Sigismund Korybut

Sigismund Korybut (Belarusian: Жыгімонт Карыбутавіч; Polish: Zygmunt Korybutowicz; Lithuanian: Žygimantas Kaributaitis; Czech: Zikmund Korybutovič; Ukrainian: Жиґимонт Корибутович, c. 1395 – 1435 near Pabaiskas) was a duke from the Gediminid dynasty, best known as a military commander of the Hussite army and a governor of Bohemia and Prague during the Hussite Wars.

Sigismund was most likely born in Novhorod-Siverskyi to Dymitr Korybut, son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Anastasia, daughter of Grand Prince Oleg of Ryazan, and raised in the court of his uncle Jogaila (Władysław Jagiełło) in Kraków since 1404. Sigismund was rumored to be expected to become his successor on the Polish throne. Being just an adolescent, he commanded his own banner of the Army of the Crown in the victorious Battle of Grunwald in 1410.

His elder sister, Olena (Helena) had been married to an important magnate of Bohemian kingdom, duke Jan of Opava and Ratiborz.

Biography

As a regent of Bohemia for Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas, he was commissioned to lead his army to Bohemia in April 1422. The army of Sigismund of Hungary retreated to Hungary in avoidance of the encounter. Sigismund Korybut arrived in Prague on 16 May 1422, and was acknowledged ruler of Bohemia. He became commander of local Hussites, and fought in Hussite internal disputes. Pope Martin V insisted that Vytautas and Jogaila recall Sigismund from Bohemia. On 24 December 1423, under Jogaila's agreement with Sigismund of Hungary, Sigismund Korybut left Prague with his army.