BOHEMIA, a former Kingdom of Eu rope, and, until 1918 a crownland and titular kingdom of Austria; now a part of the republic of Czecho-Slovakia. It is bounded by Bavaria, Saxony, the Prus sian province of Silesia, Moravia, and the Archduchy of Austria; area 20,223 square miles; pop. about 7,000,000. The prevailing religion is the Roman Cath olic, the country being an archbishopric with three bishoprics. The language of the country is the Czech dialect of the Slavonic in some districts, and in most of the cities German is spoken. Bohemia is surrounded on all sides by mountains, and has many large forests. Its plains are remarkably fertile. The chief rivers are the Elbe and its tributary the Moldau, which is even larger.
Productions.—All sorts of grain are produced in abundance, as also large quantities of potatoes, pulse, sugar beet, flax, hops (the best in Europe), and fruits. Wine is not abundant. The rais ing of sheep, horses, swine and poultry is carried on to a considerable extent. The mines yield silver, copper, lead, tin, zinc, iron, cobalt, arsenic, uranium, an timony, alum, sulphur, plumbago and coal. There are numerous mineral springs, but little salt. Spinning and weaving of linen, cotton and woolen goods are extensively carried on; manufactures of lace, metal and wood work, machinery, chemical products, beet root sugar, pot tery, porcelain, etc., are also largely developed. Large quantities of beer (Pilsener) are exported. Prior to the World War the glassware of Bohemia, which is known all over Europe, em ployed over 50,000 workers. The trade, partly transit, was extensive, Prague, the capital, being the center of it. The largest towns are Prague, Pilsen, Reich enberg, Budweis, Teplitz, Aussig and Eger. The educational establishments in clude the Prague University and upward of 5,000 ordinary schools.
possesses a lit erature of considerable bulk, including in it also works written in Czech by Morav ian and Hungarian writers. The earliest fragment is doubtfully referred to the 10th century, and it was not till after the 13th century that it attained to any development. The most flourishing pe riod of the older literature falls within 1409-1620, John Huss (1369-1415) having initiated a new era, which, however, is more fertile in prose works than in poetry. The following period, up to the beginning of the 19th century, was one of decline, but in recent times there has been a great revival, and in almost all departments Bohemian writers have pro duced works of merit.
was named after a tribe of Gallic origin, the Boii, who were expelled from this region by the Mar comans at the commencement of the Christian era. The latter were in turn obliged to give place to the Germans, and these to the Czechs, a Slavic race, who had established themselves in Bo hemia by the middle of the 5th century, and still form the bulk of the population. The country was at first divided into nu merous principalities. Christianity was introduced about 900. In 1092 Bohemia was finally recognized as a kingdom un der Wratislas II. In 1230 the monarchy, hitherto elective, became hereditary. The monarchs received investiture from the German Emperor, held one of the great offices in the imperial court, and were recognized as among the seven Electors of the Empire. Frequently at strife with its neighbors, Bohemia was successively united and disunited with Hungary, Silesia, Moravia, etc., accord ing to the course of wars and alliances. Ottokar II. (1253-1278) had extended his conquests almost from the Adriatic to the Baltic, when he lost them and his life in contest with Rudolph, the founder of the house of Hapsburg. After the close of the Przemysl dynasty (which had held sway for about six centuries) by the assassination of Ottokar's grandson, Wenceslas III., the house of Luxemburg succeeded in 1310, and governed Bohemia till 1437, the reign of Charles II. (1346 1378) being especially prosperous. Toward the close of this second dynasty civil wars were excited by the spread of the Hussite movement, the central figure of the struggle being John Ziska, the leader of the Taborites. A temporary union between the moderate Hussites and the Catholics having proved a fail ure, the Reformed Party elected as king, in 1433, the Protestant noble, George Podibrad. On his death, in 1471, they chose Wladislas, son of Casimir, King of Poland, who also obtained the crown of Hungary. His son Louis lost both crowns with his life in the battle of Mohacz against the Turks, and Ferdi nand of Austria became, in 1527, sov ereign of both kingdoms. Bohemia then lost its separate existence, being declared a hereditary possession of the house of Austria; and its subsequent history per tains to that of the Austrian Empire. In 1848 an attempt was made to assert its ancient independence against the Aus trian dominion; a conflict took place, Prague was bombarded, and the insurrec tion suppressed. For the later history of Bohemia see CZECRO-SLOVAKIA ; AUSTRIA, and WORLD WAR.