Binding – Hájek z Libocan, Vàclav. – Kronyka Czeskà.

Authentical reprint of the first edition of 1541. An almost complete copy of this historicly interesting work. In a beautiful binding. The priest, Václav Hájek of Libocany (died 1553), finished his Chronicle manuscript already in 1539. In his Chronicle Hájek describes Czech history from ancient beginnings until 1527. The popularity of the Chronicle at the time prior to the Battle at White Mountain is evidenced by its early translation into German, which was for the Prague edition by Mikuláš Pštros made by Jan Sandel, the municipal scribe from Kadan in 1596 (its reeditions were prepared in Nuremberg in 1697 and in Leipzig in 1718). The priest Václav Hájek z Libocany finished the manuscript of his chronicle already in 1539. In this chronicle, Hájek describes the history of Bohemia from its earliest beginnings to the year 1527. The popularity and notoriety of his chronicle in the period before the Battle of the White Mountain is evidenced by an early translation into German, which was procured for the Prague edition of Mikuláy Pytros in 1596 by the kadasky town scribe Jan Sandel. Soon after its publication, the chronicle became a very popular read, and for some contemporary chroniclers it represented a historical source of almost unquestionable authority. As early as 1596, the first German translation appeared under the title Bohemian Chronicle, further German editions followed in 1697 and 1718, and in 1761 the Chronicle was also published in Prague in Latin under the title Annales Bohemorum.Later print of the Chronicle, from 1541 published in 1819.; History: The history of Bohemia reaches from the first settlements on the territory of Bohemia to the present. In 1085 the Bohemian kingship was created, which ended with the proclamation of democratic Czechoslovakia in 1918. The first ruler of the Slavs, was a native of Franconia named Samo. The empire of Samo, included the present territories of Slovakia, Moravia, Lower Austria, later probably Bohemia, Lusatia. The names Bohemia and Moravia first appear in the 9th century. Charlemagne tried to conquer Bohemia, ultimately in vain. In the interior, the preliminary stages of the later Bohemian state developed in the 9th century. Bohemia was divided among about eleven different tribes, according to older research. It is certain that in the 9th century there was no “central power”, but always several, apparently equal princes who appeared as representatives of the country. In the course of the 9th century the Christianization of Bohemia took place. The Bohemian kingship was conferred personally by Vratislav II in 1085, and became hereditary under Ottokar I Premysl in 1198, demonstrating Bohemia’s special position in the Holy Roman Empire. With King John, the Luxembourg dynasty came to the Bohemian throne in 1310 and continued the policy of the P_emyslids. In 1347 he was succeeded by his son Charles, later Emperor Charles IV, who pursued a balancing nationalities policy. He protected and promoted the Germans in Bohemia. In Prague, at the same time, the foundations of modern German were laid with the Prague Chancery German, and through the pen of the religious reformer Jan Hus, the foundations of the modern Czech language were laid. After the death of the Habsburg Ladislaus Postumus, imperial administrator George of Podiebrad was elected king of Bohemia in 1458. Podiebrad strictly observed the Treaty of Jihlava and tried to maintain peace in Bohemia despite further tensions between the Hussite and Catholic sides. After Podiebrad’s death, his supporters elected the Polish prince Vladislav II as king of Bohemia, and in 1471 Jagiellonian Vladislav II was elected king by the Bohemian estates. From his predecessor, the Utraquist George of Podiebrad, he inherited the war against the opposing king Matthias Corvinus. The war ended with the Peace of Olomouc in 1479. Matthias was able to keep the Bohemian tributary lands of Moravia, Silesia, Upper and Lower Lusatia. Vladislav II and Matthias were allowed to use the title “King of Bohemia”. With Matthias’ death in 1490, Vladislav became the sole king of Bohemia by treaty. Vladislav II was succeeded in 1512 by his six-year-old son, Louis II, who died without descendants in 1526. Thereupon the Estates elected his brother-in-law Ferdinand I of Habsburg as King of Bohemia. – Missing the title-page and leaves CCV – CCXX; leaves CCXXV and CCXXVI misbound; some leves in the lower margin trimmed, but without loose of text or images. Fly leave with a stamp Z knih J. N ovak (from the library of J. Novak), title-page with a small stamp in the upper right corner Th. Wessely V Praze (Th. Wessely from Prague) and another stamp I could not identify, this stamp also on leaf 2 and 3; blanc fly-leaves renewed.