The Hussite Wars
1419-1434

Soldiers

by Michael W. McGuire

Mercenary

Loyalty in the Hussite wars was based on either faith, privilege, or money. Mercenaries preferred the latter, and in the initial battles they served the side which paid the best - the King's army. Men of sufficient skill and daring performed as black powder gunners or sappe" in siege operanons. Most campaigned as foot soldiers armed with polearms or crossbows; helmets and light body armor were worn when available. Those from upper class backgrounds, like the knights of Germany, fought as armored cavalry, and a few, like Philip de Scolari, the Florentine, achieved high rank and commanded large forces in the field. Whatever their status, the military hirelings generally did well under fire, although they did prove unreliable when outnumbered or confronted by the rapidly improving Hussite regulars.

Indeed, as the war, continued, many mercenaries switched sides for reasons of personal gain, self-preservation, or honest conversion to Hussitism. Professional advancement was also afactor because, as technicians of violence, the mercenaries could readily appreciate the innovations developed by Zizka in the use of gunpowder weapons and strong chains of command.

Hussite Wagon Soldier

Drawn from the farms and city militias, the ordinary soldier in the Hussite army was typical muterial by the military standards of the day: ignorant, undisciplined, and hardy. His personal weapons, especially early in the wars, were often common farm tools such as flails and axes, and he wore no armor {unlike the Catholic lords he fought). His morale, however, was usually superwr, stemming from fervent religious conviction and a growing sense of nationalism. Under the generalship of Jan ZizAa a dramatic change took place in the foot soldier's weapons and demeanor. The flails and axes were improved and supplemented by captured booty such as halberds, crossbows, and handpieces.

Flat helmets and leather tunics stuffed with wool {i.e., the "gambeson" as shown) gave some personal protection. Heavy guns and war wagons demanded trained crews, and Hussite soldiers drilled incessantly between battles. Stern marching orders and absolute obedience, plus strong personal leadership at all levels, helped enforce discipline. Generally, the Zizka system favored the defensive, and on the attack, Hussite troops could be as Capricious and unruly as other medieval warriors.

Noble Cavalryman

The titled lord fighting in the Hussitc wars was more identifiable by the weapons and techniques he brought to the battlefield than by the philosophy which he represented. Although in the early years of the conflict the nobles fought for the Catholic Church which promised to uphold the fuedal system that benefited the upper classes, many knights later shifted allegiances. They either became disgusted with the inept leadership of King Sigismund or else came to admire the military proficiency of the Hussites. Ancient grudges also kept some proud lords from cooperating with each other for Royalist goals.

Whichever side he supported, the noble fought as an anachronism, although he did not know it. His heavy body armor, long lance, and sword were no match for the powerful crossbows and the crude firearms beginning to appear on the battlefield. Whether fighting under the banner of the Church or that of blind Zizka, the mounted knight was doomed to defeat as popular armies and more destrucave weapons were introduced and perfected.

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© Copyright 1974 by Dana Lombardy
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