Jan Hus Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Early life== The exact date of Hus's birth is disputed. Some claim he was born around 1369,{{sfn|Kuhns|1907|p=40}} while others claim he was born between 1373 and 1375.{{sfn|Lützow|1909|p=64}} Though older sources state the latter,{{sfn|Gillett|1863|p=43}} more contemporary research states that 1372 is more likely.{{sfn|Kuhns|1907|p=64}} The belief that he was born on 6 July, also his death day, has no factual basis.{{sfn|Lützow|1909|p=64}} Hus was born in [[Husinec, Prachatice District|Husinec]], southern Bohemia, to peasant parents.{{sfn|Lützow|1909|p=65}} It is well known that Hus took his name from the village where he lived (Husinec). The reason behind him taking his name from his village rather than from his father is up to speculation; some believe that it was because Hus did not know of his father, while others say it was simply a custom at that time.{{sfn|Gillett|1863|p=44}} The name "Hus," however, means "goose" in Bohemian (now called Czech), and he was a century later referenced as a "Bohemian goose" in a [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony#The elector's dream|dream]] given to [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony|Frederick, the Elector of Saxony]]. Nearly all other information known about Hus's very early life is unsubstantiated.{{sfn|Gillett|1863|pp=43–44}} Similarly, we know little of Hus's family. His father's name was Michael; his mother's name is unknown. It is known that Hus had a brother due to him expressing concerns for his nephew while awaiting execution at Constance. Whether or not Hus had any other family is unknown.{{sfn|Fudge|2010|p=9}} At the age of roughly 10, Hus was sent away to a monastery. The exact reason is not known; some claim that his father had died,{{sfn|Gilpin|1809|p=141}} others say he went there due to his devotion to God.{{sfn|Gillett|1863|pp=44–45}} He impressed the teachers with his studies, and they recommended him to move to [[Prague]], one of the largest cities in Bohemia at that time. Hus apparently supported himself by securing employment in Prague, which allowed him to fulfill his basic necessities, and access to the Prague Library.{{sfn|Gillett|1863|pp=46–48}} Three years later, he was admitted to the [[Charles University of Prague|University of Prague]].{{sfn|Gillett|1863|pp=47–50}} Though not an exceptional student, he pursued his studies with ferocity.{{sfn|Lützow|1909|pp=70–71}} In 1393, Hus earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree at the University of Prague, and he earned his master's degree in 1396.{{sfn|Gilpin|1809|p=142}} The strongly anti-papal views that were held by many of the professors there likely influenced Hus's future works.{{sfn|Lützow|1909|pp=73–76}} During his studies, he served as a choir boy, to supplement his earnings.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Spinka|first=Matthew|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/975125037|title=John Hus : a biography.|date=2017|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-62219-4|location=[Place of publication not identified]|oclc=975125037}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page