in
which George was at first successful; but fortune changed when the king
of Hungary invaded Moravia and obtained possession of Brunn, the capital
of the country. At a meeting of the Catholic nobles of Bohemia and
Moravia at Olmutz in Moravia, Matthias was proclaimed king of Bohemia
(May 3, 1469). In the following year George obtained some successes over
his rival, but his death in 1471 for a time put a stop to the war.
George of Podebrad, the only Hussite king of Bohemia, has always, with
Charles IV., been the ruler of Bohemia whose memory has most endeared
itself to his countrymen.

Vladislav of Poland.

George of Podebrad had undoubtedly during the more prosperous part of
his reign intended to found a national dynasty. In later years, however,
hope of obtaining aid from Poland in his struggle against King Matthias
induced him to offer the succession to the Bohemian throne to Vladislav
(Wladislaus, Ladislaus), son of Casimir, king of Poland. No formal
agreement was made, and at the death of George many Bohemian nobles
supported the claim of Matthias of Hungary, who had already been
proclaimed king of Bohemia. Protracted negotiations ensued, but they
ended by the election of Prince Vladislav of Poland at Kutna Hora, the
27th of May 1471. This election was a victory of the national party, and
may be considered as evidence of the strong anti-clerical feeling which
then prevailed in Bohemia; for Matthias was an unconditional adherent of
Rome, while the Polish envoys who represented Vladislav promised that he
would maintain the Compacts. At the beginning of his reign the new king
was involved in a struggle with Matthias of Hungary, who maintained his
claim to the Bohemian throne. Prolonged desultory warfare continued up
to 1478, when a treaty concluded at Olmutz secured Bohemia to Vladislav;
Matthias was to retain the so-called "lands of the Bohemian
crown"--Moravia, Silesia and Lusatia--during his lifetime, and they were
to be restored to Bohemia after his death. Though Vladislav was faithful
to his promise of maintaining the Compacts, and did not attempt to
prevent the Bohemians from receiving the communion in both kinds, yet
his policy was on the whole a reactionary one, both as regards matters
of state and the religious controversies. The king appointed as
government officials at Prague men of that section of the Utraquist
party that was nearest to Rome, while a severe persecution of the
extreme Hussites known a