Christian History Timeline: Jan Hus—Reform and Resistance in Hussite Bohemia

Growth of Reform

1370–1374 Jan Milíc of Kromeíry teaches in Prague, establishes “New Jerusalem” for prostitutes

c.1372 Jan Hus born in Husinec

1384 John Wyclif dies in England

1389 Reformer Matej of Janov charged with heresy, recants

1391 Bethlehem Chapel founded

1401 Jerome of Prague brings copies of Wyclif’s books back from England

1402 Hus becomes preacher at Bethlehem Chapel

1403 Wyclifism condemned in Prague

1409 anti-reform German professors leave Charles University, Hus elected rector



Church and State

1378 Emperor Charles IV dies, Václav IV becomes head of Czech lands; Great Schism begins with both Urban VI and Clement VII elected pope

1387 Václav’s half-brother Sigismund crowned king of Hungary

1393 Political conspiracy against Václav

1400 Václav deposed as Holy Roman Emperor

1402 Sisigmund imprisons Václav; Zbynek Zajíc of Hazmburk consecrated archbishop of Prague

1408 King Ladislas of Naples seizes Rome from Pope Gregory XII

1409 Council of Pisa deposes Gregory XII and Benedict XII, elects Alexander V as pope



Opposition

1410 Papal bull prohibits preaching in private chapels, including Bethlehem; Wyclif’s books publicly burned in Prague; Hus excommunicated (twice)

1411 Hus excommunicated a third time; Zbynek flees Prague, dies in hiding

1412 Public demonstrations break out in Prague; Jakoubek of Stríbro declares the papacy antichrist; Hus excommunicated a fourth time; Prague threatened with interdict, Hus goes into voluntary exile

1413–1414 Hus writes De Ecclesia and other books

1414 Hus departs for Council of Constance; Jakoubek introduces utraquism (lay Communion in bread and wine) in Prague

1415 Utraquism condemned by Council of Constance; Hus burned as a heretic; Czech barons form Hussite league

1416 Jerome of Prague burned at Constance



Church and State

1410 Alexander V dies; John XXIII becomes Pisan pope; Queen Zofie defends Hus’s reforms

1411 Sigismund becomes king of Germany; John XXIII uses sale of indulgences to fund crusade against Ladislas

1412 Zofie and Václav attempt to have Hus’s case tried in Bohemia

1414 Urged by Sigismund, John XXIII summons Council of Constance

1415 Council of Constance deposes all three papal rivals, elects Martin V



Hussite Rebellion

1417 Utraquism ratified by Charles University, Roman bishops forced to ordain Hussite priests

1419 Priest Jan Zelivsky leads defenestration of city officials in Prague; Jan Zizka emerges as Hussite military leader; Hussites begin to gather for mass worship services on Bohemian hilltops

1420 Four Articles of Prague formulated; Hussite settlement at Tábor founded; First crusade against Hussites defeated

1421 Second crusade against Hussites defeated

1422 Third crusade against Hussites defeated; Zelivsky murdered in Prague

1424 Zizka dies

1427 Fourth crusade against Hussites defeated

1431 Hussites experience first military loss

1433 Hussites open discussions with Catholics at Council of Basel

1436 Final version of Hussite-Catholic agreement (Campactata) affirmed



Church and State

1417 Economic blockade enforced against Bohemia

1418 Martin V empowers Sigismund to crush Hussitism

1419 Václav dies, Žofie returns to Catholic church

1420 Sigismund quietly crowned king of Bohemia

1433 Sigismund becomes Holy Roman Emperor

1436 Sigismund finally takes Bohemian throne

1437 Sigismund dies

By the Editors

[Christian History originally published this article in Christian History Issue #68 in 2000]

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