Zbyněk Zajíc

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Zbyněk Zajíc of Hasenburg (in czech commonly: Házmburk) (c.1376 Bohemia – September 28, 1411 in Bratislava, Hungaria today Slovakia) was a Czech nobleman, important representant of the Roman Catholic Church and archbishop in Bohemia. First the supporter of the religious reformer Jan Hus, later one of his opponents.

[edit] Life and career

Zbyněk Zajíc came from important czech noble house of Zajíc of Hasenburg (in czech: Zajícové z Házmburka). He was born in 1376 (some say 1375) as the oldest son of Vilém Zajíc of Hasenburg and Anna of Libochovice.

Zbyněk was a honest knight, capable leader and become an military advisor of the bohemian king Wenceslaus IV. He was also typical representant of the corruptet establishment in Catholic Church - although he wasn't a priest and was without serious education, thanks to his noble origin he became the provost in Mělník in 1390 (in the age of 15 years), later the canon in Vyšehrad in 1400 and further the archbishop of Prague in November 1402 (only 26 years old).

Originally Zbyněk respected the well-educated and wise prague priest Jan Hus, tolerated him and protected him in the reformatory endeavour despite the complaining clergy. This allowed to Huss and other Wycliffe's sympathisants to spread reform ideas. At the beginning of 1409 archbishop Zbyněk Zajíc got into the conflict with the king Wenceslaus in the question of the council in Pisa. While the king approved the council and the new elected pope Alexander V., archbishop Zbyněk kept loyalty to the pope Gregor XII.

Under pressure of the pope and the clergy, archbishop required the books of Wycliffe and other problematic authors and set Hus under the inquisition. In fall 1409, Zbyněk submited to the pope Alexander. With pope's benediction he odered to set the recently delivered "heretic" books in fire and proclaimed the interdict against Jan Hus. This made many followers of Jan Hus angry. The university students were singing satirical songs such as: "Zbyněk Bishop burnt the books, without the knowing what their are about." - ridiculing the archbishop's illiteracy.

Zbyněk Zajíc also searched the allies among king's enemies, especially the king's brother, hungarian king Sigismund. They would have a meeting in Pressburg (today Bratislava), where Zbyněk Zajíc suddenly died in fall 1411.