Circa 1360-1424
General

Plebian Roots. Called the "only military genius of the Middle Ages," Jan Zizka was born at Trutnov (located in the modern Czech Republic), which was known in the Middle Ages as the kingdom of Bohemia. Zizka means "one-eyed" and refers to the injury he received as a young man. His family name was apparently Trocnov. He came from an impoverished noble family and had to make his own way through military service. For a time he served Wenceslas IV of Bohemia, who came from a German dynasty. Wenceslas's father was Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who secured the Bohemian throne for his son, but his rule was constantly under challenge—one of which came from his brother Sigismund, who became emperor in 1410. Thus, Zizka gained a great deal of experience in war and political intrigue serving his king. About 1405 he left royal...