Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

McCarthy, Thomas

Keywords

Medieval, Bohemia, Czech, Prague, German, Empire

Area of Concentration

History

Abstract

This thesis re-examines the understanding of the eleventh-century relationship between medieval Bohemia (the core of the modern-day Czech Republic) and the German Empire. Historians have traditionally defined this as an entirely one-way relationship in which Germany had full control. This interpretation is largely the result of the nineteenth-century political biases of Czech and German historians. This thesis, on the other hand, argues that Bohemia retained a significant degree of influence over its relationship with the empire and was able successfully to manipulate it in order to achieve its own political aims. I also argue that increased closeness with Germany throughout the eleventh century did not imply increasing German dominance over Bohemia, as some historians have argued, but was, rather, the direct result of deliberate political decisions made by successive Bohemian dukes. This closeness was in the best interests of Bohemia and the ruling P?emyslid dynasty.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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