Hussite Shield, pendant

Hussite Shield, pendant. The Hussites were a protestant movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus who was burned for this teaching by the Roman Catholic Church in Konstanz. His death unleashed a large rebellion within the Czech lands (also in the southern parts of Poland) that resulted in Hussites wars. The conflict, also known as the Bohemian Wars, which lasted from 1420 to cca 1434, was the first European war, in which gunpowder weapons (muskets) were massively used.

The commander Jan Zizka"s phenomenal tactical skills helped the Hussites, who were just infantry, win many battles against larger armies with heavily armoured knights. The English name for pistol is derived from the hussite weapon known as pistala. Today Hussitan protestants form one of the largest churches within the Czech lands.

• Material: tin alloy
• Size 2.7 x 5 cm