Prague, Sept 4 (CTK) – A re-enactment of the coronation of Charles IV (1316-1378) as king of Bohemia was staged in Prague’s St Vitus Cathedral on Sunday at the close of two-day festivity the City of Prague and Charles University jointly organised to mark the Holy Roman emperor’s 700th birth anniversary.
The ceremony in the cathedral “copied” the ceremony from September 2, 1347, which was held in a Romanesque basilica, the predecessor of the St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, and celebrated by the first Prague archbishop, Arnost of Pardubice.
People could watch the ceremony outside the cathedral on a giant screen.
“The reconstruction of the ceremony was prepared based on the period Coronation Order that has been preserved, and from ancient books such as the chronicle by Pribik Pulkava of Radenin,” historian and Charles University vice-rector Jan Royt told CTK.
To complement the ceremony with medieval singing, the organisers cooperated with music historians.
The ceremony lasted two hours before Charles and Blanche of Valois, the first of his four wives, were crowned and left the cathedral for the historical centre of Prague, followed by their suite.
In the Old Town Square, they received a loyalty oath from noblemen.
Afterwards, a royal feast including a medieval cultural programme took place, followed by a knights’ tournament.
Charles University has organised a number of events to mark the anniversary of Charles, who was born on May 14, 1316 in Prague to King of Bohemia John of Luxembourg and Eliska, princess from the Czech Premyslide family that ruled in the country before the Luxembourgs until 1306.
