Who Was Killed in the Defenestration of Prague?

By Alice Nichols

The Defenestration of Prague is an event that has been etched in the annals of history for centuries. It was a pivotal moment that sparked the Thirty Years’ War, which was one of the deadliest conflicts in European history. The event occurred on May 23, 1618, and involved the violent expulsion of representatives of the Holy Roman Emperor from a window in Prague Castle.

But who were the people that were killed in this infamous incident? To understand this, we need to delve deeper into the political landscape of Europe at that time.

The Holy Roman Empire was a complex entity comprising of various territories, principalities, and city-states. The Emperor held significant power but had to rely on local rulers to enforce his authority. In Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), tensions had been simmering for years between Protestant nobles and the Catholic Habsburg dynasty that ruled over them.

In 1617, Ferdinand II, a devout Catholic and staunch defender of Habsburg interests, was elected as King of Bohemia. His coronation was met with protests from Protestant nobles who feared persecution under his rule. Matters came to a head when two representatives of Ferdinand were sent to Prague Castle to discuss these grievances with the Bohemian Estates (a body representing the noble class).

During this meeting on May 23, 1618, a group of Protestant nobles led by Count Thurn stormed into the room where the meeting was being held and accused these representatives of violating their rights. They then proceeded to throw them out of a window along with their secretary.

The fall from this third-story window would have been fatal for most people. However, miraculously all three survived due to landing on a pile of manure below (although some accounts suggest divine intervention). This event became known as the First Defenestration of Prague.

So who were these men? The two representatives were named Wilhelm Slavata and Jaroslav Martinic, and their secretary was Philip Fabricius. All three were prominent members of the Habsburg administration and had been sent by Ferdinand to assert his authority in Bohemia.

The incident sparked outrage across Europe, with both Catholics and Protestants taking sides. It led to the Bohemian Revolt, which eventually turned into the Thirty Years’ War. The conflict claimed millions of lives and devastated much of central Europe.

In conclusion, the Defenestration of Prague was a violent event that changed the course of European history. While no one was killed in the initial incident, it set off a chain reaction that led to one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. The men who were thrown out of that window were Wilhelm Slavata, Jaroslav Martinic, and Philip Fabricius – all representatives of the Holy Roman Emperor who died years later during the war itself.