PREFACE.✦

Few countries have been more strangely misunderstood by the average Englishman than Bohemia has been. The mischievous blunder of some fifteenth century Frenchman, who confused the gipsies who had just arrived in France with the nation which was just then startling Europe by its resistance to the forces of the Empire, has left a deeper mark on the imagination of most of our countrymen than the martyrdom of Hus or even the sufferings of our own Princess Elizabeth. The word “Bohemian” has passed into newspaper slang; and it has been so often quoted in its slang sense by people who ought to be more careful in their language, that it has really hindered the study of the real country which it misrepresents. The few who care to hear anything more of a people so strangely slandered, have often been yet further blinded by their readiness to accept as absolute truth the prejudices of the German and Magyar opponents of the Bohemian national feeling. From these sources they have derived an impression of a set of narrow Ultramontanes, who, oddly enough, combine their religious bigotries in favour of Roman Catholicism with a reliance on Russia in political affairs. These prejudices ought certainly to yield to an acquaintance with the people in their own country. A Roman Catholicism, tempered by an enthusiasm for Hus and Z̆iz̆ka and King George, can scarcely be a very obscurantist form of creed; and an intense feeling of national distinctness can hardly be compatible with an anxiety to be absorbed by the great North-eastern Empire, though undoubtedly it produces a stronger repulsion against the equally denationalising force of Pan-Germanism. Perhaps a careful study of the history of a country so much misunderstood will be the best preparation for a fairer appreciation of its present difficulties.

I have now to thank the many kind friends who have helped me in my work. Of these the chief helper has been Professor Mourek. During the whole of my stay at Prague I received every assistance from him which a foreigner studying in that town could possibly require; and since I have returned to England he has helped me most energetically in procuring various illustrations necessary for my book. I have also to thank Count Leo Thun (the cousin of the late Governor of Bohemia) for many useful hints and introductions. I should also thank Mr. Custos Borovsky, of the Rudolfinum, for the kindness with which he supplied me with introductions during my visits to other towns in Bohemia and Moravia. I should also thank Professor Rez̆ek for many useful hints, especially about the difficult reign of Ferdinand I. Professor Kalausek I have to thank for hints about the earlier period. Professor Tomek I must thank for allowing me to use the map of Prague which appears in my book. I must also thank Dr. Toman for the use of the curious pictures of Z̆iz̆ka. For help in my work in other towns I must thank Father Wurm, of Olmütz (Olomouci); Mr. Palliardi, of Znaym (Znojem); Professor Brettholz, of Brünn (Brno); the Sub-librarian of C̆aslau; Professor Lemminger, of Kuttenberg (Kutna Hora); Mr. Gross, of Krumov; Father Fuc̆ik, of Prachatice; Professor Strnad, of Pilsen (Plz̆en); Monsignore Rodler, of Budweis (Budejóvice); the Keeper of the Archives at Wittingau (Tr̆ebon̆), and Professor Sedlac̆ek, of Tabor. I also wish to thank Mr. C̆elakovsky, of the Town Archives of Prague, for the suggestion about the relation of the early Utraquist rising to the differences between Bohemian workmen and German employers (see Chap. ix. pp. 231, 232).

The question of when and how far to use the Bohemian names of places is one of some difficulty. My own instinct would be to use them wherever possible. But it cannot be denied that there are cases in which the German forms are so well known to English readers, and some in which the Bohemian names seem so unpronounceable, that it would be affectation to follow the strict rules of national expression. Praha, of course, has been hopelessly Anglicized into Prague; and Olomouci, Cheb, Brno, and Plz̆en have been as certainly Germanised into Olmütz, Eger, Brünn, and Pilsen. Even in these cases I have on some occasions added the Bohemian names in brackets. But it was so difficult to know what names of Bohemian towns are generally known in England, that I may sometimes seem to have been inconsistent in my practice. Only let me assure my readers that my wish has been to impress on them the distinctive character of the Bohemian language, and at the same time to secure the recognition of any places with whose names they are already familiar.

CONTENTS.

PAGE I.

FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD OF BOHEMIAN HISTORY TO THE HUNGARIAN INVASION 1-17

(-885.)

Characteristics of Bohemian history--Story of Queen Libus̆a--Early Slavonic kingdom--The struggle with the Franks--Resistance to Frankish “conversions”--Boris of Bulgaria and Methodius--The Cyrillic language--Cyril and Methodius in Moravia--Career of Svatopluk--Renewed struggle with the Franks--Conversion of Bor̆ivoj--The Slavonic ritual--Opposition of Svatopluk and his courtiers to Methodius--The appeal to the Pope--The “Pilatici”--Approval of the ritual by John VIII.--Wiching’s fraud--Svatopluk and Arnulf--Expulsion of the Methodian Christians from Moravia--Death of Svatopluk--Mojmir and the Slavonic ritual--The Hungarian invasion.

II.

BOHEMIAN SAINTS AND WARRIORS IN THE TENTH CENTURY 18-32

(885-997.)

