Hussite

The Hussites comprised an early Protestant

The Hussite Wars

The news of the death of King Wenceslaus

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produced the greatest commotion among the people of

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Prague. A revolution swept over the

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country; churches and monasteries

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were destroyed, and the ecclesiastical

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possessions were seized by the Hussite

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nobility. Sigismund could get

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possession of his kingdom only by force of arms.

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Pope Martin V called upon all Christians of the Occident

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to take up arms against the Hussites, and there

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followed twelve years of warfare. The Hussites initially campaigned defensively, but after 1427

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they assumed the offensive. Apart from their

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religious aims, they fought for the national interests

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of the Czechs. The moderate and radical parties

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were united and they not only repelled the attacks

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of the army of crusaders, but entered the neighboring

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countries.

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In 1430, Joan of Arc dictated a letter on March 23rd threatening to lead a crusading army against the Hussites unless they returned to, quote, "the Catholic Faith and the original Light"; but her capture by English and Burgundian troops two months later would keep her from carrying out this threat.

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