Pivovar Klaster

Pivovar Klášter: A Historic Czech Brewery Rooted in Monastic Tradition The Czech Republic is globally renowned for its rich brewing heritage, often considered one of the finest in the world. Among the many breweries that have shaped this legacy, Pivovar Klášter holds a unique and fascinating place. Situated in the village of Klášter Hradiště nad Jizerou near Mladá Boleslav, this brewery combines centuries-old tradition, aristocratic influence, and modern brewing evolution. Its story reflects not only the history of beer production in Bohemia but also the broader cultural and political transformations of Central Europe. Origins in a Medieval Monastery The roots of Pivovar Klášter go back to the Cistercian monastery of Hradiště, founded in the second half of the 12th century, likely around 1177. This monastery was once one of the most significant religious institutions in Central Europe, reflecting the influence of monastic orders not only in spiritual matters but also in agriculture, craftsmanship, and brewing (https://beertourist.cz/czech-breweries/introducing-czech-breweries-part-18-pivovar-klaster/)

The history of Pivovar Klášter is closely intertwined with the political and noble dynamics of Bohemia. In 1612, the estate was purchased by Václav Budovec of Budov, a nobleman involved in the Bohemian Revolt against the Habsburg monarchy. His execution in 1621 following the defeat of the revolt led to the confiscation of his property.

The estate, including the brewery, was subsequently acquired by Albrecht von Wallenstein, one of the most powerful military leaders of the Thirty Years’ War. Under Wallenstein and his descendants, the brewery remained part of aristocratic holdings for centuries.

This long period of noble ownership provided stability and resources for development. Brewing gradually became more organized, and production expanded to serve not only the local population but also surrounding regions. ... The true transformation of Pivovar Klášter into a modern brewery occurred in the 19th century, a period marked by industrialization and technological advancement across Europe. In 1864, the Wallenstein family commissioned the construction of a new, state-of-the-art brewery facility, making it one of the most advanced breweries of its time.

This modernization allowed for increased production capacity, improved consistency, and better quality control. However, progress was not without setbacks. Just five years later, in 1869, a major fire severely damaged the brewery. Despite this, the brewery was rebuilt and continued to expand.

(https://beertourist.cz/czech-breweries/introducing-czech-breweries-part-18-pivovar-klaster/)

The brewery’s location adds to its unique character. It stands on the site of the former monastery, and while much of the original structure has not survived, a Gothic gate remains, serving as a visible reminder of the site’s medieval origins.

The combination of monastic heritage and industrial architecture makes Pivovar Klášter an important cultural landmark. It embodies the transition from medieval religious life to modern industry, illustrating how traditions evolve while retaining their roots. (https://beertourist.cz/czech-breweries/introducing-czech-breweries-part-18-pivovar-klaster/)

By the late 19th century, Pivovar Klášter had become one of the seven largest breweries in the Czech lands, demonstrating its importance within the national brewing industry.

Brewing Tradition and Beer Styles

Pivovar Klášter became known for producing traditional Czech lagers, particularly pale lagers that reflect the country’s brewing identity. Czech beer is characterized by its balance, drinkability, and use of high-quality ingredients such as Saaz hops, Moravian malt, and soft water.

One of the brewery’s flagship products, Klášter Premium, exemplifies these qualities. It is described as a classic Czech-style beer with a harmonious taste, noticeable bitterness, and rich creamy foam. The beer is traditionally not pasteurized, allowing it to retain the authentic flavor reminiscent of the historic rock cellars where it was once stored.

Tasting notes from international beer reviewers highlight the complexity of Klášter beers. Aromas often include bready malt sweetness, subtle citrus notes, and gentle hop bitterness, while the flavor profile combines smooth maltiness with a pronounced yet balanced bitterness.

In addition to pale lagers, the brewery has produced:

Dark lagers (tmavé), known for their caramel and roasted flavors

Special stronger lagers (ležák and speciál beers)

Seasonal beers, including winter brews

This range reflects the diversity of Czech brewing traditions, where even small variations in strength and fermentation create distinct styles. (https://beertourist.cz/czech-breweries/introducing-czech-breweries-part-18-pivovar-klaster/)

The first written mention of Hradiště is from 1279. It was founded by monks from the nearby Cistercian monastery in Klášter Hradiště nad Jizerou. The monastery owned the town until 1420, when both the monastery and the town were burned down by the Orebites. After the Hussite Wars, properties of the monastery were divided among various noble families. Since then, the owners of Hradiště have often changed. The owners included Jan Čapek of Sány, Mikuláš Berka of Dubá, Old Town of Prague and Jan of Vartenberk.[3]

