Bohemia
Area of the Czech Republic, a fertile plateau drained by the Elbe and Vltava rivers. It is rich in mineral resources, including uranium, coal, lignite, iron ore, silver, and graphite. The main cities are Prague and Plzeň. The name Bohemia derives from the Celtic Boii, its earliest known inhabitants.
History
It became part of the Holy Roman Empire as the result of Charlemagne's establishment of a protectorate over the Celtic, Germanic, and Slav tribes settled in this area. Christianity was introduced in the 9th century, the See of Prague being established 975, and feudalism was introduced by King Ottokar I of Bohemia (1197–1230). From the 12th century onwards, mining attracted large numbers of German settlers, leading to a strong Germanic influence in culture and society. In 1310, John of Luxemburg (died 1346) founded a German-Czech royal dynasty that lasted until 1437. His son, Charles IV, became Holy Roman Emperor 1355, and during his reign the See of Prague was elevated to an archbishopric and a university was founded here. During the 15th century, divisions within the nobility and religious conflicts culminated in the Hussite Wars 1420–36. It was under Habsburg rule 1526–1918, when it was included in Czechoslovakia.
