History of the Czech Republic

Early settlement 5th century – Slavonic tribes inhabited our territory first Slavonic state – Samo’s Empire (founded in 623) Great Moravian Empire (9th century) – feudal system 10th century – disintegration of Great Moravian Empire the power was taken by the Premyslid family first historically documented Czech prince Borivoj I ruled over the Czech Lands and part of Great Moravia

1306 – the Premyslids died out by the sword 14th century – the throne went by way of the dynastic wedding to the Luxemburgs - kings Charles IV, Wenceslas IV - the Czech kingdom became also the centre of the Holy Roman Empire

The Hussite movement (1419 - 1437) named after John Huss – priest, philosopher, reformer, professor, dean and later rector of Charles University 1415 – tried by the Church council in Constance and burnt at the stake as a heretic other leaders – Jan Žižka, Prokop Holý they were against the principles of the Catholic church, beginning of European reformation

The Habsburg dynasty (16th -1918) oppression of the Czech nation Bohemia became part of Austria-Hungary

The Battle of White Mountain (1620) was an early battle in the Thirty Years' War difficult religious situation the battle marked the end of the Bohemian period of the Thirty Years' War and decisively influenced the fate of the Czech lands for the next 300 years, germanization

20th century 1914-1918 – 1st World War - the Czechoslovak Republic was established (28th October, 1918) 1939 – 1945 – 2nd World War - German occupation 1948 – the power was taken over by the Communists directed by the Soviet Union

20th century 1968 – Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II it began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Alexander Dubček was elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ), and continued until 21 August when the Soviet Union and other members of the Warsaw Pact invaded the country to halt the reforms.

20th century November 17th, 1989 – Velvet Revolution - the end of the Communist rule - students’ demonstrations 1993 – splitting of the Czechoslovak Republic 2004 – the Czech Republic joined the EU

Outstanding people from the Czech history

Charles IV (1316 - 1378) was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia who also became Holy Roman Emperor received French education and was literate and fluent in five languages Prague became his capital, and he rebuilt the city on the model of Paris, establishing the New Town of Prague 1348 - he founded the University of Prague, which was named after him and it was the first university in Central Europe

John Amos Comenius (1591 - 1670) a Czech teacher, educator and writer considered the father of modern education first introduced pictorial textbooks, written in native language instead of Latin applied effective teaching methods supported lifelong learning and development of logical thinking by moving from dull memorization presented and supported the idea of equal opportunity for poor children opened doors to education for women lived and worked in many different countries in Europe

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850- 1937) the first president of the Czechoslovac Republic in 1918 politician, sociologist, philosopher eager advocate of Czechoslovak independence during WW1 became Professor of Slavic Research at King's College in London re-elected as president three times Czechoslovakia became the strongest democracy in central Europe

Václav Havel (1936- 2011) Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician he ninth and last president of Czechoslovakia (1989–1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (1993–2003) he wrote more than 20 plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally was one of the signatories of the Charter 77 manifesto he received number of state awards from all over the world (e.g.: US Presidential Medal of Freedom, Decoration for Science and Art – Austria, Gandhi Peace Prize – India,…)