BOHEMIA BONER, ULRICH
BOHEMUND BO'NESS
BOHMER, JOHANN FRIEDRICH BONFIGLI, BENEDETTO
BOHN, HENRY GEORGE BONFIRE
BOHTLINGK, OTTO VON BONGARS, JACQUES
BOHUN BONGHI, RUGGERO
BOIARDO, MATTEO MARIA BONGO (tribe of Sudan)
BOIE, HEINRICH CHRISTIAN BONGO (West African bushbuck)
BOIELDIEU, FRANCOIS ADRIEN BONHAM
BOIGNE, BENOIT DE BONHEUR, ROSA
BOII BONHEUR DU JOUR
BOIL BONI
BOILEAU-DESPREAUX, NICOLAS BONIFACE, SAINT
BOILER BONIFACE
BOILING TO DEATH BONIFACE OF SAVOY
BOIS BRULES BONIFACIO
BOISE BONIFACIUS
BOISGOBEY, FORTUNE DU BONIN ISLANDS
BOISGUILBERT, PIERRE LE PESANT BONITZ, HERMANN
BOISROBERT, FRANCOIS DE BONIVARD, FRANCOIS
BOISSARD, JEAN JACQUES BONN
BOISSIER, MARIE LOUIS GASTON BONNAT, LEON JOSEPH FLORENTIN
BOISSONADE DE FONTARABIE BONNE-CARRERE, GUILLAUME DE
BOISSY D'ANGLAS, FRANCOIS DE BONNER, EDMUND
BOITO, ARRIGO BONNET, CHARLES
BOIVIN, FRANCOIS DE BONNET
BOKENAM, OSBERN BONNEVAL, CLAUDE ALEXANDRE
BOKHARA (state) BONNEVILLE, BENJAMIN L. E.
BOKHARA (capital of Bokhara) BONNEY, THOMAS GEORGE
BOKSBURG BONNIER, ANGE ELISABETH LOUIS ANTOINE
BOLAN PASS BONNIVET, GUILLAUME GOUFFIER
BOLAS BONOMI, GIUSEPPI
BOLBEC BONONCINI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA
BOLE BONONIA
BOLESLAUS I. BONPLAND, AIME JACQUES ALEXANDRE
BOLESLAUS II. BONSTETTEN, CHARLES VICTOR DE
BOLESLAUS III. BONUS
BOLETUS BONZE
BOLEYN, ANNE BOOK
BOLGARI BOOKBINDING
BOLI BOOKCASE
BOLINGBROKE, HENRY ST JOHN BOOK-COLLECTING
BOLIVAR, SIMON BOOK-KEEPING
BOLIVAR (Colombia) BOOK-PLATES
BOLIVAR (state of Venezuela) BOOK-SCORPION
BOLIVIA BOOKSELLING
BOLKHOV BOOLE, GEORGE
BOLL BOOM
BOLLANDISTS BOOMERANG
BOLOGNA, GIOVANNI DA BOONE, DANIEL
BOLOGNA BOONE
BOLSENA BOONVILLE
BOLSOVER BOORDE, ANDREW
BOLSWARD BOOS, MARTIN
BOLT BOOT
BOLTON, DUKES OF BOOTES
BOLTON, EDMUND BOOTH, BARTON
BOLTON (county of England) BOOTH, CHARLES
BOLTON ABBEY BOOTH, EDWIN [THOMAS]
BOLZANO, BERNHARD BOOTH, WILLIAM
BOMA BOOTH
BOMB BOOTHIA
BOMBARD BOOTLE
BOMBARDIER BOOTY
BOMBARDMENT BOPP, FRANZ
BOMBARDON BOPPARD
BOMBAY CITY BORA
BOMBAY FURNITURE BORACITE
BOMBAY PRESIDENCY BORAGE
BOMBAZINE BORAGINACEAE
BOMBELLES, MARC MARIE BORAS
BOMBERG, DANIEL BORAX
BONA, JOHN BORDA, JEAN CHARLES
BONA BORDAGE
BONA DEA BORDEAUX
BONA FIDE BORDEN, SIR FREDERICK WILLIAM
BONALD, LOUIS GABRIEL AMBROISE BORDEN, ROBERT LAIRD
BONAPARTE BORDENTOWN
BONAR, HORATIUS BORDERS, THE
BONAVENTURA, SAINT BORDIGHERA
BONCHAMPS, CHARLES ARTUS BORDONE, PARIS
BOND, SIR EDWARD AUGUSTUS BORE
BOND BOREAS
BONDAGER BOREL, PETRUS
BONDE, GUSTAF BORELLI, GIOVANNI ALFONSO
BONDED WAREHOUSE BORGA
BONDU BORGHESE
BONE, HENRY BORGHESI, BARTOLOMMEO
BONE BORGIA, CESARE
BONE BED BORGIA, FRANCIS
BONE-LACE
BOHEMIA[1] (Ger. _Bohmen_, Czech _Cechy_, Lat. _Bohemia_), a kingdom and
crownland of Austria, bounded N.E. by Prussian Silesia, S.E. by Moravia
and Lower Austria, S. by Upper Austria, S.W. by Bavaria and N.W. by
Saxony. It has an area of 20,060 sq. m., or about two-thirds the size of
Scotland, and forms the principal province of the Austrian empire.
