Slav Conquest.
The country derives its name from the Boii, a Celtic tribe which in the
earliest historical period inhabited part of the land. According to very
ancient traditions accepted by the modern historians of Bohemia, the
Boii, whose capital was called Boiohemum, were weakened by continual
warfare with neighbouring tribes, and finally subdued by the Teutonic
tribe of the Marcomanni (about 12 B.C.). The Marcomanni were afterwards
expelled by other Teutonic tribes, and eventually Bohemia was conquered
by Slavic tribes, of whom the Cechs (see CZECH) were the most important.
The date of the arrival of the Cechs in Bohemia is very uncertain, and
the scanty references to the country in classical and Byzantine writers
are rather misleading than otherwise. Recent archaeological research has
proved the existence of Slavic inhabitants in Bohemia as far back as the
beginning of the Christian era. The Cechs appear to have become the
masters of the country in the 5th century. The first of their rulers
mentioned in history is Samo, who is stated to have defeated the Avars,
a Turanian tribe which had for a time obtained the overlordship over
Bohemia. Samo also defeated the Franks in a great battle that took place
at Wogatisburg (630), probably near the site of the present town of
Eger. After the death of Samo the history of Bohemia again becomes
absolutely obscure for about 130 years. The next events that are
recorded by the oldest chroniclers, such as Cosmas, refer to the
foundation of a Bohemian principality by Krok (or Crocus) and his
daughter Libussa. The latter is said to have married Premysl, a peasant
who was found ploughing his field--a legend that is common in most
Slavic countries. Beginning with this semi-mythic ruler, the ancient
chroniclers have constructed a continuous list of Premyslide princes.
Neither the deeds attributed to these princes nor the dates of their
reigns can be considered as historical.
Christianity.