Jan Hus and the Hussite Wars in brief. Consequences of the Hussite Wars
Wars in Bohemia in the period 1419-1435. went down in history under the name "Hussite". They were held with the participation of followers of the ideological preacher, philosopher and reformer Jan Hus. What are the reasons for the beginning of those events? What results have been achieved? Briefly about the Hussite wars, read the article.
How it all began?
The main idea of the Hussite wars in the Czech Republic is an uprising against the German emperor and the Catholic Church. During his teaching years, Jan Hus repeatedly made the statement that the church was so “rotten” that it turned into a commercial monastery rather than a spiritual one. For such speeches and literature written in the same spirit, Jan Hus was removed from the church and declared enemy No. 1.
Dr. Gus was sure that faith should not be imposed, but should come only from the will of each believer. In 1414 he was summoned to the cathedral in Constance and decided to judge. Sigismund, the reigning emperor, handed over the heretic. But the meeting agreed that the reformer was guilty on all counts of the prescription. He was sentenced to death by burning at the stake.
Ideological followers
The emperor missed one point: Hus had many associates, students and followers. These people were not only in Bohemia (Czech Republic), but also in other European countries. Unrest was noted even in the most remote state corners. In 1419, a real uprising against Sigismund began, it was led by the knight Jan Zizka, popular in those days.
At the time of the uprising, he was noted not only as a hero, but also as an excellent commander. What are the battles under his leadership at Agincourt with the British and the campaign against the Teutonic Order in Grunwald. When Yang joined the reform movement, this was considered the beginning of the Hussite wars.
Separation
From the very beginning it was divided into two branches: Chashniki and Taborites. The former inhabited the northern regions of the Czech Republic, the latter - the southern ones. The nobles and burghers of the northern part of the Czech Republic sponsored and supported in every possible way the Chashniki. The Taborites were helped by the southern representatives of the nobility. There were also a large number of peasants here. Taborites are of great importance in the history of Christianity. It is believed that they became the founders of the Christian faith. These reformers organized communities where property was common, and sermons said that all are equal before God.
One interesting fact is known to history: the Taborites had a formidable weapon called "threshing". It was a long iron chain, weighted with additional devices. The thresher was capable of knocking down a horse with a knight with one blow. During the hostilities, the Hussites widely used hand-held firearms: bombards and arquebuses. They regularly resorted to the help of wagons (wagens), in which 10 people fit. Each of them had their own weapons and their own task during the battle.
First crusade against the Hussites
No one expected that the Hussite rebellion would gain such momentum and reach significant proportions. The main reasons for the Hussite wars were the venality of the church and laws that were written exclusively in favor of officials. This could not continue, so the country was in great need of reforms and reorganization. A stronghold and the remnants of the Catholic Church gathered in the town, later Habsburg supporters joined them. They asked for support from the Pope, and he agreed.
Emperor Sigismund began to raise an army, while not sparing money for uniforms and weapons. At the end of April 1420, he moved to Prague. The knight Jan Zizka found out about this and also hurried to Prague in order to lead the Hussite army. During the fighting, Sigismund managed to capture Tabor. In July of the same year, a decisive battle took place between the Hussites and the Crusaders. The emperor's army was defeated and forced to retreat.
Second crusade
Since the autumn of 1421, contradictions have escalated between the Chashniki and the Taborites. The once united Hussite army has now broken up into several parts. Sigismund found out about this and decided to take advantage of this circumstance. However, Zizka managed to repulse the attack of the emperor.
The Czech ruler did not stop there, but only decided to strengthen his position. He collects a serious army of knights and mercenaries, while not sparing money for provisions, weapons and baggage. Decisive battles were fought again in the vicinity of Kutna Hora. The emperor came close to the Hussite army. Zizka had already managed to become completely blind after numerous injuries, but continued to give commands. It was here that he decided to use the artillery field maneuver he invented. It was decided to quickly reorganize the wagons and deploy them in the direction of the advancing troops. The order to fire was given, and with one volley the Hussites managed to break through the emperor's advance.
