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58-700: In 1426, Hussite troops captured and destroyed the castle. After the Hussite Wars , the castle often changed owners (in the 15th century, Řitka from Bezdědice and the Klinštějns , in the 16th century, the Beřkov family from Šebířov and Kaplířová). Since 1544 it was listed as deserted. Its fate was made even worse by the decision of Emperor Ferdinand II to classify it among the so-called cursed castles , i.e. castles that were not allowed to be maintained, because otherwise, thanks to their advantageous location, they could threaten

116-594: A Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus ( fl. 1401–1415), a part of the Bohemian Reformation . After the execution of Hus at the Council of Constance , a series of crusades, civil wars, victories and compromises between various factions with different theological agendas broke out. At the end of the Hussite Wars (1420–1434), the now Catholic -supported Utraquist side came out victorious from conflict with

174-462: A departure from that of the medieval Catholic Church. They insisted on the normativeness of biblical authority . Even though Taborite theologians were versed in scholastic theology , they rejected scholastic methods. In the spring of 1420, a group of Hussites led by Petr Hromádka managed to seize the town of Sezimovo Ústí and the nearby Hradiště Castle in South Bohemia. They then began to build

232-530: A fierce resistance to five consecutive crusades proclaimed on Hussite Bohemia by the Papacy . Hussites were one of the most important forerunners of the Protestant Reformation . This predominantly religious movement was propelled by social issues and strengthened Czech national awareness. The Council of Constance lured Jan Hus in with a letter of indemnity, then tried him for heresy and put him to death at

290-481: A national cultural monument in 2001. It was returned to the Špaček family in 2006. 50°26′25″N 14°34′36″E  /  50.44028°N 14.57667°E  / 50.44028; 14.57667 This article about a castle in the Czech Republic is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hussites The Hussites ( Czech : Husité or Kališníci , "Chalice People"; Latin : Hussitae ) were

348-647: The " Unitas Fratrum " already in 1457. Under Emperor Maximilian II , the Bohemian state assembly established the Confessio Bohemica , upon which Lutherans , Reformed, and Bohemian Brethren agreed. From that time forward Hussitism began to die out. After the Battle of White Mountain on 8 November 1620 the Roman Catholic Faith was re-established with vigour, which fundamentally changed the religious conditions of

406-876: The Bohemian town of Tábor during the Hussite Wars in the 15th century. The religious reform movement in Bohemia splintered into various religious sects. Besides the Taborites, these included the Adamites , the Orebites , the Sirotci ("Orphans"), the Utraquists and the Praguers . Because the impetus for these movements came from the burning of Jan Hus , it has become common practice to label them all " Hussites ". The Taborites' theology represented

464-545: The Czech lands . Leaders and members of Unitas Fratrum were forced to choose to either leave the many and varied southeastern principalities of what was the Holy Roman Empire (mainly Austria , Hungary , Bohemia , Moravia and parts of Germany and its many states), or to practice their beliefs secretly. As a result, members were forced underground and dispersed across northwestern Europe. The largest remaining communities of

522-667: The Habsburg monarchy as Czechoslovakia (due to Masaryk and Czechoslovak legions with Hussite tradition, in the name of the troops). Today, the Hussite tradition is represented in the Moravian Church , Unity of the Brethren , and Czechoslovak Hussite Church . Hussitism organised itself during the years 1415–1419. Hussites were not a unitary movement, but a diverse one with multiple factions that held different views and opposed each other in

580-460: The Hussite Wars . From the beginning, there formed two parties, with a smaller number of people withdrawing from both parties around the pacifist Petr Chelčický , whose teachings would form the foundation of the Unitas Fratrum . Hussites can be divided into: The more conservative Hussites (the moderate party, or Utraquists ), who followed Hus more closely, sought to conduct reform while leaving

638-529: The Millennium of Christ , and declared that there would be no more servants or masters, that all property would be held in common, and that there would be no more taxation. They promised that people would return to a state of pristine innocence . Some historians have found parallels to modern nationalist revolutionary movements. Murray Bookchin , for example, argued that Tábor was an early example of anarcho-communism . Hussites from Plzeň came to Tábor under

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696-591: The Taborites and became the dominant Hussite group in Bohemia. Catholics and Utraquists were given legal equality in Bohemia after the religious peace of Kutná Hora in 1485. Bohemia and Moravia , or what is now the territory of the Czech Republic , remained majority Hussite for two centuries until Roman Catholicism was reimposed by the Holy Roman Emperor following the 1620 Battle of White Mountain during

