The condemnation of Jan Hus took place at the Council of Constance, which ran from 1414 to 1418 with the ambition of addressing the issues plaguing the Catholic Church, including the Great Schism. Jan Hus had been a vocal critic of the Church's corruption and had advocated for reforms such as communion in both kinds and the right of the laity to read the Scriptures. His ideas were influenced by John Wycliffe, and he garnered a significant following in Bohemia.

Hus was summoned to Constance under the promise of safe conduct from Emperor Sigismund but was arrested upon arrival. During the proceedings, he was charged with heresy largely for his teachings and writings that called for Church reform. Despite his eloquent defense, the Council, composed of numerous influential church leaders, declared him a heretic on June 6, 1415. The assembly debated his fate but ultimately decided on the death penalty, moving forward with his execution by burning at the stake.

Hus’s execution was notable not merely for the act itself but for the broader implications it had for the Reformation that was to come. His martyrdom galvanized supporters and led to the Hussite Wars, further challenging the authority of the Catholic Church. The degradation of Jan Hus is often viewed as a seminal event leading up to the Protestant Reformation several decades later.