Battle of Domažlice | |||||||
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Part of the Hussite Wars | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Hussites | Holy Roman Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Prokop the Great |
Cardinal Cesarini Frederick of Brandenburg |
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Strength | |||||||
55,000 | 100,000 - 120,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
>1500 |
The Battle of Domažlice (Czech: Bitva u Domažlic) or Battle of Taus (German: Schlacht bei Taus) or Battle of Tausch was fought on 14 August 1431 as the part of the 5th crusade against Hussites. The crusade was sent to Bohemia after negotiations, held in Pressburg and Cheb, between Hussites and the emperor Sigismund had failed.
The Imperial army was besieging the city of Domažlice since 8 August, when the sight of the approaching and singing Hussite relief army led by Prokop the Bald and hearing their battle hymn "Ktož jsú boží bojovníci" ("Ye Who are Warriors of God"), led to mass panicking among the crusaders, who fled through the Bohemian Forest. The Hussites immediately set after the fleeing Imperial army and annihilated its remnants completely. Reportedly, 8,000 wagons and all the equipment of the crusaders were captured. The crusader army was accompanied by papal legate Julian Cesarini who escaped, but lost his whole luggage in the retreat, including the secret correspondence and the Papal bull charging him to hire crusaders.
Coordinates: 49°24′30″N 12°59′36″E / 49.408272°N 12.993437°E