John of Nepomuk was a priest serving under the Archbishop of Prague.

The king, Wenceslaus, was a hasty, cruel tyrant, who was detested by all his subjects, and hated by the rest of Germany.

Two priests were guilty of some crime, and one of the court chamberlains, acting under royal orders, caused the priests to be put to death.

The archbishop, indignant at this, placed the chamberlain under an interdict.

This so roused the king that he attempted to seize the archbishop, who took refuge in flight.