le of Wenceslas and the
Hungarian crown was offered to him. Towards the end of his reign
Wenceslas became involved in war with Albert, archduke of Austria,
afterwards king of the Romans. While preparing to invade Austria
Wenceslas died suddenly (1305). His son and successor, Wenceslas III.,
was then only sixteen years of age, and he only ruled over Bohemia for
one year. While planning a warlike expedition against Poland, on which
country the Bohemian sovereigns now again maintained their claim, he was
murdered by unknown assassins (1306). With him ended the rule of the
Premyslide dynasty over Bohemia.

John of Luxemburg.

Albert, king of the Romans, declared that Bohemia was a vacant fief of
the Empire, and, mainly by intimidation, induced the Bohemians to elect
his son Rudolph as their sovereign; but Rudolph died after a reign of
only one year. Though the Habsburg princes at this period already
claimed a hereditary right to the Bohemian throne, the Bohemians
determined to maintain their right of electing their sovereign, and they
chose Henry, duke of Carinthia, who had married a daughter of King
Wenceslas II. Henry soon became unpopular, as he was accused of unduly
favouring the German settlers in Bohemia. It was decided to depose him,
and the choice of the Bohemians now fell on John of Luxemburg, son of
Henry, king of the Romans. The Luxemburg dynasty henceforth ruled over
Bohemia up to the time of its extinction at the death of Sigismund
(1437). Though King John, by his marriage to the princess Elizabeth, a
daughter of Wenceslas II., became more closely connected with Bohemia,
he does not appear to have felt much interest in that country. Most of
his life was spent in other lands, his campaigns ranging from Italy in
the south to Lithuania in the north. It became proverbial "that nothing
could be done in the world without the help of God and of the king of
Bohemia." The policy of John was founded on a close alliance with
France, the country for which he felt most sympathy. Fighting as an ally
of France he fell at the battle of Crecy (1346).

King Charles.

He was succeeded as king of Bohemia by his son Charles, whom the German
electors had previously elected as their sovereign at Rense (1346).
Charles proved one of the greatest rulers of Bohemia, where his memory
is still revered. Prague was his favourite residence, and by the
foundation of the nove mesto (new town) he greatly enlarged the city,
which now