The Přemyslids. A Ruling Dynasty and Its Age

Accompanying publication for the exhibition of the same name. The Přemyslids were, alongside the Luxembourgs and the Habsburgs, one of the most important ruling dynasties that ruled the Czech lands. They were the oldest known domestic ruling family, from which many important monarchs and saints came. At the end of the Přemyslid era, we encounter a consolidated kingdom that was among the most compact and powerful parts of the Holy Roman Empire. Thursday afternoon, August 4, 1306, was fateful for the dynasty, when the last legitimate male member of the family, Wenceslas III, was murdered under circumstances that are still not entirely clear. The development of the Czech lands was evident in all spheres of society and left an exceptionally intense legacy. Today, we can follow this through preserved written sources, literature and book production, rich archaeological evidence, and it is reflected in architecture and artistic monuments. This is precisely the legacy that this narrative and representative book seeks to present through 101 selected exhibits set within a historical framework.