The name Markvart von Aulitz usually triggers a specific kind of internal groan for anyone who spent dozens of hours wandering the muddy paths of 15th-century Bohemia. He’s the guy. The one who rides into Skalitz, ruins everything for a young blacksmith’s son named Henry, and then vanishes into the historical fog of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Honestly, most players spend the entire game itching for a chance to put a mace through his helmet, but the reality of who this man was—and what he actually did in real life—is a lot messier than a standard video game revenge plot.
He wasn't just some random "big bad" cooked up in a writer's room. Markvart von Aulitz (or Matěj Markvart z Úlic in the Czech records) was a living, breathing person. He had a career. He had a family. He had a reputation that existed long before the developers at Warhorse Studios decided to make him the face of a massacre. If you’ve ever wondered why he feels so different from your typical RPG villain, it’s probably because his digital ghost is tethered to a very real, very bloody period of European history that doesn't follow the rules of Hollywood storytelling.
The Real Man Behind the Skalitz Massacre
History is rarely as clean as we want it to be. When we talk about Markvart von Aulitz, we're looking at a member of the lower nobility who served as a military commander for King Sigismund of Luxembourg. You've probably heard Sigismund described as the "Red Fox," a man who was desperately trying to keep the Holy Roman Empire from imploding while his half-brother, Wenceslaus IV, basically neglected his royal duties to go hunting and drinking. Markvart was one of Sigismund's enforcers. He wasn't some high-born prince; he was a working soldier with a title, the kind of man whose job was to ensure that "rebellious" towns fell back in line with the King’s vision.
The 1403 raid on Silver Skalitz actually happened. It wasn't just a convenient inciting incident for Henry’s hero’s journey. Sigismund’s army, which included a heavy contingent of Cuman mercenaries, really did descend on the silver mining town. They needed the silver. They needed to punish the lords who stayed loyal to Wenceslaus. Markvart von Aulitz led those forces. While the game portrays him as a cold, calculating antagonist, the historical records suggest he was simply an efficient commander doing exactly what was expected of a loyalist in a civil war.
It's weirdly fascinating. We see him through Henry’s eyes as a monster. But to Sigismund, he was probably just a reliable asset who knew how to manage a siege.
Why History Gets A Bit Fuzzy Here
If you try to track down the exact day-by-day movements of Markvart in 1403, you’re going to hit a wall pretty fast. Medieval records are notoriously spotty. We know he was at Skalitz. We know he was a prominent figure in the service of the crown. However, the game takes some creative liberties with his timeline to make the narrative work.
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In the actual historical record, there’s a bit of a mystery regarding his death. Some sources suggest Markvart von Aulitz might have died shortly after the events at Skalitz, potentially even in 1402 or early 1403, which would make his appearance in the later parts of a game set in 1403 a bit of a "ghost" cameo. Warhorse Studios is famous for their commitment to realism, but even they have to bend the rules sometimes to give the player a target to chase. It’s a classic case of historical fiction using a real person to ground the stakes, even if the real person wasn't exactly where the game says he was at every moment.
The Cuman Connection and the Siege of Skalitz
You can't talk about Markvart without talking about the Cumans. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance, they are the terrifying, foreign-tongued invaders who do most of the dirty work. Markvart von Aulitz was the bridge between these nomadic warriors and the formal European military structure. He had to command a group of people who didn't speak the local language, didn't share the same religion, and had a completely different philosophy on warfare.
That’s a logistical nightmare.
Imagine trying to keep a lid on a group of Cuman light cavalry while also trying to execute a formal siege for a King who is watching your every move. It paints a picture of Markvart not just as a killer, but as a high-stakes manager. He was operating in a Bohemia that was essentially a powder keg. The silver mines of Skalitz weren't just a target; they were the lifeblood of the economy. By taking Skalitz, Markvart wasn't just winning a battle; he was cutting off the oxygen to Wenceslaus’s support system.
It was brutal. It was effective. And it made him the most hated man in the region.
