Battle of Kutná Hora

An early campaign in the Hussite Wars, the Battle of Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg) was fought on December 21, 1421 between German and Hungarian troops of the Holy Roman Empire and the Hussites, a group of early Protestants founded in what is now the Czech Republic.

Background

In 1419, Pope Martin V declared a crusade against the Hussites. one branch of the Hussites, knwon as the Taborites, formed a religious-military community at Tabor. Under the leadership of the skilled general Jan Zizka, the Taborites adopted the latest availale weaponry, including handguns and long, thin cannons, nicknamed "snakes". their adoption of war wgons gave them the ability to fight a flexible and mobile style of warfare.

The Battle

At Kutna Hora in the early winter of 1421, the Taborites were encircled by the superior forces of the Holy Roman Empire under King Sigismund. Even though Sigismund's elite heavy cavalry was kept at bay by Zizka's artillery, the Taborites apparently faced imminent destruction. However, on December 21, Zizka grouped the war wagons into a column and charged the enemy lines. The battle wagons advanced rapidly, with all guns blazing. The column smashed a hole through Sigismund's line, allowing the Tabortes to escape the encirclement. Sigismund decided against mounting a pursuit of the Hussites, for he believed that they had been utterly defeated. He was quite incorrect.

Aftermath

Zizka, throughout the rest of December, launched numerous counteroffensives and raids on the Germans' lines. His nomal tactic was to mount raids that would draw his opponent into attacking his wagon fort, then, at the right moment, sortie out of the fort with his cavalry, bowmen, and pikemen to ravage the enemy forces. His maneuvers were quite successful. By the end of the month, Sigismund's demoralized army, constantly harried by Zizka's seemingly invincible soldiers, fled Bohemia.

References

url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/matthaywood/main/Hussite_Battles_and_Significant_events.htm|title=Hussite Battles and significant events]