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MTW Czech Republic |
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*Bohemia and the Czech land are interchangeable terms referring to the same geographic land. How did the Protestant Reformation become so strong in Bohemia at such an early date? It begins with a strong alliance with England. Charles IV, Ruler of Bohemia from 1346 - 1378 as well as all the Holy Roman Empire, resided in Prague. (This is called the “Golden Age” of Czech History). (See History under Luxemburgs). His daughter, Anne, married Richard II of England (king from 1377 - 1399 although Anne died in 1394). Anne, as well as many Czechs, traveled back and forth between England and Bohemia. The work of John Wycliffe was very influential in England at this time (Wycliffe lived 1320 - 1384). Wycliffe’s teaching spread to Bohemia. (At this time there were 3 popes so the Roman Catholic church had lost some credibility.) Hus, a Catholic Priest, became convinced that the teachings of Wycliffe are Biblical. Practically the entire small country in influenced by the teaching and preaching of Hus. The first real large scale Protestant Reformation is born in the early 1400's (one hundred years before Luther). Anne’s brother, Wenceslas IV becomes king in Bohemia following Charles IV from 1378 - 1419. Hus is burned at the stake by the Catholic church in 1415. Anne and Wenceslas’s other brother, Sigismund (who remains a Catholic) battles with the Hussites over control of the Czech lands from 1419 - 1436. After Sigismund agrees to many concessions, the Bohemians accept him as King but when Sigismund dies in 1458, Bohemia rejects his successor and elect a non-royal Protestant Bohemian for their King–King George. HUSSITE MOVEMENT FROM 1400 - 1620 The Hussite movement is VERY IMPORTANT for Czech history. 1) The Hussite movement was religious - The followers of Hus rejected the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church; they rejected the authority and rule of the Priests and Popes and embraced the "priesthood" of all believers. Hus condemned many practices of the Catholic church, preached in the common language of the people (Czech), and administered both elements (bread and wine) to the people in communion. (The Roman Catholic church only allowed for the bread to be given). JOHN HUS was burned in 1415 by the Catholic church for heresy. He was loved in the Czech lands and his followers revolted. They were part of the Luxemburg dynasty at this time (see History of Czech Republic). After the death of King Wenceslas IV in 1419, the Czech Hussites would not accept the new king (who was Catholic) –King Sigismund (see below). At one time over 70% of Bohemia was protestant. Bohemia was the first protestant land--the forerunner of the Reformation in Germany with Luther. One of the main issues of the reformation was allowing everyone to partake of the wine in communion. Wine was first administrered to all people in 1414 in the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Wall (by Tesco). The chalice became the symbol of the Hussite Reformation. 2) The Hussite movement was political - The Hussites began to reject the idea of domination by foreign kings and became militant, wanting more freedom and self-rule. The city of Tabor was established as their headquarters. When King Wenceslas IV died in 1419, they would not submit to the next Luxemburg successor, King Sigismund, Wenceslas’s brother. King Sigismund lead 5 crusades against the Hussites, but could not defeat them. (a miracle) Finally, after 15 years, in 1436, King Sigismund made peace with the Hussites, granted them concessions, and established the "Bohemian Diet" with representation that allowed for some self-rule. The Hussites then accepted his rule, but his rule was greatly limited by the Bohemian Diet. 1458 - 1471 - RULE OF BOHEMIAN KING GEORGE When King Sigismund dies, the Bohemian Diet rejects foreign kings and elects George from Podebrady, a Bohemian leader of the Hussites, as king. This represents an exceptional event in Czech history, since the crown reposes on the head of a man who does not come from a dynastic family and who is regarded as a heretic by nearly all of Europe. This is a time when Europe is governed by "Royal" families and the powerful Catholic church. The reformation has not yet come to the rest of Europe. (The Reformation gains momentum in Germany around the 1520's with Luther.) The idea of any type of democracy is alien. King George tries to establish peaceful co-existence between the Hussites and Catholics. The Catholic church spurns him, however, and calls on all "Christians" to renew their fight with the Hussites. 1471 - 1526 - POLISH KINGS - JAGIELLO DYNASTY (Vladislav, Louis) Upon King George's death, the Bohemian Diet, respecting the wish of King George, elects the Polish King as their king. Two Polish kings reign. 1526 - 1918 RULE OF HAPSBURGS OF AUSTRIA (400 years) The Bohemian Diet (now called Bohemian Estates) elects the Austrian King of the Hapsburg dynasty as their King when the second Jagiello king dies. This turns out to be a big mistake and makes them part of the Austrian Empire. (Austria would continue to rule them for 400 years.) The first Austria Hapsburg King, Ferdinand I, did not interfere as much with the Bohemian Estate and allowed for a degree of self-rule. Subsequent kings were more “Catholic”. Jesuits were sent to the Czech lands, though, to convert the land back to Catholicism. 