical names. distinction , border between czech lands preserved in local dialects.