After the main attack, it was easier for the fighters to shoot the enemy one by one with hand weapons. While the mercenaries began to flee, the Taborites met them and literally finished them off. After some time, troops from the Principality of Lithuania came to the aid of the Taborites. In 1423 they tried to capture Hungary and Moravia, but were forced to retreat. The forces were unequal, after this the confrontation between the Chashniki and the Taborites became even more intensified.
Civil war is inevitable...
The unfortunate events of the Hussite wars led to the fact that the once close allies began to quarrel with each other. Near the small town of Matesov, two warring factions converged. Žižka, saw that a civil war could ruin the reform movement, so he decided to unite the Hussite army again. This he succeeded perfectly, because he possessed a truly magnetic Unsanitary conditions and poor nutrition led to an outbreak of plague, as a result of which Zizka died. Prokop the Great became his follower. The new leader banned hostilities and further campaigns until the epidemic recedes.
Baltic campaign
Jagiello, asked for help from the Hussites. He intended to defeat the Teutonic Order. Together they went on a campaign that lasted 4 months. Since many Polish provinces were devastated after the plague and constant raids, a peace agreement was signed.
Other crusades
In 1425, the third campaign against the Hussites was organized, led by Duke Albrecht. But, without calculating the forces, the army was defeated and retreated to the territory of Austria. Prokop the Great managed to gather an impressive army (approximately 25 thousand people), which consisted of Taborites and Czech militias. At this time, the Hussites killed a lot of representatives of the nobility (14 princes and barons, minor nobles and nobility).
In 1427, the fourth crusade against the Hussites took place. The forces were unequal, the reformers won again. Prokop the Great, together with Prokop the Small, decided to strengthen their positions and even went to the German princes. For this, a campaign was organized against Saxony, numbering 45 thousand people. Emperor Sigismund sees that resistance cannot be destroyed by anything, therefore he decides to take a cardinal step - to meet at the Basel Cathedral. However, the cup owners were pessimistic, despite this, the negotiations were neutral.
Peaceful agreement
What are the consequences of the Hussite wars? The events of those times led to the fact that constant hostility and misunderstanding flourished between the Chashniki and the Taborites. The last straw was that the teapots still tried to come to terms with the Catholic world. They formed the Bohemian League, which included moderate Hussites and Catholics from Bohemia. The final battle in May 1434 ended the Hussite movement. The year 1436 was marked by the signing of a peace agreement, and the state of Bohemia submitted to the conditions of Emperor Sigismund.
All modern historians unanimously repeat that the success of the Hussites for a long time was due to their unity and one goal. The opponents were divided among themselves and still adhered to their lands and spiritual values. As a result, the Hussite wars did not bring any change in regards to the church. And for several decades, Central Europe was severely devastated.
During the Hussite wars (start date - 1419, end - in 1934) there were many interesting facts that went down in history and became the basis of epics, fairy tales and mythical stories. Consider the most interesting of them:
- Once Prokop Bolshoy wanted to capture a small Czech town. The locals, knowing that they were brutally cracking down on the nobility, decided to resort to one trick: they dressed small children in white robes, gave them lighted candles in their hands and put them around the perimeter of the town. The head of the army, seeing such beauty, could not resist emotion and retreated. It is known that he thanked the children with a large number of ripe cherries. Since that time, the Czechs celebrate the holiday in July.
- Joan of Arc at that time was tormented by visions, she constantly heard strange voices. It happened in 1430: the girl dictated a letter, the content of which was to make crusades until the Hussites themselves offer reconciliation.
- There is a version that the Hussites often won because they enlisted the support of many associates. For example, troops under the command of Fyodor Ostrozhsky and Zhigimont Dmitrievich adjoined Zizka. These soldiers were the ancestors of modern Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians.
- It turns out that the teachings of Jan Hus were in fact a return to original Orthodoxy. In the first millennium, the Czech people recognized this particular religion. Catholicism, on the other hand, was deliberately imposed by corrupt echelons of power.
Many historians argue that the mere mention of the Hussite movement terrified the army of the Holy Roman Empire. There were cases when the battle ended with the complete surrender of the knights.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the largest popular uprising in world history, known as the Hussite Wars, broke out in the Czech Republic.
Almost the entire population of the country took part in the fifteen-year war. Its consequences influenced the further fate of the Czech Republic.
The consequences of the Hussite wars were not unambiguous.
