Prague, the mother of all cities. Part 4 Dissent, Defenestration and the Hussite War.
July 6th 2008 11:04
With the death of Charles IV in 1378 and the accession of his son Wenceslas IV, the Prague’s golden age ended. There followed a period of religious dissent, civil war and unstable sovereignty where the great and glorious city of Prague foundered.
Religious dissent, between the Catholic establishment and the followers of the protestant reformer Jan Hus, escalated until, in 1419, the Hussites threw the City Councillors from a window in Prague Castle. Sixteen days later, Wenceslas died. The establishment’s outrage at the “Defenestration”, (as the practice of throwing unpopular leaders out of windows became rather pompously known) along with the Hussites refusal to accept Wenceslas’ half-brother Sigismund resulted in the Hussite War. In 1420 Sigismund’s army was defeated at the Battle of Vitkov Mountain. The war raged on. Bohemia was torn apart, both literally and metaphorically. Buildings and national treasures were destroyed and Prague Castle fell into disrepair. Finally, in1434, the Hussites were defeated at the battle of Lipany and Sigismund became King.
Sigismund’s reign was short lived. He died in 1437, the last male of the Luxembourg Dynasty. There followed several more brief reigns. Sigismund’s son-in-law, Albert II of Austria ruled for two years. Sigismund’s grandson, Ladislaw Posthumous (so named because he was born after his father’s death) was next to the throne. When he died aged 17, his advisor George of Podebrady was unanimously chosen as King by the Hussites and the Catholics. However, this displeased the Pope who mounted a Crusade, led by Matthius Corvinus of Hungary. After the Crusade, Bohemia became a Dual Monarchy, with Matthius as Emperor and George as King of Bohemia. The next King was Vladislav Jagellon. Son of the Polish King Casimir IV and the sister of Lasilaw Posthumous, he was descended from both the Luxembourg and the Premyslid Dynasties. He seemed the perfect King. But his reign was neither long nor auspicious and when he died in 1526, so did the Jagellon line.
The next King of Bohemia was Ferdinand Habsburgh, brother-in-law of Vladislav Jagellon The seat of power then shifted to Austria and into the hands of the great dynasty which was to see Prague through the most celebrated era of its history.
Prague Castle Square
Religious dissent, between the Catholic establishment and the followers of the protestant reformer Jan Hus, escalated until, in 1419, the Hussites threw the City Councillors from a window in Prague Castle. Sixteen days later, Wenceslas died. The establishment’s outrage at the “Defenestration”, (as the practice of throwing unpopular leaders out of windows became rather pompously known) along with the Hussites refusal to accept Wenceslas’ half-brother Sigismund resulted in the Hussite War. In 1420 Sigismund’s army was defeated at the Battle of Vitkov Mountain. The war raged on. Bohemia was torn apart, both literally and metaphorically. Buildings and national treasures were destroyed and Prague Castle fell into disrepair. Finally, in1434, the Hussites were defeated at the battle of Lipany and Sigismund became King.
The fateful windows of Prague Castle, overlooking the Vltava
Sigismund’s reign was short lived. He died in 1437, the last male of the Luxembourg Dynasty. There followed several more brief reigns. Sigismund’s son-in-law, Albert II of Austria ruled for two years. Sigismund’s grandson, Ladislaw Posthumous (so named because he was born after his father’s death) was next to the throne. When he died aged 17, his advisor George of Podebrady was unanimously chosen as King by the Hussites and the Catholics. However, this displeased the Pope who mounted a Crusade, led by Matthius Corvinus of Hungary. After the Crusade, Bohemia became a Dual Monarchy, with Matthius as Emperor and George as King of Bohemia. The next King was Vladislav Jagellon. Son of the Polish King Casimir IV and the sister of Lasilaw Posthumous, he was descended from both the Luxembourg and the Premyslid Dynasties. He seemed the perfect King. But his reign was neither long nor auspicious and when he died in 1526, so did the Jagellon line.
The gates of Prague Castle
The next King of Bohemia was Ferdinand Habsburgh, brother-in-law of Vladislav Jagellon The seat of power then shifted to Austria and into the hands of the great dynasty which was to see Prague through the most celebrated era of its history.
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