Crusaders besiege Prague - Battle of Vitkov Hill, 1420 - Hussite Wars -
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- čas přidán 23. 02. 2024
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🚩 Today we examine the Battle of Vitkov Hill, fought in 1420 outside the city walls of Prague, amidst a series of crusades against the Hussites, who were a Czech proto-Protestant movement. Just one year before, in 1419, the Pope declared a crusade against them, and the Holy Roman Empire organized forces to wipe them out. Easier said than done...
📢 Narrated by David McCallion
🎼 Music:
Epidemic Sounds
Filmstro
🚩 Miniatures from:
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📚 Sources:
RNDr. et PhDr. Aleš Nováček, Ph.D. - Battles of Vítkov Hill and Vyšehrad www.bellum.cz/en/battles-of-v...
Robert Bideleux & Ian Jeffries - A History of Eastern Europe: Crisis and Change www.routledge.com/A-History-o...
Stephen Turnbull & Angus McBride - The Hussite Wars 1419-36 www.ospreypublishing.com/us/h...
Thomas A. Fudge - The Crusade Against Heretics in Bohemia, 1418-1437 - Sources and Documents for the Hussite Crusades www.routledge.com/The-Crusade...
Diarmaid MacCulloch - A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years www.amazon.com/Christianity-F...
#medieval #documentary #history
🚩 Try Opera browser FOR FREE here: opr.as/Opera-browser-HistoryMarche
🚩 Today we examine the Battle of Vitkov Hill, fought in 1420 outside the city walls of Prague, amidst a series of crusades against the Hussites, who were a Czech proto-Protestant movement. Just one year before, in 1419, the Pope declared a crusade against them, and the Holy Roman Empire organized forces to wipe them out. Easier said than done...
I am happy for this video as a born Czech
Love your content 😊😊😊❤❤❤
You guys should do a series on the hussite wars! It's a very unknown but super interesting period in history
best vidios as always
I must commend the narrator on good pronounciation of Czech! By the way, Vyšehrad means higher castle. Not only was "higher castle" upon elevation, it held ground about 1 1/2 miles upriver from royal Prague Castle, and Charles Bridge.
Meanwhile Henry: I feel quite hungry.
I imagine Henry being part of the hussites
i hope we get to see him again, he would be in his prime adulthood in 1420 blaze it@@ventu2295
where is okraine on your map? there was no such okraine
I would like to think in kcd 2 Henry will have two choice
Bro if the second game is about the Hussite war, that would be awesome.
This guy deserves a better movie than the one made a couple of year’s ago
He already has since 1955
Well I think it is because of the director Petr Jákl who wanted to create movie similiar to "Braveheart" which is also about some national heroes. Well I think that they should stick to history, especially when Jan Žižka's story is already fantastic and miraculous itself without making it more dramatic or romantic.
As someone who knew very little of Jan Ziska i found that move wuite great
@@examplenameyoutubebeing originally from Tabor I was so disappointed with 'Medieval' Jakl also used that sexist Hollywood trope of a kidnapped woman falling for her kidnapper.
And at least 2 scenes of underwater fighting. Why?
Vavras film were much better.
There really should be a series.
Watch Vávra's trilogy, that is the true master piece. Not 100% historically accurate but still great 3 movies.
"with an eye for reading the terrain" lmao
Hehe, you see what I did there, don't you? :)
@@HistoryMarche And Žižka would have seen it too, well, at least before the siege of Rabí.
Sigismund having his siege units cross the river first without proper support and in consequence losing them to observant yet brazen defenders is such an Age of Empires 2 moment
And charging uphill with knights agains guns and pikes, too 1600 points moment
@ventu2295 not even a 1400 wouldn't do that
@@ventu2295That's a 1k play, man. Anyone higher than that knows not to fight counter units uphill
Even counter units downhill is a recipe ripe for disaster 😂😂
Sometimes we wonder why AI is so dumb, then we realize some commanders in history are just that dumb, and the AI is accurate
Sending the unprotected artillery over the river first would have had Sun Tzu spinning in his grave.
