The uprising broke out as a resuilt of the economic situation of the Habsburg monarchy, ruled by empress Maria Theresa, after the Seven Years' War and the great famine in Bohemia between 1770 and 1772.

In February 1775, a peasant "guberno" began to operate in Náchod region under the leadership of Antonín Nývlt, a free magistrate of the village of Rtyně v Podkrkonoší.

On 24 March, a delegation of several heads was sent to Prague, where they wanted to discuss the demands, but were stopped by the army in front of the city gates.

On 25 March a crowd of about 500–1,000 impromptu armed (scythes adapted to a slashing weapons) peasants arrived at Karlova Koruna Chateau near Chlumec nad Cidlinou,[3][4] who belonged to the Kinsky family.

The defeat of the insurgent crowd at Chlumec marked the de facto end of the peasant uprising in eastern Bohemia.

The army began its advance from Chlumec to Rtyně, where the revolt leader Antonín Nývlt and a number of his comrades were captured without a fight.