From the end of the 16th century, the town was owned by the Budovec of Budov family. Václav Budovec of Budov was executed in 1621. After his death, the Hradiště estate was acquired by Albrecht von Wallenstein, who soon gave it to his relative Maxmilián of Waldstein. At the end of the 17th century, Hradiště became the centre of an extensive estate. In the 18th century, the town developed rapidly. New houses and representative buildings were built, culture and education were supported and a Jewish community was established. The Waldstein family owned the estate until 1945.[3] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnichovo_Hradi%C5%A1t%C4%9B)

Het belangrijkste herkenningspunt van het dorp – de brouwerij – wordt in Klášter al sinds 1570 herdacht. In 1833-1836 werd een nieuwe brouwerij gebouwd op de plek van de huidige mouterij.

In 1864 verhuisde de brouwerij naar de westvleugel van het kasteel en na de kasteelbrand in 1869 naar het gehele voormalige kasteel. In die jaren waren de staatskantoren al van Klášter naar Mnichovo Hradiště verplaatst en bleef het kloosterkasteel de zetel van de particuliere kantoren van de familie Wallenstein. (https://www.klasterhradistenj.cz/o-obci/historie/)

Like many Czech breweries, Pivovar Klášter underwent significant changes during the 20th century. The end of World War II in 1945 brought the confiscation of aristocratic properties, including those owned by the Wallenstein family.

Under the communist regime, the brewery became part of the state-controlled brewing industry. This period was characterized by centralization, standardized production, and limited innovation. While beer remained an essential part of Czech culture, individual brewery identities were often diminished.

Despite these challenges, Pivovar Klášter continued to produce beer and maintain its regional presence.

...

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the Czech brewing industry underwent privatization and restructuring. Pivovar Klášter eventually became part of the Lobkowicz Group, a major brewing company that managed several regional breweries.

During this time, efforts were made to modernize production, improve branding, and expand distribution. The brewery’s traditional recipes were preserved, but new marketing strategies aimed to compete in both domestic and international markets.

However, the increasing consolidation of the beer industry and competition from both global brands and emerging craft breweries posed challenges. In 2020, discussions emerged about the closure of production at Pivovar Klášter, marking a significant moment in its long history. (https://beertourist.cz/czech-breweries/introducing-czech-breweries-part-18-pivovar-klaster/)

De brouwerij leek gesloten.  Dus heb ik vooral foto's van eromheen. En een aantal foto's van vlakbij de brouwerij.

Een informatiebord over een slag op 28 juni 1866 bij Hradiste.

The Battle of Münchengrätz (German: Schlacht bei Münchengrätz) or Battle of Mnichovo Hradiště (Czech: Bitva u Mnichova Hradiště) was fought near Mnichovo Hradiště, modern day Czech Republic, on 28 June 1866 during the Austro-Prussian War. It ended in a Prussian victory over the Austrian Empire.`(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_M%C3%BCnchengr%C3%A4tz)

The battle of Müchengrätz (28 June 1866) was a missed chance for the Prussians to isolate and destroy the western part of the Austrian army on the River Iser (Austro-Prussian War). (https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_muchengratz.html)

(https://battlefieldanomalies.com/category-austro-prussian-war-1866campaign/the-battle-of-munchengratz/)

The most important campaign of the war was the Prussian invasion of Bohemia, which resulted in the crushing Prussian victory at Königgrätz on 3 July 1866. Although the fighting continued for another two weeks, the outcome of the war wasn't really in doubt. The defeated Austrian army retreated east then south, but the most direct route to Vienna was cut after the Prussian victory at Tobitschau on 16 July. The two armies then moved south on opposite sides of the Carpathian Mountains, and the Prussians only just beat the Austrians to the Danube, winning one more victory at Blumenau (22 July 1866), on the approaches to Pressburg, on the same day that the first armistice came into effect.

 (https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/treaty_prague.html)

The Austro-Prussian or Seven Weeks War of 1866 was the second of three wars that led to German unification under the leadership of Prussia. The Prussians easily defeated their Austrian and German enemies, and became the dominant power in Northern Germany, while Austrian had to abandon her remaining influence in the rest of Germany. ... The main issue during the War of 1866 was the status of Prussia. The Prussians wanted to be recognised as Austria's equal (especially after Otto von Bismarck became Minister-President), with command of the German forces in the north. The Austrians were unwilling to make that concession.

