Habsburg Rule

Czech nobility asked the Catholic Habsburgs to rule Bohemia starting in 1526. Rudolf II ruled over a prosperous city and added vast collections of paintings and sculptures, as he invited prominent artists to court. In 1541 a massive fire destroyed much of the Lesser Quarter and some of the Castle District as well. What followed was a Renaissance and Baroque construction extravaganza as both the districts were rebuilt with gorgeous palaces and residences, still there today. A second defenestration from an ill-fated uprising in 1618 ignited the Thirty Years War, in which a quarter of the Bohemian population died. After the devastating defeat at the White Mountain, The Austrian Habsburgs captured the Bohemian throne and Czech culture stagnated due to long Austrian hegemony and the harsh oppressing of political and cultural freedom. The Czech language and culture were suppressed, and the country experienced a deep economic decline. It was however, Maria Teresa, at the end of the 18th century, who propelled reforms aimed at restoring the culture and traditions, and made Czech the official language again. In 1784, Hradcany, Mala Strana, Old Town and New Town were united together.