The Hussite Wars...In Brief
Sometimes, history is, well...kinda goofy.
For example, the famous Defenestration of Prague, which sparked The Thirty Years, was not the first time (nor arguably the last time) that major events were triggered by people being thrown from a window. (See my now public Prague Cast episode about The Prague Defenestrations).
600 years ago (and 1 day--sorry the post is late), the First Defenestration of Prague occurred, and led to the 15 years of violent conflict known as The Hussite Wars. But why? Well, this (now public) Prague Cast episode about Jan Hus gives more detail, but in brief: Jan Hus, a Prague priest and theologian, had been burned by the Catholic Church as a heretic a few years earlier. He was a reformer, inspired by the English Church reformer John Wycliffe (also condemned as a heretic, but not executed). He was, in many ways, a proto-Luther, arguing against things like indulgences, and for a heavier reliance on The Bible. Even after his execution, his teachings spread throughout Bohemia.
This is all despite the fact that the most powerful local ruler, King Sigismund of Hungary, soon to be Holy Roman Emperor and possible heir to the Bohemian crown, had threatened to *drown* all the followers of Wycliffe and Hus. Sigismund's brother, Wenceslaus, was the then-current King of Bohemia, and was firmly allied with his brother and the Catholic Church against the Hussites. Sigismund had even been the king responsible for the council that condemned and executed Hus, and he himself had promised Hus safe passage, only to turn against Hus when convinced by his religious advisers that he was too dangerous. (Ed. note: Sigismund seems like a dick.) Tensions between the people and the priests who were followers of Hus' teachings were quite high when, on July 30th, 1619, some followers of Jan Hus, led by the priest Jan Želivský, marched to the New Town Hall to petition for the release of some Hussite prisoners. The story goes that, instead of respectfully hearing their case, the (Catholic) town council and other officials threw things from the windows and laughed. Želivský was hit by a stone (allegedly), and an the incensed mob ran up the stairs and threw seven men out the window, all of whom died. The First Defenestration of Prague, like the second later, was an act of momentary rage that ended up having far-reaching consequences.
Possibly the first major consequence of the Defenestration was the death of King Wenceslaus. The story goes he died from shock after hearing the news. Whether this is true or not, his death came at a pivotal moment. There was suddenly a power vacuum in the land. The late king's wife, Sophia of Bavaria, tried to exert some control and stop things before they got too far, but she quickly lost support. All over Bohemia, German Catholics, who were largely still loyal to the Pope, were expelled from their homes and towns. There was a battle for Prague, with the Hussites taking one of the two castles, but a truce was struck between local Hussites and the nobility who were sympathetic to them. In reality, however, the Hussites had seized control of Bohemia.
The religious conflict started splitting the Hussites as well, however. The Prague Truce in November of 1419--literally only 4 months after the Defenestration--was too moderate for some, including a rather old, one-eyed general named Jan Žižka, who is *the* key military genius to gain a place in history due to the Hussite Wars. There's a lot to say about Žižka, who is a great notional hero, but it suffices to say he led his more radical faction of Hussites out of Prague, defeated a Catholic army in March 1420 in the first proper battle of the war, and settled with his people near the recently founded town of Tábor.
Still with me? Good, because we're almost there. Just a few key points left, both stemming from this moment. Let's start with Žižka.
Jan Žižka was an experienced military man, and he brought his experience to bear in fighting off the repeated crusades and invasions sent against the Bohemian Hussites by the powers of the Pope, King Sigismund, and the German states. Žižka and his Bohemian fighters consistently defeated the more highly trained Catholic forces--he essentially had driven them all out of Bohemia within a few years, and they never made serious inroads again, though they tried again and again. That's because he was innovative. In addition to being a master of the classic military skill of using the geography to your advantage, Žižka revolutionized how war is fought. Remember that image from above? The first one in the post? Here is another version of it, alongside another image and some internet commentary:
The Catholic forces fought using the traditional medieval style--highly trained knights on horseback and troops on foot, with some bowmen and whatnot. Calvary power would carry the day. Žižka, however, had other ideas. While their fighters well miuch less well trained, the Hussites adopted two innovations that made them very dangerous. The first, as you can see in the pictures, was the use of wagon forts--vozová hradba--reinforced wagons that essentially served as a portable fort. The Hussites didn't fight on the open field; rather, they fought from behind a wall, even when they were on campaign. Clever, right?
