Battle of Vitkov Hill
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The Battle of Vítkov Hill was a part of the Hussite Wars. The battle pitted forces of Emperor Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor against Hussite forces under command of Jan Zizka (in English, John Zizka). Vitkov Hill was located on the edge of the city of Prague and the battle occurred in a vineyard established by Sigismund's father, Charles IV.
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Preliminaries to the battle
On 1 March 1420, Pope Martin V published a papal bull in which he ordered that Sigismund and all Eastern princes had to organize a crusade against the Hussite followers of John Hus, John Wyclif and other heretics. On 15 March in Wrocław, Emperor Sigismund ordered the execution of Jan Krasy who was a Hussite and leader of the Wrocław Uprising in 1418. On 17 March the papal legate Ferdinad de Palacios published the bull in Wrocław. After that the Utraquist faction of Hussites understood that they would not reach agreement with him. They united with Taborite Hussites and decided to defend against the emperor.
The crusaders assembled their army in Świdnica. On 4 April 1420 Taborite forces destroyed Catholic forces in Mlada Vozica. On 7 April Taborites under command of Nicholas of Hus captured Sedlice after which they captured Pisk, castle Rabi, Strakonice, and Prachatice. At the end of April, the crusading army crossed Czech borders. At the beginning of May they captured Hradec Králové. On 7 May, Cenek from Wartenberg surrounded Hradčany.
Fight on Benesov and near Kutná Hora
Crusader's forces of 400 infantry and knights under the command of Piotr of Stenberg attempts to defend Benesov against the Taborites. After the battle, the crusader's forces were destroyed and the town was fired. Near Kutná Hora crusader's forces under the command of Janek z Chtenic and the mercenary Pipo Spano attacked without success the formations of the Taborites.
On 22 May Taborites entered Prague. Jan Žižka destroyed the crusader's relief column which had to secure supplies which were sent to Hradčany and Vyšehrad. Meanwhile the crusading army captured Slany, Louny and Mělnik.
Defence of Prague
- 12 June Beginning of the siege. The crusader's forces, in opinions of the chroniclers, consisted of 100-200 thousand soldiers. In the opinions of modern historians they probably had 50-100 thousand soldiers. One of most important points in the fortifications of Prague was Vítkov Hill. Fortifications on this hill secured roads on the crusader's supply lines. The fortifications themselves were made from trees but they were consolidated with a stone and clay wall and with moats. On the southern part of hill was a standing tower, the north part was secured by steep rock. Fortifications were said to be defended by 26 men and 3 women. In the opinion of J. Durdik, the fortifications were probably actually defended by about 60 soldiers.
- 13 July Crusader's cavalry crossed the river and began their attack.
- 14 July The Hussites' relief under the command of Jan Zizka attacked successfully the crusader's forces. Most of Žižka's forces were soldiers armed with flails and guns. After heavy battle, the Hussites won. Crusader losses were 300 knights. Because of this battle Vítkov Hill was renamed Žižkov after Jan Žižka. This battle was more a political than a military success. Afterward the crusaders withdrew to Kutná Hora and began local warfare.
A monument exists today on the hill and in 2003 local officials were attempting to replant the vineyard.
References
- Piotr Marczak "Wojny Husyckie" (Rnglish, "Hussites Wars") pages 61-67 published 2003 by "Egros" Warsaw