754-582: The Thirty Years' War . The Hussite tradition continues in the Moravian Church , Unity of the Brethren and the refounded Czechoslovak Hussite churches. The Hussite movement began in the Kingdom of Bohemia and quickly spread throughout the remaining Lands of the Bohemian Crown , including Moravia and Silesia . It also made inroads into the northern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia ), but

812-494: The Utraquists . The radicals preached the "sufficientia legis Christi" —the divine law (i.e. the Bible ) is the sole rule and canon for human society, not only in the church, but also in political and civil matters. They rejected therefore, as early as 1416, everything that they believed had no basis in the Bible, such as the veneration of saints and images, fasts , superfluous holidays,

870-528: The ecumenical Council of Basel on October 15, 1431. The discussions began on 10 January 1432, focusing chiefly on the four articles of Prague . No agreement emerged. After repeated negotiations between the Basel Council and Bohemia, a Bohemian–Moravian state assembly in Prague accepted the " Compactata " of Prague on 30 November 1433. The agreement granted communion in both kinds to all who desired it, but with

928-508: The monastic clergy, and his desire to return the Church to its supposed condition during the time of the apostles. This required the removal of the existing hierarchy and the secularisation of ecclesiastical possessions. Above all they clung to Wycliffe's doctrine of the Lord's Supper , denying transubstantiation , and this is the principal point by which they are distinguished from the moderate party,

986-583: The Battle of Křeč, the moderate wing, led by Bedřich of Strážnice, took over the Táborite faction. Jan Roháč and his faithful fortified at his castle Zion, which was soon conquered and all the surviving defenders were hanged in the Old Town Square of Prague. On 25 January 1437, by mutual agreement with Sigismund, Tábor was promoted to royal town and received the town's coat of arms: an imperial eagle. On 8 February 1449,

1044-775: The Brethren were located in Lissa ( Leszno ) in Poland, which had historically strong ties with the Czechs, and in small, isolated groups in Moravia. Some, among them Jan Amos Comenius , fled to western Europe, mainly the Low Countries . A settlement of Hussites in Herrnhut , Saxony, now Germany, in 1722 caused the emergence of the Moravian Church . In 1918, as a result of World War I , the Czech lands regained independence from Austria-Hungary controlled by

1102-614: The Roman Catholics and destroyed the Taborites at the Battle of Lipany on 30 May 1434. From that time, the Taborites lost their importance, though the Hussite movement would continue in Poland for another five years, until the Royalist forces of Poland defeated the Polish Hussites at the Battle of Grotniki . The state assembly of Jihlava in 1436 confirmed the "Compactata" and gave them

1160-687: The Roman Church. This he refused, leading to the Bohemian–Hungarian War (1468–1478) . His successor, King Vladislaus II , favored the Roman Catholics and proceeded against some zealous clergymen of the Calixtines. The troubles of the Utraquists increased from year to year. In 1485, at the Diet of Kutná Hora , an agreement was made between the Roman Catholics and Utraquists that lasted for thirty-one years. It

1218-630: The Taborite forces. The combined forces of Taborites, Sirotci and Praguers decisively defeated mercenaries from Saxony , Thuringia , Lusatia and Meissen in the Battle of Usti on 16 June 1426. Under the leadership of Prokop Holý , the combined troops of the Taborites and Sirotci defeated Albrecht II in the Battle of the Light. The Taborites in conjunction with the Sirotci and the Prague Union turned to flee from

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1276-582: The Taborites made many sorties in South Bohemia , and at the end of May 1420, they headed towards Prague , threatened by Catholic armies during the first anti-Hussite crusade . In June, Tábor was unsuccessfully besieged by the troops of a South Bohemian noble, Oldřich II of Rosenberg . Cavalry led by the governor Mikuláš of Hus dispersed the siege. On 14 July near Prague, there was the Battle of Vítkov Hill in which Jan Žižka managed to thwart an attempt by Hungary and Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor to dominate

1334-507: The Taborites now went over to the party of the Utraquists; the rest joined the "Brothers of the Law of Christ" ( Latin : "Unitas Fratrum" ) (see history of the Moravian Church ). In 1462, Pope Pius II declared the "Compacta" null and void, prohibited communion in both kinds, and acknowledged King George of Podebrady as king on condition that he would promise an unconditional harmony with

