Hussite Wars Origins During the Great Schism Multiple

Hussite Wars

Origins • During the Great Schism • Multiple Popes • "Antipope" John XXIII called a "crusade" against to get rid of another Pope • To raise money for this, proclaimed indulgences in Bohemia • priest and scholar Jan Hus denounced the Church

Origins • Sigismund of Hungary held a conference to end the Schism • Hus promised safety, went, and was executed • Knights and nobles of Bohemia and Moravia sent an angry letter • Sigismund threatened to drown them in blood

Origins • Hussites drove many Catholics out. • Two main groups: • Ultraquisms were moderate • Taborites were radicals • They denounced Sigismund and prepared for war • They even throw the Kings representatives out windows in Prague

The outbreak of fighting • • • King of Bohemia dies Many Catholics, mostly Germans expelled His widow responded violently, Prague largely destroyed A truce and Compromise is reached Hussite leader, Jan Zizka disapproves and leaves the city Leads to the first battle of the war

Jan Zizka • Fought at Grunwald • Perhaps first to ever use artillery in Battle • Used armored wagons (early tanks) • Died of Plague • Skin used to make a drum to continue leading his troops • Men then called themselves orphans • Spoiler: Never lost a battle

Battle of Sudomer • Hussites outnumbered 1 to 5 • Ill equipped • A marshy terrain limited movement • Protected their flank with wagons filled with arguebusiers • Wagons and marsh stopped the Catholic advance. • Hussite slipped away in the night after inflicting heavy casualties

Wagenburg tactics • Crews 16 -22 soldiers: • • • 4 -8 crossbowmen 2 hand gunners 6 -8 flails 2 shield carriers 2 drivers • Used defensively with artillery, forcing attack • Major counterattack followed • Generally, no captives

The first anti-Hussite crusade • Sigismund, HRE, the Bohemian crown • He was a strong supporter of the church • Pope Martin V proclaimed a crusade “for the destruction of the Wycliffites, Hussites and all other heretics in Bohemia“ • Sigismund arrived with a huge army of crusaders • Started a siege, then negotiated

“Four Articles of Prague" • Hussite Demands • Essence of their doctrine • Rejected by Sigismund • Led t the Battle of Vitkov Hill • Battle won despite being outnumbered 4 -1

Battle of Vysehrad • The Crusaders kept some key forts • Hussites laid siege • Relief forces were intercepted by Zizka who crushed them with artillery

The second anti-Hussite crusade • Hussites were not able to capitalize due to internal issues • New crusade called • Large German army marches to Bohemia, attempts a siege, fails, leaves • Sigismund arrives late, and faces Zizka at the Battle of Deutschbrod

Battle of Deutschbrod • Crusaders held up in Deutschbrod • Hussites lay siege • Capture 500 wagons of supplies

Polish and Lithuanian involvement • Poland supported the Hussites several times • Offered the Crown to their King, who refused • Offered it to the Vytautas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, who accepted • Conditionally that the hussites rejoin the church • He was recognized by the people but eventually pressured to give up the crown • Another civil war broke out, with Zizka winning for the Taborites (despite being completely blind)

The third anti-Hussite crusade Pope called for another crusade PLU didn’t want to Germans were busy Denmark were the only ones at the party but went home Hussites invade Monrovia with some success, but had to leave after another civil war • Zizka dies • • •

Fourth Anti-Hussite Crusade • Hussites again attacked but prevail at the Battle of Aussig • Another crusade is called because Zizka was dead • This crusade defeated at the Battle of Tachov

Battle of Aussig • Led by Korybut and Prokop the Great • Hussites: • 24, 000 soldiers and at least 500 war wagons, • Crusaders • 70, 000 men • *likely exaggerated • Wagenburg on hills near the town • crusader cavalry assault the wagons with success and broke through a second defensive line • Hussite cavalry cut off the knights, massacred • Crusaders flee after a charge

Battle of Tachov • Crusaders used war wagons…poorly • Ended the Fourth Crusade

Beautiful Rides • • Invaded neighboring countries Aimed to discourage involvement in crusades Aided Poland, Marched all the way to the Baltic sea Poland then stopped supporting Hussites • Pope threated a crusade against them

Peace talks • Peace talks attempted since war wasn’t working • Broke down due to Catholics reluctance to give in • Called one more Crusade

The fifth anti-Hussite crusade • Invaded Bohemia • Laid siege to Domazlice • Hussite relief force under Prokop the Great arrives for relief

Battle of Domazlice • The Imperial army was besieging the city of Domažlice • Singing Hussites scares crusaders into running • Hussites pursue • All equipment captured and thousands of crusaders killed

New negotiations • New Negotiations stalled • Another Civil War broke out • Taborites and Ultraquists meet at the Battle of Lipany

Battle of Lipany • Both sides side up wagons, exchange harmless cannon shots • The moderates retreated • Radicals pursued but IT WAS A TRAP • Moderates begin firing from their wagons and their cavalry pierce radical • Radical Cavalry flee • Many leaders killed, soldiers who surrendered burned

Peace • Moderates finally have the upper hand • Church realizes they can’t defeat the Hussites • Cave to their demands