Situated in the geographical centre of the European continent, at about
equal distance from all the European seas, enclosed by high mountains,
and nevertheless easily accessible through Moravia from the Danubian
plain and opened by the valley of the Elbe to the German plain, Bohemia
was bound to play a leading part in the cultural development of Europe.
It became early the scene of important historical events, the avenue and
junction of the migration of peoples; and it forms the borderland
between the German and Slavonic worlds.
_Geography._--Bohemia has the form of an irregular rhomb, of which the
northernmost place, Buchberg, just above Hainspach, is at the same time
the farthest north in the whole Austro-Hungarian monarchy. From an
orographic point of view, Bohemia constitutes amongst the Austrian
provinces a separate massif, bordered on three sides by mountain ranges:
on the S.W. by the Bohmerwald or Bohemian Forest; on the N.W. by the
Erzgebirge or Ore Mountains; and on the N.E. by the Riesengebirge or
Giant Mountains and other ranges of the Sudetes. The Bohmerwald, which,
like its parallel range, the Sudetes, has a general direction from S.E.
to N.W., is divided by the pass of Neumark into two parts. The northern
part (Czech _Cesky Les_) attains in the massif of Czerkov an altitude of
3300 ft., but the southern part (Czech _Sumava_) is at the same time the
highest and the most picturesque part of the range, including on the
Bohemian side the Osser (4053 ft.) and the Plockenstein (4513 ft.),
although the highest peak, the Arber (4872), is in Bavaria. The beauty
of this range of mountains consists in its pure crystalline torrents, in
the numerous blue lakes of its valleys, and above all in the magnificent
forests of oak and pine with which its sides are covered. The pass of
Neumark, called also the pass of Neugedein, has always been the
principal approach to Bohemia from Germany. It stretches towards the
east, above the small town of Taus (Czech _Domazlice_, once called
_Tuhost_, i.e. the Fortress), and is the place where some of the
bloodiest battles in the history of Bohemia were fought. Here in the
first half of the 7th century Samo repulsed the invading hordes of the
Avars, which threatened the independence of the newly-settled Slavonic
inhabitants; here also Wratislas II. defeated the German emperor Henry
III. in a two-days' battle (August 22 and 23, 1040). It was in the same
place that the Hussites gained in 1431 one of their greatest victories
against a German army of crusaders, and another similar German army was
vanquished here by George of Podebrad.
The Erzgebirge (Czech _Rudo Hori_), which form the north-west frontier,
have an average altitude of 2600 ft., and as their highest point, the
Keilberg (4080 ft.). The numerous mining villages, the great number of
cultivated areas and the easy passes, traversed by good roads, give
those mountains in many places the aspect of a hilly undulating plain.
