Bohemia: Political History and Notable Political and Military Figures

721 - Princess Libousa (All Facts)

• Legendary Founder of Prague (the city)

1253 - 1278 - Ottokar II (All Facts)

• He was defeated by his rival King Rudolf of Germany, who was supported by King Ladislaus IV of Hungary

1346 - 1378 - Charles IV (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

  • He became king after his father and predecessor died in the Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years’ War

• He established Prague as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire

  • He oversaw a Golden Age of Prague during this time in which

    • a cultural boom occurred in which numerous and famous European artists, architects, sculptors, and writers flocked to Prague

    • an economic boom occurred in which there was

      • a growth in trade amongst Slavs, Russians, Muslims, Jews, and Turks

      • increasing importance in artisans’ guilds

      • the city’s development into a key religious center

  • He worked to transform the city on the banks of the Moldau River or Vltava into the “Rome of the North”

  • He oversaw the construction of

    • The Church of St. Vitus

    • a stone bridge spanning the Moldau River carrying his name

    • monasteries and fortifications

• He issued the “Golden Bull,” which

  • made it so that the next King of Germany will be elected by an electoral college of seven members, which were the

    • Archbishop of Trier

    • Archbishop of Cologne

    • Archbishop of Mainz

    • Ruler of Bohemia

    • Ruler of the Rhine Palatinate

    • Ruler of Saxe-Wittenburg

    • Ruler of Brandenburg

  • made it so that the electoral college purposefully excluded the pope, who had frequently repeated his claim that he should be allowed to confirm whoever is elected, but which was largely ignored by the namesake and the Holy Roman Empire

  • made it so that the seven electors could only discuss their choice after casting their votes

  • was designed to end the succession disputes that had been plaguing the Holy Roman Empire

• Under his reign, the University of Prague was founded

  • This was the first university founded in central Europe

• He died and was succeeded by his son

1378 - 1419 - Wenceslaus IV (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

• He implemented a series of Catholic policies

  • He did so due to fears of a potential Roman Catholic crusade against Bohemia

  • In response, the Hussites began their revolution against him and he was eventually deposed as a result, having taken no action against them

  • He was convinced by his courtiers and members of the conservative Hussite group that, if he does not accept the new pro-Hussite council, the mutiny might grow

1419 - 1437 - Sigismund (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

  • He was recognized as such as per an agreement he made with the Utraquist Hussites following the Hussite War

1453 - 1457 - Ladislaus the Posthumous (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

• He died of plague

1458 - 1471 - George Podebrad (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

  • Leading Czech politician

  • He was regent for five years under his predecessor before he was elected king

• He formed his namesake Hussite league / union, which officially defied the Catholic party in Prague and the rest of the country

  • With the union’s backing, he made himself “Master of Prague,” driving out the Catholics there and restoring the cardinal

• His enemies in Bohemia were strengthened by papal condemnation of the namesake as a heretic

1469 - 1490 - Matthias Corvinus (All Facts)

• King of Bohemia

  • He was Catholic