1392-426: The Taborites were of rural origin, they played a major role in the town of Tábor . Taborite politics were also encroached upon by their priests. The most important Taborites included the governors Jan Žižka of Trocnov, Mikuláš of Hus , Bohuslav of Švamberk, Chval Řepický of Machovice, and Jan Roháč of Dubá , and the priest Prokop Holý . The main centre of their association was Tábor. The Taborites were centered in

1450-701: The Third and Fourth Crusades against the Hussites, in the battles of the Tachov and the Domažlice . In addition, led by Prokop Holý, they set out on campaigns abroad (German parts of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria, Upper and Lower Lusatia, Silesia, and Upper Hungary). In the spring of 1433, the council of Tábor at the Council of Basel was represented by Nicholas of Pelhřimov, who advocated the article on punishment of deadly sins. In

1508-457: The West to take up arms against the Hussites, declaring a crusade, and twelve years of warfare followed. The Hussites initially campaigned defensively, but after 1427 they assumed the offensive. Apart from their religious aims, they fought for the national interests of the Czechs. The moderate and radical parties were united, and they not only repelled the attacks of the army of crusaders but crossed

1566-480: The biblical book of Deuteronomy . Žižka eventually left Tabor because that community became too radical for his beliefs and took over the leadership of the more moderate Orebites in Hradec Králové . In response to the numerous attacks launched against Bohemia, the Taborites and Orebites often set aside their religious differences and cooperated militarily. Once the external threat was removed by Hussite victories,

1624-511: The borders into neighboring countries. On March 23, 1430, Joan of Arc dictated a letter that threatened to lead a crusading army against the Hussites unless they returned to the Catholic faith, but her capture by English and Burgundian troops two months later would keep her from carrying out this threat. Eventually, the opponents of the Hussites found themselves forced to consider an amicable settlement. The Hussites were sent an invitation to attend

1682-571: The capital. The crusade then disintegrated without further struggle. In July, the Hussites negotiated about a possible future successor to the Czech throne. In response to the Four Articles of Prague , the Taborites published twelve revolutionary articles in Prague. However, the Praguers did not meet their demands and the troops left the city. At the end of August, Jan Žižka launched a large offensive against

1740-401: The country and Roman Catholic priests were reinstated. These measures caused a general commotion which hastened the death of King Wenceslaus by a paralytic stroke in 1419. His heir was Sigismund. The news of the death of King Wenceslaus in 1419 produced a great commotion among the people of Prague. A revolution swept over the country: churches and monasteries were destroyed, and church property

1798-417: The crusading Imperial Army under Emperor Sigismund . Žižka did not believe that all prisoners should be slain and often showed clemency to those he defeated. After one battle, when his army disobeyed him and killed many prisoners, Žižka ordered the army to pray for forgiveness. That experience partly inspired him to write a famous military code of conduct, " Žižkův vojenský řád " – a document partly inspired by

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1856-464: The effects of this popular anger. The treatment of Hus was felt to be a disgrace inflicted upon the whole country and his death was seen as a criminal act. King Wenceslaus IV. , prompted by his grudge against Sigismund, at first gave free vent to his indignation at the course of events in Constance . His wife openly favoured the friends of Hus. Avowed Hussites stood at the head of the government. A league

1914-422: The enactments of the Council of Constance . He wished to eradicate completely the doctrine of Hus, for which purpose the co-operation of King Wenceslaus had to be obtained. In 1418, Sigismund succeeded in winning his brother over to the standpoint of the council by pointing out the inevitability of a religious war if the heretics in Bohemia found further protection. Hussite statesmen and army leaders had to leave

1972-576: The end of April, the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas arrived in Bohemia, where he was recognized (mostly by the Hussites and Taborites) as the country's steward. In January 1423, Jan Žižka of Trocnov broke with the Tábor union and began to build Nový Tábor (New Tábor) in East Bohemia. After Jan Žižka's death on 11 October 1424, Jan Hvězda of Vícemilice and Bohuslav of Švamberk took the lead of

2030-516: The estate of Oldřich of Rosenberg. The governor seized Prachatice , Vodňany and Lomnice . Young Oldřich was forced to conclude a ceasefire with Tábor until February 1421. Mikuláš of Pelhřimov was elected bishop of Tábor in September 1420. In December, Hetman Nicholas of Hus died as a result of a fall from a horse. The leader of the Taborites was now the governor Jan Žižka of Trocnov. Jan Žižka commanded his rag-tag Bohemian army in defense against

