EGER, the chief town of a circle in the kingdom of Bohemia, is situated on the river Eger, and lies at the foot of one of the spurs of the Fichtelgebirge. It possesses an upper gymnasium and a real-school. In the townhouse, which at that time was the burgomaster’s house, Wallenstein was murdered, 25th February 1634. His sword and writing table are exhibited in the town. Among the industries of Eger are the manufacture of cloth of various sorts, hats, and shoes. Population in 1869, 13,390.

Previous to the middle of the 12th century Eger and the Egergau formed an allodial possession of the counts of Vohburg; but they were added to the imperial domains on the marriage of Adelheid of Vohburg with Frederick I. After being repeatedly transferred from the one power to the other, according to the preponderance of Bohemia or the empire, the town and territory were finally incorporated with Bohemia in 1350, after the Bohemian king became the emperor Charles IV. Several imperial privileges, however, continued to be enjoyed by the town till 1849. It suffered severely during the Hussite war, during the Swedish invasion in 1631 and 1647, and in the War of the Austrian Succession in 1742. (See Grüber, Die Kayserburg zu Eger, 1865; Drivok, Acltere Geschichte der Deutschen Reichstadt Èger lend des Reichsgebietes Egerland, 1874.)