Several of the villages are built very near the summit of the mountains,
and one of them, Gottesgab (pop. about 1500), lies at an altitude of
3345 ft., the highest place in Bohemia and central Germany. To the west
the Erzgebirge combine through the Elstergebirge with the
Fichtelgebirge, which in their turn are united with the Bohmerwald
through the plateau of Waldsassen. To the east the Erzgebirge are
separated from the Elbsandsteingebirge by the Nollendorf pass, traversed
by the ancient military route to Saxony; it was the route followed by
Napoleon I. after the battle of Dresden (1813). To the south stretches
the "Thermopylae of Bohemia," the scene of the battle of Kulm and
Arbesau. A little farther to the east the Elbe escapes into Saxony at
the lowest point in Bohemia (alt. 367 ft.). The north-east frontier is
formed by the Sudetes, which comprise the Lausitzergebirge (2500 ft.),
the Isergebirge (with the highest peak, the Tafelfichte, 3683 ft.), the
Jeschkengebirge (3322 ft.), and the Riesengebirge. The Riesengebirge
(Czech _Kroknose_) are, after the Alps, among the highest mountains of
central Europe, and attain in the Schneekoppe an altitude of 5264 ft.
The last groups of the Sudetes in Bohemia are the Heuscheuergebirge
(2532 ft.) and the Adlergebirge (3664 ft.). The fourth side of the rhomb
is formed by the so-called Bohemian-Moravian Hills, a plateau or broad
series of low hills, composed of primitive rocks, and attaining in some
places an altitude of 2500 ft.
The interior of Bohemia has sometimes been compared to a deep basin; but
for the most part it is an undulating plateau, over 1000 ft. high,
formed by a succession of terraces, which gradually slope down from
south to north. Its lowest-lying points are not in the middle but in the
north, in the valley of the Elbe, and the country can be divided into
two parts by a line passing through Hohenmauth-Prague-Komotau. The part
lying to the south of this line can be designated as highland, and only
the part north of it as lowland. The mountain-ranges of the interior of
Bohemia are the Brdywald (2798 ft.) in the middle; the Tepler Gebirge
(2657 ft.), the Karsbader Gebirge (3057 ft.) and the Kaiserwald (3238
ft.), in the north-west part; while the northern corner is occupied by
the Mittelgebirge (2739 ft.), a volcanic massif, stretching on both
sides of the Elbe.
Bohemia belongs to the watershed of the Elbe, which rises within the
territory and receives on the right the Iser and the Polzen, and on the
left the Adler; the Eger with its affluent the Tepl; the Biela and the
Moldau. But the principal river of ~~ Bohemia, from every point of
view, is the Moldau (Czech _Vltava_), not the Elbe. A glance at the
hydrographic structure of Bohemia, which is of such a striking
regularity, shows us that the Moldau is the main stem, while the Elbe
and the other rivers are only lateral branches; moreover, the Elbe below
Melnik, the point of its confluence with the Moldau, follows the general
direction of the Moldau. Besides, the Moldau is the principal commercial
artery of the country, being navigable below Budweis, while the
Upper-Elbe is not navigable; its basin (11,890 sq. m.) is twice as great
as that of the Elbe, and its width and depth are also greater. It has a
length of 270 m., 47 m. longer than the Upper-Elbe, but it runs through
a deep and narrow valley, in which there is neither road nor railway,
extending from above Budweis to about 15 m. south of Prague. The Moldau
receives on the right the Luzniza and the Sazawa and on the left the
Wottawa and the Beraun. The Beraun is formed by the union of the Mies
with the Radbusa, Angel and Uslawa, and is the third most important
river of the country. There are only a few lakes, which are mostly found
at high altitudes.
_Climate._--Bohemia has a continental, generally healthy climate, which
varies much in different parts of the country. It is mildest in the
centre, where, e.g. at Prague, the mean annual temperature is 48.5 deg.
F. The rainfall varies also according to the districts, the rainy season
being the summer. Thus the mean annual rainfall in the interior of
Bohemia is 18 in., in the Riesengebirge 40 in., while in the Bohmerwald
it reaches 60 to 70 in.