The short-term cause of the war was the aftermath of the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1864. The Schleswig-Holstein Problem was a long-standing dispute over the status of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. For several centuries the two duchies had been linked under a single duke, who was also the King of Denmark. Schleswig had a mixed Danish-German population, with more Danes in the north, while Holstein was mainly German. Holstein was also part of the German Confederation, but Schleswig was not. However Schleswig was not part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but was a separate possession of the King. In 1848 a pro-German revolt broke out in the Duchies. The Duke of Augustenburg was selected as the ruler of this new state, and Prussia contributed some soldiers to its defence. However most of the other European powers united to force the Germans to withdraw from the Duchies, and the duchies were restored to the King of Denmark. Sweden sent troops, Britain threatened to take naval action against Prussia and Russian threatened to intervene.

In the aftermath of the failed revolt public opinion hardened in Denmark and in Germany. In Denmark the 'Eider Danes', who wanted to absorb Schleswig into the Kingdom, making the River Eider its southern boundary, gained influence. In Germany nationalists wanted to overturn the humiliations of 1848-50. The Danes continued to believe that they had international support, but they failed to realise that the Crimean War (1853-56) had reduced the chances of any cooperation between the British and Russians. The Danish government's actions were largely based on the assumption that they would have French and British support. In 1863 a new constitution was adopted. Schleswig and Denmark was be ruled by a shared parliament, while Holstein would get its own separate constitution, but would lose any influence over events in Denmark and Schleswig. This was a breach of the treaty of London that had ended the revolt of 1848-50, and also a clear breach of the union of Schleswig and Holstein. It led to outrage in Germany (and in Holstein and the German parts of Schleswig). This new constitution was developed in the last months of the reign of Frederick VII, but was signed into law in November 1863 by his successor Christian IX.

The constitution had been announced in March 1863. In July the Federal Diet demanded that the Danes abandon their plans, and threatened to invade if their demands weren't met. In October the Diet voted to put their threat into operation, with Saxony and Hanover to provide the initial troops, supported if needed by Austria and Prussia. During this period Bismarck had put some effort into avoiding war, but at the start of 1864 he found a way to overturn the results of 1848-50 without triggering a European alliance against Prussia. In January 1864 Prussia and Austria signed an alliance in which they agreed to cooperate to overthrow the new Danish constitution, officially in order to defend the terms of the Treaty of London. By this point the German Federal Troops had already occupied Holstein, marching in on 24 December 1863.

...

The Austrians and Prussians invaded Schleswig on 1 February 1864. Most of Schleswig was quickly overrun, although the Danes held on to the fortress of Dybböl on the east coast. The other Great Powers didn't intervene, although they did object when the Prussians and Austrians reached the Danish border. A brief armistice was agreed, and a peace conference met in London on 25 April. The peace conference failed and the Allies invaded Danish Jutland. The Danes sued for peace, and at the start of August they gave up control of the Duchies.

The Austro-Prussian Treaty didn't include an agreement on the post-war status of the duchies. The Danes surrendered them into joint Austro-Prussian Custody, which didn't resolve the situation. In late August the two German powers held a conference at the Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna. The Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Prussian King Wilhelm I of Prussia and their leading ministers were present. Each had their own ideas - Bismarck put forward a Prussian claim to both duchies and in return the Austrian chief minister wanted the Prussians to guarantee Austrian control of Venetia and agree to help re-conquer Lombardy if a war broke out with Italy. Bismarck was willing to agree to this, but the ministers hadn't taken their royal masters into account. Franz Joseph would only agree to give Prussia Schleswig and Holstein if Austria received some Prussian territory elsewhere, and Wilhelm was unwilling to give up any. More creditably Wilhelm I pointed out that he had no claim to the Duchies, and instead asked for Austrian recognition of Prussian military supremacy in northern Germany.  The conference broke down in failure, and the two powers only agreed to share custody of the duchies until they could come up with a more permanent solution. At this stage Bismarck was still expected a peaceful solution to be forced on the Austrians by problems elsewhere around the edges of their Empire, but events moved faster than he had expected. ... The pro-Prussian ministers in Vienna lost power in 1865, after Prussia went back on a promise to include Austria within the German Zollverein, or free trade area. Both powers then attempted to woe the Duke of Augustenburg, the claimant of 1848. Bismarck was willing to accept him as Duke as long as Prussia controlled the local military, and the duke was unwilling to accept these terms. The Austrians also courted the Duke, and soon after the breakdown of his negotiations with the Prussians voted in favour of his claim in the Diet at Frankfurt. A solution appeared to have been found in the summer of 1865. Prussian attempts to form an alliance with the new Kingdom of Italy worried the Austrians and on 14 August 1865 the two sides signed the Treaty of Gastein. Schleswig was to be administered by the Prussians and Holstein by the Austrians. Augustenburg wasn't mentioned in this treaty, but the Austrians soon reverted to supporting his claims, a move that annoyed Wilhelm I.

