Battle of Sellnitz explained

Conflict:Battle of Sellnitz
Partof:Post-Hussite Wars
Date:23 September 1438
Place:Sellnitz, Bohemia
Result:German victory
Combatant1: Electorate of Saxony
Kingdom of Germany
hetman's forces of region Litoměřice and Žatec
Combatant2: Hussites of Žatec and Louny
Polish allies
Commander1: Jakoubek of Vřesovice
Frederick II of Saxony
Commander2: Petr Holický (POW)
Svojše of Zahrádka (POW)
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:500 killed
1,657 prisoners
Hermann Hallwich:
2,000 killed
2,000 prisoners

The Battle of Sellnitz was fought on 23 September 1438 between the Imperial Saxons and the Hussites. The Saxons were led by Frederick II of Saxony. On his journey to Saxony from Bohemia was accompanied by czech noble Jakoubek of Vřesovice, the former hussite leader (hetman) of the Union of Žatec and Louny, now hetman of the region Litoměřice and Žatec. During their journey they clashed with the hussite army of the Union of Žatec and Louny led by several nobles strengthened by 300 Polish cavalrymen. Jakoubek tried to negotiate with his former companions, but failed. The Saxons won the battle; about 2,000 Hussites were killed, and again as many taken prisoner.[1]

According to the Želenice Chronicle, the battle took place at the foot of Želenice Hill.[2] The chronicle states, among other things, that in 1923 a farmer found several relatively well-preserved weapons and coins from that time while ploughing. However, the location of the battle is disputable, because according to Palacký Jakoubek "pulled ... beyond the Bílina",[3] i.e. the battle could have taken place on the other side of the river.

Bibliography

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Notes and References

  1. [:de:Hermann Hallwich|Hermann Hallwich]
  2. News: 2020-09-26 . 2020-03-07 . www.zelenice.cz . Oficiální stránky obce Želenice - Historie . https://web.archive.org/web/20200926173507/https://www.zelenice.cz/obec-zelenice/-historie/.
  3. PALACKÝ, František. Dějiny národu českého v Čechách a v Moravě. Praha: Kočí, 1907. 1279 s. S. 725