What did the insurgent masses achieve?
The Catholic Church was dealt a severe blow. Her prestige was greatly shaken. The church lost a significant part of its lands. Many monks were expelled from the country.
The church was forced to come to an agreement with the Hussites.
The so-called compacts were approved. They consisted of four articles. According to this document, the right of citizens to partake of wine from a cup was recognized (previously it was a privilege of the church). The secularization of church lands was announced. Freedom of preaching was proclaimed. Not only the laity, but also church employees were punished for sins against the norms of morality.
The Czechs stopped paying taxes to the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation.
Peasants were exempted from paying church tax - tithes.
Cities have achieved control.
The Czech Republic became a centralized state with an estate monarchy. The rights of Emperor Sigismund were confirmed. But the royal power was limited by the Sejm (zemstvo parliament). He served as a provisional government.
The Sejm included representatives of the urban class from the Chashniki camp. The Taborites were given two seats in the government.
The majority of the population became Czech. The expulsion of the German feudal lords contributed to the development of an original culture. Czech became the main language again.
The Hussite movement gave impetus to anti-religious uprisings in other European countries. Popular unrest swept Germany, Austria, Slovakia and other states.
Unfavorable consequences of the Hussite wars for the Czech Republic.
Czech society split. The class demands of the Taborites were not considered at the meetings of the Sejm. There was not a single peasant in the provisional government.
The goals of the Hussite wars among the various estates did not initially coincide. The feudal lords and burghers used the revolutionary upsurge of the people for selfish purposes. Consisting in the Hussite camp of the Chashniks, they seized the property and lands of the Catholic Church. They often increased their own wealth at the cost of betrayal.
The German patriciate was expelled. Their places were taken by wealthy burghers.
In fact, wealth and positions passed from one top to another. The peasants and the plebs were again subjected to cruel exploitation. Equality of estates and a fair division of the selected lands did not happen.
The peasants were ordered to return to their former owners. The corvee was increased.
A long war inside the country weakened the Czech economy. The destruction of fields and pastures, crop failures and the death of livestock led to the decline of agriculture.
Craft workshops were closed in the cities. Domestic and foreign trade was conducted intermittently. The quality of silver coins has deteriorated. The value of money has fallen. Food prices have risen sharply.
People were dying of hunger and epidemics.
Weakened by the war, the Czech Republic became a tasty morsel for foreign powers. Weapons, precious metals, and luxury items were exported from the country in huge quantities. Predatory raids of foreign invaders devastated the country.
The rebellious peasants were defeated. But the Hussite wars had inestimable consequences in world history. They gave impetus to a number of major peasant uprisings in Europe.
The Hussite wars became a stage in the struggle against the dominance of the Catholic Church, national oppression and feudal exploitation.
The death of a professor at the University of Prague caused outrage throughout the Czech Republic. Indignant letters from all over the country went to the address of the church court. Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund added fuel to the fire. He promised to drown all Czechs in blood if they did not moderate their ardor. All this became the cause of a bloody many years of slaughter, which went down in history as.
It all started at the University of Prague in 1419. Czech students demanded that the Bavarians, Saxons and Poles, who also studied within the walls of the educational institution, collectively had only half of the votes. And the other half, regardless of the number of people, should belong to the Czechs, because the university is Czech. During the controversy, Czech students beat the Germans. Clashes continued outside the walls of the university.
Supporters of Emperor Sigismund were walking down the street, they were attacked, beaten to death. A crowd of Czechs burst into the town hall and threw all the deputies - German officials - out of the windows. And this is certain death, as it is high up there. After that, the inhabitants of Prague told the Germans: “Your dad is the Antichrist, and we have the true faith. And we know the true rites. Among the Russians and Greeks, both laity and priests receive communion from the cup. only priests drink. This is not good and wrong."
Emperor Sigismund, the Pope and all the Germans said that all this is a terrible heresy, and the Czechs should be punished. And off we go. From 1419 to 1434 there were Hussite wars. They were endless raids. Little Czech Republic fought against the entire German Empire and even entered into a confrontation with Poland. Although the Poles tried to remain neutral. The banner of the Czechs depicted a cup from which they wanted to receive communion in the form of wine and bread. And on the banner of the Catholics was depicted a Latin cross.
