Georg, Truchsess von Waldburg
Encyclopedia
Georg III Truchsess
von Waldburg-Zeil
(Waldsee
, January 25 1488 – Bad Waldsee, May 29 1531), also known as Bauernjörg, was a German Army Commander in the German Peasants' War
.
, which received through him in 1525 the hereditary title of Truchsess
(Seneschal of Steward in English) of the Holy Roman Empire
and the right to put it in their family name.
He served since 1508 Duke Ulrich von Württemberg and helped him crush the Poor Conrad
rebellion. In 1516 he fought for Bavaria alongside Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
in Italy against France and their allies.
In the next years he was in the service of the Swabian League
and chased his former employer, Ulrich von Württemberg out of Württemberg
. In 1525 he succeeded his cousin Wilhelm as governor of Württemberg. Both received the hereditary title „Reichserbtruchsess“ from the hands of Emperor Charles V on July 27, 1526 in Toledo.
.
When the German peasants revolted in 1525, most Imperial troops were fighting in Italy. Georg von Waldburg could only recruit 4,000 unreliable Landsknecht
s and could do nothing more than to negotiate with the peasants. But after the victory against France in the Battle of Pavia
, many war veterans returned to Southern Germany and were enlisted by Waldburg.
Under his command, army after army of peasants was defeated and pursued into their villages to be tortured and executed. Sources speak of between 70,000 and 130,000 peasants killed.
After the rebellion was crushed, Georg Truchsess von Waldburg-Zeil ruled large parts of the territories he had conquered, and collected ransoms from the remaining population.
The Truchsess von Waldburg-Zeil is also a character in the historical novel Lichtenstein
by Wilhelm Hauff
.
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
von Waldburg-Zeil
Waldburg-Zeil
Waldburg-Zeil was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Zeil. Waldburg-Zeil was a partition of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil...
(Waldsee
Bad Waldsee
Bad Waldsee is a town in Upper Swabia in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in Oberschwaben. It is situated 20 km south of Biberach an der Riß, and 20 km northeast of Ravensburg. The town is known for its historic old city with many landmarks and large...
, January 25 1488 – Bad Waldsee, May 29 1531), also known as Bauernjörg, was a German Army Commander in the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
.
Life
He was a member of the House of WaldburgHouse of Waldburg
The House of Waldburg is a princely family of Upper Swabia, founded some time previous to the 12th century; the cadet lineages are comital families....
, which received through him in 1525 the hereditary title of Truchsess
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
(Seneschal of Steward in English) of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and the right to put it in their family name.
He served since 1508 Duke Ulrich von Württemberg and helped him crush the Poor Conrad
Poor Conrad
The Poor Conrad was the name of a Peasant Rebellion in 1514 against Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg. The rebels called themselves Poor Conrads because this was the term used by the nobility to mock them, meaning poor fellows or poor devils...
rebellion. In 1516 he fought for Bavaria alongside Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
in Italy against France and their allies.
In the next years he was in the service of the Swabian League
Swabian League
The Swabian League was an association of Imperial States - cities, prelates, principalities and knights - principally in the territory of the Early medieval stem duchy of Swabia, established in 1488 at the behest of Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg and supported as well by Bertold von...
and chased his former employer, Ulrich von Württemberg out of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
. In 1525 he succeeded his cousin Wilhelm as governor of Württemberg. Both received the hereditary title „Reichserbtruchsess“ from the hands of Emperor Charles V on July 27, 1526 in Toledo.
Bauernjörg
Georg became famous as Bauernjörg for his harsh and pitiless actions against the rebellious peasants in the German Peasants' WarGerman Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
.
When the German peasants revolted in 1525, most Imperial troops were fighting in Italy. Georg von Waldburg could only recruit 4,000 unreliable Landsknecht
Landsknecht
Landsknechte were European, predominantly German mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of Early modern Europe.-Etymology:The term is from German, Land "land, country" + Knecht...
s and could do nothing more than to negotiate with the peasants. But after the victory against France in the Battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
, many war veterans returned to Southern Germany and were enlisted by Waldburg.
Under his command, army after army of peasants was defeated and pursued into their villages to be tortured and executed. Sources speak of between 70,000 and 130,000 peasants killed.
After the rebellion was crushed, Georg Truchsess von Waldburg-Zeil ruled large parts of the territories he had conquered, and collected ransoms from the remaining population.
The Truchsess von Waldburg-Zeil is also a character in the historical novel Lichtenstein
Lichtenstein (novel)
Lichtenstein is a historical novel by Wilhelm Hauff, first published in 1826, the year before his early death. Set in and around Württemberg, it is considered his greatest literary success next to his fairy-tales, and, together with the work of the almost forgotten Benedikte Naubert, represents the...
by Wilhelm Hauff
Wilhelm Hauff
Wilhelm Hauff was a German poet and novelist.-Early life:Hauff was born in Stuttgart, the son of August Friedrich Hauff, a secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs, and Hedwig Wilhelmine Elsaesser Hauff...
.