Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/81

61 ready for tournaments and wars; he resided in Bohemia only when he was not called abroad to take part in the battles of some of his neighbours, and when he was in need of money, neglecting, as he did, any sort of sound administration. His heroic death in the battle of Crecy (1346), where he fought, a blind man, as an ally of the French against the English, is the only redeeming feature in all the misery he caused to Bohemia. But his son Wenceslaus, who spent many of his early years at the court of France, where his name was changed into Charles, inaugurated a new period of unprecedented prosperity and glory for the kingdom of Bohemia, which he governed from 1333 during the continual absence of his adventurous father. His universal genius, his indomitable energy and his eminent ability in administration and diplomacy enabled him to raise the land from its ruin; he succeeded 1344 in having the bishopric of Prague promoted to an archbishopric, whereby Bohemia became independent of the archbishop of Mainz in Germany; he realized in 1348 Wenceslaus’ II. idea to found a university in Prague for the benefit of the kingdom, „in order that its inhabitants, yearning after the fruits of art and science may not be compelled to beg for alms in foreign countries, but that they may find at home their table well supplied“. The university, whose members were divided into four „nations“ the Bohemian, Polish, Bavarian and Saxon, grew so rapidly that a contemporaneous historian, Beneš z Weitmile could report, that never was there a similar institution in the lands of Germany, and that students from all countries, from England, France, Lombardy, Poland and Hungary came to enter the university, some among them being of high standing, even prelates of the Church.

As also order and justice prevailed through Charles’ efforts in the kingdom and wars with foreign countries were avoided, the land was prosperous and Charles was able to found new churches, as the cathedral, and new monasteries, which he filled with treasures of every possible kind. In 1348 he founded also the New town of Prague with such excellent judgement and foresight, that the new community, supplied with superb churches, as St. Mary’s on the Karlov, renowned for the great vault, St. Apolinar’s, St.