 | This articlerelies largely or entirely on asingle source. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Czech lands" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(January 2017) |
.png)
TheCzech lands[1][2][3] (Czech:České země,pronounced[ˈtʃɛskɛːˈzɛmɲɛ]) is a historical-geographical term which denotes the threehistorical regions ofBohemia,Moravia, andCzech Silesia out of whichCzechoslovakia, and later theCzech Republic andSlovakia, were formed. Together the three have formed the Czech part of Czechoslovakia since 1919, and the Czech Republic since 1 January 1993.
In a historical context, Czech texts use the term to refer to any territory ruled by theKings of Bohemia, i.e., thelands of the Bohemian Crown (země Koruny české) as established by EmperorCharles IV in the 14th century. This includes territories like theLusatias (which in 1635 fell toSaxony) and the whole ofSilesia, which at the time were all ruled fromPrague Castle. Since the conquest of Silesia by thePrussian kingFrederick the Great in theFirst Silesian War in 1742, the remaining lands of the Bohemian Crown—Bohemia, Moravia andAustrian Silesia—have been more or less co-extensive with the territory of the modern-day Czech Republic.[citation needed]
The term Czech lands has been used to describe different things by different people. While the Czech name of Bohemia proper isČechy, the adjectivečeský refers to both "Bohemian" and "Czech". The non-auxiliary term (i.e. the term used in official Czech geographical terminology lists) for the present-day Czech lands (i.e. Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia) isČesko. This term is documented as early as 1704, but in that time meant only Bohemia (Čechy) (.[citation needed]
During the period of the First and Second Czechoslovak Republics, the Czech lands were frequently referred to asHistorical lands, in particular when mentioned together withSlovakia (which was never an autonomous historical region within theKingdom of Hungary).
The Bohemia had been settled by Celts (Boii) from 5th century BC until the 2nd century AD, and then by various Germanic tribes (Marcomanni,Quadi,Lombards and others) until they moved on to the west during theMigration Period (1st–5th century). At the beginning of the 5th century the population decreased dramatically and, according tomythology, was led by a chieftain namedČech. The firstWestern Slavs came in the second half of the 6th century. In the course of the decline of theGreat Moravian realm during theHungarian invasions of Europe in the 9th and 10th centuries, the CzechPřemyslid dynasty established theDuchy of Bohemia. Backed by theEast Frankish kings, they prevailed against the reluctant Bohemian nobility and extended their rule eastwards over the adjacentMoravia.
In 1198, DukeOttokar I of Bohemia received the royal title by theGermananti-kingPhilip of Swabia. Attached to hisKingdom of Bohemia was theMargraviate of Moravia established in 1182 andKłodzko Land, the laterCounty of Kladsko. From the second part of the 13th century onwards,German colonists ("German Bohemians"), who had already been living in Prague since the early 12th century, settled in the mountainous border area on the basis of the king's invitation during theOstsiedlung.
The Silesian lands north of theSudetes mountain range had been ruled by the PolishPiast dynasty from the 10th century onwards. While Bohemia rose to a kingdom, theSilesian Piasts alienated from the fragmentingKingdom of Poland. After in 1310 the Bohemian crown had passed to the mightyHouse of Luxembourg, nearly allSilesian dukes pledged allegiance to KingJohn the Blind, and in 1335 the Polish kingCasimir III the Great officially renounced Silesia via theTreaty of Trentschin. King John had also acquired the lands ofBautzen andGörlitz (laterUpper Lusatia) in 1319 and 1329. His son and successor Charles IV, alsoKing of the Romans since 1346, incorporated the Silesian and Lusatian estates into the Bohemian Crown and upon his coronation asHoly Roman Emperor confirmed their indivisibility from and affiliation with theHoly Roman Empire.
In 1367 Emperor Charles IV also purchased the formerMarch of Lusatia (Lower Lusatia) in the northwest. However, during theThirty Years' War both Lusatias passed to the Electorate of Saxony by thePeace of Prague. After the Bohemian Crown (Crown of Saint Wenceslas) passed to theHouse of Habsburg in 1526, the Bohemiancrown lands together with theKingdom of Hungary and theAustrian "hereditary lands" became part of the largerHabsburg monarchy. In 1742 the Habsburg queenMaria Theresa lost the bulk of Silesia to Prussia in theFirst Silesian War, part of theWar of the Austrian Succession.
.svg)
The coat of arms of the Czech Republic incorporates those of the three integral Czech lands: Bohemia proper, Moravia, and Czech Silesia. The arms of Bohemia originated with the Kingdom of Bohemia, like those of Moravia with the Moravian margraviate. The arms of Czech Silesia originated as those of all of the historical region of Silesia, much of which is now inPoland.
