s the Bohemian Brethren took place (see
HUSSITES). Serious riots took place at Prague, and the more advanced
Hussites stormed the three town halls of the city. The nobles of the
same faith also formed a league to guard themselves against the menaced
reaction. A meeting of all the estates at Kutna Hora in 1485, however,
for a time restored peace. Both parties agreed to respect the religious
views of their opponents and to abstain from all violence, and the
Compacts were again confirmed.

As regards matters of state the reign of Vladislav is marked by a
decrease of the royal prerogative, while the power of the nobility
attained an unprecedented height, at the expense, not only of the royal
power, but also of the rights of the townsmen and peasants. A decree of
1487 practically established serfdom in Bohemia, where it had hitherto
been almost unknown. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of
this measure for the future of Bohemia. The rulers of the country were
henceforth unable to rely on that numerous sturdy and independent
peasantry of which the armies of Zizka and the Prokops had mainly
consisted. Various enactments belonging to this reign also curtailed the
rights of the Bohemian townsmen. A decree known as the "regulations of
King Vladislav" codified these changes. It enumerated all the rights of
the nobles and knights, but entirely ignored those of the towns. It was
tacitly assumed that the townsmen had no inherent rights, but only such
privileges as might be granted them by their sovereign with the consent
of the nobles and knights. Civil discord was the inevitable consequence
of these enactments. Several meeting? of the diet took place at which
the towns were not represented. The latter in 1513 formed a confederacy
to defend their rights, and chose Prince Bartholomew of Munsterberg--a
grandson of King George--as their leader.

Louis.

Vladislav was elected king of Hungary in 1490 and many of the events of
his later life belong to the history of Hungary. He married in 1502 Anna
de Candale, who was connected with the royal family of France. He had
two children by her, Anna, who afterwards married the archduke Ferdinand
of Austria, and Louis. Vladislav died in Hungary in 1516. His successor
was his son Louis, who had already been crowned as king of Bohemia at
the age of three. According to the instructions of Vladislav, Sigismund,
king of Poland, and the emperor Maximilian I. were to act as guardians
o