Prague is supposed to have been founded in 722 by the Duchess Libussa. In 1348 Charles IV founded the university, the first which Ger many possessed, and it soon acquired such celeb rity through the teachings of such zealous rec tors as Huss and Jerome that it was resorted to from all quarters of Europe. In 1424 Prague was taken by the Hussites and almost destroyed, but after their submission to the emperor in 1433 the town was rebuilt. It reached its great est prosperity and importance during the times of George Podiebead and his successors. It suffered severely in the Thirty Years' War, which, indeed, started in Prague, and in 1620 a battle was fought at the White Mountain in the neighborhood, in which the Elector-palatine Frederick V was defeated by the Emperor Ferdinand II and compelled to renounce his crown. In 1631 the city was captured by the Saxons, who were driven out a few months later by Wallenstein. In 1741 it was taken by the French and Bavarians, and three years later capitulated to Frederick the Great. After the Seven Years' War the city made rapid strides and enjoyed peace and prosperity until 1848, when the Austrian government caused it to be bombarded for two days, owing to the marked democratic demonstrations excited by the meet ings of the Slavonic Congress within its walls. During the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 the city was occupied by the Prussians and here the treaty of peace was signed on the 23d of August.
Prague is the seat of the Imperial govern ment and a Roman Catholic prince-archbishop.
The city is governed according to a charter dating back to 1850. At the head of its gov ernment is a burgomaster. The citizens elect a board of aldermen of 90 members from whom a second body of 24 members, the Stadtrat, are chosen. The city owns three of its four gas works, several waterworks, the electrical power works and street railways and the slaughter house.
Besides the two universities and technical colleges there are numerous public, normal, high, manual training, trade and grammar schools, both for German and Bohemian chil dren, as well as a number of private educa tional institutions. There are also nine public hospitals, a state insane asylum, orphan asylums and a large number of other charitable institu tions. A number of newspapers are published daily in both German and Bohemian. Of the total population 90 per cent were Bohemians and 8 per cent Germans. Almost 90 per cent were members of the Roman Catholic Church and about 8 per cent Hebrews. Prague has shown the least increase in population of all Austrian cities during the decade 1900-1910, namely, less than one-half per cent. Pop. (1910 census) 223,741. Consult Civitatum Pragentum> (Prague 1886) ; Tomek, W. W., 'History of the City of Prague' (in Bohemian, Vols. 1-12, Prague 1855-1901) ; 'Oesterreich isches Staedte-Buch> (Vienna 1899, to date) ; Neuwirth, J., (Leipzig 1901) ; Luetzow, F. H. H. von, 'Story of Prague' (New York 1902) ; Symons, Arthur, 'Cities (London 1903).