Heresy
Bohemia in 1400
Wenceslaus was deposed as Emperor in 1400, but he continued to be King of Bohemia, for the Electors had power only over the Emperor, not over the various hereditary kingdoms. Within Bohemia lived Czechs, Germans, Poles, Lusatians, and Jews. The Germans tended to dominate political power in the towns and in some areas were also a power among the nobility, though they were everywhere a minority population. In the 14th century, though, the Czechs had become increasingly aware of their national identity and were being more aggressive in asserting it. By 1400, for example, Czech was the language of the Bohemian court.
The Czech nobles were, like nobles elsewhere, struggling against the power of the king. They had proven largely successful against Wenceslaus, forcing the king to appoint only native-vorn officials. The nobles made him stop using burghers and gentry in the high council, and insisted he get their approval for important appointees. These gains came piecemeal, mainly during the reign of Wenceslaus, with the final settlement signed in 1405.
When Hus appeared on the scene, then, it was against this backdrop of increased local control and Czech nationalism. In particular, the Czech nobles found it to their advantage to portray the Germans as an alien and hostile force within the kingdom.