Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 3, Athens-BOI

860 BOH-
give lectures in his own house; and he persevered in these
learned labours till the age of ninety, when he died 1235
a.d. (633 a.h.) Bohaddin wrote on jurisprudence and
Muslim divinity ; but his principal work is his Life of
Saladin, which, with several other pieces connected with
the same subject, was published by Schultens, at Leyden,
in 1732, accompanied by a Latin translation, with notes
and a geographical index. This work affords a favourable
specimen of the historical compositions of the Arabs. It is
written with some spirit, and yet is free from that inflation
which so frequently disfigures Oriental composition. What¬
ever relates to Saladin breathes the highest tone of
panegyric; yet the enthusiasm with which everything
concerning him is narrated, and the anecdotes which the
author, from his personal knowledge, is able to communicate
respecting that extraordinary character, give his work a
great degree of interest.
BOHEMIA (German Bohmen or Boheim), a king¬
dom of the Austrian empire, situated between 48° 33'
and 51° 4' N. lat., and 12° 5' and 16° 25' W. long., and
bounded on the N. by Saxony and Prussian Silesia, E.
by Moravia, S. by Upper and Lower Austria, and W. by
Bavaria. Its area is estimated at 19,983 square miles. It
belongs almost entirely to the basin of the Elbe, which rises
within the territory, and is joined by the Adler, the Iser,
the Moldau, and the Eger before it passes the frontier. The
boundaries are pretty clearly marked by mountain ranges
on all sides,—the Bohmerwald dividing the country from
Bavaria, the Erzgebirge and Riesengebirge from Saxony and
Silesia,land the Moravian Hills from the basin of the Danube.
The climate is healthy, but varies considerably in different
districts; the soil in many parts is highly fertile, and grain
of various kinds, potatoes, hops, flax, hemp, vines, and fruits
are extensively cultivated. In 1870 there were 6,205,161
acres of ploughed land, 2656 in vineyards, 1,560,321 in
gardens and meadows, 995,340 in pasture, and 3,749,411
in woodland. At the same date the number of horses in the
country was 189,337, cattle 1,602,015, sheep 1,106,290,
goats 194,273, swine 228,180, and bee-hives 140,892.
The mineral productions comprise gold, silver, lead, tin,
copper, iron, cobalt, bismuth, arsenic, sulphur, coal, alum,
vitriol, and different sorts of stone. In 1870 there were
obtained 156 cwt. of gold-ore, 1245 of silver-ore, 225,536
tons of iron, 999 tons of lead, 2274 of tin, 61 tons of anti¬
mony, and 111 of arsenic-ore. The quantity of coal and
lignite amounted to 4,099,909 tons. The mineral springs
of Bohemia—Carlsbad, Teplitz, Marienbad, and Franzens-
brunn, &c.—are justly famous. The industry of the
kingdom is highly developed in various directions. Most
important of all is the manufacture of woollen goods, prin¬
cipally carried on at Reichenberg and in the neighbour¬
hood. The cotton manufacture is also extensively pro¬
secuted in the same district; and at Rumburg and other
places linen stuffs are largely produced. Bohemian glass
has been celebrated for centuries, and is still exported to
all parts of Europe. Porcelain and earthenware of different
sorts, iron and steel wares, copper, tin, and pewter articles,
wooden wares, chemical stuffs, and paper are all the objects
of a considerable industry. Beetroot sugar is pretty largely
manufactured, the refineries numbering 126 in 1870. At
the same date there were 968 breweries in the country, and
324 brandy distilleries. The chief commercial city is the
capital, Prague; but Reichenberg, Pilsen, Haida, Rumburg,
Leitmeritz, and Budweis are all important centres. Bohemia
is divided into twelve circles—Prague, Budweis, Pisek,
Pilsen, Eger, Saaz, Leitmeritz, Bunzlau, Jiczin, Koniggratz,
Chrudim, Czaslau, and Tabor, and these are subdivided into
91 departments. In 1869 there were 372 towns, 226
smaller market-towns, and 12,551 villages. The number
of inhabited houses in the whole country amounted to
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632,404 ; and the total population was 5,106,069, of whom
2,433,629 were males, and 2,672,440 females. The census
of 1869 took no count of nationality, but according to
Ficker in his Die Volkerstdmme der O ester reichisch-
Ungarischen Monarchic, there are 20 of German race for
32 of Slavonic. By far the greater part of the popula¬
tion (4,940,898) belongs to the Roman Catholic Church ;
while only 3438 are members of the Greek Church,
106,115 Protestants, and 89,933 Jews. The country con¬
stitutes an archbishopric, and is divided into three
bishoprics. In 1870 there were 140 ecclesiastical founda¬
tions, with endowments amounting to £65,726. At the
head of the educational establishments is the University of
Prague, with four faculties, and attended in 1871 by 1516
students. There are upwards of 4000 ordinary schools in
rather more than the half of which Czech is spoken, 26
gymnasiums, 4 theological seminaries, and several institu¬
tions for special departments of the arts and sciences.
Bohemia derives its name from the Boii, a Celtic race History,
expelled from the country by the Marcomanni, who, after
establishing a considerable kingdom under Marbod and
being converted to Christianity, were in their turn supplanted
by the Slavonic race, which is still predominant. The new
comers were in danger of expulsion or conquest by the
Avars, but were defended and established, according to
their own possibly mythical account, by the heroic Samo ;
and somewhat later, as the story goes, his place was filled
by the good knight Krok, whose daughter Libussa, marry¬
ing Premysl, became the founder of a regular dynasty.
Bohemia was for a time absorbed in the great Carlovmgian
monarchy, but soon reasserted its independence. In the
course of the 9th century Christianity was introduced.
Under Boleslas I. the bounds of Bohemia were extended
and its unity secured ; but after a vigorous defence he had
to recognize the overlordship of Otto I. of Germany. Under
his grandchildren his kingdom fell to pieces; a Polish
conquest followed, and the restoration of the native
dynasty was only effected by the help of Henry II. of
Germany. In 1086 Wratislas II. received the title of king
from the emperor for himself; and Premysl Ottocar I.
(1197-1230) became the founder of a hereditary series of
kings. He was a bold defender of his independence, and
at the same time gave great encouragement to German
immigration. By the introduction of the right of primogeni¬
ture in the succession to the throne, he put an end to the
disputes and contests which so often followed the death of
a king. In 1241 his son and successor was the successful
defender of Europe against a Mongolian invasion ; but he
was eclipsed by Ottocar II. (1253-1278), who added greatly
by conquest to the extent of his dominions, and made
himself a formidable rival to the emperor himself. The
Premysl dynasty was at last extinguished in 1306; and
after a few years of uncertainty and dissatisfaction the Bo¬
hemian crown was bestowed on John of Luxembourg (son
of the Emperor Henry YU.), who thus became the founder
of a dynasty which lasted till 1437. This warlike and
prosperous monarch was succeeded by his son Charles I.,
who obtained the imperial dignity as Charles IV., and left
Bohemia in a flourishing and influential position at his
death in 1378. Under his successors, who fell far below
the character of their ancestor, the country was thrown into
confusion by the Hussite reformation, which resulted in a
protracted war (1419—1434). The success of the reforming
party led to an elective monarchy, and after various
vicissitudes, George of Podiebrad mounted the throne in
1458; and in spite of Papal bull and Hungarian arms
maintained his position till his death in 1471. His
successor, the Polish prince Ladislas, ultimately obtained
also the crown of Hungary ; but under him and his son
Louis (1517-1526) the nobility made themselves more and