The History of the Czech Republic

Roman Era and Migration ( – 500)

Celtic, then Germanic tribes had inhabited the region
Although outside of the Roman Empire, the area became romanised due to trade and the empire’s influence
Germanic tribes largely dominated

Arrival of Slavs and Formation of states (500 – 800s)

Slavic tribes began settling in Bohemia and Moravia
Great Moravia was formed in the 9th Century. An early Slavic state

Přemyslid Dynasty and Christianization (870 – 1306)

Bohemia became a duchy in the 800s and was ruled by the Přemyslid dynasty
Christianity was introduced in 863 by Saints Cyril and Methodius
Prague emerged as a major centre

Luxembourg Dynasty and Golden Age (1310 – 1526)

Luxembourg Dynasty came to park in Bohemia in 1310. Charles IV (1316 – 1378) ruled as King of Bohemia and later Holy Roman Emperor
Philosopher Jan Hus criticised the Catholic Church and was executed in 1415. This sparked the Hussite movement and the Hussite wars (1419 – 1434) were fought beterrn Hussite forces and Catholic crusaders. The Hussites used innovative military tactics and gained religious freedoms after the Compact of Basel (1436)

Habsburg Rule and Counter-Reformation (1526 – 1806)

Bohemia comes under Habsburg control in 1526 after the election of Ferdinand I as King of Bohemia (1526)
In 1618 the Defenestration of Prague sparks the Thirty Years War in Europe
In 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain, Protestant forces are defeated, marking the start of harsh Catholicisation and Germanisation
Catholicism dominates and Protestantism is suppressed
By the late 1700s Bohemia is fully absorbed into the centralised Habsburg monarchy

Austrian Empire and National Revival (1806 – 1918)

With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, Bohemia became part of the Austrian Empire. Growing industrially and culturally, with a revival of Czech identity. Nationalism leads to a push for independence

Czechoslovakia and WWII (1918 – 1945)

After WWI and the collapse of Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia is created as an independent nation. Germany occupy the area during WWII quelling resistance movements

Communism (1945 – 1989)

A communist coup in 1948 brings Czechoslovakia under Soviet influence. Reformist leader Alexander Dubček attempted to liberate the region in the Prague Spring (1968) but was crushed by the Soviets

Modern era (1989 – )

Communism was overthrown peacefully in 1989, in 1993 Czechoslovakia split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004