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| RE:jan czapek from san [Autor: Sabin] [Datum: 14.10.2002 8:55:54] |
Hi Szopen,
On Hussite pages I found your request to get some information about Jan Čapek of Sány. In my opinion recatholicization in Poland must have been very successful since you were able to find only one book about the Hussite movement. That is why I decided to help you.
There is no detailed book about the life of Jan Čapek of Sány. So I have to provide you with the outline information that I found in 3rd part of the book „Hussite Revolution“ written by František Šmahel.
1. In July 1425 the Tábors from Nymburk in cooperation with the Orphans, whose leader apparently was Jan Čapek of Sány, obtained the castle Michalovce and so they won control over Mladá Boleslav. They continued and captured the Johanite monastery in Český Dub and the towns Bělá pod Bezdězem, Mimoň and Jabloné.
2. During the third invasion of crusaders, the Silesian army stroke into the back of the Orphans so that they could take away the attention and the power from the main flow of the third crusade invasion. Jan Čapek came to help the endangered town of Náchod. From 9. to 13.08.1427 the Czech warriors from the Silesian army fixed a trap for him. They pretended an attack and so they brought the Hussites out of the fortification and then they took them unawares with powerful reserves. This was the first exapmle of rashness and improvidence of Jan Čapek of Sány.
3. In April 1430 after the unsuccessful journey to West Slovakia, where Velek of Březnice died, Jan Čapek probably made an effort to get the released position of the hetman. But this is only a speculation. However, if you imagine the ambitions of Jan Čapek, then we can agree with it. The only guaranteed information is from the letter written by Prokop Holý for Hanuš of Polensko, where Prokop had denied Čapek the right to act on behalf of the Tábor army.
4. During the crusade to Upper Lusatia on 19.08.1431, Luba was occupied under the command of Jan Čapek. At this time Čapek still wanted to become the hetman in chief.
5. 28.09.1431 the prince of Opava Přemek made peace with hetmen of field armies for one year. From the letter we can learn that Čapek had acquired one of the top positions among the Orphans.
6. During another campaign to Slovakia Čapek repeated his mistake from the battle of Náchod. That happened 25.11.1431 during the battle of Moravský Bánov with the Hungarian army ans some Moravian landlords. This was the end of the Orphans´ journey to Slovakia that ended with total failure.
7. 16.06.1432 the Orphans with the Tábors captured the town of Strzelino and 02.07.1432 the town of Olesnica was gained as well. These successes made the Silesian landlords to make peace for the period of two years. The armies left but Čapek had to meet the Polish king Vladislav. Vladislav was preparing a new war with the Order of German knights and he needed help of experienced warriors. So they concluded a treaty on a mutual alliance „against each nation and especially against the Germans with the exception of the Hungarian language“. At that time Čapek was probably thinking about his journey to the Baltic sea.
8. At that time Jan Čapek of Sány started to act in the documents of the Brotherhood on the first place.
9. In November 1432 he assured Vladislav´s couriers about his participation in the summer offensive.
10. After 20.04.1433 the Orphans set out in two streams to Nová Marka and Prussian Pomerania. The Orphans had 700 riders, 350 chariots and around 5 – 7.000 infantrymen. In front of the town Gorzow Wielkopolski they joined the Polish Unions of the hetman Sudivoj of Ostrorog. From extant documetns is clear that he was the chief and he had to fight the main battles.
11. Around 10.06.1433 they conquerred Strzelec and other scared towns started to surrender. The final number was 12. The towns Mysliborz, Choszeno and the fortress Tozew resisted but the latter was captured 29.08., which opened the way to Gdaňsk. 30.08. asked the commanders in chief Jan Čapek of Sány and Jan of Michalow the citizens of Gdaňsk to negotiate truce in their own interest. It was concluded 13.09.1433 and the Orphans could return to Bohemia with the trophy camel from the King of Poland.
12. After his return to Bohemia in October 1433 Jan Čapek of Sány joined the siege of Plzeň that was the biggest catholic fort in West Bohemia. However, the siege was not successful because the supplies were brought to the starving town. At one of the break-outs during this siege, the citizens of Plzeň managed to steal Čapek´s camel that was added to their coat of arms by the emperor Zikmund.
13. On 06.05.1434 the moderate Hussites and catholics concluded a treaty called „Landlords Unity“ that should have limited the power and influence of field armies of the Orphans and the Táborits. The upheaval in Prague and the unsuccess in Plzeň that was the beginning of tightening the tie that was finished at Lipany.
14. On 30.05.1434 came to the battle at Lipany. The Landlords Unity tricked the Brotherhood. Before the battle broke out they started to countermarch. The Orphans and the Táborits, thinking that the enemy is retreating, opened their corrals and started to attack. When they were in an unprotected area, the Unity turned back their carriages and started the attack. Čapek´s coward escape selaed the defeat of the Brotherhood. Unity warriors gained the corrals and it decided.
15. Jan Čapek escaped to Kolín and 04.06.1434 in Jihlava he submitted to the landlord and after the coronation of Zikmund, he submitted to him as well. The humble soldiers considered him a traitor and despised him. Jan Čapek escaped from Lipany and saved his life and his property. In the sludge he left not only his dead fellow warriors but his honour as well. At the beginning of the 1440´s he entered the service of the Polish king ans he fought in Hungary. Since 1445 there is no more information about him and he is supposed to be dead at that time.
In my opinion Jan Čapek of Sány was not a warrior of God like Jan Žižka of Trocnov or Prokop Holý. He was more interested in his profit than in promotion of revolutionary Hussite ideas. Unlike these leaders, he tried to enlarge his property, power and influence during the Hussite revolution. He was highly ambitious and this his character feature caused several defeats of his army. He was not a good politician which ended in the gradual loss of everything that he had won and his fall into oblivion after 1445.
I was not able to find more information but I am looking for it and I am studiing new books about the Hussite movement, so if I find anything new concerning Jan Čapek of Sány, I´ll send it to you.
If you do not understand anything or you would like to get any other information, do not hesitate to contact me. My English is not good but my girlfriend has translated this letter for you.
Bye. Sabin
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