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Charles IV was married four times (more than any other Czech ruler) and had 12 children in wedlock. In this week’s special we look at what medieval chronicles say about his royal consorts, children and his quest for a son.

Most people who have visited Prague at least once will almost certainly be familiar with Charles Bridge, commissioned by the Bohemian king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. As a structure, the bridge served a vital role connecting the city joining the historic quarters of Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) and Prague’s Old and New Towns across the Vltava. Today, it remains one of city’s most important and most visited landmarks.

One of Charles IV’s many great legacies to the Czech nation is the Prague seat of learning that bears his name. When the Bohemian king and holy Roman emperor, born 700 years ago next month, established Charles University in the 1340s, it was the first institution of its kind in the whole of Central Europe.

Karel IV was born on May 16, 1316, in Prague, the eldest son of King Jan of Luxembourg and Eliška. His parents represented the unification of the Luxembourg dynasty and the Přemyslid royal house which had succeeded in creating the Bohemian kingdom.

Each year, the Brno Philharmonic invites music lovers as well as those who want to reflect on the spiritual dimension of Easter to embark on a musical journey through the Moravian capital. The annual Easter Festival of Sacred Music, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary, takes place over the two sacred weeks of Easter and its programme is determined by the liturgy for the festival of Easter. The concerts are situated in various venues around the city of Brno.

Known for his often intense performances in the dramas My Name is Joe and Tyranosaur, actor Peter Mullan has also appeared in movies such as Trainspotting, War Horse and the final parts of the Harry Potter series. Mullan is in addition an accomplished director, with his 2002 film The Magdalene Sisters taking the top prize at Venice and helping win belated recognition for the “fallen” women whose terrible story it recounts. The charismatic, working class Glaswegian, who studied economic history alongside acting at university, is a Socialist and supporter

The Slav Epic is a cycle of 20 enormous canvases by the great Czech painter Alfons Mucha, depicting the history and mythology of the Slav peoples. Mucha regarded the works as his lifetime achievement but controversy remains over how the canvases are being exhibited and why it has been seemingly impossible to reach a decision on a permanent space where they could be displayed.

The foreign ministers of the Visegrad Four (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary) met in Prague last week to mark the 25th anniversary of the group’s founding. The talks at Prague’s Černín Palace revolved around past achievements and future goals and carried a strong commitment for the alliance to intensify cooperation.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is scheduled to visit Prague on Friday as part of a series of European stops for talks with his counterparts. The Conservative leader is seeking to explore his chances on the package of reforms which will put to the British public on a referendum over continued membership of the European Union. Cameron is seeking concessions across a swathe of areas.

Hana Ludikar is one of the few surviving members of the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association, a group remembering the Czechoslovaks who fought with Britain’s RAF during WWII that was co-founded by her late husband Marcel. In this special programme, she tells us all about a life deeply impacted by the events of modern Czech history.