Podebrad and Kunstatt, George of

PODEBRAD (PODIEBRAD) AND KUNSTATT, GEORGE OF: King of Bohemia (1458–71); b. at Podebrad (30 m. e. of Prague) Apr. 23, 1420; d. at Prague Mar. 22, 1471. From 1444 he had been the leader of the utraquist party (see Huss, John, Hussites, II, §§ 3, 7). On the death of Ladislas he was elected king of Bohemia by the diet, and his reign marks the decisive period in the religious history of Bohemia. The Hussites had been in a manner reconciled to the Church by the compacts made with the Council of Basel (1433; see Huss, John; Hussites, II, § 6). The papacy neither accepted nor disavowed the compacts, and hoped to bring back Bohemia to Roman Catholicism. Podebrad wished to unite Bohemia and organize it into a great power; but this was impossible so long as it was rent by religious discord and, through want of papal recognition, was isolated from European politics. He accordingly tried to accomplish his purpose by skilful diplomacy with the popes, Calixtus III. and Pius II. At last Pius II. was alarmed at his increasing influence in Germany, and in 1462 disclaimed the compacts, and demanded Podebrad's unconditional obedience. At first Podebrad temporized, and, when he proposed to the various courts of Europe the summoning of a parliament of temporal princes, Pius II. excommunicated him in 1496. His successor, Paul IL, authorized the formation of a league of discontented nobles, and called Mathias Corvinus, king of Hungary, to the aid of the Church; but Podebrad was not conquered, and, after his death, the Bohemian crown was given by the diet to Ladislas II.

Bibliography: Creighton, Papacy, vol. iii. passim; Pastor, Popes, iv. 134–146; M. Jordan, Das Königthum Georgs von Podiebrad, Leipsic, 1861; F. Palacky, Geschichte von Böhmen, vol. iv., Prague, 1857; idem, Urkundliche Beiträge im Zeitalter Georgs von Podiebrad, Vienna, 1860; E. H. Gillett, Life and Times of John Huss, ii. 550–551, 562–563, New York, 1870; E. J. Whately, The Gospel in Bohemia, London, 1877; H. Ermiseh, Geschichte der sächsisch-böhmischen Beziehungen 1464–71, Dresden, 1881; F. Luetzow, Bohemia, London, 1896; C. E. Maurice, Bohemia, London and New York, 1896; Monumenta Vaticana res gestas Bohemias illustrantia, Prague, 1903: H. Apianus, Geschichte Böhmens, Leipsic, 1905; E. Schwitzky, Der europäische Fürstenbund Georgs von Podiebrad, Marburg, 1907; Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, vol. viii. passim; and the literature under Pius II.