2088-472: The guidance of Břeňek Švihovský and Jan Žižka of Trocnov  [ cs ; de ] . These Hussites were attacked by Catholic knights near Sudoměř on 25 March 1420. The repulsion of the knights encouraged the Hussites, and they managed to reach Tábor, which was still under construction. The Taborites chose four military commanders (Hetmans) from among themselves: Jan Žižka, Mikuláš of Hus, Chval Řepický of Machovice and Zbyněk z Buchov. Under their leadership,

2146-530: The model Hussite town Hradiště hory Tabor  – shortened to Tábor  – named after Mount Tabor in Galilee . Social and economic equality was promoted in the town, and the Taborites addressed each other as brothers and sisters. Hussites flocked to Tábor from all over Bohemia. Economically supported by Tábor's control of local gold mines, the citizens joined the local peasants in developing an intentionally communal living. Taborites announced

2204-464: The monarch's power. In 1894, the Prague businessman Václav Špaček bought the ruins, and his son Jan had it reconstructed in neo-Gothic style before the First World War . In the years 1911–1916, the castle was modified to its present form by the architect Eduard Sochor according to the instructions of August Sedláček and Čeněk Zíbrt . In 1951, the castle was nationalized or confiscated. It became

2262-527: The oath, intercession for the dead, auricular Confession , indulgences , the sacraments of Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick , and chose their own priests. The radicals had their gathering-places all around the country. Their first armed assault fell on the small town of Ústí, on the river Lužnice, south of Prague (today's Sezimovo Ústí ). However, as the place did not prove to be defensible, they settled in

2320-405: The remains of an older town upon a hill not far away and founded a new town, which they named Tábor (a play on words, as "Tábor" not only meant "camp" or "encampment" in Czech , but is also the traditional name of the mountain on which Jesus was expected to return; see Mark 13 ); hence they were called Táborité ( Taborites ). They comprised the essential force of the radical Hussites. Their aim

2378-401: The remnants of the Taborite union were joined with the Catholic and Kališník nobility from South Bohemia, and so the so-called Strakonice Unity was established, which was directed against the ever-growing power of George of Poděbrady . On 1 September 1452, the town of Tábor was suddenly occupied by the army of the land administrator George of Poděbrady, and thus the independent political power of

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2436-503: The sanction of law. This accomplished the reconciliation of Bohemia with Rome and the Western Church, and at last Sigismund obtained possession of the Bohemian crown. His reactionary measures caused a ferment in the whole country, but he died in 1437. The state assembly in Prague rejected Wyclif's doctrine of the Lord's Supper, which was obnoxious to the Utraquists , as heresy in 1444. Most of

2494-487: The sanction of the law; but he refused, and approached the newly formed Roman Catholic League of lords, whose members pledged themselves to support the king, the Catholic Church , and the council. The prospect of a civil war began to emerge. Prior to becoming pope, Martin V , then known as Cardinal Otto of Colonna had attacked Hus with relentless severity. He energetically resumed the battle against Hus's teaching after

2552-519: The social order of the time. The Taborites usually had the support of the Orebites (later called Orphans), an eastern Bohemian sect of Hussitism based in Hradec Králové . Taborite The Taborites ( Czech : Táborité , Czech : singular Táborita ), known by their enemies as the Picards , were a faction within the Hussite movement in the medieval Lands of the Bohemian Crown . Although most of

2610-467: The stake on 6 July 1415. The arrest of Hus in 1414 caused considerable resentment in Czech lands . The authorities of both countries appealed urgently and repeatedly to King Sigismund to release Jan Hus. When news of his death at the Council of Constance arrived, disturbances broke out, directed primarily against the clergy and especially against the monks. Even the Archbishop narrowly escaped from

2668-404: The summer of 1433, the Taborites joined the siege of Catholic Plzeň . The city, however, defended well and Hussite troops were forced to abandon the ineffective siege. Finally, after twenty years, the power of the Taborites was broken with the Battle of Lipany on 30 May 1434, during which 13,000 of the 18,000-strong army of Taborites and Sirotci, led by Prokop Holý, were overwhelmingly defeated by

2726-447: The understanding that Christ was entirely present in each kind, though on the condition that the rest of the Hussite reforms would no longer be emphasised. Free preaching was granted conditionally: the Church hierarchy had to approve and place priests, and the power of the bishop must be considered. The article which prohibited the secular power of the clergy was almost reversed. The Taborites refused to conform. The Calixtines united with

