Husite

Husite, plural Hussites, refers to followers of Jan Hus and to the early 15th-century religious reform movement centered in Bohemia and Moravia (present-day Czech Republic). Hus, a Czech priest and rector at Charles University in Prague, argued for church reform, reduced papal authority, and rejected some Catholic practices. After Hus was tried and burned at the Council of Constance in 1415, his ideas sparked a popular uprising and a broader reform movement.

The movement rapidly mobilized, culminating in the Hussite Wars (1419–1434), a series of armed conflicts between Hussite factions and Catholic powers. Hussite military innovation, including the wagon forts (wagenburg), and the use of Czech vernacular in religious practice, helped sustain the reform effort. Early leadership split into radical Taborite factions and more moderate Utraquists who sought a settlement with the Church/monarchs.

Following decades of warfare, a political settlement was reached with the Basel Compacts (Compacts of Basel) around 1433–1436, granting limited concessions and recognizing a state-approved Czech church that distributed both bread and wine to the laity (Utraquism). The movement gradually integrated into the Bohemian Reformation, with some groups aligning with broader Protestant developments while others remained Catholic or later joined other schisms. The term Hussite can refer to various currents within this spectrum.

Legacy: The Hussites left a lasting imprint on Central European religious life, language, and education. They contributed to Czech national awakening and influenced later Protestant reformers in the region. The term Husite is sometimes used in historical or religious contexts to denote these reformist currents in Bohemia from the early 15th century.