While this was going on Bismarck was also attempting to make sure that the French would remain neutral in any conflict between Austrian and Prussia.  He managed to arrange this at a meeting with Napoleon III at Biarritz. Napoleon III also helped convince the Italians to side with the Prussians, and on 8 April 1866 Prussia and Italy signed a three-month offensive and defensive military alliance. In return Bismarck agreed to continue the war until the Italians had Venetia.

This treaty ended any real chance of avoiding war between Austria and Prussia. In May 1866 Bismarck attempted to find a peaceful solution once again, asking for Prussian control of the German armies north of the Main. At last the Austrians agreed to this demand, but only if Prussia would guarantee their possession of Venetia. Bismarck was now trapped by his treaty with Italy and his agreement with Napoleon III and couldn't agree to this. The Austrians then offered to surrender Venetia to Italy in return for Italian neutrality, and this time it was the Italians who were trapped. Finally the Austrians attempted to win Napoleon III over by offering to surrender Venetia to him after they had fought the Prussians, in return for French neutrality in that war.

At this point the railways made their first major contribution to European warfare. The increased speed of movement allowed by the railways meant that a mobilised army could move onto the offensive much more quickly than in the past. In the past there was a buffer granted by the time it would take for the mobilised army to march from its depots to the relevant border. In 1866, just as in 1914 the order to mobilize was almost a declaration of war.

On this occasion mobilization started slowly. Early in 1866 the Prussians called up the Prussian Landwher. The Austrians responded on 2 March by calling up six cavalry regiments and six gun batteries, then on 6 March by moving ten infantry battalions and thirty cavalry squadrons into Bohemia. This played into Bismarck's hands, allowing him to portray the Austrians as the aggressors, and helped convince the Prussian General Staff that they needed to mobilise quickly. On 24 March Bismarck asked the German Confederation if Prussia could rely on their help against any Austrian aggression. On 28 March the Prussian Ministerial Council called up 11,000 infantry and posted them in southern Silesia, facing the Austrians in Bohemia. While the Austrian high command continued to delay taking more measures, the Prussian military (and King William) became increasingly worried about the risk of the Austrians getting a head start and in particular of them attacking Berlin. On 21 April the Austrians made their next move, mobilizing the army of the South in response to false rumours from Italy. Finally on 27 April the Austrians ordered full mobilisation. On 3 May the Prussians mobilised the five Corps nearest to Austria.

Between then and the outbreak of war a number of efforts were made to maintain the peace, including one by Napoleon III and one by the Gablenz brothers (one was the Austrian governor of Holstein and the other was a Prussian citizen so they had a foot in both camps). The Gablenz plan came closest to success, but after five weeks of negotiations nothing came of it. At the same time Austrian diplomats managed to win over most of the other German states, who also mobilised, although at first without specifying who they were acting against.

The final trigger for war was once again Schleswig-Holstein. On 1 June the Austrians put the Schleswig-Holstein question to the German Diet, breaking the Treaty of Gastein. On 3 July the Prussians protested about this breach of the treaty, but in reality Bismarck was greatly relieved by the Austrian move, which allowed him to portray them as the aggressors. 

...

Three separate battles were fought on 28 June, two in the east and one in the west.

In the west Prince Frederick Charles intended to trap the Austrians and Saxons at Münchengrätz. The Army of the Elbe was to attack from the west, and the 1st Army was to join in once the Austrians were fully engaged. The aim was for the 1st Army to hit the right-rear of the Austrians as they faced west to deal with the Army of the Elbe. The resulting battle of Münchengrätz was a disappointment for the Prussians. Crown Prince Albert had ordered his men to begin to retreat east early on 28 June and by the time the Prussians attacked the retreat was well underway. A series of rearguard actions were fought around the town, in which the Austrians lost 2,000 men, including 1,390 prisoners, and the Prussians only 341, but the main Austrian and Saxon forces had escaped.

