That spring, in March, I believe, certainly before Easter, Pope Martin V announced the papal bull Salvatoris omnium, in which he declared the need for another crusade against the Czech heretics. Pope Martin named Henry Beaufort, the Bishop of Winchester, the brother of the King of England, cardinal and legate a latere in the stead of Giordano Orsini, who was elderly and dreadfully feeble. Beaufort took up the matter vigorously. Soon a crusade was declared, meant to punish the Hussite apostates with fire and sword. The expedition was diligently prepared; money, of prime importance in a war, was meticulously collected, and this time—mirabile dictu—no one stole the cash. Some chroniclers believe the crusaders had become more honest. Others that the cash was guarded better.

The Diet of Frankfurt proclaimed Otto of Ziegenhain, Archbishop of Trier, commander-in-chief of the crusade. Everyone who could be was called to arms and soon the armies were ready. Frederick Hohenzollern the Elder, Elector of Brandenburg, reported with a force of soldiers. The Bavarians arrived under the command of Duke Henry the Rich, and Count Palatine John of Neumarkt, and his brother Count Palatine Otto of Mosbach also answered the call. The juvenile Frederick of Wettin, son of the infirm Frederick the Belligerent, Elector of Saxony, came to the rallying point. Raban of Helmstatt, Bishop of Speyer; Anselm of Nenningen, Bishop of Augsburg; and Frederick of Aufseß, Bishop of Bamberg—each came with a sizeable regiment. And Johann of Brunn, Bishop of Würzburg. And Thiébaudde of Rougemont, Archbishop of Besançon. Plus contingents from Swabia, Hesse, Thuringia and the northern Hanseatic cities.

The crusade set off at the beginning of July, in the week after the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, crossed the border and marched into Bohemia, leaving corpses and conflagrations behind it. On the Wednesday before the Feast of Saint James, the crusaders, reinforced by men of the Bohemian Catholic Landfried, stopped at Stříbro, which was occupied by the Hussite Sir Přibík of Klenové, and surrounded it, battering it cruelly with heavy bombards. Sir Přibík held on valiantly and thought not of surrender. The siege dragged on; time passed. The Elector of Brandenburg Frederick became impatient. Why, this is a crusade! he roared, advising that they proceed without delay to march on Prague. Prague, he said, is caput regni: whoever has Prague, has Bohemia…

The summer of 1427 was unbearably hot.

And what, you ask, did the Warriors of God say to that? What of Prague, you ask?

Prague…

Prague stank of blood.

Chapter One

In which Prague stinks of blood, Reynevan is followed, and then—by turns—becomes bored by routine, is full of recollections and longing, celebrates, fights for his life and drowns in a feather bed. And all the while, Europe turns somersaults, gambols and frolics.

Prague stank of blood.