Defending a small, makeshift hill fortification with barely fifty men left against an onslaught of hardened knights and professional soldiers... Now that's badass.
The Official Numbers were around 80 Czechs against 8000 Knights inflicting a Few Hundred Casualties and Losing only 6 I believe
There are bad days, and then there is whatever the crusaders experienced at that day.
It is even more insane when you realize the quality difference was nearly as high as number difference. Attackers were knights, nobility trained from youth to fight clad in expensive armor with expensive arms and horses. Defenders were lowborn peasants, craftsmen, traders and other sorts of civilians with just basic armor and often using agricultural tools as weapons, however they always used defensive positions in battles (even in open battles they had wagons) which offered protection instead of armor and the improvised polearms they had were actually quite effective against armored opponent, especially since a man standing on the wagon or in this case on a palisade was higher than even mounted enemy and could easily use long polearms to attack knights from top, striking their heads, meanwhile knight lances werent too effective against such enemies behind cover, but swords lacked the range. The crazy amounts of guns also scared enemy knights, as they have never seen them on such a scale.
That deserves a Sabaton song
@@fridericusrex6289 Some of the defenders were also women
Battle of Vitkov Hill is a very underrated Battle in History and apparently Jan Zizka also fought alongside the Polish/Lithuanians against the Teutonic Knights before this.
Battle at Grunwald. Jan Sokol was there, Jan Žižka probably.
@@Novas9510 Yea that one.
I don't have sources, but the common consensus is - Žižka was there, we like it that way :P He is also portrayed on the massive (4x9 meters) Battle of Grunwald painting from Jan Matejko - check it out :) For my Czech friends, description from the painting: "Na przodzie widać wąsatą postać czeskiego rycerza Jana Žižki w zbroi, który jedną nogą stoi na ziemi, a drugą nogę postawił na powalonym przeciwniku. Podniósł miecz, by zadać śmiertelny cios wrogowi - komturowi tucholskiemu Heinrichowi von Schwelborn. Tymczasem zagraża mu podstępna postać w ciemnym ubraniu, która czai się by zadać cios w bok kordelasem."
1410 against the expanding Teutonic knights on the side of Polish kingdom and Lithuanian dukedom.
Not "apparently", there is no proof. But yeah, it's a nice story and we Czechs like to tell it as so :-)
Very few commanders throughout history can match Jan Zizka. He fought insurmountable odds with a ragtag army of craftsmen and peasants and put the chills up the spine of an empire and the whole corrupt church establishment. He fought in the legendary Battle of Grunwald (no other battle in the medieval history can match that) at the call of the Polish King. Jan Zizka was the ultimate warrior commander and my favorite. While mortally wounded and blind in his both eyes he issued his testament that upon his death his skin to be made into a drum to summon up the fighters to the battle. What else can I say.
Mate, there are plenty of Medieval battles that decided far more important events. You just need to look outside Europe.
@@ElBanditoI’m glad you missed the whole ragtag army parts. Do you think the royal mamluks are comparable to some bohemian peasants with a spear and maybe chainmail? The hussites were never gonna change much since they were so outnumbered. The thing that makes them so famous is the fact that they accomplished anything at all. A few decades later the mamluks would lose to the ottomans and have all their power striped despite having way more elite forces. Can you tell me what type of armor the mamluks had? Now can you tell me the armor most of the Hussite forces had(hint:it’s not made of metal)?
Zizka is also one of the few generals who never lost a battle despite having been involved in many. As you noted, considering the fact that his armies regularly consisted of peasants with little to no training, and that they were regularly HEAVILY out-numbered by foes with far more training and better equipment; he really should be remembered more. The only thing they had over their foes was faith and zeal; and perhaps there is something to be said for that! While Zizka obviously did not conquer half the world like Alexander the Great did, or carve out an empire for himself like Caesar; his insane string of seemingly impossible victories deserve recognition and study. As a military leader he really should be spoken of alongside the likes of Caesar and Alexander.