But what happened when those knights on horseback charged? Surely, your little wagons would crumble, reinforced or not. Well, that's where Žižka's second--and more influential--innovation came in. The Catholic cavalry rarely got close enough to really do much to the wagons, since the Hussites were widely using hand cannons, i.e. pistols. The Hussites also brought larger cannons with them on the wagons. This was very new tech, and Žižka was at the cutting edge. The Catholics weren't. These new weapons became so closely identified with the Hussites that the modern English words "pistol" and "howitzer" trace their origin to Czech at this time.
Their strategy was simple, but effective: bombard the enemy position with your larger cannons. Do serious damage, but don't move. Eventually, the enemy has to attack to stop them dying so much. So they do, and your smaller arms and crossbows mow them down. Horses that get shot in battle take down knights, often killing them. Eventually, once the enemy is weakened, the Hussite cavalry and foot soldiers swept around from behind the wagons and finished the job. Žižka combined this set of innovations with his sense of geography and strategy to essentially turn every battle into a siege. It's a perfect strategy for a defensive war to repel invaders, and it worked fantastically well for that purpose. It wasn't as effective on offensive campaigns, but there's a reason Žižka is famous.
However, as is often the way in history, the Hussites began fighting against themselves. Two broad factions were formed: the Utraquists, who were essentially the more moderate, conciliatory faction; and the Taborites, based in Tabor and led, militarily, by Žižka. Foreshadowing the endless divisions that would become commonplace once Luther and the Reformation kicked in 100+ years later, these two Hussite factions agreed on most things, but not all. The Taborites were quite strict and Puritanical, living their lives with military discipline, but they had elected democratic leaders, one of whom was Žižka--they were quite radical and definitely anticipate several strains of Protestantism. When not fighting off the numerous crusades (five in total) sent to deal with the "heretics," the Utraquists and Taborites fought each other, though they unified their forces again against Catholic invaders.
In the end, Žižka and Jan Želivský--the priest with the head wound from the beginning, remember?--weren't exempt from the turmoil. Žižka dealt with an even more radical faction of Taborites, while Želivský was eventually arrested and executed by the Prague Town Council. Žižka died in 1424, leading the combined Hussite army into Moravia, where forces loyal to Sigismund remained. His death seemed to be a good time for the Pope to send another crusade, but he was wrong, and the Hussites remained solidly in control of Bohemia.
Eventually, in 1434, after unsuccessful peace talks with the Catholic forces a few year earlier, the Utraquists and Taborites turned on each other once again, and for the last time.
The Utraquists, allied with some Catholic forces at this point, finally defeated the Taborites, after tricking them into abandoning their wagons by faking a retreat. Several of the Taborite leaders fell in battle, and some 700 Taborite soldiers, having been promised they could join the victorious army, were instead burned alive in nearby barns. A few small battles followed, but the Hussite Wars had essentially ended. Sigismund (remember him?) was finally recognized as King of Bohemia, and compacts were signed that allowed the Utraquist Hussites to worship as they chose. Bohemia had won the right to be, in many ways, separate from the power of Rome and the Catholic Church.
In the end, the Hussite Wars devastated the nation, with towns, castles, and cathedrals all damaged and destroyed. However, it is still a point of national pride that, to use Sigismund's words, "In the end, only Bohemians could overcome Bohemians." Bohemia remained a Hussite nation for about two hundred years, until the Second Defenestration of Prague triggered the Thirty Years War, which lead to forcible re-Catholicization. However, Hussite churches still remain, including the beautiful Church of St. Nicholas on the Old Town Square, mere steps from the statue of Jan Hus.
