Authorized Access Points and Subject Headings for Bohemia

Bohemia, also known as Čechy or Česko, is the name of the historical region comprising roughly the westernmost three-fifths of the present-day Czech Republic (see the pink-colored area in Map 1 below). This region can be considered to constitute Bohemia proper. Over the course of history, this name was also used to designate two related, but non-identical jurisdictional, regions: the Kingdom, or crown land, of Bohemia and the Lands of the Bohemian crown.

Map 1. Bohemia
(Source: http://www.my-prague-sights.com/where-is-prague.html)

The Kingdom, or crown land, of Bohemia, in existence as a jurisdiction of one sort or another from the late 9th century until 1918, covered approximately the territory of present day Bohemia, or Bohemia proper (see the pink-colored area in map 1 above and light green-colored area in Map 2 below).

The Lands of the Bohemian crown (Země Koruny České), a considerably larger entity, included Bohemia proper, the margravate of Moravia, and the crown land of Silesia (later, only Czech Silesia) from 1348 until 1918 (see the light-green, dark-green, and yellow regions, respectively, in Map 2 below).

Map 2. The Lands of the Bohemian crown
(Source: http://www.zum.de/whkmla/period/reformation/bohref.html)

Bohemia proper thus formed part of the Lands of the Bohemian crown. Yet, confusingly, both jurisdictions are sometimes referred to as the Bohemian, or Czech, kingdom (Království České or České Království). The Library of Congress Name Authority File distinguishes strictly between Bohemia proper and the Lands of the Bohemian crown, designating the former as Bohemia (Země) and the latter as Bohemia (Kingdom). A list of the access points relating to Bohemia, arranged in chronological order, is set forth below in section 1 of this chapter; some notes on subject headings are given in section 2.

1. Access points

Bohemia (Země)

• Descriptive usage: refers to the Kingdom, or crown land, of Bohemia—i.e., Bohemia proper—as a jurisdictional unit from its origins until 1918.
• Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading: works about this place are entered under Bohemia (Czech Republic).

Bohemia (Kingdom)

• Descriptive usage: refers to the Lands of the Bohemian Crown (Země Koruny České), comprising Bohemia proper, the margravate of Moravia, and (Czech) Silesia, from 1348 until 1918.
• Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading: works about this place are entered under Bohemia (Czech Republic).

Bohemia and Moravia (Protectorate, 1939-1945)

• Descriptive usage: refers to the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia from 1939 until 1945.
• Subject usage: can be used as a subject heading. The subdivision form is: --Czech Republic--Bohemia and Moravia (Protectorate, 1939-1945).

Bohemia (Czech Republic)

• Descriptive usage: cannot be used as a descriptive access point.
• Subject usage: refers to the historical region of Bohemia as a jurisdictional and/or a cultural/geographical region from its origins to the present. The subdivision form is: --Czech Republic--Bohemia.

2. Subject headings

Note that the subject heading Bohemia (Czech Republic) is used both for works relating to the crown land of Bohemia (i.e., Bohemia proper) and for those relating to the Lands of the Bohemian crown (i.e., Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia).

There are a number of authorized specific history subdivisions under this subject heading:

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--1403-1526

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--1526-1618

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--1618-1848

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--1848-1918

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--Hussite Wars, 1419-1436

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--Hussite Wars, 1419-1436--Campaigns

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--Revolution, 1848

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History--To 1526

These subdivided forms can refer to the history of Bohemia proper or to the history of the Lands of the Bohemian crown.

Revised: Aug. 6, 2015