You may be familiar with the old carol "Good King Wenceslas," especially since we've just finished the Christmas holiday. The song depicts the generosity of the Bohemian king, who chooses to brave the snow in order to give alms to a beggar. What you may not already know, however, is that King Wenceslas played an integral part in the Reformation.
After the death of Wycliffe (the "morningstar" who had translated the Bible into common English), Gregory XII and Benedict XIII claimed the papacy for themselves at the same time, and King Wenceslas ordered that Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) would remain neutral in the matter. This coupled with the King's support of ideological outsiders meant that Prague was effectively a "safe zone" for Jan Hus, a young clergyman inspired by Wycliffe's teachings. Hus had followed in Wycliffe's steps, preaching and translating Scripture into the vernacular. When Alexander V finally emerged as pope in 1409, he ordered that Wycliffe's book be burned and Jan Hus excommunicated. Still, Wenceslas continued to support Hus, allowing him to teach safely--even though it meant attracting the wrath of the Church in Rome. Eventually, Wenceslas and his brother Sigismund arranged for a civilized debate that would take place in Konstanz, Germany. Although it was agreed that Hus would be safe to appear, his enemies captured him and he was eventually put to death for heresy.
The Bohemian people were horrified, and withdrew even further from the Roman Church, who then announced a crusade against them (called the "Hussite Wars"). It failed miserably, as did two more crusades that followed, and the nation began to follow Hus's (and Wycliffe's) teachings almost exclusively. In only 1999, Pope John Paul II apologized for the church's role in Hus's death (ncronline.org).
For more on Wycliffe, Hus, and their impact on Martin Luther, the central figure of the Reformation, poke around PBS's site here.
After the death of Wycliffe (the "morningstar" who had translated the Bible into common English), Gregory XII and Benedict XIII claimed the papacy for themselves at the same time, and King Wenceslas ordered that Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) would remain neutral in the matter. This coupled with the King's support of ideological outsiders meant that Prague was effectively a "safe zone" for Jan Hus, a young clergyman inspired by Wycliffe's teachings. Hus had followed in Wycliffe's steps, preaching and translating Scripture into the vernacular. When Alexander V finally emerged as pope in 1409, he ordered that Wycliffe's book be burned and Jan Hus excommunicated. Still, Wenceslas continued to support Hus, allowing him to teach safely--even though it meant attracting the wrath of the Church in Rome. Eventually, Wenceslas and his brother Sigismund arranged for a civilized debate that would take place in Konstanz, Germany. Although it was agreed that Hus would be safe to appear, his enemies captured him and he was eventually put to death for heresy.
The Bohemian people were horrified, and withdrew even further from the Roman Church, who then announced a crusade against them (called the "Hussite Wars"). It failed miserably, as did two more crusades that followed, and the nation began to follow Hus's (and Wycliffe's) teachings almost exclusively. In only 1999, Pope John Paul II apologized for the church's role in Hus's death (ncronline.org).
For more on Wycliffe, Hus, and their impact on Martin Luther, the central figure of the Reformation, poke around PBS's site here.
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