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| This isn't goofy. This is bad-ass, and we'll get to it soon enough. |
For example, the famous Defenestration of Prague, which sparked The Thirty Years, was not the first time (nor arguably the last time) that major events were triggered by people being thrown from a window. (See my now public Prague Cast episode about The Prague Defenestrations).
 |
| Memorial to Jan Hus in the Old Town Square in Prague. |
600 years ago (and 1 day--sorry the post is late), the First Defenestration of Prague occurred, and led to the 15 years of violent conflict known as The Hussite Wars. But why? Well, this (now public) Prague Cast episode about Jan Hus gives more detail, but in brief: Jan Hus, a Prague priest and theologian, had been burned by the Catholic Church as a heretic a few years earlier. He was a reformer, inspired by the English Church reformer John Wycliffe (also condemned as a heretic, but not executed). He was, in many ways, a proto-Luther, arguing against things like indulgences, and for a heavier reliance on The Bible. Even after his execution, his teachings spread throughout Bohemia.
 |
| The New Town Hall in Prague, whose windows are about to be used for another purpose... |
This is all despite the fact that the most powerful local ruler, King Sigismund of Hungary, soon to be Holy Roman Emperor and possible heir to the Bohemian crown, had threatened to *drown* all the followers of Wycliffe and Hus. Sigismund's brother, Wenceslaus, was the then-current King of Bohemia, and was firmly allied with his brother and the Catholic Church against the Hussites. Sigismund had even been the king responsible for the council that condemned and executed Hus, and he himself had promised Hus safe passage, only to turn against Hus when convinced by his religious advisers that he was too dangerous. (Ed. note: Sigismund seems like a dick.) Tensions between the people and the priests who were followers of Hus' teachings were quite high when, on July 30th, 1619, some followers of Jan Hus, led by the priest Jan Želivský, marched to the New Town Hall to petition for the release of some Hussite prisoners. The story goes that, instead of respectfully hearing their case, the (Catholic) town council and other officials threw things from the windows and laughed. Želivský was hit by a stone (allegedly), and an the incensed mob ran up the stairs and threw seven men out the window, all of whom died. The First Defenestration of Prague, like the second later, was an act of momentary rage that ended up having far-reaching consequences.
 |
| King Sigismund, rocking an impressive hat and some lovely brocade. |
Possibly the first major consequence of the Defenestration was the death of King Wenceslaus. The story goes he died from shock after hearing the news. Whether this is true or not, his death came at a pivotal moment. There was suddenly a power vacuum in the land. The late king's wife, Sophia of Bavaria, tried to exert some control and stop things before they got too far, but she quickly lost support. All over Bohemia, German Catholics, who were largely still loyal to the Pope, were expelled from their homes and towns. There was a battle for Prague, with the Hussites taking one of the two castles, but a truce was struck between local Hussites and the nobility who were sympathetic to them. In reality, however, the Hussites had seized control of Bohemia.
 |
| Queen Sophia went to live in Hungary and died in 1428. |
The religious conflict started splitting the Hussites as well, however. The Prague Truce in November of 1419--literally only 4 months after the Defenestration--was too moderate for some, including a rather old, one-eyed general named Jan Žižka, who is *the* key military genius to gain a place in history due to the Hussite Wars. There's a lot to say about Žižka, who is a great notional hero, but it suffices to say he led his more radical faction of Hussites out of Prague, defeated a Catholic army in March 1420 in the first proper battle of the war, and settled with his people near the recently founded town of Tábor.
 |
| The town square of Tábor, with a state of Žižka having pride of place. |
Still with me? Good, because we're almost there. Just a few key points left, both stemming from this moment. Let's start with Žižka.
 |
| His bronze statue on the Vitkov Hill in Prague, site of one of his many victories, in the neighborhood of Prague named for him. It's one of the largest equestrian statues in the world. |
Jan Žižka was an experienced military man, and he brought his experience to bear in fighting off the repeated crusades and invasions sent against the Bohemian Hussites by the powers of the Pope, King Sigismund, and the German states. Žižka and his Bohemian fighters consistently defeated the more highly trained Catholic forces--he essentially had driven them all out of Bohemia within a few years, and they never made serious inroads again, though they tried again and again. That's because he was innovative. In addition to being a master of the classic military skill of using the geography to your advantage, Žižka revolutionized how war is fought. Remember that image from above? The first one in the post? Here is another version of it, alongside another image and some internet commentary:
 |
| The "bois in wagons" are the Hussites. |
The Catholic forces fought using the traditional medieval style--highly trained knights on horseback and troops on foot, with some bowmen and whatnot. Calvary power would carry the day. Žižka, however, had other ideas. While their fighters well miuch less well trained, the Hussites adopted two innovations that made them very dangerous. The first, as you can see in the pictures, was the use of wagon forts--vozová hradba--reinforced wagons that essentially served as a portable fort. The Hussites didn't fight on the open field; rather, they fought from behind a wall, even when they were on campaign. Clever, right?
