History Fact Finder | War and Conflict: Pre-Twentieth Century - What Were The Hussite Wars?

What were the Hussite Wars?

The Hussite Wars were a series of religious, social, and political conflicts that took place in Bohemia and Moravia (part of present-day Czech Republic) between 1420 and 1433. The wars were named for the Hussites, followers of Bohemian religious reformer Jan Hus (c. 1373–1415), who opposed the practices of the Roman Catholic Church (a Christian religion headed by a pope and based in Rome, Italy). At that time it was the only religion in Europe. The struggles also involved efforts by Bohemians and Moravians to declare independence from Germany. Closely related to the independence movement was the revolt of peasants (farm workers and other laborers) against noblemen called lords. Lords were owners of vast estates who controlled peasants under a social and economic system know as feudalism during the Middle Ages (A.D. c. 450–c.1500). The Hussites stated their demands in the Four Articles of...

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