An excerpt from the 4th part of the novel saga about Charles IV by Ludmila Vaňková. Read by Pavel Soukup. You can find the entire audiobook in the Audioteka applications or on the website ▶ https://audioteka.cz/go/kronika-IV-au... _________________________________________________________________________ Chronicle of Charles IV. #4 From sea to sea, as the author called the fourth part of her novel saga (1355 - 1362), the medieval Roman Empire, the dominion of Emperor Charles, stretches. However, it is not a very stable entity even in a unified Christian Europe. After the Roman coronation, Charles IV. gives his empire a firm order and tries to tie it to the golden core of his own power - the Kingdom of Bohemia. He also watches with concern the development of the war between England and France, to which he is close as to the country where he grew up. At the same time, with difficulty, he builds friendly relations in the east, with the Kingdoms of Poland and Hungary and with the Habsburgs in the Austrian lands. Through diplomatic efforts, he prepares the ground for the return of the Holy See from Avignon to Rome and gets along well with all the popes who take turns in it and are often different. Europe, especially in the west, is plagued by the Great Plague, which did not spread in Charlemagne's empire, but its consequences only marginally affected it. Charlemagne's task seems almost unachievable and, moreover, he does not yet have an heir for his Central European empire. However, this changed before his forty-fifth birthday, when his son Wenceslas was finally born. Anna Svídnická was Charles's great love and he adored her longed-for child immensely, which was not exactly the best for the prince's future character and regal qualities. However, it was perhaps the happiest period of Charles's life. He founded his stone bridge, completed the construction of Karlštejn, and peace and love reigned in the imperial family. LUDMILA VAŇKOVÁ Ludmila Vaňková, real name Paukertová. She is a prose writer and author of novels with historical themes. She was born on May 9, 1927 in Prague. In 1942, her father was executed by the Gestapo. She studied sociology and psychology at Charles University, but in 1948 she was expelled from the Faculty of Arts of Charles University for political reasons (a member of the National Social Party). She did not graduate until 1968–71. She first worked as a secretary in various publishing houses (European Literary Club, Czechoslovak Writer), later as an editor (Albatros). In 1968, she joined the Communist Party of the Czech Republic, but left the following year, so from 1973 to 1977 she worked as a switchman at the Karlštejn railway station. She did not publish until 1977, from which point she has been a full-time writer. PAVEL SOUKUP Czech actor and dubber. He originally graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Charles University. He then began his studies at DAMU. After school, he worked mainly in regional theaters, but later returned to Prague, where he began performing at the ABC Theater. He also played on television. Pavel Soukup dubs actors such as Robert Redford, Gérard Depardieu, Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis. _________________________________________________________________________ Author: Ludmila Vaňková Interpreter: Pavel Soukup Director: Helena Rytířová Publisher: Audioteka, Šulc a Švarc #ukázka​​​​ #KarelIV​ #chronicle