2784-514: The united Catholic forces. Under the weight of this defeat, the Sirotci's union completely disappeared. Many of the leading Taborite commanders fell in battle, including the leading priest Prokop Holý. After the Battle of Lipany , the opposition to King Sigismund and the agreement with the Council was led by governor Jan Roháč of Dubá . However, after the Taborites lost several of their castles and were defeated on 19 August 1435 by Oldřich of Rožmberk in

2842-496: The university and among the citizens of Prague; they were therefore called the Prague Party, but also Calixtines (Latin calix chalice) or Utraquists (Latin utraque both), because they emphasized the second article of Prague, and the chalice became their emblem. The more radical parties, the Taborites , Orebites and Orphans , identified itself more boldly with the doctrines of John Wycliffe , sharing his passionate hatred of

2900-629: The various Hussite factions turned on each other. At the beginning of 1421, the Adamites, who completely rejected the Eucharist , were expelled from Tábor. Under the leadership of priests Petr Kániš and Martin Húska , they settled in the Příběnice Castle , where the Adamites fell. Žižka suppressed their movement, and most sectarians, including both leaders, were then burnt as heretics under his orders. During

2958-552: The whole hierarchical and liturgical order of the Church untouched. Their programme is contained in the Four Articles of Prague , which were written by Jacob of Mies and agreed upon in July 1420, promulgated in the Latin , Czech , and German languages. The full text is about two pages long, but they are often summarized as: The views of the moderate Hussites were widely represented at

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3016-410: The winter offensive in West Bohemia, the Taborites managed to seize Chomutov . The joint campaign of Taborites and Praguers into East Bohemia under Jan Žižka's command was also successful and the towns Dvůr Králové , Polička and Vysoké Mýto fell into the Hussite hands. At the turn of 1421 and 1422, there was a battle , in which the blind governor managed to overwhelm King Sigismund of Luxembourg. At

3074-408: Was formed by certain lords, who pledged themselves to protect the free preaching of the Gospel upon all their possessions and estates and to obey the power of the Bishops only where their orders accorded with the injunctions of the Bible . The university would arbitrate any disputed points. The entire Hussite nobility joined the league. Other than verbal protest of the council's treatment of Hus, there

3132-438: Was little evidence of any actions taken by the nobility until 1417. At that point several of the lesser nobility and some barons, signatories of the 1415 protest letter, removed Catholic priests from their parishes, replacing them with priests willing to give communion in both wine and bread. The chalice of wine became the central identifying symbol of the Hussite movement. If the king had joined, its resolutions would have received

3190-452: Was only later, at the Diet of 1512, that the equal rights of both religions were permanently established. The appearance of Martin Luther was hailed by the Utraquist clergy, and Luther himself was astonished to find so many points of agreement between the doctrines of Hus and his own. But not all Utraquists approved of the German Reformation ; a schism arose among them, and many returned to the Roman doctrine, while other elements had organised

3248-633: Was rejected and gained infamy for the plundering behaviour of the Hussite soldiers. There were also very small temporary communities in Poland-Lithuania and Transylvania which moved to Bohemia after being confronted with religious intolerance. It was a regional movement that failed to expand farther. Hussites emerged as a majority Utraquist movement with a significant Taborite faction, and smaller regional ones that included Adamites , Orebites and Orphans . Major Hussite theologians included Petr Chelčický , Jerome of Prague . A number of Czech national heroes were Hussite, including Jan Žižka , who led

3306-583: Was seized by the Hussite nobility. It was then, and remained till much later, in question whether Bohemia was a hereditary or an elective monarchy, especially as the line through which Sigismund claimed the throne had accepted that the Kingdom of Bohemia was an elective monarchy elected by the nobles, and thus the regent of the kingdom ( Čeněk of Wartenberg ) also explicitly stated that Sigismund had not been elected as reason for Sigismund's claim to not be accepted. Sigismund could get possession of "his" kingdom only by force of arms. Pope Martin V called upon Catholics of

3364-485: Was to destroy the enemies of the law of God, and to defend his kingdom (which had been expected to come in a short time) by the sword. Their end-of-world visions did not come true. In order to preserve their settlement and spread their ideology, they waged bloody wars; in the beginning they observed a strict regime, inflicting the severest punishment equally for murder, as for less severe faults as adultery, perjury and usury , and also tried to apply rigid Biblical standards to

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