doing so, they would be imitating the action of the clergy of France. Zbynek resisted the king’s wishes and continued for the time being to acknowledge Gregory. Following the advice of its rector, Henning of Baltenhagen, the university decided not to proceed to a vote on the question, for it was found that the Bohemian student body or nation supported the king, and the three other nations were opposed to the proposition to adopt an attitude of neutrality. This divergence of view constituted a new element in the controversy between Huss and the church authorities by drawing the court into sympathy with him and developing the breach with the archbishop.
The cleft between the king and the archbishop was widened by the king’s order,[1] January 22, 1409, forbidding his subjects to render obedience to Gregory XII. The cardinals he addressed as “our most dear friends, zealous for peace and the universal church of the most true God.” He also forbade the Bohemian clergy to receive briefs from Gregory until the council had rendered its decision. He sent a delegation to the cardinals, which included Palecz and Stanislaus of Znaim, both of whom were seized by Balthasar Cossa, the cardinal of Bologna, afterward John XXIII. Balthasar released them from prison only after urgent protests from the university of Prague and the cardinals.[2] It has been surmised that Balthasar’s pretext was the supposed Wyclifite leanings of these two men, but the release was not procured without the payment of money. The king’s withdrawal from the obedience of Gregory XII was no doubt due in part to that pontiff’s reluctance to crown Wenzel emperor. He was hoping that the council would provide for his recognition as against his rival, Ruprecht.
At the death of his father, Charles IV, Wenzel, who was only fifteen at the time, received as his dominion Bohemia, Silesia and parts of Bavaria and Saxony. He proved to be a
