Charles IV / Karl IV (1346-1378)
For more than a hundred years the Holy Roman Empire was a mess of constant infighting between and within the great princely families. But by the 1360s the consistent policies and elaborate diplomacy of emperor Karl IV had produced a degree of stability not seen by anyone alive.
With the home front calm, the emperor can again assume a role on the European stage, setting in train seminal events that will reverberate across the centuries…
The noble and gallant King of Bohemia, also known as John of Luxemburg because he was the son of the Emperor Henry of Luxemburg, was told by his people that the battle had begun. Although he was in full armour and equipped for combat, he could see nothing because he was blind. He asked his knights what the situation was and they described the rout of the Genoese and the confusion which followed King Philip’s order to kill them. Ha,’ replied the King of Bohemia. ‘That is a signal for us.’ […] ‘My lords, you are my men, my friends and my companions-in-arms. Today I have a special request to make of you. Take me far enough forward for me to strike a blow with my sword.
Because they cherished his honor and their own prowess, his knights consented. [..] In order to acquit themselves well and not lose the King in the press, they tied all their horses together by the bridles, set their king in front so that he might fulfil his wish, and rode towards the enemy.
There also was Lord Charles of Bohemia, who bore the title and arms of King of Germany, and who brought his men in good order to the battlefield. But when he saw that things were going badly for his side, he turned and left. I do not know which way he went.
Not so the good King his father, for he came so close to the enemy that he was able to use his sword several times and fought most bravely, as did the knights with him. They advanced so far forward that they all remained on the field, not one escaping alive. They were found the next day lying round their leader, with their horses still fastened together. “
Anyone with even a passing interest in late medieval history will remember this scene from Froissart’s description of the Battle of Crecy on August 26th, 1346. The Blind King of Bohemia, the epitome of chivalric culture riding into the midst of a battle striking at an enemy he cannot see, relying on his comrades to guide him.
This deed made such an impression on the Edward, the Prince of Wales, known as the Black Prince that he honored his foe by adding the Bohemian ostrich feathers and the dead king’s motto “Ich Dien”, to his own coat of arms. So to this day the Blind King’s heraldic symbols and German motto features on Prince William’s coat of arms, the Welsh Rugby Union Badge, some older 2p coins and various regiments in Britain, Australia, Canada and even Sri Lanka.
But this death, call it heroic or foolish, was only the end of an astounding life. John Of Bohemia, very much against his own intentions, played a crucial role in the establishment of the key counterweight to French hegemony in Europe. No, not England, but a power centered on Prague, Vienna, Buda and Pest.
Let’s dive into this story…
The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.
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To make it easier for you to share the podcast, I have created separate playlists for some of the seasons that are set up as individual podcasts. they have the exact same episodes as in the History of the Germans, but they may be a helpful device for those who want to concentrate on only one season.
So far I have:
Salian Emperors and Investiture Controversy
Fredrick Barbarossa and Early Hohenstaufen
The Holy Roman Empire 1250-1356
The Reformation before the Reformation
The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.
#154 The Blind King John of Bohemia
A Fool of a Hero
John of Bohemia wasn’t the last knight, but he was a figure of a world that was slowly fading away. A world where armoured men on horseback were invincible and hence had to be tamed by a complex set of rules they called the chivalric code.
#155 The Youth of Emperor Karl IV
The Future Emperor’s Daddy Issues
The emperor Karl IV has divine visions. Not quite what you were expecting, but as it happened a good window into his way of thinking. But do not worry, Karl wasn’t just an excessively devout collector of relics….
#156 What Price a Crown
Karl IV Fights and Schemes his Way to the Throne
Another election, another succession crisis in the Holy Roman Empire – will Karl IV find a way to put an end to this?
#157 The Black Death and other Calamities
The Disastrous 14th Century
In around 1320 near the lake Issy-Kul in Kyrgysistan the rats started dying…25 years later the virus this event released hits a European population weakened by famine and natural disasters…
#158 Prague – A New Rome
Karl IV’s great plans for his capital city
A new Rome was to rise on the shores of the Vitava River, a place adorned with churches and monasteries evoking the holiest places of Christianity and squares on such a monumental scale that reminds one more of the 19th century than the 14th.
#159 The Rise to Imperial Power
Karl IV’s journey to Rome
In just six years the new ruler, Karl IV rebuilds the Holy Roman Empire into a serious European power, respected by the pope, the Italians and even the king of France
#160 The Golden Bull of 1356
The Basic Law of the Holy Roman Empire
The Basic Law of the Holy Roman Empire? What does it actually say, what is new and most importantly, what is not in it.
#161 A Luxemburg Empire
Karl IV’s Hausmacht
Subduing the princes never worked, so time to try a new strategy. Buy what you can, what you can’t, marry and only what resists, conquer.
#162 Schisms and Deals
International policies of Emperor Karl IV
With the home front calm, the emperor can again assume a role on the European stage, setting in train seminal events that will reverberate across the centuries…
#163 Succession and Legacy
Emperor Karl IV gets his son Wenceslaus IV crowned king of the Romans
Karl IV had hugele expanded his possessions, stabilised the empire and scored some major international successes. But now it is time to talk about his Achilles heel, his obsession with his son and heir, Wenceslaus.
Charles IV. A Portrait of a Medieval Ruler – Interview with Václav Žůrek
The Emperor and King Charles IV (1316-1378) represents today an untouchable monument in Czech history, carved into the marble of admiration and clichés. Although a new and thorough study of his reign is yet to be written, it is nevertheless useful to introduce Charles IV from a new perspective. In many regards, historical research has already brought new findings, and thus we are now able to shed new light on both his life and his reign.
The book will be published this autumn but is already available for pre-order
here: Charles IV: Portrait of a Medieval Ruler, Žurek, Stone (uchicago.edu)