BOHEMIA, a kingdom of Europe subject to the house of Austria, and surrounded on every side with woods and mountains as with a natural rampart. It is bounded on the east by Moravia and part of Silesia, on the north by Lusatia and Upper Saxony, on the west by Franconia, and on the south by Bavaria. Although this kingdom is situated in the middle of Germany, and its king is an elector of the empire, it has nevertheless its particular assemblies, customs, and language, different from the Germans. It is one of the most elevated countries of Europe: for no river enters into it, though many have their source there; the chief of which are the Elbe, the Oder, the Vistula, and the Morava. The air is cold and unwholesome; for they have more epidemical diseases than in the neighbouring countries. There are mines of silver, copper, lead, and even some veins of gold. The capital city is Prague; the others are Cutenburg, Konigengretz, Pilsen, Czastlaw, Budweys, Egra, Glatz, Tabor, and a great number of others: for they reckon more than 100 cities, among which almost 40 have the title of Royal. The name Bohemia, in the German language, signifies the home or abode of the Boii, a people of ancient Gaul, who under their leader Sargovesus settled in that country about 590 years before the Christian era. These Boii were soon after expelled by the Marcomanni, a nation of the Suevi, who were afterwards subdued by the Sclavi, a people of Scythia, whose language is still spoken in Bohemia and Moravia. Notwithstanding this expulsion of the Boii, the present inhabitants are still called Bohemians by foreigners, but the natives call themselves Zechs. At first they were governed by dukes; but the emperor Otho I. conquered the duke of Bohemia, and reduced the province under the empire. Afterwards Henry V. gave the title of king to Ladislaus duke of Bohemia; and since that time these kings have been electors and chief cup-bearers of the empire, and the kingdom has been elective; which privileges have been confirmed by the golden bull. Formerly the kings of Bohemia received the kingdom as a fief of the empire, which ceremony was practised upon the frontiers; after which, the standards of the principalities of which it is composed were given to them, without being torn and given to the people, as is done with the ensigns of the other fiefs of the empire. Ferdinand I. of Austria, having married Anne,
sister of Louis, last king of Bohemia, who died without issue, and being elected king, that kingdom has remained in his family ever since. But the crown is conferred with some appearance of election; which right the states of Bohemia still pretend to claim, notwithstanding that, by the treaty of Weisphalia, Bohemia is declared hereditary in the house of Austria.
The king of Bohemia is the first secular elector, and gives his opinion after the elector of Cologne; though he does not assist at the assembly of electors, except at the election of an emperor. For these 200 years past they have not appeared at the collegiate assemblies, nor even at the imperial diets. However, in 1708, the emperor caused one of his deputies, in quality of king of Bohemia, to enter into the college of electors at the diet of Ratisbon, by the form of re-admission, together with the deputy of the elector of Brunswick. The states of Bohemia have never been comprehended in the government, or in the circles of the empire; they are not subject to any of its jurisdictions, nor to the Roman months, taxes, or public contributions; and they owe nothing to the empire but what the emperor Leopold voluntarily imposed upon himself, which amounts to 6000 livres a-year for the imperial chamber. The king pays homage to the emperor and the empire for his states as first secular elector; otherwise he has a right to exercise, through the whole extent of his dominions, all authority that the royalty can give, provided he do not violate the laws of the kingdom; according to which he cannot raise contributions or taxes but at the time when the states are assembled, the appointing of which is entirely in their own power. The government of Bohemia is different from that of all other states, the affairs of the kingdom being managed by six different courts. First, the council of the regency, or the great royal council, in which presides the great judge or burgrave of Bohemia, and who has under him 18 lieutenants of the king and other assessors. Secondly, The council or superior chamber of justice, at which the great master of the kingdom is president. Thirdly, The chamber of fiefs. Fourthly, The new tribunal to judge the appeals of the German vassals in their differences on the account of fiefs; which court has also its president, vice-president, and assessors. Fifthly, the royal chamber of finances, which has a president and vice-president. Sixthly, The chancery, which always follows the court. Besides, every circle of Bohemia is governed by two bailiffs, who administer justice in their prefecture. The states are composed of the clergy, lords, nobles, and burghers. As to Moravia, there is a grand bailiff who governs it in the name of the king of Bohemia, as margrave of Moravia. He is at the head of the royal council, which is composed of three assessors, and in which all is transacted in the name of the king. This province is divided into five circles, each of which has its bailiff. There are, besides, other officers of justice, who have a right of judging only at certain times, and in particular cases, where an appeal is allowed.
Bohemia was divided by the emperor Charles IV. into 12 provinces, in each of which he ordered two captains to be appointed every year for the administration of the government. The same emperor caused the church of Prague to be erected into an archbishopric, with this advantage, that the archbishop of Prague should
Bohemian should have the prerogative that the archbishop of Mentz formerly enjoyed, viz. of crowning the king of Bohemia. The duchy of Silesia, the marquise of Moravia, and that of Lusatia, formerly held of this crown, but now only that of Moravia, which is incorporated with the kingdom of Bohemia, and is in the possession of the house of Austria.
The only remarkable occurrence in the Bohemian history is the rebellion of the disciples of John Hus, and Jerome of Prague, on account of their leaders having been burnt as heretics. This occasioned a bloody war of 16 years continuance. For a particular account of which, see the article HUSSITES.