[March 25, 1420. A column of Hussite pilgrims travelled through Bohemia towards their home
commune, Tabor. The column numbered some 400 people, including women and children, and 12
wagons. Among their leaders was the one-eyed Jan Zizka. Nearby the village of Sudomer, the column
noticed something that worried them deeply. All around them, Knights on horseback emerged from
the woods. These were Royalists, sworn to root out all Hussite rebels. Outnumbered up to 5 to 1, with
barely any combat-ready troops, Zizka understood the Royalists would not accept a surrender. He
ordered his people to take up defensive positions: they would soon have to fight to the death.]
Background
When in July 1419, Czech Hussites threw Catholic members of the Prague city council out of the
window of a town hall, very few expected 17 years of bloody religious war to follow. These so-called
Hussite wars brought forth several Czech national heroes. Among them was Jan Zizka, a great general
and strategist. He withstood several crusades sent against him by King Sigismund of Hungary.
Against all odds and always heavily outnumbered, Zizka used modern tactics such as armoured battle
wagons to take on much larger armies. Early on during the war, he was fully blinded,
yet he commanded his forces for four more years, with incredible success.
Not much is known about Jan Zizka's early life. He was born around 1360 in Trocnov, a town in
southern Bohemia. He was born to a poor family who worked the land between Budovice and Krumlov,
owned by the mighty Bohemian Rozmberk family. Because Trocnov was close to current-day Austria,
Zizka grew up in a bilingual culture, speaking both Czech and German. Jan thanked his nickname,
Zizka, which translates to one-eyed, to losing his eye. Sources conflict on whether he lost
it during a fight in childhood or one of his first actual battles as a mercenary.
The court of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia employed Zizka as a royal hunter in Zahorany,
near the royal castle of Orlik. In 1405, probably already in his 40s, he abandoned the king's
service and joined a band of mercenaries. When he returned four years later, King Wenceslaus
pardoned him and employed him in his army. As part of a Bohemian force, Zizka participated in
the significant 1410 Battle of Grunwald, pitting the Teutonic Knights against the Kingdom of Poland
and Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Undoubtedly, Zizka's military skills were honed, tested and tried
by the combat he had seen so far. According to official documents from Prague's court register,
Zizka bought a house in the capital in 1414, married a woman and had a daughter who died
in infancy. Two years later he sold his house and was once again employed at the royal court.
Now, while all this was happening, another man caused shockwaves through religious Europe.
Rector at Prague University, Jan Hus stood at the forefront of the Bohemian Reformation.
It is likely Zizka heard Hus preach during his stay in Prague. Hus opposed the sale
of indulgences, becoming one of its most vocal critics. As a result, the Pope excommunicated him,
demanding his church be burned down. Hus went into voluntary exile, producing many writings and
gathering a large following of different social layers, all attracted to his open-air sermons.
In 1414 Hus was invited to the Conference of Konstanz to present his ideas. Lured under false
pretences as King Sigismund of Hungary promised him safe passage, he was arrested and burned at
the stake when he arrived. Hus became a martyr, and his following was understandably outraged.
This contributed to the ever-increasing powder keg Bohemia was sitting on. Bohemian
nobles began publicly demanding the curbing of corruption among the clergy, the prohibition of
indulgences and altering religious rituals such as drinking wine at Holy Communion.
Bohemian priests who refused to allow both forms of ritual were chased from their churches. These
Hussites referred to themselves as Ultraquists, with the chalice of wine becoming their symbol.
Sporadic massacres against Hussites and Catholics took place for the next few years.
Then, three years later, the newly elected Pope Martin V decided he wanted to curb Bohemian
unrest. Using King Sigismund's influence over his half brother Wenceslaus, the latter was told he
should take action against the Hussites. When Wenceslaus announced measures against Hussites,
a protest march to Prague's town hall led to the First Defenestration of Prague. In July 1419 that
year, city council members were thrown out of the window. One month later, King Wenceslaus died,
supposedly due to shock. Sigismund quickly seized the opportunity to proclaim himself
as King of Bohemia, albeit without coronation. Considering him responsible for Hus's death
and the entire mess, Hussites rose up in arms. The famous Four Articles of Prague were drawn up,
a programme Zizka defended and referred to until his death. In short, the four
points were that there should be Freedom to preach the word of God, the celebration
of communion should allow both kinds, the clergy's property should be confiscated,
and punishment for sins should be followed through regardless of social standing. Still,
these articles had different interpretations, with Zizka being one of the most radical interpreters.
