Episode 183 – The Aftermath of a Revolution
What happens after a revolution that killed 10% of the population has ended. Who wins, who looses? What lives on?
Episode 182 – The Return of the King
The war between Hussites and Catholics raged for 15 years. The ideological gap seemed unbridgeable until the ageing king Sigismund sees the way out…
Episode 181 – Zizka’s Drum
We talk about the military genius of Jan Zizka, his victories in the Hussite Wars, and the internal conflicts that divided the Hussites.
Episode 178 – No Hill to Die On
The Bohemians had already protested against the treatment of Jan Hus when he was arrested and anger was brewing throughout his trial. Hus hadn’t come to Constance on his own. Several noblemen, including the brave knight John of Chlum had come along to support him. One these man, Petr Mladenovics returned to Prague shortly after the trial and recounted the proceedings in every little detail, complete with copies of letters and other documents. And from that the Bohemians concluded that there had been foul play. Lawrence of Brezowa summarized the view in Prague as follows: “Then on Saturday,[..], 6 July, Master Jan Hus, the scholarly bachelor of Holy Scripture, a man of shining virtue in life and morality and a faithful preacher of the gospel was sentenced to death and unjustly vilified by the Council of Constance. This was based upon the false testimony of the witnesses and the relentless instigations of master Štěpán z Pálče, doctor of Holy Scriptures and Michael de Causis, parish priest of St. Voijtech,[..] representing the Czech clergy and the influence of king Sigismund. This was done despite the fact that he was not given a proper hearing in which to prove his innocence”.
The villains were hence the “despicable clergy” of Bohemia, emperor Sigismund and the council as a whole that, as he wrote further down, had accepted bribes to bring about the conviction of this saintly man.
So on September 2, 1415, the nobles of Bohemia wrote the letter of protest to the Council of Constance….which sets off a sequence of events at the end of which 13 royal councillors fell out of windows
Episode 177 – The Day after the End of Days
The Bohemians had already protested against the treatment of Jan Hus when he was arrested and anger was brewing throughout his trial. Hus hadn’t come to Constance on his own. Several noblemen, including the brave knight John of Chlum had come along to support him. One these man, Petr Mladenovics returned to Prague shortly after the trial and recounted the proceedings in every little detail, complete with copies of letters and other documents. And from that the Bohemians concluded that there had been foul play. Lawrence of Brezowa summarized the view in Prague as follows: “Then on Saturday,[..], 6 July, Master Jan Hus, the scholarly bachelor of Holy Scripture, a man of shining virtue in life and morality and a faithful preacher of the gospel was sentenced to death and unjustly vilified by the Council of Constance. This was based upon the false testimony of the witnesses and the relentless instigations of master Štěpán z Pálče, doctor of Holy Scriptures and Michael de Causis, parish priest of St. Voijtech,[..] representing the Czech clergy and the influence of king Sigismund. This was done despite the fact that he was not given a proper hearing in which to prove his innocence”.
The villains were hence the “despicable clergy” of Bohemia, emperor Sigismund and the council as a whole that, as he wrote further down, had accepted bribes to bring about the conviction of this saintly man.
So on September 2, 1415, the nobles of Bohemia wrote the letter of protest to the Council of Constance….which sets off a sequence of events at the end of which 13 royal councillors fell out of windows
Episode 176 – A Great Idiot of History?
The Bohemians had already protested against the treatment of Jan Hus when he was arrested and anger was brewing throughout his trial. Hus hadn’t come to Constance on his own. Several noblemen, including the brave knight John of Chlum had come along to support him. One these man, Petr Mladenovics returned to Prague shortly after the trial and recounted the proceedings in every little detail, complete with copies of letters and other documents. And from that the Bohemians concluded that there had been foul play. Lawrence of Brezowa summarized the view in Prague as follows: “Then on Saturday,[..], 6 July, Master Jan Hus, the scholarly bachelor of Holy Scripture, a man of shining virtue in life and morality and a faithful preacher of the gospel was sentenced to death and unjustly vilified by the Council of Constance. This was based upon the false testimony of the witnesses and the relentless instigations of master Štěpán z Pálče, doctor of Holy Scriptures and Michael de Causis, parish priest of St. Voijtech,[..] representing the Czech clergy and the influence of king Sigismund. This was done despite the fact that he was not given a proper hearing in which to prove his innocence”.
The villains were hence the “despicable clergy” of Bohemia, emperor Sigismund and the council as a whole that, as he wrote further down, had accepted bribes to bring about the conviction of this saintly man.
So on September 2, 1415, the nobles of Bohemia wrote the letter of protest to the Council of Constance….which sets off a sequence of events at the end of which 13 royal councillors fell out of windows
Episode 175 – Death and Defenestration
The Bohemians had already protested against the treatment of Jan Hus when he was arrested and anger was brewing throughout his trial. Hus hadn’t come to Constance on his own. Several noblemen, including the brave knight John of Chlum had come along to support him. One these man, Petr Mladenovics returned to Prague shortly after the trial and recounted the proceedings in every little detail, complete with copies of letters and other documents. And from that the Bohemians concluded that there had been foul play. Lawrence of Brezowa summarized the view in Prague as follows: “Then on Saturday,[..], 6 July, Master Jan Hus, the scholarly bachelor of Holy Scripture, a man of shining virtue in life and morality and a faithful preacher of the gospel was sentenced to death and unjustly vilified by the Council of Constance. This was based upon the false testimony of the witnesses and the relentless instigations of master Štěpán z Pálče, doctor of Holy Scriptures and Michael de Causis, parish priest of St. Voijtech,[..] representing the Czech clergy and the influence of king Sigismund. This was done despite the fact that he was not given a proper hearing in which to prove his innocence”.
The villains were hence the “despicable clergy” of Bohemia, emperor Sigismund and the council as a whole that, as he wrote further down, had accepted bribes to bring about the conviction of this saintly man.
So on September 2, 1415, the nobles of Bohemia wrote the letter of protest to the Council of Constance….which sets off a sequence of events at the end of which 13 royal councillors fell out of windows
Episode 170 – Jan Hus, Reformer and Rebel?
Master Jan Hus emerges as a pivotal figure in the evolution of religious reform and national identity in Bohemia during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. This episode delves into Hus’s life, emphasizing his humble beginnings as a preacher in Prague and his rise to prominence as a critic of the Catholic Church’s corruption. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a society rife with clerical hypocrisy and a populace yearning for spiritual authenticity. Hus’s calling for a return to the teachings of the Gospel resonates with many, leading to a burgeoning movement that challenges the authority of the Church and its lavish practices. As tensions rise, Hus finds himself entwined in a struggle not just against ecclesiastical authority, but also against a socio-political system that marginalizes the Czech-speaking populace in favor of the dominant German-speaking elite. The episode draws connections between Hus’s teachings and the broader currents of thought influenced by figures like John Wycliffe, setting the stage for a significant religious conflict that would reverberate through Europe for centuries to come.