...

Peace negotiations began soon after the Prussian victory at Königgrätz. Bismarck's demands were impressively moderate - he wanted Austria to be excluded from all German affairs and the formation of a new Prussian-led North German Confederation. As the peace talks went on he changed his mind about the fate of the defeated northern German states, and decided to annex Schleswig-Holstein, Hanover, Hesse, Nassau and Frankfurt. He made no territorial demands of Austrian on Prussia's behalf, but did insist that Venetia should go to the Italians, despite their defeat in battle. The states south of the River Main would remain independent, and would be free to form a South German Confederation if they wished.

Franz Joseph offered little resistance to these demands. 

...

The war was formally ended by the Peace of Prague of 23 August 1866. (https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_austro_prussian.html)

Maar dat was niet de enige oorlog die er werd gevochten....

Er zijn ook andere gedenktekens te vinden. Zoals voor de oorlogen van 1914 - 1918 en 1939 - 1945 en de slag op 30 april 1420 tijdens de kruistocht van Sigismund van Luxemburg.

Sigismund van Luxemburg (ook Sigismund van Hongarije) (Neurenberg, 15 februari 1368 — Znojmo (Moravië), 9 december 1437) was de derde zoon van keizer Karel IV en jongere halfbroer van rooms-koning Wenceslaus, heersers uit het Huis Luxemburg.... In 1400 werd zijn broer Wenceslaus afgezet als rooms-koning en vervangen door Ruprecht van de Palts uit het Huis Wittelsbach. In 1408 richtte hij de Orde van de Draak op. In 1410 stierf Ruprecht en in 1411 stierf Jobst. In overeenstemming met zijn broer werd hij koning van Duitsland en opnieuw keurvorst van Brandenburg (1411-1415). In 1415 schonk hij het gebied aan Frederik I, burggraaf van Neurenberg, voor zijn bewezen diensten. Dit was het begin van de 400 jaar durende heerschappij van het Huis Hohenzollern over het gebied.... De memorabelste periode uit zijn leven was het Concilie van Konstanz (1414-1418). Na het Concilie van Pisa (1409) waren er drie pausen. Met dit nieuwe concilie probeerde hij het kluwen van het Westers Schisma te ontwarren, wat hem lukte. Maar naast deze pausenkwestie was er ook het proces tegen de Tsjechische godsdiensthervormer Johannes Hus, die hij een vrijgeleide had gegeven om zijn leerstellingen te komen verdedigen. Hus werd echter gevangengenomen en als ketter tot de brandstapel veroordeeld.... Sigismund volgde in 1419 zijn oudere halfbroer Wenceslaus IV op als koning van Bohemen. De hussitische Bohemers weigerden Sigismund hierom als koning te erkennen en hij riep een kruistocht tegen hen uit. Deze werd echter al gauw tot een guerrillaoorlog, die tot 1434 zou duren. Pas in 1437, een jaar voor zijn dood, werd hij door de belangrijkste Bohemers als koning erkend.

In 1431 werd hij koning van Italië en twee jaar later werd hij tot keizer van het Heilige Roomse Rijk gekroond. (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keizer_Sigismund)

De hussieten waren een verzameling van protestantse groeperingen die zich lieten inspireren door de theoloog Johannes Hus. De belangrijkste hussitische fracties waren die van de gematigde calixtijnen (later ook utraquisten) en de radicale taborieten. De hussieten streefden zowel religieuze als maatschappelijke hervormingen na.

...

De hervormingsbeweging liep vooruit op de latere reformatie en stond aan de wieg van het Tsjechische nationale bewustzijn. De geloofsstrijd was tegelijk ook een cultuurstrijd. De meeste steden van Bohemen en Moravië hadden sinds hun oprichting en de erkenning van autonome stadsrechten een Duitstalig patriciaat gekregen. Dit werd gesteund door de stedelijke middenklasse, afkomstig uit de omringende provincies van het Duitse Rijk, tegenover het proletariaat dat uit de omgeving afkomstig was en Tsjechisch sprak. Nu de hussieten met geweld de macht aan zich trokken, werden de stadsregeringen verjaagd en de raadsleden vervangen, terwijl ook de macht van de gilden gebroken werd. Veel burgers vertrokken en degenen die bleven, pasten zich aan.

