Tom and the famous military leader

I like to look for interesting places on the map and if I can, I try to visit them in person.
So I had my eye on the place of the famous (for Czech history) Battle of Sudoměř. Every schoolchild “knows” this place from history lessons.

What happened here in March 1420?
A handful of rural people, under the command of the general Jan Žižka of Trocnov, managed to defeat and put to flight a well-trained royal army several times superior in strength. 400 people (including women and children) defeated 2,000 armored horsemen? Sounds like science fiction. And yet it happened.

I am lucky that there was peace and quiet when I visited this place. Even though there was a small incident.

I have no idea what the local landscape looked like at the beginning of the 15th century. The only thing I know for sure is that there were at least three ponds here, which are still there today.

We will walk along the dam of the Markovec pond near Žižka

so that we can pass the Prostřední pond

and reach the statuary of the Hussite warriors.

The statues have their names. Břeněk, Jan, Mikuláš and Viktorín. They were created from a fallen oak by the carver Ivan Šmilauer. According to Wikipedia and the description on mapy.com, each statue symbolically represents 100 of Žižka's fighters and at the same time "refers" to the 4 Articles of Prague.

A situational map of the battle is located near the statues.

I can't imagine how so many people and horses were squeezed into such a relatively small space.

Let's go back to Markovec. Between Markovec, Škaredý and Prostředný rybník there is now a low hill with a memorial to the battle on it in the form of a large stone monument to Jan Žižka.

The statue was designed by sculptor Emanuel Kodet.

A plaque briefly describing the battle.

A plaque describing the creation of the monument.

A few photos from the area.

And of course, there are photos taken by Tom (Potensic Atom drone)

And also a recording of Tom's flight, which turned into a little drama at the end.

I don't know if the famous military leader "blowed" Tom away like a troublesome insect. The only thing that is certain is that Tom got a slap from a nearby tree and crashed into the bushes in a spin.

Fortunately, it survived without much damage. Only two propeller blades were bitten.

Nothing that couldn't be "cured" and so Tom is ready for another adventure again.

You can include a visit to the memorial on your travel itinerary in South Bohemia. It is accessible on foot, by bike and for strollers. If you arrive by car, you will have to leave your car in the parking lot at the beginning of the Markovec pond (see map at the beginning of the article)