_Agriculture._--Favoured with a suitable climate and inhabited by a
thriving rural population, Bohemia is very highly developed in the
matter of agriculture. Over 50% of the whole area is under cultivation
and the soil is in many parts very fertile, the best-known regions being
the "Golden Road" round Koniggratz, the "Paradise" round Teplitz, and
the "Garden of Bohemia" round Leitmeritz. The principal products are
oats, rye, barley and wheat, but since the competition of Hungarian
wheat large tracts of land have been converted to the cultivation of
beetroot. The potato crop, which forms the staple food of the people, is
great; the Saaz district is celebrated for hops, and the flax is also of
a good quality. Fruit, especially plums, is very abundant and
constitutes a great article of export. The forests cover 29.01% of the
total area; meadows, 10.05, pastures 5.05, and gardens 1.35%.
Cattle-rearing is not so well developed as agriculture, but great flocks
of geese are reared, especially in the south, and bee-cultivation
constitutes another important industry. Pisciculture has been for
centuries successfully pursued by the Bohemian peasants, and the
attempts recently made for the rearing of silkworms have met with fair
success.
_Minerals_.--Except salt, which is entirely absent, almost every useful
metal and mineral is to be found. First in importance, both in quantity
and in value, come lignite and coal. Some of the richest lignite fields
in Europe are found in the north-east corner of Bohemia round Brux, Dux,
Falkenau, Ossegg and Teplitz. Coal is mined round Kladno, Buschtehrad,
Pilsen, Schlan, Rakonitz, Nurschan and Radnitz, the last-named place
containing the oldest coal mines of Bohemia (17th century). Iron ores
are found at Krusnahora and Nucic, and the principal foundries are round
Kladno and Konigshof. Owing to the improvements in refining, Bohemia has
become an important centre of the iron industry. Silver is extracted at
Pribram and Joachimsthal, but the silver mines near Kuttenberg, famous
in the middle ages, are now abandoned. Lead is extracted at Pribram, tin
at Graupen in the Erzgebirge, the only place in Austria where this metal
is found. Antimony is extracted at Milleschau near Tabor; uranium and
radium near Joachimsthal; graphite near Krumau and Budweis;
porcelain-earth near Carlsbad. Other minerals found in various places of
Bohemia are copper, sulphur, cobalt, alum, nickel, arsenic and various
sorts of precious stone, like the Bohemian garnet (pyrope), and building
stone. A large amount of peat is collected, especially in the south-west
of Bohemia, as well as a great quantity of asphalt.
Bohemia possesses over two hundred mineral springs, but only a few are
used for medicinal purposes. Among them are some of the most celebrated
mineral springs in the world, such as Carlsbad, Marienbad, Franzensbad,
Teplitz-Schonau and Bilin. Other springs of importance are Pullna,
Sedlitz and Seidschitz near Brux; Giesshubl near Carlsbad; Liebwerda,
Konigswart, Sangerberg, Neudorf, Tetschen, Johannisbad, situated at the
foot of the Schneekoppe, &c.
_Manufactures and Commerce._--From an industrial point of view, Bohemia
takes the first rank amongst the Austrian provinces, and at the same
time is one of the greatest manufacturing centres of Europe. Rich as the
country is in coal and iron, and in water supplies which can be
transformed into motive power, the inhabitants were not slow to utilize
these advantages, so that the industry of Bohemia made enormous strides
during the last half of the 19th century. The glass industry was
introduced from Venice in the 13th century and soon attained a vast
importance; the factories are in the neighbourhood of the mountains,
where minerals, and especially silica and fuel, are plentiful. The
finest product, the crystal-glass, is made round Haida and Steinschonau.
