Talk:Jan Žižka

Untitled

Most of this article is only average history. I just deleted a paragraph that was very nearly pure myth. If I had time, I would rewrite the article. As it is, I really don't. However, I wrote a fairly long high school research paper on the Hussites which can be found at http://www.allempires.com/article/index.php?q=hussite_effects - I hope some people will use it in this and related articles. 141.157.99.25 01:29, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

You should correct your view that hussites were defeated on the White Mountain in 1620. There were no hussites; the army hired by Czech nobles consisted often of foreign mercenaries, who fled soon after the battle started. 82.100.61.114 07:16, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

What is the baffling sentence "The Germans had just started korning gunpowder" supposed to mean? Deipnosophista 18:30, 22 July 2007 (UTC)

That's a misspelling of "corning," meaning forming into grains. I'll fix that now. You want baffling, how about "Legal records from 1378 mention Jan Žižka z Trocnova, hinting that if the nick-name žižka meant one-eye, early chronologer Aeneus Sylvius Piccolomini, Pius II was correct in stating the loss of the eye was the result of a childhood fight." I'd fix that, but I don't know what Pius II has to do with it, if anything. My guess is that "Legal records from 1378 mention Jan Žižka z Trocnova, hinting that if the nick-name žižka meant one-eye, early chronologer Aeneus Sylvius Piccolomini was correct in stating the loss of the eye was the result of a childhood fight." is what was intended.Milkbreath 18:46, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Eye

There is written "Reportedly, he lost one eye in a skirmish during the Battle of Grunwald (July 15, 1410), earning him the nickname "John the One-Eyed"". In cs:Jan Žižka is written that he lost left eye in childhood. The same information is (in Czech) on Hussite, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University in Brno or Prague Information Service. There is also no evidence if Žižka really took part in Battle of Grunwald. --Luděk 12:58, 12 November 2006 (UTC)

Frederick Heymann wrote that the early historian Aeneas Sylvius twice mentioned Žižka's first loss of an eye took place as part of a childhood fight.(page 18) We have no reports of which eye he lost. Heymann also has written evidence that Žižka fought under the Czech general Sokol in 1410, but took part in the defense of Radzyń.(page 31)Source: Frederick G. Heymann, John Žižka and the Hussite Revolution, (Princeton, NJ:Princeton University Press, 1955) Another point that must be added is Žižka's revolutionary use of the hand gun and small cannon. By combining the hand guns pištala with the Wagonburg, Žižka devised an exceptional platform from which to shoot, while keeping the gunners protected from the charging knights. Sappers loaded handguns from inside the protective enclosure of the wagonburg and passed the loaded weapon to the gunners in the wagon. From the elevation of the wagon, the fighters looked down on the knights, and assailed them with guns, arrows, military flails, pikes, hooks, and sometimes even rocks. The wagons were not used like our modern tanks. Instead, Žižka used them like a portable fort. Because he knew the landscape well, Žižka could get to any location in the Czech lands within three days. There he unfailingly found the best location for defense, and the well-trained wagoneers could have the wagonburg set up in a very short time. Misha Griffith 22:01, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

According to the investigation of the "Caslavska kalva" (remains of the supposed Zizka's skull), he lost a left eye during his childhood due to a serious wounding. He may not have been completely blind after the loss of his second eye in 1421. 82.100.61.114 07:19, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

I do not consider Aeneas Sylvius to be a reliable source on the Hussites. The myths he began (Zizka's drum, Hussites worshipping Zizka) give severe doubt to any of the facts that are uncorroborated by any other sources. In short, he was biased, and losing an eye in a childhood fight would certainly present a less glorious view of Zizka than losing it fighting the Germans. It would also save some face for the Germans. Anyway. 70.22.81.172 02:29, 27 January 2007 (UTC)

As a natural czech speaker, and verified with other czech speakers, I must correct the erroneouse line about "Žižka" meaning "one-eyed". Žižka was his last name. He did have the nickname one-eyed, but it was added in directly as such. ("One-Eyed Žižka") I have taken to liberty of modifying that particular line. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.189.244.45 (talk) 03:36, 29 December 2010 (UTC)

It is not enough to be native Czech speaker, you should be native medieval Czech speaker to be sure (and it also isn't enough). There are a few hypothesis about origin of the name (one-eyed is one), but none of them is sure. 90.176.144.62 (talk) 18:51, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

Zizka at the Defenestration?

In 1419 at the First Defenestration of Prague, Žižka headed those who threw the town councillors from the windows of the town hall.

I am not sure this is correct. It contradicts the article on the Defenestrations of Prague, which states that a Hussite priest named Jan Zelivsky (not Jan Zizka) headed the defenestation. A quick Google search on both names seems to back this up ... While Zizka became famous as a general in the Hussite war that followed, I don't think he was involved in the Defenestration itself. If no one minds, I will amend the paragraph. Blueboar 18:11, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

This site does a good job of deliniating the difference between the two Jans... Based on this I will make the amendation. Blueboar 18:23, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

Wagons

When you said circled like Pioneers of the Old West, I just wanted to say there is no historical record of that ever happening —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jasonsteelesarmy (talk • contribs) 01:51, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

largest horse statue in the world

"The statue has Žižka sitting on the largest horse statue in the world. It is 9 meters or greater than 27 feet tall."

This one, in Cerro Artigas, Minas, Uruguay, is said to be 10 m tall, plus the base Monumento a Artigas — Preceding unsigned comment added by Yamaplos (talk • contribs) 07:18, 14 June 2011 (UTC)

Adamites line not NPOV

"Žižka summarily suppressed some disturbances on the part of a fanatical sect called the Adamites."

Accurate as to "summarily suppressed". The record indicates that Žižka's troops slayed every man, woman and child in Adamite communities they came across, which appears was also a practice of the Adamites toward other villages. The Adamites were a threat ("disturbances") mostly in the sense that their customs and theology were different - their military action apparently rather similar. Calling them "fanatic" is the kettle calling the pot black... Everybody was very much a fanatic in those days. yamaplos 07:33, 14 June 2011 (UTC)

Anti-Hussite Crusade

Not sure why its termed 'Anti-Hussite' here. Seems lacking in general perspective. I've never heard the Hussite wars, as a collective of events, referred to as the 'Anti'-Hussite Crusade. Crusades against Catholic heretics had a precedence of being named after the intended target or location such as the Cathar Crusade (Albigensian Crusade). I'm assuming adding anti is an open attempt to emphasis how strongly the church criticized and opposed the Bohemians but I truly don't understand the purpose it serves when we already understand and it is implied that receiving a crusade meant natural animosity with the church. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.163.141.47 (talk) 09:18, 2 December 2012 (UTC)

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Superlatives and weasel wording

"Žižka is held to be one of the most renowned military leaders by many historians ..."

"Žižka is considered to be among the greatest military leaders and innovators of all time."

"... some have considered him to be the greatest general in history."

While he revolutionarized warfare, these are incredible claims. One of the most renowned and greatest military leaders and innovators of all time as well as the greatest general of all time? It seems undue. Prinsgezinde (talk) 23:44, 8 February 2019 (UTC)

Please use translators

This was clearly written by a Czech. Please just write in Czech, and use translators, and then edit it, if need be, rather than trying to write in English. At least translators don't forget basic articles. Gosh 2A00:1028:83AA:33A6:CD5C:789E:EF68:F28D (talk) 16:48, 4 November 2023 (UTC)