The Kidnapped Bishop: Coerced Ordinations in the Late Medieval Bohemian Province

In 1417 a bishop was kidnapped and held in a remote castle in Bohemia where he was forced to consecrate to the priesthood as many as 100 candidates. These priests belonged to the heretical movement of Hussite reformers. Though well-known amongst specialists, this unprecedented episode has never been systematically examined with a view to understanding if the coerced ordinations were lawful. Issues around legitimacy raise numerous questions and the narrative is situated at the compelling int...