History of Valkyria Chronicles the Great War

Christian Denomination (Moravian/Hussite)

Before the rise of this new movements, the Christian world was dominated by two great churches: the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. However, the 15th century witnessed the emergence of reformist movements that would forever alter the landscape of Christianity.

In 1408, at the University of Prague, the theologian Jan Hus began teaching a class that challenged the recent corruptions within the Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences and moral decay. Drawing inspiration from John Wycliffe, Hus called for a return to the original teachings of the Bible and a purification of the Church. He vehemently opposed the practice of proselytizing pagan gods and heroes into Christian saints and angels, arguing that this syncretism led to idolatry and contradicted core Christian teachings.

Hus's bold assertions resonated with the Czech people, who were increasingly disillusioned with the excesses of the Catholic Church. His followers, known as Hussites, rallied around his call for reform. In 1412, Hus openly condemned the Pope and the archbishops in Prague, accusing them of leading the Church astray. This defiance led to his excommunication and eventual arrest. In 1415, Hus was tried for heresy at the Council of Constance and burned at the stake, becoming a martyr for his followers.

Hus's execution sparked outrage in Bohemia, leading to the Hussite Wars, a series of conflicts between the Hussites and Catholic forces. The Hussites, driven by Hus's teachings, fought to defend their beliefs and resist Catholic domination. However, the movement was not united, splitting into two main camps after Hus's death.

One camp, led by Hus's successor in religious beliefs, the Czech priest Jan Želivský, formed the moderate Utraquists (Utrakvisté in Czech). The Utraquists sought to reform the Church from within and emphasized communion under both kinds (bread and wine) for the laity. They aimed for a more inclusive and egalitarian approach to the Eucharist, maintaining many traditional Catholic practices while advocating for significant reforms.

The other camp was led by the radical military genius Jan Žižka, who formed the Táborité, named after their hometown of Tábor. The Táborité advocated for a more radical break from the Catholic Church, rejecting many of its sacraments and rituals and seeking a complete overhaul of the religious and social order. They established a communal society in Tábor, emphasizing egalitarianism and strict adherence to their interpretation of Christian teachings.

However, during the Hussite wars, the factions, once united against the Catholic world began to fracture... After Žižka died of the plague in 1424 and Želivský was executed in 1422, the Hussite movement splintered further. Their successors, Prokop Holý Veliký for the Táborité and Diviš Bořek of Miletínek for the Utrakvisté became fierce rivals. Prokop wished to carry on his radical revolution but Bořek believed enough was achieved with the reforms already implemented and sought to establish a stable and peaceful coexistence with the Catholic Church. This internal strife weakened the Hussite movement, making it difficult to present a united front against external pressures. And in 1434, the movements broke out into their largest civil war yet. Having begun negotiations with the Catholic Emperor, Sigismund I, Bořek's Utrakvisté got aid from the Holy Roman Empire against the radical Táborité, leading to the pivotal Battle of Lipany in 1434. The Utrakvisté, with the support of Catholic forces, decisively defeated the Táborité, effectively ending the Hussite Wars for good. At the council of Basel in 1436, the Czechs would implement their 4 articles of Prague as the Compacts of Basel, officially recognizing the Utrakvisté creed as the Church of Bohemia. This marked the first major schism within the Catholic Church since 1054, a huge blow to the unity of Christendom. But for the Bohemians, they had achieved great success, their new church, the Moravian Church of Bohemia or the Hussite Church, was officially recognized and would play a significant role in shaping the religious and cultural landscape of Central Europe.