„Men blackened with sun and charred with wind, with a horrible and terrifying look” – Hussite warriors in the light of contemporary sources

Abstract

The period of the Hussite revolution in the years 1419–1436 holds one of the most prominent places in the history of the Czech military. There is no doubt that this is also a time of great glory of Hussite field troops – the „Orphans” and the „Taborites”. For one and a half of a decade no contemporary army which confronted them was able to defeat the Hussites. However, the present paper will not deal with weaponry of these warriors. What will be discussed is their appearance and deeds, with special reference to those of non-military nature which very soon added to their sinister fame. It was not infrequently that this fame virtually paralysed entire armies and defenders of castles and towns – the very sound of a Hussite war battle song Ktož jsú boží bojovníci was enough. A sort of Hussite „hallmarks” were: burning and pulling down of monasteries and churches, tortures and murders of rural and urban populations, with a special preference for burning on the stake or in barns, as well as pillaging of any sort of movable and immovable property and trade with such goods. In spite of the fact that such acts were not uncommon in the Middle Ages, it was the Hussites who were very eagerly labelled as merciless plunderers.