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A Taborite (Czech Táborita) was a member of religious protestant community of the Bohemian city of Tábor during the Hussite Wars in the 15th century
The people joined local peasants to develop a communist-like society. They announced the Millennium of Christ and declared there would be no more servants and masters. They promised people would return to a state of pristine innocence. They were centred around Tabor and were economically boosted by their control of local gold mines.
In the sphere of the theological thinking Taborite theologians represented one of the most radical departures form the hierarchical medieval church. They rejected outer veneer of corrupted church and insisted on the normativeness of the biblical authority. Even though Taborite theologians were phrased in scholastic theology they were one of the first intellectuals to break free from the centuries long scholastic captivity.
The Taborites were particularly zealous in their religious practices, also rather communal. They commenced a communist-like attitude concerning their economic process, sharing all food and valuable supplies, but maintained their private property and land rights.
Some of the most outstanding Taborite theologians were Mikulas Biskupec of Pelhrimov and Prokop Veliký (died in the Battle of Lipany). The early radical theological ideas of Taborites were represented by Petr Kanis and Martin Huska.
Tabor's guerilla army was led by Jan Žižka, the blind Bohemian general who commanded his rag-tag army in defiance of the Imperial Army under Emperor Sigismund.
The power of the community was broken after twenty years until in the Battle of Lipany on May 30 1434. 13,000 of the 18,000 strong army were killed. In 1437 they signed a treaty with Czech king Sigismund.
Even though Taborites ceased to play important political role their theological thinking strongly influenced the origine and rise of the Unity of the Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) in 1457.
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