By the way, in the same Poland lived the Orthodox, who used the cup during communion. There were also Catholics. They had their own Latin cross. And at the same time, different faiths peacefully coexisted with each other. So apparently not religious slogans were the cause of an incredibly brutal war. But it claimed more than half of the population of the Czech Republic.
However, disagreements with the Czechs were presented precisely as religious. After all, it is necessary to think of it so that both the laity and the priests drink from the same cup. Therefore, raids on a small country were called crusades. And their initiator was not the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, but the Pope.
Jan Zizka and the Hussites
The first crusade began in March 1420. These were military operations against the heretic Hussites. So, at least, they were called by the Catholic Church. The Czechs had their own commander, who is considered a national hero of the Czech people. This Jan Zizka(1360-1424). It was he who led the Hussite troops and with a small force of 4 thousand people defeated the crusader army of 30 thousand people. Thus, he protected Prague from the invaders. Subsequently, Zizka lost his sight, but, becoming blind, continued to lead the troops. He died in 1424 from the plague. Enemies gave him the nickname "Terrible Blind Man".
Thanks to Jan Zizka, a new military tactic was introduced. It's a cart ride. It was involved through the Hungarian Cumans from the Mongols. A method of protection from carts was practiced, military camps were also built from carts. Thanks to this tactic, the Hussites invaded Bavaria, Saxony, Brandenburg and reached the Baltic Sea. And the knightly cavalry against the carts turned out to be completely powerless.
The first crusade ended badly for the crusaders. By the autumn of 1421, they were completely defeated, and the whole of Bohemia was in the hands of the Hussites. But there were divisions within their ranks. Parties were formed that adhered to various ideological guidelines.
There were three main parties:
Taborites who did not want to recognize either the church or the priesthood at all.
Supporters of Jan Zizka. After his death, they began to call themselves " orphans They recognized the church, but denied all clergy and compromises with the Germans.
Utraquists or bowlers. These fought for Orthodoxy, which was in the east in Byzantium and Russia. Chashniki sought to find a compromise, but such as to exist without the Germans. They included the population of Prague.
There were also smaller parties. For example, the Adamites. They went naked like Adam. They robbed travelers and generally did not recognize anything but carnal pleasures. They were all hanged on the orders of Jan Zizka, because they opposed themselves to both the church and public morality.
After the First Crusade, the contradictions between the parties escalated. The Czech troops disintegrated, which provoked Second crusade. Almost the whole of Europe fell on the small Czech Republic. Only the British and French did not participate in the Hussite wars. They waged war with each other, burned Joan of Arc at the stake, so they simply had no time. And all the other nations succumbed to the call of the Pope. But the Czechs not only defended, but also advanced. They invaded Hungary, but this campaign ended unsuccessfully for them.
Fighting with external enemies, the Czechs managed to wage a civil war within the country. In the summer of 1424, the Taborites entered into battle with the Chashniki. The second suffered a crushing defeat, and Jan Zizka managed to unite the Czech troops under his rule for a short time. But he soon died of the plague, and confusion and throwing began again. Although the successor of the "Terrible Blind Man" Prokop Bolshoy tried to restore order.
He more or less succeeded, since in 1425, when Third crusade, the Czechs defeated the Austrian army, and themselves invaded enemy territory. In doing so, the crusaders lost a large number of their people.
The Hussites used carts in their military tactics
Military operations were accompanied by incredible cruelty. So the German miners from Kutenberg threw the captured Hussites into deep mines. People fell, broke their arms and legs, and then died in agony from hunger and thirst. And when Zizka took the Germans prisoner, they were on their knees, asking for mercy. But "The Terrible Blind Man" spared no one. In relation to the enemies, he was merciless.
In 1427 it was the turn fourth crusade, and in 1431 was organized Fifth Crusade. And again, numerous troops of the crusaders could not defeat the Czechs.
It is not known how long this whole bacchanalia would have continued. But the Czechs, in the end, lowered their level of aggression. It happened at the Battle of Lipany at the end of May 1434. In this battle, again, the warring parties opposed each other. On the one hand, the "orphans" and the Taborites spoke, and on the other hand, the cup-bearers. Chashniki won a complete victory. But it was given to them very hard, and the Czechs realized that they were exhausted. And indeed, how much you could fight and kill your own and enemies.
