Who were the Hussites?

The Hussites were a pre-Reformation Christian movement in the 15th century, primarily in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), inspired by the teachings of John Huss, a Czech theologian and reformer. They advocated for church reform, including the use of vernacular language in liturgy and greater access to the Eucharist for laypeople. The movement led to a series of conflicts known as the Hussite Wars, as they resisted both the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire. The Hussites laid important groundwork for later Protestant movements.