Jan Čapek ze Sán

Jan Čapek ze Sán (German: Jan Čapek from Saan ; * before 1427, † after 1445) was a Bohemian leader of the Hussites .

Life

January Čapek came from a central Bohemia Vladikengeschlecht and was the owner of the free Good Saan in Old Czech Bunzlauer circle . He was a radical Hussite general of the orphans . After the partial replacement of Prokop Holý , he endeavored to take over his position during the siege of Pilsen . However, through his ruthlessness he deepened the internal power struggles between the moderate and the radical camp. After he left the Battle of Pilsen prematurely and also surrendered to the Emperor Sigismund , many of his followers considered him a traitor.

Campaigns

In 1427 he moved to Silesia with his army of orphans , but had to retreat defeated after the battle of Náchod .

From 1431 to 1434 he was the commander-in-chief of the field army of orphans and in the spring of 1431 moved initially together with the Taborites to Slovakia , where he was not very successful. While the Taborites withdrew, the orphans in southern Slovakia continued to fight. Here they made rich booty, but on their way back in November 1431, while crossing the Waag with their heavily loaded wagons, the Hungarians attacked and defeated them. Two thirds of the soldiers were killed.

In 1433 Jan Čapek led a very successful campaign against the Teutonic Knights Order together with the Poles and advanced as far as the Baltic Sea . A year later he fought against the moderate Hussites at the Battle of Lipan . Here, too, the orphans were beaten down badly. After that, Čapek left Bohemia and entered the service of the Polish king. It is last mentioned in 1445.

literature

• Jiří Kejř: Husité. Prague 1984
• Petr Čornej: Tajemství českých kronik. Prague 1987
• Petr Klučina: České země v době husitské. Prague 1994