Safe conduct

The safe-conduct document was issued by a member of the highest social tier to guarantee the bearer's safety. Most often it gave protection in a particular territory during the journey, and sometimes the bearer was also provided with an armed escort. For example, Jan Hus received a letter of safe-conduct from Sigismund of Luxembourg when he went to the Council of Constance. He did indeed survive the journey in good health, though the safe conduct did nothing to save him from being sentenced by the ecclesiastical court there to burn at the stake.