Letter of Complaint Against the Burning of Jan Hus

What it is

This is a parchment letter written in 1415 by fifty-four nobles, lords, knights and esquires of Moravia, addressed to the Council of Constance in defence of Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague. The document carries many seals hanging from cords along its edges.

Why it matters

The letter shows the anger that Hus's execution provoked among the Bohemian and Moravian nobility, who argued that condemning him violated basic principles of justice and Christian love for one's neighbour. This outrage helped fuel the Hussite movement that followed Hus's death, turning his execution into a national cause.

Look closer

• Why would dozens of nobles put their personal seals on a single letter?
• What reasons do the nobles give for defending Hus, and what does that tell us about his support at home?
• How might this document have shaped later memory of Hus as a national figure?