It is officially considered that The Hussite Wars ended in 1434. Separate skirmishes, of course, took place later, but there were no more major hostilities. The Czech Republic was devastated, the population decreased by half.
In 1436 there was a general peace. The Hussites finally found a common language with Sigismund, although they could have done it 15 years earlier and saved a huge number of human lives. However, it was the calm before the storm. No wonder Jan Hus, when he went to the fire, said: "I'm a goose, and a swan will come for me." And this swan came after 100 years. His name was Martin Luther. He was a simple preacher and advocated the improvement of certain norms of religion. However, all this resulted in such a bloody massacre that, in comparison with it, the Hussite wars seem like child's play.
Hussite wars (from 1419 to 1434) - wars of adherents of the Czech church reformer Jan Hus against the German emperor and the Catholic Church.
Causes
Dr. Hus, who was excommunicated for heretical views, was summoned in 1414 to a church council in Constance. Emperor Sigismund gave him a safe conduct. At the council, Hus was recognized as a heretic, and the reformer himself was arrested. Hus asked the emperor what to do with the safe-conduct. Sigismund replied: "I guaranteed you free passage to Constanta, but not return from it." 1415 - Jan Hus was burned at the stake, which caused outrage among his many followers in the Czech Republic.
Revolt in the Czech Republic
1419 - an uprising against the emperor Sigismund of Habsburg, who also wore the Czech crown, began here. The knight Jan Zizka stood at the head of the Hussite army, who had previously successfully fought with a detachment of Czech mercenaries against the Teutonic Order and without much success against the British. But from the very beginning, two wings stood out in the Hussite movement - moderate Chashniki and radical Taborites (named after the mountain and the city of Tabor in South Bohemia).
Chashnikov was supported by the nobility and burghers of northern Bohemia. The poorer South Bohemian burghers and nobility formed the backbone of the Taborites, whom the peasantry sympathized with. The Taborites created communities, following the example of the early Christians. They had common property and preached Christian asceticism. The Taborites had a new formidable weapon - a heavy iron-bound flail, a “thrasher”, one blow of which could knock a knight in armor off his horse. The same purpose was served by long spears with hooks, borrowed from the Flemish militias. The Hussites also had firearms - bombards and arquebuses. The lowest tactical unit was the "wagen" (wagon). It included ten people who rode in one wagon: four threshers, one rider and five pikemen, archers, crossbowmen or arquebusiers.
Sigismund and Jan Zizka. First crusade
A few supporters of the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic camped in Kusha Gora. In order to support them, the Pope announced on March 1, 1420 a crusade against the heretic Hussites. Emperor Sigismund gathered in Silesia an army of German, Polish and Hungarian knights, as well as infantry, which consisted of the militia of the Silesian cities and Italian mercenaries. At the end of April, his army invaded the Czech Republic and moved to join the defenders of Kutná Hora. At that time, on the southern border of the Czech Republic, the Austrian and Bavarian detachments were just beginning to prepare for the offensive, and troops from Brandenburg, the Palatinate, Trier, Cologne and Mainz were concentrated on the northwestern border.
At the end of May, Sigismund entered Kutna Hora and began to demand that the inhabitants of Prague lift the siege of the city's citadel, where the royal soldiers settled. The citizens of Prague sent messengers to Tabor for help. 9,000 Taborites under the command of Zizka arrived near Prague. The knights tried to attack them on the way, but were repulsed by the fire of the bombards and the archers and arquebusiers defending the makeshift Wagenburg. On May 20, Zizka entered Prague and took command of the entire Hussite army. Sigismund approached Prague from the east, but did not dare to attack the enemy and retreated on May 25.
Then Zizka decided to take the Prague fortress. But its defenders were able to destroy the siege engines and bombards of the Hussites with fire from bombards. The entrance choked. Soon, Sigismund approached Prague, this time from the west. He was able to lead a large wagon train with food to the fortress and bring out several hundred horses from there, for which the besieged did not have fodder.