1617 - 1620 Things came to a head around 1617. The the Roman Catholic church did not feel the present Austrian King–King Matthias was “Catholic” enough. They were able to secure a successor for Matthias, Ferdinand II, who was known for his cruel persecution of non-Catholic subjects. Ferdinand II was not the son of Ferdinand I. Ferdinand I began to exert power right away. He sent governors to Bohemia. This was too much for the Bohemia Estates. They literally threw King Ferdinand’s governors out of the window (May 23, 1618). Matthias died the next year in 1619, leaving no one to stand between King Ferdinand II and the Bohemia Estates. The Bohemia Estates outright rejected King Ferdinand II and elected the son-in-law of James I of England, Frederick Palatine (married to Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of James I of England) as their King. England was a Protestant state and Bohemia wanted to be one also. Frederick and Elizabeth accepted and came. War was inevitable. The Catholic Church was not going to lose more territory. They were already losing territory all over Europe. Frederick calls on help from England, but his Father-in-law, James I, maintains a position of neutrality, although volunteer English soldiers do come from England. On November 8 , 1620 the Protestant, Bohemia forces of Frederick met the Catholic, German (Austrian) forces of Ferdinand at the battle of White Mountain outside of Prague. The forces of Frederick were defeated. Frederick was able to escape and flee the country (with his wife). Ferdinand II took total control of the Czech lands. Thus began a time of “dark ages” for the Czech lands, and thus began the 30-year War across Europe. Bohemia would never fully recover and was never free of Austrian rule until after World War I in 1918. Ferdinand II stayed true to his promise to rid the Czech lands of Protestants. 27 Protestant leaders were arrested and executed “as an example” 7 months later at the Old Town Square in Prague. (Crosses mark that spot today). Most Protestant fled the country, or faced imprisonment. Ferdinand confiscated the property of all who stood against him. Ferdinand had one major General, Albrecht Wallenstein. Wallenstein was a Czech-German who turned on his own country. Wallenstein was given some of the confiscated property of Protestants in Prague and then bought more land to built (1624-1630) one of the most elaborate palace and gardens of his time. This palace and its gardens still stand today and are situated behind the Mala Strana Metro Stop and are open to the public. (Note: Wallenstein began to covet the crown of Bohemia for himself and fell out of favor with King Ferdinand. In 1634 King Ferdinand II had him assassinated.) The Thirty-Years War (1618 - 1648) brought ruin to the Czech land–destroyed towns, villages, and commerce, depopulated Czech territory, the Czech nation lost, by the end of the war, two whole social classes, the nobility and the bourgeoisies, which means nearly all the intelligentsia, the greatest part of the national property, the Protestant faith, and even its own language. German became the official language. The Swedes tried to come and rescue the Czech lands toward the end of the 30-year war in 1645 but were defeated. Faithful Protestant Czechs allied themselves with the Swedes but were also defeated. All freedom was taken from the people. The northeastern section of Bohemia, known as Lusatian Serbia (which had been a part of Bohemia for 300 years) was given to the Elector of Saxony in Germany. The serfs, or extremely poor, who could not go into exile, were forced to become Catholic, but many went “underground.” For 160 years (1621 until the Edit of Toleration in 1781) there was literally NO religious freedom. Secret, faithful Protestants gathered illegally together for secret worship in remote places in the forests, rocks and caves. Secret Protestants kept their Bibles and religious books hidden in different places to save them from the searching Jesuits and soldiers. New religious books were later printed in Germany and smuggled into Bohemia and Moravia. Contrast what was happening in the “New World” at this time. 1620–the same year as the defeat and almost eradication (never totally–Christ kept a “hidden church”) of the Protestants in the Czech lands–the Mayflower was bring Protestants to start a new life with religious freedom in the new world. In 1621–the same year as the execution of the Protestant leaders in Prague–the Pilgrims invited Indians to the first Thanksgiving celebration. 1918 - PRESENT After World War I, the Czech lands became Czechoslovakia and maintained their own freedom until invaded by Hitler in 1939. (Slovakia broke away from the Czech lands in 1939 and formed an alliance with Hitler.) Freedom for a mere 20 years-- 1918 until March 1939. Communism took control after World War II and reigned until November 1989. All religious faiths–Protestants and Catholics–were discouraged and persecuted to varying degrees under Russia’s Communist Rule for 40 years (1948-1989). There remains today a Czech land that is said to be 80% atheistic. As we enter the 21st Century we pray and work for the return of the strong Protestant Reformation which once flourished in the Czech lands. In many respects Bohemia was the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation. by Becky Chaplin |
Send Email to Hans Deutschmann at
hdeutschmann@mtwczech.org for information about the team or serving.
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