Abstract (eng)
During the 16th century Prague's Jewish community underwent rapid development. The small community of some 600 persons grew into the biggest and the most important central European Jewish community in Rudolph's age approximately 8.000 people strong. This community became the speaker and the representative of the Jews in the realm. The development of Prague Jewish community went during the observed period through several critical junctions, when the community was forced to fight for the right to stay in Prague, or to resist epidemics or natural disasters. Jews were repeatedly expelled from Prague in the early 16th century, their further expulsion s happened in 1540s and 1550s. Expulsions at this critical period interrupted almost completely previous continuous development and the resurgence of economical activity, religious and cultural live of Prague Jewry happened only after 1564, when the community was lead by influential Markus MordechaI Meisl. Prague Jewry gained in the following period more administrative autonomy and population growth occurred as well. Although small in numbers, Jewish spiritual and commercial elites had considerable influence on prosperity of Jewish civic administration and formation of relationships between Jewish community and majority society which had developed in the community during the 16th century. Contacts, influence and activities of these elites were one of the factors, which in positive way predisposed Jewish community to success following pre White Mountain situation which for Prague Jewry was period of relative calm without serious threats. From the turn of 15th and 16th centuries the Prague Jews were increasingly involved, in crafts and commerce and that was their dominant commercial activity for the whole pre-White Mountain period. The Jews participated in commerce as the main protagonists, business partners, middlemen, debit and credit providers, but also as consumers. Their businesses concentrated on local, regional and foreign markets. In their business and commercial activities their used all their assets such as abilities to find business opportunities, high mobility and personal contacts in business centres where there were Jewish communities (for example Frankfurt upon Mohan, Kazimierz, Poznan, Lublin, Lvov, Vienna). Extensive Jewish commercial activities provoked, during the whole observed period, tense reaction from their Christian competitors. Jewish businessmen and artisans were in the beginning of 17th century so strong, that it was impossible to stop their activity by any legislative means. The substantiation of their strong commercial standing and improvement of conditions for their activities was Imperial Charter of 1623, which was granted to them by Ferdinand the Second.