Jan Sladký Kozina (10 September 1652 in Újezd – 26 November 1695 in Plzeň) was the

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...

revolutionary leader of the

Chodové The Chodové (''Chods'', "Walkers", "Patrollers" or "Rangers") are an ethnic group living in western Bohemia. Today, the Chodové live in an arc of villages near the western border of the Czech Republic, including major population centers in Domaž ...

peasant rebellion at the end of the 17th century.

Biography

Jan Sladký Kozina was first named Rosocha, after Rosoch Farm (U Rosochů), which from 1632 had belonged to his grandfather, and on which he was born and grew up. In 1670 his father Jan Sladky bought the farm "At Kozinas" (U Kozinů). All those originating from this farm were thereafter called Sladky-Kozina. On 9 May 1678, aged 25, he married Dorota Pelnářová, took over the ancestral farm U Kozinů, and took his place in the middle

yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army Reserve, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of different military roles. History Origins In the 1790s, f ...

. They seem to have gone on to live as a quiet, god-fearing couple. They had 6 sons but only one - Adam - had descendants. He could neither read nor write, but made his name by his speeches, in which he drew attention to the abuses of the time, and became the spokesman for farmers' woes. He defended the rights of the Chodové people and demanded justice for the country people. This culminated in disagreement with the local magnate Wolf Maximilian Laminger von Albenreuth, also known as "Lomikar". Kozina was judged responsible for the peasant rebellion, arrested and executed in Plzeň on 28 November 1695.

Legacy

He was immortalised as a figure of resistance in the stories of Alois Jirásek and

Božena Němcová Božena Němcová () (4 February 1820 in Vienna – 21 January 1862 in Prague) was a Czech writer of the final phase of the '' Czech National Revival'' movement. Her image is featured on the 500 CZK denomination of the Česká koruna. Biogra ...

. In Újezd u Domažlic a memorial to him was set up; his place of execution is marked by a plaque just inside what is now the main entrance to the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzeň. Alois Jirásek wrote the book ''Psohlavci'' ('' The Dogheads''), which was about the Chodové peoples and young Jan's struggles; this was later turned into an opera of the same name by

Karel Kovařovic Karel Kovařovic (Prague, 9 December 1862 Prague, 6 December 1920) was a Czech composer and conductor. Life From 1873 to 1879 he studied clarinet, harp and piano at the Prague Conservatory.''Dopisy o životě hudebním i lidském, p. 484'' He ...

. In 1918, the newly formed 10th Infantry Shooting Regiment of the newly formed 3rd Division of the Czechoslovak Legions in Russia was named "Regiment Jan Sladký Kozina's of Hrádek".(CS) PRECLÍK Vratislav. Masaryk a legie (

Masaryk Masaryk is a Czech surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alice Masaryk (1879–1966), Czech sociologist and one of the founding members of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, the daughter of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk * Charlotte Garrigue Mas ...

and Legions, Масарик и Легии), Ваз. Книга, váz. kniha, 219 c., vydalo nakladatelství Paris Karviná, Žižkova 2379 (734 01 Karviná-Mizerov, CZ) ve spolupráci s Masarykovým demokratickým hnutím (изданная издательством «Пари Карвина», «Зишкова 2379» 734 01 Карвин, в сотрудничестве с демократическим движением Масаpика, Прага), 2019, , pages 17-76, 101-120.

References

- text of ''Psohlavci'' in Czech. Retrieved 30 July 2020 1652 births 1695 deaths Czech activists Executed revolutionaries Chodové Executed Czech people People from Domažlice District {{CzechRepublic-bio-stub