Pavel Kravař
Encyclopedia
Pavel Kravař or Paul Crawar, Paul Craw, was a Hussite
emissary from Bohemia
who was burned at the stake for heresy at St Andrews
in Scotland
on 23 July 1433. He was the first of a succession of religious reformers who were martyred in the town during the course of the subsequent Protestant Reformation
. (The others being: Patrick Hamilton
in 1528, Henry Forrest in 1533, George Wishart
in 1546, and Walter Myln in 1558).
Pavel Kravař was probably a native of Kravaře
, Opava District
, Silesia
, now part of the Czech Republic
. After studying medicine at the University of Montpellier
, he graduated as Master of Arts from the University of Paris
in 1415. The following year, he entered the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prague
, then a hotbed of Hussite activity. Around 1421, with the University now in decline, Pavel Kravař left Prague
to become a physician in the service of the Polish King, Władisław II Jagiełło (Jogaila
). He probably returned to the Bohemian capital in 1432 prior to undertaking his ill-fated mission to Scotland.
His journey to St Andrews, at the time the ecclesiastical centre of Scotland and the location of its only university
, was most likely made in a vain attempt to gain allies, hopefully amongst Lollard sympathisers, for the Hussite cause at the Council of Basel, at which reconciliation was sought between the Hussites and the Catholic Church. Pavel Kravař’s activities in St Andrews evidently met with the displeasure of the authorities there, particularly Henry Wardlaw
, Bishop of St Andrews, who accused him of spreading the heretical ideas of Jan Hus
and John Wyclif. At his trial he defended himself with skill and courage, but was nevertheless condemned and died, according to John Knox
, with a brass ball stuffed in his mouth to prevent him addressing the people.
Pavel Kravař’s execution is believed to have taken place at the centre of the market square in St Andrews, close to the former location of the Mercat Cross
which is now marked with a cross of red stones set into the cobbled surface of the roadway.
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
emissary from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
who was burned at the stake for heresy at St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 23 July 1433. He was the first of a succession of religious reformers who were martyred in the town during the course of the subsequent Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. (The others being: Patrick Hamilton
Patrick Hamilton
Patrick Hamilton is the name of:*Patrick Hamilton of Kincavil , Scottish nobleman*Patrick Hamilton , Scottish Protestant reformer and son of the above*Patrick Hamilton , Church of Scotland minister and poet...
in 1528, Henry Forrest in 1533, George Wishart
George Wishart
George Wishart was a Scottish religious reformer and Protestant martyr.He belonged to a younger branch of the Wisharts of Pitarrow near Montrose. He may have graduated M.A., probably at King's College, Aberdeen, and was certainly a student at the University of Leuven, from which he graduated in 1531...
in 1546, and Walter Myln in 1558).
Pavel Kravař was probably a native of Kravaře
Kravare
Kravaře is a town in Silesia in the Czech Republic. It has 6,650 inhabitants. It is located between Ostrava and Opava . It is part of the Hlučínsko micro-region.-History of the town:The first historical record of Kravaře is from 1224...
, Opava District
Opava District
Opava District is a district within Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Opava.- Complete list of municipalities :Bělá -Bohuslavice -Bolatice -Branka u Opavy -Bratříkovice -Brumovice -Březová -...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, now part of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. After studying medicine at the University of Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
, he graduated as Master of Arts from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1415. The following year, he entered the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, then a hotbed of Hussite activity. Around 1421, with the University now in decline, Pavel Kravař left Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to become a physician in the service of the Polish King, Władisław II Jagiełło (Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
). He probably returned to the Bohemian capital in 1432 prior to undertaking his ill-fated mission to Scotland.
His journey to St Andrews, at the time the ecclesiastical centre of Scotland and the location of its only university
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, was most likely made in a vain attempt to gain allies, hopefully amongst Lollard sympathisers, for the Hussite cause at the Council of Basel, at which reconciliation was sought between the Hussites and the Catholic Church. Pavel Kravař’s activities in St Andrews evidently met with the displeasure of the authorities there, particularly Henry Wardlaw
Henry Wardlaw
Henry Wardlaw was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and founder of the University of St Andrews.He was a son of II Laird of Wilton Henry Wardlaw who was b. 1318, and a nephew of Walter Wardlaw Henry Wardlaw (died 6 April 1440) was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and...
, Bishop of St Andrews, who accused him of spreading the heretical ideas of Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
and John Wyclif. At his trial he defended himself with skill and courage, but was nevertheless condemned and died, according to John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
, with a brass ball stuffed in his mouth to prevent him addressing the people.
Pavel Kravař’s execution is believed to have taken place at the centre of the market square in St Andrews, close to the former location of the Mercat Cross
Mercat cross
A mercat cross is a market cross found in Scottish cities and towns where trade and commerce was a part of economic life. It was originally a place where merchants would gather, and later became the focal point of many town events such as executions, announcements and proclamations...
which is now marked with a cross of red stones set into the cobbled surface of the roadway.
Further reading
- Moonan, Lawrence, “Pavel Kravar and some writings once attributed to him”, Innes Review, Vol. 27 (1976), pp. 3-23
- Spinka, Matthew, “Paul Kravař and the Lollard-Hussite Relations”, in Church History, Vol. 25, No. 1. (Mar., 1956), pp. 16-26.