The Czech state, formerly known as Bohemia, was formed in the late 9th century as a small duchy around Prague, at that time under the dominance of the powerful Great Moravian Empire.

After the fall of the Empire in 907, the centre of power was transferred from Moravia to Bohemia, under the Přemyslids. Since 1002 it was formally recognized as part of Holy Roman Empire. In 1212 the duchy was raised to a kingdom and during the rule of Přemyslid dukes/kings and their successors, the Luxembourgs, the country reached its greatest territorial extent (13th–14th cc).  

Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the Kingdom of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg monarchy as one of its three principal parts, alongside the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary.  

With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Bohemian kingdom became part of the Austrian Empire.

In the 19th century the Czech lands became the industrial powerhouse of the monarchy and the core of the Republic of Czechoslovakia which was formed in 1918, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I.

After 1933, Czechoslovakia remained the only democracy in central and eastern Europe. 

From the Holy Roman Empire through the USSR, the Czech republic have long stood at crossroads of international affairs.

Unlike many of their neighbors, the citizens of this small, landlocked country have rarely resisted as armies marched across their borders, often choosing to fight with words instead of weapons; as a result Czech towns and cities are among the best-preserved and most beautiful in Europe. 

Today the Czechs face a different kind of invasion, as charmed tourists sweep in to savor the magnificent capital, the welcoming locals, and the world's best beers!