Langzaam versterkte het Duitse element zich weer maar in het algemeen heeft zich tussen 1420 een 1580 een Tsjechisch nationale burgerlijke cultuur gevestigd die de grondslag zou blijven van de Tsjechische natie. In de 17e en 18e eeuw zakte het Tsjechisch af naar de positie van plattelandstaal, maar in de grote nationale opleving in de 19e eeuw slaagde het er in de macht over te nemen van de Duitstaligen tegen de prijs van een in onverzoenlijkheid toenemende taalstrijd.

Tot die opleving hoorde ook de stichting van een nationale kerk, erfgenaam van de hussitische kerken, waar meer dan een half miljoen Tsjechen zich bij aansloten, die het rooms-katholicisme verlieten. De nationale kerk zou door het communistisch bewind na 1947 bevoordeeld worden, wat na 1990 op haar werd afgerekend.

....

Johannes Hus werd verschillende malen aangehouden en uiteindelijk door het Concilie van Konstanz (1414-1418) veroordeeld tot de brandstapel in 1415. De Tsjechen uit Bohemen en Moravië waarschuwden de keizer, Sigismund van Luxemburg, om dit vonnis niet uit te voeren. Deze weigerde gehoor te geven en voltrok het.

Toen het nieuws van zijn dood bekend werd, raakten de gemoederen oververhit. Er werd een hussitische liga gevormd, die gesteund werd door het volk en de lagere adel. Enkel de Boheemse koning Wenceslaus, die aanvankelijk zijn ongenoegen had geuit over de behandeling van Hus en wiens vrouw openlijk de kant koos van de hussieten, trad niet toe, maar koos de kant van de katholieke liga, aan de zijde van koning Sigismund van Luxemburg (tevens zijn broer) in 1418. Deze laatste overtuigde hem ervan dat een godsdienstoorlog onvermijdelijk was als hij de hussieten geen bescherming zou willen verlenen. Toen hij dat op de lange baan schoof, en kort daarop stierf (1419) radicaliseerden de hussieten en weldra namen zij de stedelijke besturen over.

Na de dood van Wenceslaus organiseerden zij eerst ongeregelde bendes die zich later aaneensloten tot goed georganiseerde legers, welke dan over Silezië en Saksen uitzwermden tot ver in het noorden van Duitsland en in Polen. Ca. 100 steden en 1500 dorpen werden leeggeroofd en verwoest. Met deze plundertochten mobiliseerden zij de opstandigen – plattelands en stedelijk proletariaat – die overal in Midden-Europa aanwezig waren. Het hussitisch machtsvertoon in de zogenaamde Hussitische Oorlogen intimideerde de feodale machten zodanig dat zij vrede sloten en de hussieten toestonden hun geloof in Bohemen vrij te belijden. Dit was de eerste definitieve breuk in het westerse (katholieke) christendom en onder het oppergezag van Rome.  (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussieten)

Met Hussitische Oorlogen, Hussietenoorlogen of Boheemse Oorlogen wordt een reeks van gebeurtenissen en veldslagen aangeduid die tussen 1419 en ongeveer 1434 plaatsvonden in en vanuit het gebied van het toenmalige koninkrijk Bohemen (tegenwoordig Tsjechië). In deze jaren voerden de Rooms-Duitse keizer en de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk militaire acties uit tegen de protestantse hussieten, vernoemd naar Johannes Hus. De meeste slagen werden gewonnen door de hussieten, die ook de meeste voordelen kregen na afloop van de Hussietische Oorlogen. De aanleiding was de Eerste Praagse Defenestratie in 1419.

(https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussietenoorlogen)

De Eerste Praagse Defenestratie is een gebeurtenis op 30 juli 1419, waarbij zeven leden van het stadsbestuur van de Praagse Nieuwe Stad gedood werden door hen uit het raam van het stadhuis te gooien (een defenestratie). Het was aanleiding tot de Hussitische Oorlogen. ... Het stadsbestuur had geweigerd om enkele Hussitische gevangenen vrij te laten en een anti-Hussiet gooide een steen naar een van de betogers. De menigte werd woedend en een aantal bestormde het stadhuis en gooide de aanwezige leden van het stadsbestuur uit het raam, op de speren van de wachtende menigte beneden.... De Eerste Defenestratie was een omslagpunt van woorden naar daden en was de directe aanleiding tot de Hussitische Oorlogen. Deze braken kort na deze gebeurtenis uit en duurden tot 1436. (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eerste_Praagse_Defenestratie)

(defenestreren betekent 'uit het raam werpen') (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweede_Praagse_Defenestratie)