Bohemian feeling about the saintly and the military character--Svatopluk’s struggle and fall--Separation of Bohemia from Moravia--Reigns of Bor̆ivoj and Vratislav--The heathen reaction under Drahomíra--Life, death, and character of St. Wenceslaus--Reign of Boleslav the Cruel--Rise of the Vrs̆ovici--Boleslav the Pious--Life and death of St. Adalbert.

III.

RELATIONS OF BOHEMIA TO POLAND AND TO THE EMPIRE IN THE ELEVENTH, TWELFTH, AND THIRTEENTH CENTURIES 33-66

(997-1253.)

Effect of the Hungarian invasions on the position of Bohemia--The struggles between Bohemia and Poland--Romantic stories of Oldr̆ich and Brac̆islav--Revival of the Slavonic ritual--Brac̆islav’s victories in Poland--The scene in the Church at Gnesen--Invasion of Bohemia by Henry III.--The Pr̆emyslovci made hereditary Dukes--Spitihnĕv’s anti-German policy--Election and policy of Vratislav--The family opposition and its results--Relations with Henry IV.--The first Bohemian king--Relations with the Hohenstauffen--Vladislav’s policy and the opposition of the nobles--Frederick Barbarossa--The second King of Bohemia--Bohemians in Italy--Summary of Vladislav’s reign--New disorders--Election of Pr̆emysl--Divisions in the Empire and their effect on the Bohemian position--Contests of King and Priest--Breach between Bohemia and the Empire--Conquest of Austria by Bohemia--Accession of Ottakar II.

IV.

THE GROWTH OF BOHEMIAN LIFE FROM ACCESSION OF PR̆EMYSL OTTAKAR I. TO DEATH OF PR̆EMYSL OTTAKAR II. 67-106

(1198-1278.)

Relative importance of Constitutional questions in different histories and at different periods--Causes of decline of early Bohemian liberties--Policy of Pr̆emysl Ottakar I.--The German settlement in Poric̆--Extension of its privileges to other towns--Special position of Moravia--The town-rights of Brünn--The Mongol invasion--Collapse of Europe--Pope and Emperor--King Wenceslaus I.--First check of the Mongols--Impulse given by these events to the movement for municipal liberty--Towns as a check on the nobles--Power of the jury--Effect of this movement on trade--On political capacity--Pr̆emysl Ottakar II.--His relations to nobles and clergy--Difficulties between towns and monasteries--Ottakar’s policy in that respect--His foreign policy--Circumstances of the annexation of Austria to Bohemia--The marriage with Margaret--Relations of Ottakar to Vienna--The struggle in and conquest of Styria--Story of conquest of Carinthia and Carniola--Ottakar’s tyranny in Styria--Ottakar’s relations with Hungary--Anarchy in the Empire--Refusal of Imperial Crown by Ottakar--Long discussions and divisions among the Electors--Circumstances of the election of Rudolf of Hapsburg--Ottakar’s protest--Pope Gregory X. and Bruno of Olmütz--The Council of Lyons--Rudolf’s claims on Ottakar’s conquests--The first war between Ottakar and Rudolf--Surrender of the conquered lands to Rudolf--Differences about the terms of peace--Rudolf’s difficulties between towns and archbishops--Falling off of Rudolf’s supporters--The conspiracy in Vienna and its suppression--The final war--Battle of the Marchfeld and death of Ottakar--Estimate of the work of Pr̆emyslovci--Causes of Ottakar’s fall.

V.

TIME OF ANARCHY IN BOHEMIA FROM DEATH OF OTTAKAR II. TO ACCESSION OF CHARLES IV. 107-129

(1278-1346.)

Rudolf’s moderation as a conqueror--Impossibility of his policy--Kunigunda and Otto of Brandenburg--Treachery and tyranny of Otto and his followers--The famine--Return of King Wenceslaus II.--Zavis̆ of Falkenstein--Marriage of Wenceslaus--Intrigues and death of Zavis̆--Policy of Wenceslaus--Death of Rudolf and new divisions in the Empire--Albert’s concessions and election--Relations of Wenceslaus to Hungary--Death of Wenceslaus II., and accession and murder of Wenceslaus III.--Struggles between Rudolf of Hapsburg and Henry of Carinthia for Bohemia--Election of Henry of Luxemburg as Emperor--Election of John as King of Bohemia--His prospects and promises--The Archbishop of Mainz--Henry of Lipa--The towns and the nobles--Audacity of Henry of Lipa--Return of John--Civil war in Bohemia--Practical victory of Henry--His intrigues against Elizabeth--John and the citizens of Prague--Difficulties of Elizabeth--Prosecution of Bishop John--Cruelty of John--Charles as Governor of Bohemia--Intrigues of nobles against him--Resistance of Charles to John--Friendliness of Pope Clement to John and Charles--The Slavonic ritual--Election of Charles as Emperor--Battle of Crecy and death of John.