A Meeting Turns Violent
On May 23, 1618, a heated meeting took place in Prague Castle between Protestant nobles and Catholic representatives of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Protestants, angered by perceived religious oppression, confronted Imperial governors, Jaroslav Martinic and William Slavata, in the council chamber.
Thrown From the Window
Tensions escalated when the Protestant nobles seized Martinic, Slavata, and their secretary, Fabricius. In an act of defiance, they hurled the three men out of a third-story window of the castle. The fall was approximately 21 meters (70 feet), landing them in a ditch filled with refuse.
Miraculous Survival
Amazingly, all three men survived the fall. Catholics later attributed their survival to divine intervention, while Protestants claimed the soft landing in the rubbish pile saved their lives.
The Start of a War
The event, known as the Second (or Third) Defenestration of Prague, marked the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War, a conflict that engulfed much of Europe. This act of defenestration remains a pivotal and dramatic moment in European history.
On May 23, 1618, tensions exploded in Prague Castle when Protestant nobles confronted Catholic officials over religious oppression. In a shocking act, they seized two Imperial governors, Jaroslav Martinic and William Slavata, along with their secretary, and hurled them out a… pic.twitter.com/DrgWByNVW7
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