The very extensive porcelain industry is concentrated in and around
Carlsbad. The textile industry stands in the front rank and is mostly
concentrated in the north-east corner of Bohemia, round Reichenberg, and
in the valley of the Lower Elbe. The cloth manufacture is located at
Reichenberg; Rumburg and Trautenau are the centre of the linen industry;
woollen yarns are made at Aussig and Asch. Lace, which is pursued as a
home-industry in the Erzgebirge region, has its principal centre at
Weipert, while Strakonitz has the speciality of the manufacture of red
fezes (Turkish caps). The metallurgic industries, favoured by the
abundance of coal and iron, are concentrated round the mines. Industrial
and agricultural machinery are manufactured at Reichenberg, Pilsen and
Prague, and at the last-named place is also to be found a great
establishment for the production of railway rolling-stock. Sugar
refining is another industry, which, although of recent date, has had a
very great development, and the breweries produce a beer which is
appreciated all over the world. Other important branches of industry
are:--the manufacture of chemicals at Prague and Aussig; pencils at
Budweis; musical instruments at Graslitz and Schonbach; paper, leather,
dyeing and calico-printing. Hand-in-hand with the industrial activity of
the country goes its commercial development, which is stimulated by an
extensive railway system, good roads and navigable rivers. The centre of
the railway system, which had in 1898 a length of some 3500 m., or 30%
of the total length of the Austrian railways, is Prague; and through the
Elbe Bohemia has easy access to the sea for its export trade.
_Population and Administration._--Bohemia had in 1900 a population of
6,318,280, which corresponds to 315 inhabitants per square mile. As
regards numbers, it occupies the second place amongst the Austrian
provinces, coming after Galicia, and as regards density of population it
stands third, Silesia and Lower Austria, which contains Vienna, standing
higher. In 1800 the population was a little over 3,000,000. According to
nationality, about 35% are Germans and 65% Czechs. The Czechs occupy the
middle of the country, as well as its south and south-east region, while
the Germans are concentrated near its borders, especially in the north
and west, and are also found all over the country in the large towns.
Besides, there are numerous German-speaking enclaves situated in purely
Czech districts; on the other hand, the Czechs have shown a tendency to
invade the purely German mining and manufacturing districts.
Notwithstanding its rich natural resources and its great industrial
development, Bohemia sends out a steady flow of emigrants, who either
settle in the other provinces of the monarchy, in Germany and in Russia,
or cross the Atlantic to America. To the Roman Catholic Church belong
96% of the total population; Bohemia is divided into the archbishopric
of Prague, and the three bishoprics of Budweis, Koniggratz and
Leitmeritz.
Education is well advanced, and Bohemia has the lowest proportion of
illiterates amongst the Austrian provinces. At the head of the
educational establishments stand the two universities at Prague, one
German and the other Czech.
Bohemia sends 130 deputies to the Reichsrat at Vienna; the local diet,
to which belong _ex officio_ the archbishop, the three bishops, and the
two rectors of the universities, consists of 242 members. For
administrative purposes Bohemia is divided into ninety-four districts
and two autonomous municipalities, Prague (pop. 204,478), the capital,
and Reichenberg (34,204). Other important towns are Pilsen (68,292),
Budweis (39,360), Aussig (37,255), Schonau (24,110), Eger (23,665),
Warnsdorf (21,150), Brux (21,525), Gablonz (21,086), Asch (18,675),
Kladno (18,600), Pardubitz (17,029), Saaz (16,168), Komotau (15,925),
Kolin (15,025), Kuttenberg (14,799), Trautenau (14,777), Carlsbad
(14,640), Pribram (13,576), Jungbunzlau (13,479), Leitmeritz (13,075),
Chrudim (13,017), Dux (11,921), Bodenbach (10,782), Tabor (10,692),
Bohmisch-Leipa (10,674), Rumburg (10,382), Weipert (10,037).
See F. Umlauft, _Die Lander Osterreich-Ungarns in Wort und Bild_, (15
vols., Vienna, 1881-1889), vol. vii.; Mikowec, _Altertumer und
Denkwurdigkeiten Bohmen's_ (2 vols., Prague, 1859-1865); F. Rivnac,
_Reisehandbuch fur das Konigreich Bohmen_ (Prague, 1882), very useful
for its numerous and detailed historical notes. (O. Br.)