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The Problem With Revenge in History
People often ask why they can't just find Markvart von Aulitz and end him halfway through the game. The answer is honestly kind of boring but deeply human: war is chaotic. In the 1400s, you didn't have GPS. You didn't have a map showing exactly where the enemy commander was sleeping. If a guy like Markvart decided to move his camp ten miles to the left, he basically disappeared from the world for a few days.
The game captures this frustration perfectly. Henry is obsessed with finding the man who killed his parents, but Markvart is a noble. He’s protected by layers of steel, hundreds of soldiers, and the political immunity that comes with serving a King. You don't just walk up to a von Aulitz and challenge him to a duel. You’d be cut down by a dozen guards before you even got close enough to see the color of his eyes.
Fact-Checking the Digital Villain
Let’s get real about the differences between the character and the man.
- The Look: In the game, he’s depicted with a very specific, menacing set of armor. While we don't have a portrait of the real Markvart, his status as a "Sir" and a commander means he would have been wearing the absolute best gear money could buy. We're talking high-end plate, likely imported or commissioned from the best smiths in Prague or Nuremberg.
- The Personality: The "cold and silent" vibe is a trope. In reality, a man in his position would have needed to be a charismatic leader and a savvy diplomat. You don't lead an army for Sigismund by being a brooding loner. You do it by navigating the treacherous waters of the Bohemian court.
- The Fate: This is where the game and history diverge the most. Without spoiling the ending for the three people who haven't finished the game yet, let's just say that history’s version of Markvart’s end is much more abrupt and less "cinematic" than what players usually hope for.
The real Markvart von Aulitz likely died from illness or a minor skirmish wound that went south—the way most people died back then. Infection was a bigger killer than broadswords. It’s not poetic. It doesn't give Henry closure. But it’s the truth of the 15th century.
Why We Still Care About Markvart in 2026
It’s been years since the game launched, yet people are still digging through Czech archives to find mentions of this guy. Why? Because Markvart represents the "Human Wall." He’s the personification of a system that Henry—and by extension, the player—is trying to fight against. He represents the feudal order where a nobleman can wipe out a village on a King’s whim and face zero consequences.
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When you look at the historical Markvart von Aulitz, you’re looking at the complexity of the Middle Ages. He wasn't a cartoon villain. He was a man of his time, operating within a moral framework that we find horrifying today but was standard practice in 1403. He was a loyalist in a time of treason. He was a builder of an empire in a time of collapse.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs and Gamers
If you’re genuinely interested in the real history behind the character, don't just stop at the game’s codex. There are a few things you can do to get a better grip on the world he inhabited.
- Look into the Silver Mines of Kuttenberg (Kutná Hora): To understand why Markvart attacked Skalitz, you have to understand the silver. Kutná Hora was the economic heart of Europe. Skalitz was a feeder for that heart. Following the money explains the military strategy better than any dialogue tree.
- Study the Hussite Wars: The events of 1403 were the prelude to the Hussite Wars. If you want to see what happened to the world Markvart helped create, look at the decade that followed. It’s a bloodbath that makes the Skalitz raid look like a minor disagreement.
- Check out the "Dalimil Chronicle" or other period sources: While Markvart might not have a biography, the chronicles of the era describe the atmosphere of Bohemia. They talk about the Cumans, the fear of Sigismund, and the feeling of a country being torn apart by two brothers.
- Visit the real locations: If you’re ever in the Czech Republic, go to Sázava or the ruins of Skalitz. Standing on the ground where Markvart von Aulitz actually stood changes your perspective. The distances are smaller than you think, and the hills are steeper. It makes the physical reality of medieval warfare hit home.
The story of Markvart isn't just a story of a villain. It’s a window into a specific moment in time when the old world was dying and a new, much more violent one was being born. Whether you hate him for what he did to Henry or respect the historical footprint he left behind, there's no denying that the lord of Aulitz remains one of the most compelling figures in the intersection of gaming and history.
He’s a reminder that behind every "boss fight" is a human being who probably thought they were the hero of their own story. Markvart wasn't trying to be a legend; he was just trying to do his job. And sometimes, that's the scariest thing of all.