But what happened when those knights on horseback charged? Surely, your little wagons would crumble, reinforced or not. Well, that's where Žižka's second--and more influential--innovation came in. The Catholic cavalry rarely got close enough to really do much to the wagons, since the Hussites were widely using hand cannons, i.e. pistols. The Hussites also brought larger cannons with them on the wagons. This was very new tech, and Žižka was at the cutting edge. The Catholics weren't. These new weapons became so closely identified with the Hussites that the modern English words "pistol" and "howitzer" trace their origin to Czech at this time.
 |
| Hussite weaponry. All very cutting edge stuff for 1420. |
Their strategy was simple, but effective: bombard the enemy position with your larger cannons. Do serious damage, but don't move. Eventually, the enemy has to attack to stop them dying so much. So they do, and your smaller arms and crossbows mow them down. Horses that get shot in battle take down knights, often killing them. Eventually, once the enemy is weakened, the Hussite cavalry and foot soldiers swept around from behind the wagons and finished the job. Žižka combined this set of innovations with his sense of geography and strategy to essentially turn every battle into a siege. It's a perfect strategy for a defensive war to repel invaders, and it worked fantastically well for that purpose. It wasn't as effective on offensive campaigns, but there's a reason Žižka is famous.
However, as is often the way in history, the Hussites began fighting against themselves. Two broad factions were formed: the Utraquists, who were essentially the more moderate, conciliatory faction; and the Taborites, based in Tabor and led, militarily, by Žižka. Foreshadowing the endless divisions that would become commonplace once Luther and the Reformation kicked in 100+ years later, these two Hussite factions agreed on most things, but not all. The Taborites were quite strict and Puritanical, living their lives with military discipline, but they had elected democratic leaders, one of whom was Žižka--they were quite radical and definitely anticipate several strains of Protestantism. When not fighting off the numerous crusades (five in total) sent to deal with the "heretics," the Utraquists and Taborites fought each other, though they unified their forces again against Catholic invaders.
In the end, Žižka and Jan Želivský--the priest with the head wound from the beginning, remember?--weren't exempt from the turmoil. Žižka dealt with an even more radical faction of Taborites, while Želivský was eventually arrested and executed by the Prague Town Council. Žižka died in 1424, leading the combined Hussite army into Moravia, where forces loyal to Sigismund remained. His death seemed to be a good time for the Pope to send another crusade, but he was wrong, and the Hussites remained solidly in control of Bohemia.
Eventually, in 1434, after unsuccessful peace talks with the Catholic forces a few year earlier, the Utraquists and Taborites turned on each other once again, and for the last time.
 |
| The Battle of Lipany and the end of the Taborites. |
The Utraquists, allied with some Catholic forces at this point, finally defeated the Taborites, after tricking them into abandoning their wagons by faking a retreat. Several of the Taborite leaders fell in battle, and some 700 Taborite soldiers, having been promised they could join the victorious army, were instead burned alive in nearby barns. A few small battles followed, but the Hussite Wars had essentially ended. Sigismund (remember him?) was finally recognized as King of Bohemia, and compacts were signed that allowed the Utraquist Hussites to worship as they chose. Bohemia had won the right to be, in many ways, separate from the power of Rome and the Catholic Church.
In the end, the Hussite Wars devastated the nation, with towns, castles, and cathedrals all damaged and destroyed. However, it is still a point of national pride that, to use Sigismund's words, "In the end, only Bohemians could overcome Bohemians." Bohemia remained a Hussite nation for about two hundred years, until the Second Defenestration of Prague triggered the Thirty Years War, which lead to forcible re-Catholicization. However, Hussite churches still remain, including the beautiful Church of St. Nicholas on the Old Town Square, mere steps from the statue of Jan Hus.
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Become a Patron!
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