Renewed Land Ordinance

The Renewed Land Ordinance, issued in 1627 by Ferdinand II, was a significant legal document for Bohemia. It established a collection of fundamental laws that remained in effect, with modifications, until 1848. This ordinance solidified Habsburg rule by declaring the Bohemian crown hereditary within the Habsburg family, eliminating the need for election or formal acceptance by the estates. It also altered the composition and power of the provincial diets, limiting their legislative initiative and requiring the king's authorization for meetings.1

Furthermore, the ordinance mandated Roman Catholicism as the sole permitted Christian faith, forcing Protestants to choose between conversion or emigration. This led to a significant population decrease and a re-Catholicization effort, heavily influenced by the Jesuits. The use of the German language was also authorized alongside Czech, and the nobility was increasingly composed of German speakers, shifting the language of public affairs.1