Joan of Arc vs. The HussitesJoan of Arc was a great commander and a legend in French military histor

Joan of Arc vs. The HussitesJoan of Arc was a great commander and a legend in French military history. However, Joan of Arc was not without flaws, as demonstrated on the 23rd of March, 1430, when she dictated a letter to the Hussites demanding they repent lest she organize a crusade against them with her army.  The Hussites were a Czech religious sect that followed a former Catholic priest named Jan Hus, who preached reform and an end to corruption within the church.  Declared heretics but the Pope, the Hussites weathered 5 crusades against them against armies from around Europe.  They went up against professional knights, men at arms, and mercenaries with a small army composed of peasants and militia. In almost every battle the Hussites were outnumbered 3 to 1, 4 to 1, or even 5 to 1, yet they always succeeded.  A perfect example is the Battle of Vitkov Hill, were 12,000 Hussites defeated a Crusader Army consisting of 50,000 - 100,000 men with few casualties. Much of the success of the Hussites was in their tactics, called “Wagenburg Tactics”, in which the Hussites used heavily armed and armored war wagons.  When making contact with the enemy, they would circle their wagons, armed with pikes, cannon, crossbows, and primitive muskets, forming an impromptu defensive position. Joan of Arc was certainly ambitious, believing she could defeat an army numbering in the tens of thousands which consistantly defeated armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands with few losses.  Joan of Arc’s army typically numbered around 5,000 - 10,000 and she never went up against an army numbering more than 5,000 - 10,000.  In addition, it’s probably a good idea to avoid an enemy whose supreme commander is a guy with an eye patch and numerous facial scars who has never been beaten in battle.Before she could organize her French Anti-Hussite Crusade, she was captured by the English.  If she would have gone up against the Hussites, she would have gotten rekt.A translation of her letter,Jesus, MaryFor a long time now, common knowledge has made it clear to me, Joan the Maiden, that from true Christians you have become heretics and practically on a level with the Saracens. You have eliminated the valid faith and worship, and have taken up a disgraceful and unlawful superstition; and while sustaining and promoting it there is not a single disgrace nor act of barbarism which you would not dare. You corrupt the sacraments of the Church, you mutilate the articles of the Faith, you destroy churches, you break and burn statues which were created as memorials, you massacre Christians unless they adopt your beliefs. What is this fury of yours, or what folly and madness are driving you? You persecute and plan to overthrow and destroy this Faith which God Almighty, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have raised, founded, exalted, and enlightened a thousand ways through a thousand miracles. You yourselves are blind, but not because you’re among those who lack eyes or the ability to see. Do you really believe that you will escape unpunished, or are you unaware that the reason God does not hinder your unlawful efforts and permits you to remain in darkness and error, is so that the more you indulge yourselves in sin and sacrileges, the more He is preparing greater suffering and punishments for you. For my part, to tell you frankly, if I wasn’t busy with the English wars I would have come to see you long before now; but if I don’t find out that you have reformed yourselves I might leave the English behind and go against you, so that by the sword - if I can’t do it any other way - I will eliminate your false and vile superstition and relieve you of either your heresy or your life. But if you would prefer to return to the Catholic faith and the original light, then send me your ambassadors and I will tell them what you need to do; if not however, and if you stubbornly wish to resist the spur, keep in mind what damages and crimes you have committed and await me, who will mete out suitable repayment with the strongest of forces both human and Divine. -- source link

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