Could the Hussites have sparked an early Reformation?

[Old1812]

The idea of the Lollards or Hussites causing an early Reformation is a semi-recurring idea, but I wanted to see just how realistic this idea is. As it seems that, of the two, Hussitism seemed to have a better chance of success, I'll focus more on it.

One of the most frequent objections to the idea of a Hussite Reformation is that they lacked one crucial tool that the OTL reformers had, that being the printing press. Also, Hussitism seems to have been pretty unpopular among the nobles and leaders, and it's difficult to say who would have possibly supported the movement.

That said, I wouldn't entirely dismiss the idea, I just wanted to look at the difficulties they'd face.

 

[HortenseMancini]

There was a Hussite king of Bohemia in the first half of the 15th century. He was succeeded by a Catholic so make of that what you will.

 

[Old1812]

There was a Hussite king of Bohemia in the first half of the 15th century. He was succeeded by a Catholic so make of that what you will.

George of Poděbrady? I see your point, it may be able to gain some traction depending on the monarch.

Maybe Ernest the Iron, considering his dislike for the Luxemburgs?

 

[perdu42]

One of the most frequent objections to the idea of a Hussite Reformation is that they lacked one crucial tool that the OTL reformers had, that being the printing press.

Just an idea, but there's your POD for a Hussite-led Reformation. Although that begs the question of how realistic it would be to develop a printing press with mechanical movable type earlier?

 

[Old1812]

Just an idea, but there's your POD for a Hussite-led Reformation. Although that begs the question of how realistic it would be to develop a printing press with mechanical movable type earlier?

The Chinese had more or less developed it a few hundred years before Gutenberg, I believe.

 

[ModusViv]

Just an idea, but there's your POD for a Hussite-led Reformation. Although that begs the question of how realistic it would be to develop a printing press with mechanical movable type earlier?

The Chinese had more or less developed it a few hundred years before Gutenberg, I believe.

Early ones were just a modification of the wine press, if I recall correctly? The principle would probably not be so strange. I think the big problem would probably be paper. People are still using vellum and parchment at this point, right?

 

[Raferty]

Hussites were not going to lead the Reformation for a few main reasons

They splintered early and did not have appeal outside of Bohemia and Moravia. Their most popular ideas about Church politics for potential gentry and burgher targets were largely ameliorated by the end of the Western Schism, while longer lasting issues about Church Wealth were well known already and would be there for the Reformation as well. People had been complaining about Church Wealth since the Council of Chalcedon.

The doctrines that made Protestantism possible required another century of the forces of popular piety, ostentatious consumption of literature and pamphlet wars, and state power gains against the Church. The moment where the Church was weakest, around 1400 or so, was not yet ripe for a Protestant movement to succeed

 

[Cornelis]

Early ones were just a modification of the wine press, if I recall correctly? The principle would probably not be so strange. I think the big problem would probably be paper. People are still using vellum and parchment at this point, right?

There had been paper in current use since the 13th in Western Europe.