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by the mob that he suffered a stroke and died, “roaring like a lion”, according to a contem-
porary chronicler. The pope, meanwhile, declared an international crusade against the Czech
heretics, undertheleadership ofEmperorSigismund,Václav'sbrotherand,sinceVáclav had
failed to produce an heir, chief claimant to the Bohemian throne.
Already, though, cracks were appearing in the Hussite camp. The more radical reformers,
who became known as the
Táborites
after their south Bohemian base, Tábor, broadened
their attacks on the Church hierarchy to include all figures of authority and privilege. Their
message found a ready audience among the oppressed classes in Prague and the Bohemian
countryside,whowentaroundeagerlydestroyingChurchpropertyandmassacringCatholics.
Such actions were deeply disturbing to the Czech nobility and their supporters who backed
the more moderate Hussites - known as the
Utraquists
or
utrakvisté
(from the Latin
sub ut-
raque specie
) - who confined their criticisms to religious matters.
Forthemoment,however,thecommonCatholicenemypreventedaserioussplitdeveloping
amongst the Hussites, and under the inspirational military leadership of the Táborite
Jan
Žižka
,theHussites'(mostlypeasant) armyenjoyedsomemiraculous earlyvictories overthe
numericallysuperior“crusaders”,mostnotablyattheBattleofVítkovinPraguein1420.The
Bohemian Diet quickly drew up the
Four Articles of Prague
, a compromise between the
twoHussite camps, outlining thebasic tenets aboutwhichallHussites couldagree,including
communion “in both kinds”. The Táborites, meanwhile, continued to burn, loot and pillage
ecclesiastical institutions from Prague to the far reaches of the kingdom.
At the
Council of Basel
in 1433, Rome reached a compromise with the Utraquists over
the Four Articles, in return for ceasing hostilities. The peasant-based Táborites rightly saw
the deal as a victory for the Bohemian nobility and the status quo, and vowed to continue
the fight. However, the Utraquists, now in cahoots with the Catholic forces, easily defeated
the remaining Táborites at the
Battle of Lipany
, outside Kolín, in 1434. The Táborites were
forcedtowithdrawtothefortresstownofTábor.PooroldSigismund,whohadspentthebest
part of his life fighting the Hussites, was only recognized as king in 1436, and died the fol-
lowing year.
King George of Poděbrady and the Jagiellonian dynasty
DespitetheagreementoftheCouncilofBasel,thepoperefusedtoacknowledgetheUtraquist
Church in Bohemia. The Utraquists nevertheless consolidated their position, electing the gif-
ted
George of Poděbrady
first as regent and then king of Bohemia (1458-71). The first and
last Hussite king, George - Jiří to the Czechs - is remembered primarily for his commitment
to promoting religious tolerance and for his far-sighted, but ultimately futile, attempts to es-
tablish some sort of “Peace Confederation” in Europe.
