The Battle of Usti nad Labem, or the Battle of Ústí nad Labem in Czech,
was fought on June 16, 1426, between the Catholic Crusaders and the Hussites during the Fourth Crusade of the
Hussite Wars. The Crusade was called because the Pope believed that after the death of Jan
Zizka the Hussite armies would be easily defeated. The overall commander of the Hussite forces at the battle was
Sigismund Korybut, while Prokop the Great
was independently in command of the Taborites. Boso of Vitzthum was the leader of the crusading
army. The Hussites had 24,000 soldiers and at least 500 war wagons. The Crusaders had 70,000 men. The Crusaders approached Usti
nad Labem in three columns and were accompanied by 3,000 war wagons and 180 artillery pieces. The Hussites drew up their
Wagenburg on one of the hills near the town. A Crusader cavalry assault on the wagon fortress
began the battle. The knights could have been equipped with very large battle axes or hammers because one account of the battle
has them hewing through the retaining chains on the wagons to breach through the fortress and get inside the Wagenburg. Then, the
knights broke through a second defensive line that was made up of pavises. This was the highest
point of Crusader morale in the whole battle. The Hussite cavalry inside the Wagenburg had left and attacked the knights trying
to breach the wagon chains from the rear. The knights were then surrounded and fell under a huge barrage of artillery, crossbow,
and handgun fire. The Hussites then charged in on the knights and showed no mercy. One source estimates that 50,000 troops that
were trying to surrender were slaughtered by the Hussites. The actual battle was brief, and for that reason, it is possible that
no more than 5,000 soldiers were lost on the crusader side. However, after the battle, many of the crusaders fled to local
villages. It is estimated that with those added, the total loss was 14 counts and barons and 50,000 soldiers.
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