FROM A TOWNLET TO A TOWN

The dynamics of the development of the townlet of Blatná started at the end of the 15th century and continued throughout the following century, where Blatná changed hands several times and was owned by the Sternbergs, the Rozdražovští and the Lobkowiczs. The increased self-confidence of the municipality is evident, for example, in a dispute with Zdeněk of Sternberg, who had to rectify in 1563 the erroneous sale of a brook to Buzice, which was the townlet’s property. In 1554, the Blatná estates were expanded to include spas, which had until then belonged to the chateau. Unfortunately, the Sternbergs did not hold any office in the proximity of the king and, therefore, there were not so many opportunities to obtain higher privileges from the hands of the monarch as under the Rosentals.

The change did not come until 1577 with the arrival of the Polish nobility of the Lords of Rozdražov, who from the beginning established themselves as competitors to the sovereign ruler of the townlet. The early death of Jan of Rozdražov in 1585 provided an opportunity to expand their estates and rights through two administrators of the orphan’s property of underage Václav of Rozdražov. First, Kryštof the Leder of Lobkowicz confirmed in 1589 the purchase of the pond Vdoveček and, after his death, the second administrator Oldřich Felix of Lobkowicz confirmed in 1595 the additional purchases of the ponds Hodáně and Bestrev. The coveted peak of the transformation of the townlet into a town came several years later in 1601. With the intercession of the emperor’s valet Oldřich Felix of Lobkowicz, Blatná was granted town privileges from the hands of Emperor Rudolph II. Even in this case the economic interest of the administrators, who regarded the orphan property as the promise of money earned for the rights granted to the serf townlet, was evident. By contrast, during the rule of the Rozdražovští, we are only aware of two documents from the 1680s, which was probably caused by the wealth of this family, who treated the townlet mainly as a subject. Therefore, the first step of Václav of Rozdražov after reaching the age of majority was the purchase of a house opposite to the town hall in 1604 and its transformation into a manorial inn. Thus, he created competition in foreign beer tapping in the centre of the town of Blatná. In the same year, he restricted the town’s rights by newly issued instructions, emphasizing his role as the master of Blatná and establishing the Catholic faith as the only one admissible. The Thirty Years’ War then put an end to the economic development of the townlet for good.