Page:Lutzow The Old Town Hall of Prague.pdf/7

 of the time record constant municipal strife generally founded on religious controversies. The unfortunately little-known chronicles of Bartoš, the writer and Sixt of Ottersdorf describe these struggles in a very picturesque manner, and well deserve to rank with the writings of the better known Italian chroniclers.

The period of Bohemian independanceindependence [sic] ends with the battle of the White Mountain. The Bohemian protestants chose FREDERICK OF THE PALATINATE as their king, and he and his English wife Elisabeth, daughter of James I, ruled for one brief winter at Prague. The Battle of the White Mountain fought in the immediate neighbourhood of Prague was shortly followed by the execution of the Bohemian leaders. It took place in that part of the market place which immediately adjoins the chapel of the townhall.

The period that follows the battle of the White Mountain is devoid of interest. I do not care to refer here to the manner in which the Roman religion was reestablished by force, nor to the oppression from which the national language suffered for a lengthy period.

In 1774 the four towns of which Prague had hitherto consisted, the old town, new town, little town and Hradčany were united under one municipality. No immediate enlargement of the townhall was however undertaken, and some changes that were made to obtain more space unfortunately to a certain extent spoilt the architecture of the building. The change in the municipal government did not for the moment