@@ElBandito I am very interested please enumerate and name those medieval battles outside of Europe.
@@HaggisOfDeath I totally agree. I believe that he is not given the due recognition because he single handled the start of one of the most important wars in Europe and shaped the whole continent. He was a visionary of modern warfare and a brilliant strategist.
Comment for the algorithm from Bohemia 🇨🇿
Born and raised in Tábor, in one way great leader, on the other pretty violent revolt for civilians
As a balkanite I gotta love the name Bohemia. It sounds so good. Greater Moravia too. In my area we got Moesia Thrace and Macedonia.
18:20:
"With an eye for reading the terrain."..
😂😂 got it? ;)
With an one eye? He mus used Horus eye then! :D
I wonder where Henry of Skalitz is, perhaps dead, perhaps just older and gallivanting with Sir Hans Capon
Hans Capon in fact died in 1419 in the same year as King Wenceslas, he wrote pettition to free Jan Hus from his arrest in Constance.
In early 15. century the Kutna Hora (Kuttenberg in KCD) area including Rattay was importand because of silver mines... and it became important hussite political center.
Son of Hans Capon was Hynce Capon (Ptáček) of Pirkštejn 1404 - 1444 and he was one of importnant figure of moderate hussite faction who supported next king George of Podebrady
Still waiting to see KCD 2 in hussite war period
@@vitaeth4949 Thanks for the history. I appreciate it
Lmao, I came to make a Henry of Skalitz joke😂😂
I feel quite hungry.
@@vitaeth4949 Know nothing about his son but I take it that he died at Varna but could be wrong.
999.000 subscribers...are you ready for the BIG number??? Well done guys!
I just took note. Incredible!!
I don't say this very often, but I wish there were more ads 😂
where is okraine on your map? there was no such okraine
Already achieved! 🎉🎉🎉
@@eliotness4029during the 14th century most of Ukrainian lands were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, ruled by princess of the Gediminas dynasty, and the Kingdom of Poland.
As a czech I can check that this battle was checkmate for crusaders👍👌✔!!!Great video!!!
czechmate
lol good one
hussite wars this will be a long series
cant wait watch them all
Glad to see Jan Zizka getting some much deserved attention as of late, easily one of the greatest commanders of all time who should easily stand next to or above other incredible commanders like Hannibal, Caesar, Napoleon and so on.
How Zizka never lost a battle despite crazy odds and his great usage of terrain and especially the variety of crazy war wagons never ceases to astonish.
Jan Hus and Jan Zizka - Great Czech leaders.
Respect from Bulgaria!
I am always impressed with the detail in each of your videos. I am History professor and teach general survey courses, I have shared all my lectures as well and often send students to your channel for those who want deep dives into various battles.
Its an AI generated voice
where is okraine on your map? there was no such okraine
Because of both Prague castles were firmly in royal hands, the burning of heretic mentioned in the introduction took place not under walls of the castle, but probably close to river for other heretics to see.
Also, the Prague castle, did not fell to hussites (unlike the second castle Vyšehrad), but remained in royal hands until the end of the wars.
As the Czech language is impossible to learn as a grown up person perfectly, my hats off to the commentator for his stellar pronunciation effort. "Porici" gate was my favorite, great job sir! My niece lives on Vitkov hill, anytime I go to visit her, after all of those centuries, I still feel like I'm walking on a hallowed ground. Zizka gave us a base for a modern tank, gave us pistol and howitzer and unmatched tactical prowess, not bad for 600 years in past.
I'm really suprised how well you say czech names. It's quite accomplishment. Also it's great to hear about my history.
where is okraine on your map? there was no such okraine
@@eliotness4029 what? In those times very big part of Ukraine was part of Polish-Lithuania commonwealth and the rest was under Cossack control if I'm correct.
@@michalsvoboda8020 so there was no such country as okraine. there was Poland and Lithuania. why all your taxes go to zelenski. he told he want to recapture his land. there was no hes land never.
@@eliotness4029 you are funny. Why are you even bothered by that here on one of the best historic channels? Just enjoy the content.
