The 14th of July was fixed by Sigismund for the general attack. It was
decided that the Royal forces that were quartered in the Hradcany Castle
should attack the adjoining Malá Strana and the bridge tower on the left
bank of the Vltava, while the forces on the Vysehrad would endeavour to
storm the new town, which was at the foot of that fortress. A third army
was to attack the old town from the so-called Spitalské Pole (hospital
field), which was situated on the spot where the suburb of Karlin, or
Karolinenthal, now stands. An attack was also to be made on the hill
then known as the Vitkov, but which has, after the victorious Taborite
leader, since that day been called the Zizkov, or Zizka's Hill. This
hill was the key of the position of the defenders, who depended on its
possession for maintaining their communications with the country. The
Zizkov was held by Zizka and his Taborites, who had thrown up slight
fortifications. The Germans attacked the hill with a strong force, and,
in spite of the heroism of Zizka, who fought in the front rank, for a
time drove the Bohemians back. One of the small earthworks was held for
a long time by only twenty-six men, two women and one girl, against
several hundred Germans. When the Taborites were for a time forced to
retreat, one of these women refused to leave her post, saying that a
true Christian must never give way to Antichrist. She was immediately
cut down by the Germans. This incident is very characteristic of the
indomitable religious enthusiasm that for a time rendered the Bohemians
invincible. The clanging of all the church bells hastily summoned the
citizens, who, led by a priest carrying the monstrance, hurried to the
aid of their allies. The Germans were completely routed; many were
killed during their flight from the hill--then much steeper than at the
present day--and many perished in the Vltava. As soon as victory seemed
certain, the Taborites and Praguers knelt down on the battlefield and
intoned the 'Te Deum Laudamus,' while the whole town was filled with
unspeakable joy.
The other attacks on the city were also unsuccessful. Sigismund had
remained in the rear with part of his army, and returned to his camp as
soon as he saw the defeat of his troops. According to the Austrian
chronicler, Ebendorf of Haselbach, the King 'smiled--it is said--over
the fate of the brave Christians who had succumbed to the heretics, who
had triumphed over them.'
On Monday, July 15--the battle had been fought on a Sunday--solemn
processions through the streets of Prague, led by the Hussite clergy,
took place in celebration of the great victory. Zizka, however, who
believed a new attack probable, hastily collected a large crowd of men
and women, who, under his direction, strengthened and enlarged the
fortifications on the Vitkov, the scene of the victory of the day
before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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