First Anti-Hussite Crusade (1420)
Around this time, Zizka rose to prominence in Bohemia's incredibly complicated political
area. There were several split-offs from the Hussites. Zizka joined the so-called Taborites
named after the biblical mount Tabor. They were an apocalyptical branch who,
throughout the war, would often be at odds with the moderate Ultraquists.
After the defenestration, royal forces did everything they could to fortify Prague,
increase garrisons, root out and execute Hussites and barricade entrances. Still,
Hussites managed to capture the royal castle Vysherad. The fighting now spread through Prague,
with eventually just two castles under royalist control. Things got heated to
the degree both parties negotiated peace, and Sigismund guaranteed Hussite worship if the
Taborites retreated and returned the castle. They did so, albeit against Zizka's wishes.
Zizka and his men travelled to the town of Pilsen. But around the country, royalist
forces began persecuting Hussite communities. For example, in Kutna Hura, nearly all Hussites were
massacred. Rumours reached Zizka about massacres around Pilsen. When Pope Martin V issued a bull,
calling for exterminating all Hussites and other heresies, Zizka decided to move
to an old strategic fortress, Tabor. Zizka, together with twelve wagons,
a cannon and a group of 400 loyal rebels, women and children made their way to Tabor. The column
planned to travel towards Tabor via Sudomer. Local Catholics informed regional Royalist
commanders about the group's departure despite the immunity guarantee. Boguslav
von Svamberk and his Landfried soldiers trailed the group throughout their journey. On March 25,
Boguslav's force was augmented by knights of the Johannite order. With these extra soldiers, the
Royalist army numbered up to 2500 men. They agreed to attack and wipe out the column that same day.
[Battle formations]
Several contemporary sources about the battle
survive. It is generally assumed that although Zizka participated,
Brenek Svihovsky of Dolan commanded the army. Zizka was his second-in-command.
The column travelled between the ponds Markovec and Skaredy,
to the southeast of Sudomer. The much larger Royalist army surrounded them at a certain point.
The column's initial response was to hoist a white flag. However,
Boguslav and his men did not consider that to make a difference. Between 2000 and 2500
royalist cavalry ambushed the column. When the Hussite commanders realised the Royalists would
not accept their surrender, they saw no other option but to find suitable ground for defence.
Zizka managed to goad his troops in a defensive position, with the left flank resting against
a pond. He ordered the other side to place the dozen wagons, so they formed a wall on a
slight elevation. Zizka, and the few troops carrying arquebuses, manned this flank.
Around 1000 Knights Hospitallers launched the first attack. Their assault against the wagons
was incredibly costly and not very successful. Chronicles mention how the first line of knights
did not even reach the chariot wall - they were fired on by the arquebuses. Nearly all
knights perished, and the second line suddenly became the vanguard. Thanks to the barricades,
the heavy cavalry could not cross the wagons. The arquebusiers picked them off. When the second line
did come close enough for a melee, the Hussites used lances and flails to fend off the knights.
War wagons did not defend part of the Hussite formation. Seeing the trouble the wagons caused,
another 1000 Royalist horsemen launched an attack against the undefended flank. However, the marshy
terrain meant horses were unable to traverse the distance. During their charge, the horsemen
dismounted and continued their attack on foot. But the heavy armour dragged them down. And
whereas armour proved an excellent defence when mounted, now the light Hussite infantry
counter-attacked and flocked the impaired knights. The Hussites engaged the Knights
in combat using clubs, swords and flails. Thanks to the soggy terrain, the heavy armour prevented
the Knights from fighting in an agile manner. Both sides sustained heavy losses. During the
melee, Brenek was slain. Still, despite the surviving chronicles lauding the Hussites,
the Knights put up a spirited fight. This was exemplified by the fact the battle lasted until
the onset of dusk. Then, as darkness set in, both sides disengaged. The Royalists, forced to
retreat, captured 30 prisoners during the battle. The fact Zizka's force contained many ordinary
men, women and children, made their victory all the more impressive. They lost three wagons.
[Aftermath]
The battle of Sudomer was the first significant clash between the Hussites and Royalists. During
the battle, it was clear the Hussites had the advantage of the terrain. However,
the Royalists were not deterred thanks to their significant numerical superiority. Some
sources mention up to 5000 knights, although it is generally accepted they numbered between 2000 and
2500. Still, severely outnumbering the Hussites. Because Brenek died during the fighting, Zizka
likely took over command from that point. His victory ensured radical Hussites could remain in
Tabor and elevated Zizka to one of the rebellion's leaders. The morale boost was spectacular, for it
was the first real victory for the Hussites. When Zizka's column arrived at Tabor,
it united the Hussites from western- and southern Bohemia. But news of the Hussite victory reached
King Sigismund as well. He could not let this happen unpunished. The war was far from over.
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