@@michalsvoboda8020He isn"t funny. It seems, he is paid for it accoring to no content in his channel.
Oh yess! I was wishing to see more history of my country on this channel.
Greetings from Czech Republic!
I just came back from Prague, mostly preserved from war bombardments you can see those castles and towers. Thank you to give illustrated war stories to these walls!
“You may cook this goose (in Czech Hus) but in 100 years there will come a swan who you you will neither roast nor boil” - Jan Hus shortly before his martyrdom
That swan was Martin Luther
where is okraine on your map? there was no such okraine
@@eliotness4029 what does that have to do with anything?
@@jonathanwilliams1065 all your taxes go to okraine because they told it is theyr land and they want to recapture theyr land. there was no such okraine
@@eliotness4029 as if that has anything to do with the Hussites
Get lost russiabot
@@eliotness4029This is completely irrelevant to the topic. Two hundreds years ago collapsed Kyiv Rus and was replaced by Poland Kingdom and Grand Dutchy of Lithuanian, which warred with each other. There's no Russia at this time, forming process only started from individual dutches/states.
Fun fact Žižka was blind on both eyes - well he was blinded in his early years and then he lost the other eye - the legend say that he lost it to a splinter from a gate if i remember right
Actually, it was splinter from pear tree.
@@petrhorak3525 really? That's cool - i aint trying to argue - i like that there's more interpretations of this fact - because i heard the one when i was on the Rábí castle that he lost the eye in a battle of the castle where a crossbow peeled off a part of the gate and the splinter shot him in the eye - maybe it was just the castles agenda - but how did he lost it with the pear tree?
@@inodinojan878 It more of a folk story (like in, sounds better with some embelishment, common thing in history recordings, especially ones that describe given nations heroic figure) in that story during the siege of Rábí castle he was resting under the pear tree, facing the castle, contemplating how to proceed with the siege, when one of the defenders with a crossbow attempted a long range shot at him. He missed but the bolt hit the tree, launching a splinter into Žižka's remaining eye.
Alright i didn't know that thanks
@@inodinojan878 Strange. Because “Guides people (workers)” of castle Rabí are showing THAT pear tree before the castle to visitors as a part of tour. Anyway. According to historians its only legend. In reality was Jan Žižka hit by arrow from the crossbow right to his only eye.
I have been waiting for Hussite battles on this channel for ages. I hope there will be more. Thanks a lot!
i am from Czech republic .thank you nice video
Ahojjjj !
1:07 -Jan Hus has never been the leader of Hussites (1419-1434) they started their rebellion after his execution (6.7.1415, Kostnica) as the sparkle point for that
- Pilsen (in Czech Plzeň) has never been conquered by Zizka, it was then called "the most catholic city in Bohemia" because it did not fall after a very long siege
14:15 you probably mean "Otava" river, not "Orava" river, the second one was in the north part of hungary kingdom (present Slovakia), i knew it because i lived there and now i live in Prague :)
otherwise great video :) looking forward to seeing the next part
Thanks for your inputs, interesting :)
Also, Czech was the kingdom, not the duchy
Exactly, I was looking for this comment.
They propably didn't say that by mistake but made the destinction of "independent duchy" since the royal title was dependent on the empire @@mikeflaming715
well, you are not exactly right there. They never said Pilsen was conquered. Žižka didn't have to conquere it sinc it was a bastion of his fellow Koranda. It became a catholic centre only after the Husites left as described.
You know the content is good when a 30 minute video felt like half that time, great job as usual HistoryMarche.
That Zizka's wagon tactics looks impressive. Most peasants won't be able to resist cavalry attack without it.
Only William Wallace took this in Braveheart movie. :D
Man, last time I was this early, I ended up with a kid.
Last time I was up at this time, 1am, I was on guard duty. Thankfully it didn't involve burning heretics at the stake.
bruh💀
Based
Dude😂😂
Congrats
Great video! I admire those 60 who turned into 26... then the 50 rushing up to join them.. GREAT story.
