Taborite

The Taborites (Czech T?borit?, singular T?borita) were members of a religious protestant community centered on the Bohemian city of T?bor during the Hussite Wars in the 15th century.

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Economically supported by their control of local gold mines, the citizens joined local peasants to develop a communist-like society. They announced the Millennium of Christ and declared there would be no more servants and masters. They promised people would return to a state of pristine innocence.

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Taborite theology represented one of the most radical departures from that of the hierarchical medieval church. They rejected the outer veneer of the corrupted church and insisted on the normativeness of biblical authority. Even though Taborite theologians were versed in scholastic theology, they were among the first intellectuals to break free from centuries-long scholastic captivity.

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The Taborites were particularly zealous in their religious practices, also rather communal. They supported a communist-like economy, sharing all food and valuable supplies, but maintained their private property and land rights.

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Some of the most outstanding Taborite theologians were Mikulas Biskupec of Pelhrimov and Prokop Velik? (who died in the Battle of Lipany). The early radical theological ideas of Taborites were represented by Petr Kanis and Martin Huska.

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Tabor's guerilla army was led by Jan ?i?ka, the blind Bohemian general who commanded his rag-tag army in defiance of the Imperial Army under Emperor Sigismund.

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The power of the community was broken, after twenty years, with the Battle of Lipany on May 30 1434. 13,000 of the 18,000-strong army were killed. In 1437 they signed a treaty with Czech king Sigismund.

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Even though the Taborites ceased to play an important political role, their theological thinking strongly influenced the foundation and rise of the Unity of the Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) in 1457.

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Protestant: REDIRECT Protestantism...

Bohemia: :For the place in the USA, see Bohemia, New York....

Hussite Wars: The Hussite Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were arguably the first European war in which hand-held gunpowder weapons such as muskets made a decisive contribution. Light cannons were also ...