Who was Jan Hus?
Q: Who was Jan Hus?
A: Jan Hus was a Bohemian religious thinker and reformer who started a religious movement that was heavily influenced by the beliefs of British scholar, John Wycliffe.
Q: Where was Jan Hus born?
A: Jan Hus was born in Husinec, Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic.
Q: Where did Hus study?
A: Hus studied at the University of Prague.
Q: What was Hus’ position in the church?
A: Hus became a Catholic priest in about 1400 and was soon accepted a position of preaching in Czech, the language spoken in Bohemia.
Q: What did Hus think of John Wycliffe’s writings?
A: Hus studied Wycliffe’s writings and came to like them, especially because of how authentic and real they were.
Q: What happened to Hus when he asked the church to undo the ban on Wycliffe’s writings?
A: In 1403, Hus asked the church to undo the ban on Wycliffe's writings and translated them into Czech. The church, led by Archbishop Zbynek Zajíc, had different beliefs. In 1410, Zajíc ordered that Hus’ writings be burned and Hus and his followers, the Hussites, be forced out of the church. Hus was excommunicated in 1411, condemned by the Council of Constance, and burned at the stake on 6 July 1415, in Konstanz, Germany.
Q: What happened to Hus’ followers after he was killed?
A: When Hus was killed, his followers revolted and fought against the Catholics until they were defeated in 1431.
