We’re taking a planned break before diving into our episodes about Jan Žižka. So in the meantime, we wanted to introduce ourselves, share how we came up with the idea for this podcast, walk you through our process, and just have a casual chat about everything in between.

In this bonus episode, we dive into the roots and symbolism of defenestration, take a closer look at Čeněk of Wartenberg, and explore the growing unrest after Jan Hus's death. In the full version on Patreon, we discuss the protest letter, urban vs. rural beliefs, communion under both kinds, Jacob of Mies, and the final acts of the Council of Constance.

When you kill a man in order to destroy his ideas, you may find yourself achieving the exact opposite. Jan Hus may have burned at the stake in Constance, but his followers weren't about to give up. On the contrary – the great revolution was drawing ever closer.

In this episode, we follow the chaotic developments in the Kingdom of Bohemia in the wake of Hus’ death. Great warlords and noblemen pick their sides, King Sigismund plans his next bloody move, his brother Wenceslaus grows weaker by the day. And unnoticed by all the highborn politicians, a grassroots movement of the poor and the disenfranchised is preparing to strike…

We’re going to learn the meaning of the word “defenestration”. We’re going to witness several gruesome murders. And the war we’ve all been expecting? Well, it’s knocking on the door.

For better understanding of this episode, we highly recommend listening to Episodes 1, 2 and 3 where we talk not only about the person of Master Jan Hus, but also about many of the principal players on the political stage in Bohemia.

In this bonus episode, we dive deeper into the story of Jan Hus and his lasting legacy. We explore how this so-called heretic became a symbol of resistance and why his ideas continued to echo long after his death. We also look at how his execution helped ignite the Hussite Wars, one of the most radical and complex conflicts of 15th-century Bohemia.

Before Martin Luther, before the Reformation, there was Jan Hus—a Czech priest whose words would echo far beyond the pulpit of Bethlehem Chapel.In this episode, we follow Hus’s path from a young theology student to a charismatic preacher, deeply influenced by the writings of John Wycliffe and the growing unrest within the medieval Church. As Hus gained popularity, he also gained powerful enemies - church leaders, nobles, and even those close to King Wenceslaus, whose stance on reform was more than complicated.Forced to leave Prague, Hus believed he could defend his ideas at the Council of Constance. Instead, he faced betrayal, trial, and death.But his execution didn’t end the story - it lit the fire.The road to the Hussite Wars and the passion of Jan Žižka begins here.For better understanding of this episode, we highly recommend listening to Episodes 1 and 2, where we introduce the political and personal context of Kings Wenceslaus and Sigismund.Some of their seemingly irrational decisions will make much more sense.

This is a companion bonus talk for Episode 2 about King Sigismund of Hungary. Here, we dive deeper into all the details that didn’t make it into the main episode. This time, we’ll explore the rise of the Ottoman Empire and what it meant for Sigismund, and his absolutely insane struggles for the Hungarian throne.The rest of the bonus episode (more than 30 minutes of extra content) available on Patreon includes:- More about Sigismund’s fight for Hungary and how he ultimately outplayed the rebellious nobles trying to overthrow him- The surprising connection between Sigismund and the real-life Dracula (yes, really!) - The brutal Moravian Margrave Wars between Jošt and Prokop, another deadly family feud, which also appears in Kingdom Come: Deliverance🎙️ Get full access to the rest of the episode on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BloodyHeartofEuropePodcast

Finally! Episode 2 is here, and we promise - it was worth the wait! This time, we’re diving into a figure who was the complete opposite of Wenceslaus IV: Sigismund of Luxembourg. If Wenceslaus was passive and apathetic, Sigismund was relentless and ambitious, never satisfied, always pushing for more, no matter the cost.

In this episode, we explore Sigismund’s different upbringing and how it shaped him into the man he became, the battle of Nicopolis and his infamous defeat against the Ottomans, the war and imprisonment of his own brother, Wenceslaus IV - key events featured in Kingdom Come: Deliverance  series and his improbable rise as King of the Romans, despite winning by a minority vote and being elected in a graveyard.

In this free bonus episode, we go beyond Bohemia to explore the wider European context of Wenceslaus IV’s reign. What was happening in the rest of Europe? Which rulers, wars, and conflicts shaped this era? And most importantly - how can you experience this history yourself through TV shows and video games? We will discuss the political landscape of medieval Europe during Wenceslaus IV’s time. We will talk about TV series and movies that capture the atmosphere of the late 14th and early 15th centuries. And of course we have to talk about video games that let you step into this world, including Kingdom Come: Deliverance and the newly released Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. And we will finish off with details about the first coronation of Wenceslaus IV - and why one chronicle claims he defecated on an altar (yes, really!)This shortened version is free for everyone, but if you want to hear the full bonus episode, along with extra details and historical deep dives, you can find it on our Patreon.

This is Episode 1 of our Hussite series. Today we will talk about the bohemian king, Wenceslaus IV, inherited a powerful empire from his father, Charles IV, one of the greatest rulers of medieval Europe. But instead of following in his father’s footsteps, he became a king who didn’t want to rule. In this episode, we explore the strange and troubled reign of Wenceslaus IV, a ruler more interested in hunting than governing, who ordered the murder of an innocent man, and who was eventually captured by his own lords.

If you’ve played Kingdom Come: Deliverance, you’ve already stepped into the world of Wenceslaus IV. The events of the game take place during his reign, a complex time of political turmoil, rebellion, and shifting alliances in the Bohemian Kingdom. With the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 release, now is the perfect time to dive into the real history behind the game.

Sources for Episode 1 and 1.5 : https://www.patreon.com/posts/sources-for-1-1-123145804