9.12.1437 King Sigismund died

At the beginning of December 1437, Emperor Sigismund died in Znojmo. Pain and burning all over his body, of which he constantly complained, tormented him until the last moment. Following the example of Charlemagne, he put on a monk's habit just before his death.

On the Monday of St. Martin's Day, Sigismund left Prague for fear of dying in Bohemia. Some saw him off with sorrow, others were glad of it and said he should never return. And the harlots, too, went to the emperor under their banner, together with other conjurers, for they said they dared not stay.

Before the death of Sigismund, Queen Barbara was captured in Znojmo by the Austrian duke and the Hungarian lords. "On the ninth of December, the Monday after the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, the Emperor Sigismund died in Znojmo at eight o'clock in the evening.

Immediately after his death, Duke Albrecht of Austria sent his servants as envoys to Prague with black papers, on which he proved his "Jan Kvirenc writes in his book Czech History - 100 Memorable Places.

On Thursday, 26 December, lords, knights, squires and towns were deliberating on whom to elect as king. Although they had different opinions, they met on the 27th. December in the great college of the university, and unanimously agreed that they wished to accept the prince as their lord and king.Albrecht of Austria as their lord and announced this to the representatives of the other side, who wanted King Casimir of Poland to be king of Bohemia.

"If Sigismund hastened to die in the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary, where he felt much better than in Bohemia, he must have been disappointed. Death caught him on 9 December near the Austrian border, at the royal castle in the border town of Znojmo. The pains and burning all over his body, of which he constantly complained, tormented him until the last moment. Following the example of Charlemagne, he put on a monk's habit just before his death," Kvirenc describes the events of that time.

Znojmo Castle thus witnessed the death of a formidable personality and controversial man whose actions were perceived as highly controversial. "He was a man of great spirit who wanted everything, but he was inconstant, he indulged in jokes, he liked to drink wine, he burned for women, he committed adultery a thousand times...," wrote Pope Pius II about Sigismund.

Sigismund's death marked the beginning of a protracted struggle for power among the magnate groups in Hungary, with a succession of pretenders to the throne and provincial administrators. The Hussite Kingdom of Bohemia faced the question of succession, as King Sigismund died without a male heir.

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