Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/322

 In April, 1452, a Diet was held in Prague, and George Poděbrad duly elected Governor of Bohemia. He was to be assisted by a Council of Twelve, and to exercise all the powers and prerogatives of a king.

At first some of the nobles, and also some cities, refused to acknowledge his authority; but seeing that his government was becoming more and more established they finally submitted.

A history of the times would hardly be complete without some account of the Monk Capistran. This strange man was a Franciscan monk, born in Naples in 1385. As a monk he drew the attention of his brethren upon himself by the zeal with which he performed his religious tasks. At the Council of Florence he distinguished himself by trying to bring about a union between the Greek and the Latin Churches. But he was mostly famous as a missionary. He made long missionary tours through Germany, Poland, and Moravia, everywhere attracting crowds of people by the austerity of his life and the eloquence of his discourses. It was said that his eloquence was so great, that, as soon as he began to preach, the people began to weep, although they did not understand a word he said, his discourses being in Latin, and translated to the audience at the close of the sermon. It was estimated that Capistran converted to the Catholic faith about 16,000 Calixtines, and this while preaching along the boundaries of the country, being forbidden by Poděbrad to come into Bohemia. For this indignity he revenged himself upon the Bohemians by representing