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Hussites based their actions and ideals on the words of preacher Jan Hus. Still, they overstepped the line, as Hus was a pacifist and considered war to be the greatest evil. The people, first dissatisfied only with the sale of indulgence, soon started to notice other aspects of Catholic religion that were opposing the Bible.
First of all, they demanded communion in both kinds. During the holy service, only the priest was allowed to drink wine, which left everyone else feeling inferior. No one but a priest could preach or comment on the Bible anyhow. Hussites wanted equality in every sense and they even took it from an economical view. In 1420 they founded Tabor, a town where they all lived in accordance with the Bible, shared all property and prepared to overthrow the king. Something as innocently looking as religion led to a movement that became very political at its core.
The military leader for Hussites was Jan Žižka. A former footpad and a freelance soldier became the war theoretician for the Hussites. He was a great admirer of Saint Wenceslas and every battle was being fought in the Saint’s name. Žižka lost both his eyes in the war and was famous for fighting blind. He was a fanatic, very radical and cruel and was soon forced to leave Tabor. In 1424, he died surrounded by a close group of soldiers, who later called themselves the Orphans.
We must not forget that the Hussite soldiers were townsmen, farmers and craftsmen who at first had no militarily training, but their way of fighting was revolutionary thanks to Žižka’s genius. They fought while standing on ordinary four-wheel wagons that were at the same time used as defense. Their weapons were made from tools they used for work and soldiers hired by King Sigmund weren’t prepared for this unusual way of fighting.
After Sigmund accepted the Hussites and legitimized their faith, the Czech Kingdom was full of Utraquists – those who required communion in both kinds (in Latin “sub utraque specie”). The country was only a step away from the Thirty Years War and another clash of Catholics and Protestants.