At the end of June, a detachment of German knights and infantry laid siege to Tabor. From the south, the army of the Austrian duke approached Tabor. But a detachment sent by Zizka from Prague unexpectedly attacked the enemy from the rear, and the Tabor garrison made a sortie. The detachment that besieged the city was defeated.
After that, Sigismund ordered the Austrians to go to Prague. There, on Vitkova Hill, on July 14, 1420, the decisive battle of the Hussites and the Crusaders took place. If Sigismund's army had been able to capture this mountain, Prague would have been blockaded. But the knights could not overcome the ditch dug on the side of the mountain, and the counterattack of the infantry, led by Zizka, threw them back to the foot.
Meanwhile, the Prague militia hit the flank of Sigismund's troops. The crusader army retreated. Although she did not suffer a major defeat, but only a small tactical setback, strife began between the leaders of the crusaders. Therefore, on July 30, 1421, Sigismund was forced to lift the siege of Prague. In November, his army was defeated at Vysehrad, and all of Bohemia and Moravia fell into the hands of the Hussites.
Second Crusade in Bohemia
1421, autumn - the contradictions between the Taborites and the Chashniki escalated. The unified Hussite army actually disintegrated. Taking advantage of this, Sigismund launched a second crusade to Bohemia. 1421, September - the crusaders besieged the city of Zhatec (Zaats) near the Hungarian border.
Zizka was able to break through the siege ring with a detachment of Taborites and lead a convoy with food to the city. But the counterattack of the Polish and Hungarian knights forced the Taborites to retreat to Prague.
Zizka took up a defensive position on Mount Vladar near the town of Zlutec. The Taborites built a wagenburg in which bombards were installed. For 3 days, the Polish and Hungarian knights attacked the Taborites, but were repelled by artillery fire and threshers. After that, Zizka's army broke into Zlutec. Soon, the crusaders, who were experiencing supply difficulties, left the Czech Republic.
Continuation of the Hussite Wars
At the end of the year, they again invaded the country and reached Kutná Hora. There, the army of Sigismund met with the army of the Taborites. By this time, Zizka had lost his second eye in one of the battles and was completely blind, which, however, did not prevent him from commanding. Sigismund managed to capture Kutna Hora, but on January 8, 1422, he was defeated at Gabr. The Taborites overthrew the knights and pursued them to the city of German Brod.
While crossing the Sazava River, some of the knights fell through the ice and drowned. A convoy abandoned on the shore fell into the hands of the Taborites. After 2 days they captured the German Ford. A few months later, a detachment from among the Orthodox subjects of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, who fought against the Catholicization of their country, arrived to help the Hussites. For eight years, together with the Taborites, they fought against the Polish, German and Hungarian troops.
1423 - a large army of Taborites invaded Moravia and Hungary. In mid-October it reached the Danube between Komarno and Esztergom. There the Hussites met with a large Hungarian army. Zizka did not dare to engage her in battle and gave the order to retreat. The Hungarians pursued the Czechs, firing bombards at the enemy. The Taborites suffered losses, but the bulk of the troops managed to retreat to the Czech Republic.
Death of Jan Zizka
The failure of the Hungarian campaign contributed to the aggravation of the contradictions between the Taborites and the Chashniki. 1424, June 7 - two factions of the Hussites met in battle near the city of Matesov. Chashniki were defeated due to an unexpected counterattack by the Taborite cavalry. In addition, the Taborites sent wagons down the slope of the mountain, crashing into the rows of bowlers and causing a sweep there. So, Zizka again managed to unite the entire Hussite army under his command. But on October 11, 1424, he died of the plague. The epidemic weakened the Czech army, and it was forced to temporarily abandon new campaigns in neighboring lands.
Third crusade against the Hussites
1425 - the third crusade to the Czech Republic began. The main role was played by the Austrian army, led by Archduke Albrecht. In Moravia, it was defeated by Zizka's successor Prokop the Great, who became hetman of the Taborites, and retreated to Austria. The following year, the Czech army laid siege to Usti nad Lab (Aussig), which was captured by Saxon troops. Prokop the Great, whose army consisted of detachments of the Taborites and the Prague militia, had 25,000 people.
