In 1414, a Czech theologian named Jan Hus was called before the Council of Constance for heresy against the Catholic Church and Pope. Jan Hus had preached about the need to reform the corruption within the Church, desiring to adhere more to a more communal Christianity that he believed the New Testament spoke of, and for that he had been excommunicated numerous times. His life up to this point set the groundwork for the eventual history of the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire to change forever.
The Origin of the Bohemian Name
A History of Czech Feminism
The once egalitarian, agrarian society of Bohemia became ruled by the Hapsburg Dynasty, causing a regression in women’s rights until Christianity helped improve their lives. The National Revival brought the creation of Czechoslovakia and greater rights for women. When communism came, rights improved in some ways and did not in others. The change to a capitalistic democracy brought further changes.
Czech National Revival
The Bohemian Revolt: Defenestration and War
The decision in establishing an emperor’s successor would lead to a conflict that would spark the Thirty Years’ War. The Bohemian revolt initially started off in favor of the Bohemians, but it damaged diplomacy. Victory in this conflict for either side would hinge on the battle that would take place at White Mountain.
Czech Cubism (Cubo-Expressionism)
Charles IV: King of Bohemia and the "Romans"
Czech Beer : A Brief History
Frantiska Plaminkova
Beginnings of Bohemia: Borivoj I and the Premyslids
An Army with No Country: The Czechoslovak Legion in Europe
Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk
Five Czech Towns to Visit
With twelve UNESCO World Heritage Sites, four awe-inspiring national parks, and literally thousands of castles, there is much to see in the Czech Republic beyond the beautiful city of Prague. Today, we’ve compiled a short list of five towns that definitely warrant the trip next time you visit the country.
Prophecies of Libuše
This ancient Bohemian legend dates back to the 8th century and tells the story of an oracle who foretold the coming of a golden city. Libuše, and her prophecies, were both a warning and blessing to her people. Ultimately, her prophetic visions would cause a chain reaction that would end her rule and usher in the Přemyslid Dynasty.
Czech and American Carols
Kafkaesque: an Author’s Legacy in One Word
It would be difficult to find a more suitable word to characterize modern people’s cosmic predicament than “Kafkaesque”. The etymology of the word isn’t hard to decipher, which is untrue of the worlds created by the man immortalized by the adjective. Like many great artists, Kafka’s work was largely undiscovered until after his death.