As a Czech i must say you say names very god and also this video is absolutely amazing I can't wait for more videos about it
Jan Zizka, the greatest general of all time! Simply the GOAT. No Ceasers, No Hannibals, no Napoleons. This guy even fought at Grunwald against Teutonic Order with a regiment of Smolenks infantry regiment alongside. With so little against so much he was undefeated until he died.
Sigusmund should focus on ottomans not Prag eh
He leaves out the slaughter of defenseless bible believers always.
But Prague has the gospel free of Roman adulterations, and that threatens the pope’s money
he got his as kiced by Ottomans and thought poor peasnts would less chalange but kicked again in the pinky as lol
@edai5013 İN VARNA 1444 ?? TURKS DESTORY SİGUSMUND.
@@ayhanfedai5013 he’s a example of how you cannot be a ruler and a king I think he’s one of the worst king lol
Excellent generalship by Zizka! Understanding of terrain. And use of early artillery with barricades. Brilliant!
I am from Czech Republic (Bohemia) and I love this video. Thank you:)
as a Czech, i am so pumped to finally see something from Bohemia! cheers!
Kdož sú boží bojovníci!
"Ktož jsú boží bojovníci"
Countdown to 1 million. Can't wait to see. Some of the best documentary battle videos out there. Congrats.
Prom night just ended. Now I’m detoxing with HistoryMarche
What a terrific analysis of a truly pivotal battle! ⚔🔥👏
I first heard about Hussite struggle in Hussite Trilogy penned by Andrzej Sapkowski (known for the Witcher Saga) and to this day I am amazed at how effective they were! It's as if the God was truly on their side for a time, when they carried reformation on their banners and true faith in their hearts.
This trilogy showed pretty well that both sides were the same - just raping, murdering and burning people.
It was the first successful reform of the papal form of Christianity. The crisis of feudalism.
Great story telling and editing! Loved the pace of this one
I live in Prague and I learned more about the Vítkov battle from this video than I ever learned at school.
I love these kinds of battles, where inexperience peasants defeating a heavy knighted soldiers with guns, crossbows, wagons. Kind of reminds me defending a city or castle with peasant archers crossbowmen and militia Spearman in Medieval 2 total war.
Never heard of the Hussites before. I learned something new.
But i bet you heard the words pistol (píšťala) or Howitzer (Houfnice) they are from this time.
@@odycz Yeah, pistol ("píšťala", later "pistola" - flute in English, was called like that due to its low caliber and long barrel, resembling a flute), and howitzer ("houfnice" - a "flock gun" in direct translation, was called like that either because it was used to shoot into crowds of soldiers, or because it used "flocks" of projectiles rather than a single shot).
Together with "robot", they are the most commonly used Czech words in English.
I love history I just started watching your videos about a month ago and I can't get enough of your great historical battle videos!
Excellent as always. Many thanks!
It's working again! LOVED the video! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Superb work!
Thanks so much for supporting my work. Very kind of you.
Incredible. Thank you.
Amazing video as always HM!
Glad you enjoyed! Cheers for tuning in KHK
History Marche: “Dawn Breaks”
Me: *likes the video*
😂 thanks man, much appreciated
Wonderful work!
Thank you for another amazing storytelling. You sir are talented!
Thank you for covering our history. :) Jan Žižka was the greatest badass in Czech history and Jan Hus gave up his life to make the world a better place.
Great video as always!
Congrats on 1 million subs HistoryMarche!
great video, love hearing about this particular era of history.
At the point of the battle of Vitkov Hill Hussites were also pretty feared by many because of their zealotry and no fear of death so that also played a role in the defeat of Sigismund's army I think.
I’ve always been fascinated of your editings and commentary. Simple yet detailed explainations that made me watch the while video. Also, BOHEMIA FOREVER!!!
Congratulations on 1 million subscribers!! Everyone loves what you do HistoryMarche! But please continue the Hannibal series. You are a great youtuber.
It is great to see this content in the channel. And kudos for mastering all those Czech names!
