Jan Žižka

Jan Žižka led Hussite forces to victories against numerically superior crusading armies, most notably at the Battle of Vítkov Hill in 1420, where he successfully defended Prague. He also won at the Battle of Kutná Hora in late 1421 and is widely regarded as having never lost a battle throughout his military career.

Žižka pioneered the wagenburg tactic, arranging armored farm wagons into defensive circles or lines on the battlefield, manned by crossbowmen, handgunners, and small artillery pieces. These mobile fortifications neutralized the advantage of heavily armored crusader cavalry, allowing his largely peasant and common-soldier forces to defeat professional armies.

Yes, Žižka lost one eye early in life and was completely blind by the later years of the Hussite Wars, yet he continued to personally devise strategy and direct his troops in the field. His ability to command armies to consistent victories while totally blind has made him one of the most remarkable military figures of the medieval period.

Jan Žižka died in 1424 during the Hussite Wars, reportedly from an illness such as plague while on campaign, rather than falling in battle. After his death, his soldiers adopted the name "orphans" (sirotci) in honor of their lost leader, and continued fighting under his tactical methods for years afterward.