Born in the village of Husinec in southern Bohemia around 1372, the early life of Jan Hus is obscure. He attended university in Prague where he successfully completed studies leading to B.A. and M.A. degrees, and from 1396 he taught full time in the university, becoming a full faculty member in 1398. He desired a career in the church but by his own testimony not from pious motivations. He was ordained and took holy orders in 1401. The following year he was appointed rector of the non-parochial Bethlehem Chapel which had been established in Prague a decade earlier with the mandate to provide preaching in the vernacular. Hus continued in this position for ten years whilst at the same time remaining active in university affairs.

By the time Hus came to public acclaim a reform movement

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Citation: Fudge, Thomas A.. "Jan Hus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 September 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5534, accessed 18 April 2024.]

5534 Jan Hus 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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