To unblock Aussig, the army of the Saxon, Meissen and Thuringian principalities, numbering 15-20,000 people, moved. The Germans attacked the Czech Wagenburg, which consisted of 500 wagons, and broke into it in one place. But the Taborite cavalry made a sortie and overturned the enemy. The Germans retreated, losing up to 4,000 men.
Fourth and Fifth Crusades against Bohemia
The fourth crusade against the Hussites in 1427 was led by Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg. Prokop the Great and the second Hussite hetman Prokop the Lesser, in turn, invaded Austria, defeating the army of the Austrian Archduke near Tachov. Then, in 1428-1430, they repeatedly invaded Saxony and Silesia and even laid siege to Vienna, though without success.
1431 - the Imperial Diet in Nuremberg decided to organize the fifth crusade in the Czech Republic. The German principalities fielded 8,200 mounted knights and a significant number of infantry, reinforced by 150 bombers. In August, near the Czech border, the crusader army under the leadership of Frederick of Brandenburg was unexpectedly attacked by the Hussites in the camp at Domazlice and fled, leaving the baggage train and artillery.
Battle of Lipany. final rout
In 1432-1433, the Czech army undertook a large campaign against Brandenburg and reached the Baltic port of Kustrin. However, in the meantime, Sigismund was able to negotiate with the teapots. In exchange for the confirmation of their former rights and privileges and the promise of religious tolerance, they were ready to recognize the authority of the emperor. 1434 - Chashniki defeated the main forces of the Taborites at the Battle of Lipany. Hetmans Prokop Big and Prokop Small died in this battle. 1436 - The Czech Republic received the Catholic king Vladislav of Luxembourg.
Significance of the Hussite Wars
The successes of the Hussites were explained by their unity in the face of the fragmented forces of their opponents - Poland, Hungary, the Austrian duchy and the German principalities, only nominally united under the leadership of the German emperor. But the forces of the Czech Republic were not enough to conquer and hold the territories of neighboring states and completely defeat the crusader armies. In the end, the moderate part of the Hussites compromised with the empire and the church, which led to the end of the war, which, in essence, did not bring any significant results to either side, but thoroughly devastated Central Europe.
The Hussite wars were an armed struggle that was waged by supporters of Jan Hus, who advocated the reformation of church orders and against the dominance of the Germans. The Czech Republic was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
Beginning of the Hussite movement
Jan Hus, a learned theologian, was summoned to Constanta to a meeting of a church council, where he was accused of heresy, arrested, and in 1415 Hus was sentenced to death by burning at the stake. Many of his supporters were outraged by the death of the preacher. The Czech gentry, with weapons in their hands, began a movement for liberation from the dominance of the Pope and the German knights.
In 1419, the Czechs revolted for liberation from the power of the Habsburgs. The Hussite army was led by the knight Jan Zizka. By the beginning of the Hussite wars, he was already an experienced soldier, participated in the Battle of Grunwald and in the battle of Agincourt. Jan lost one eye early, for which he received the nickname Zizka - "one-eyed." He created a regular army, which was replenished by volunteers, and commanders (they were called hetmans) were chosen. Žižka drafted the first European military statute. The main strength of the Hussite army was well-organized infantry, the cavalry was small and light. There were 2 directions in the Hussite movement: chasniks with moderate views and radical Taborites. They were so called by the name of the hill in the south of the country. Chashnikov was supported by the nobility and burghers of the north of the Czech Republic. The support of the radicals were the peasants, they were supported by impoverished nobles, burghers from the southern part of the Czech Republic.
Hussite army
Following the model of early Christianity, the Taborites created societies that had common property and preached an ascetic way of life. They invented a dangerous weapon called a "thresher". It was a flail bound with iron, from its heavy push the armed rider fell from the horse. The same goal was pursued by using an oblong lance with a hook. The Hussites were armed with firearms in the form of bombards and arquebus. The lowest tactical unit was a wagon called a vagen, it consisted of 10 soldiers.
The Hussites created fortifications from heavy carts, chains and belts were used to connect them. Artillery was placed between the wagons, horsemen and foot soldiers hid behind them. The knights had to dismount to attack the enemy in unfavorable conditions. Zizka knew how to win even in the face of the numerical superiority of the enemy.