Thank you very much!
Quality just keeps getting better!
Been waiting for you guys to do some Hussite Wars!
love your channel, watched so much
Another banger video, would love to see more Hussite war content.
i like this channel a lot bro,very good medieval battles,the details and narrator is very good.
yooo soon to be 1kk subs! CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!! You deserve this and much more
Great video, hopefully we will get whole hussite wars series ❤️
Always great 👍 thanks
How tremendous the motivation must have been for the small group of warriors to hold off the army of Sigismund for so long.... Truly a fight or die moment
Btw these films are great work. Preparation, material and historical background are really well prepared. ANd that great voice for historical matters
Congratulations 🎉🎉 on 1 mil subs
You guys might be the best history cahannel just on par with kings and generals
Very happy for you general
Excellent video.
Congratulations on 1 million subscribers!!
Well deserved!!
This is amazing!
As a Czech, I remember how we learned about this in school. Wish it would be that much interesting. Thank you for your work!
Glad you liked it!
Great video 😊
this,is a masterpiece. I also thank you alot for using my ideas (guadalete manzikert and aljubarrota)It's also been 2 years that iv'e been spectating you so i'll finnaly subcrie, you deserved it buddy.
Wow what a video. Thanks man. Jan Zizka is my new boy.
Incredible!
The accent, language, and tone in these videos are awesome and makes these good videos great!
The scale of squares is so messed up I find it diffucult to stay immersed when 10 squares represent 60 men as well as 3000
Excellent video 📹
😎 Appreciate the hard work that you do to give us theseAWESOME AWESOME KILLER VIDS😎
Fantastic work man, greetings from Czechoslovakia 🙂🥂🍻👍
Great story, great video!
Almost there!
999,000🎉
Well done. Also a decent pronunciation of Czech names - bonus points.
Excellent analysis of the early phase of the Hussite Wars. Your pronunciation of the Czech names was very good.
You are getting closer to that million subscriber mark HM. You deserve it my friends! God speed
as a czech person. I am gladly overwhelmed by you, talking and making video about this topis. keep up your work
Greetings from Tabor 😁 Thank you for this video! I really like your channel, you're doing great job
Congrats on 1M! You deserve 10M
Very informative❤
Great video
Thanks for the visit
This channel is so much better than Kings and Shills.
Come on man, their historical content is pretty good. I just wish they focused more on it and dropped the modern affairs thing
@@DrKarmothey’re left out some pretty massive details in some of their videos, but that’s the extent of my opinion on them. I don’t know enough about them to know why he called them shills.
@@Specter_1125 which ones? I only really watch the historical one and my biggest gripes is that they paywall some of the most interesting series (first punic war, anabasis and now the reconquista) and only release them way later
Excellent summary! A few FUN FACTS by Czech:
1) Tábor (Žižka's city) literally means "a Camp" and has its name till today.
2) June 6th (+1415), the day Jan Hus was executed by burning at the stake, is still a Czech state day (a holiday)
3) Kingdom Come which preceeds these events is meant to be a trilogy. The first one focused on increasing tension and Sigismund armies plundering Bohemia. The second one that will be released this year will focus on a bigger scale of this situation, with Kutna Hora (a big and rich city at that time) and Bohemian nobility involved. And while there is basically no information about KDC 3 (except a few old interviews by game director Daniel Vavra), knowing him I would bet there will be Jan Hus preaching, Prague, and the rise of the Hussite movement. From a Czech perspective, it's kinda obvious the story leads there. (Don't think there will be famous Hussite battles though, sadly, as I expect it to end shortly after the death of Jan Hus)
4) There was a kinda "Hollywood" interpretation of the beginning of Jan Zizka's story called "Medieval" (on Netflix). While it has its moments, it is only vaguely true and there is a more fun old trilogy made in the '50s by director Otakar Vavra (not related to Daniel Vavra, just a coincidence) including the Battle of Vitkov scene.
5) In the famous internet blog "Badass of the Week" is Jan Žižka's story one of the most articles I have ever read. :)