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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