Crusades
In 1420, the Pope launched a crusade into the Czech Republic. The crusader army consisted of knights from Poland, Hungary and the German states, mercenaries from Italy and infantry from Silesian cities. After entering Kutna Hora, Sigismund demanded that the inhabitants of Prague lift the siege from the fortress, where the king's soldiers were defending. The inhabitants of Prague poisoned envoys to the camp of the Taborites for support. About 9,000 soldiers, led by Zizka, came to the rescue. On May 20, after entering the Czech capital, the commander concentrated in his hands the leadership of the Hussite army. The armies of the opponents met in a decisive battle on June 14, 1420 in an area called Vitkova Gora. The imperial army failed, the Czech Republic and Moravia were under the control of the rebels.
The following year brought intensification of contradictions in the camp of Chashniks and Taborites. The unified army practically ceased to exist. Sigismund, using these circumstances, undertakes another invasion of Czech territory. The crusaders laid siege to the fortress of Zatec near the border with the Hungarians and were forced to retreat. At the end of 1421, the army of Sigismund again enters the borders of the Czech Republic and reaches Kutna Hora, where it enters into battle with the Hussite army. Jan Zizka was deprived of his second eye in the next battle, but the blinded commander continued to lead the army. The crusaders conquered the area, at the beginning of 1422 they suffered a setback near Gabr. The Hussites, pursuing the enemy army, reached the German Ford. When crossing the Sasau River, many warriors in heavy armor fell through the ice and drowned. The winners got an abandoned convoy.
1423 - the time of the rebel invasion of the lands of Moravia and Hungary. On the Danube, a large army of Hungarians came out to meet the Hussites. Zizka did not dare to get involved in the battle, the Czechs had to retreat and return to their territory.
This unsuccessful campaign led to the complication of relations between the Chashniki and the Taborites. In July 1424 they met in confrontation near the town of Maleshov. A sudden counterattack by the Taborites led to the defeat of the moderate Hussites. Carts were launched from the slope of the mountain, panic began in the ranks of the cup-makers. Zizka managed to restore command over the Hussite army. But in the autumn he dies of the plague. A worthy replacement for the commander was never found. The epidemic of this disease contributed to the weakening of the army.
In 1425 the Third Crusade was organized. The main role belonged to the Austrian army, led by Archduke Albrecht. Jan Zizka the Great became the new hetman of the rebels, under his command the crusaders were defeated. The following year brought victory to the Czech army in the capture of the city of Ust-on-Lab, captured by the Saxons. The Germans retreated, their losses amounted to 4,000 soldiers.
In 1427 hostilities continued. The 4th invasion of the Catholic army, organized by the Elector of Brandenburg Frederick, took place. The hetmans, Prokop Big and Small, at that time, carried out a campaign against the Austrian lands and won a victory in the town of Tachov. During the years 1428-1430. Czechs several times invaded the territory of Silesia and Saxony. They managed to besiege Vienna, but failed to capture the city.
1431 - the Imperial Diet decided to launch the 5th campaign of the crusaders against the Hussite movement. The German principalities fielded more than 8,000 cavalry, a large number of infantrymen, and 150 bombards were in service. At the end of the summer, the imperial detachments gathered near the border of the Czech Republic, the command was carried out by Frederick of Brandenburg. An unexpected Hussite attack led to the flight of their army, large trophies went to the winners.
End of the Hussite Wars
The Czechs made a grand operation in Brandenburg, reaching Kostrin, a port city on the Baltic coast. The emperor began negotiations with the cup-makers, who agreed to recognize his supremacy, returning benefits and agreeing to a tolerant attitude towards Catholicism. In 1434, the Hussite wars ended, securing the victory of the Chashniks over the Taborites in the battle of Lipany. In this battle, both hetmans of the people's rebels were killed. The Catholic king Vladislav of Luxembourg became the ruler of the country.
The Hussites were victorious as the forces of the Poles, Hungarians, Austrians and Germans were fragmented. They were only formally united under the supremacy of the emperor. The Czech Republic did not have enough forces to capture and hold neighboring countries, defeat the emperor's troops. As a result, the moderate participants in the Hussite wars decided to compromise with the Catholic Church and the emperor. Thus ended the hostilities, they did not bring important results to the howling opponents, while the wars led to a thorough devastation of Central Europe.
