the remote area in the saxon barony of schwarzenberg was settled after silver and tin mining began about 1517. "gottesgab" ("gift of god") was founded as a mining town by decree of the wettin elector john frederick i of saxony, who acquired the lordship in 1532. together with neighbouring horní blatná ("platten"), john frederick had to cede the town to the habsburg lands of the bohemian crown in 1547 after the schmalkaldic war and his defeat in the battle of mühlberg.