Niklas III. Grouch

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Nik (o) la (u) s III. Muffel (* 1409/1410 in Nuremberg ; † February 28, 1469 there ) came from a Nuremberg patrician family , the Muffel . He was the caretaker of the Egidienkloster and the Klarakloster , old mayor , Nuremberg's envoy to the Swabian League of Cities , to Margrave Albrecht "Achilles" of Brandenburg , to Emperor Friedrich III. and finally about the exceptionally long period of twelve years Losunger (administrator of the city taxes ) of the imperial city of Nuremberg. He was also active as an author. After alleged embezzlement of city funds, betrayal of secrets and a sensational trial, the well-known city leader was sentenced to a dishonorable death on the gallows. On February 28, 1469 the sentence was carried out.

gender

The coat of arms of the grouch

The origin of the muffle sex is not clearly established. It is likely that the "bearers of a short snout" descended from a Staufer ministerial family from Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate. The Muffel were first mentioned in a document in Nuremberg in 1288 and seem to have played a leading role in Nuremberg from 1300, whereby the family coat of arms, which was quite rare for the time, can be found for the first time in a document from 1303. In 1332 the family was granted the right to send members to the “Inner Council”. From then on, the grouches were represented in the "Inner Council" with short interruptions until the Eschenau main line died out in 1784 and belonged to the "old" families who were able to advise.

The family's rise in the 14th century began with Hans Muffel the elder. This appears for the first time in 1317 in a list of those named by the Greater Council and can be documented from 1332 to 1361. Hans the Elder was a council member for a long time. Konrad Groß , at that time probably the most important and richest patrician and founder of the Heilig-Geist-Spital , appointed him as executor. His financial strength is shown in several testimonies that Hans the Elder lent various bishops profitably. Hans the Elder had five sons, Paulus, Fritz, Jakob, Niklas I and Hans the Younger, and possibly also unoccupied daughters. Niklas I was a merchant and probably the most important representative of the grouches of this generation. In addition to his commercial activities, Niklas I was the arithmetician and mayor of the Nuremberg Council for many years. His term of office fell during the politically tense years of the city ​​war . He seemed particularly suitable for this post because of his special relationship with King Wenceslaus. This was financially dependent on Muffel and other Nuremberg citizens and left Niklas I and his wife Barbara a chip of the Holy Cross. The recipients then donated the Holy Cross altar with eternal light for the Egidienkirche in Nuremberg. By 1400 all five sons of Hans Muffels the elder had died. They had laid the basis for the rich family property and high reputation in Nuremberg. Fritz and Paulus had left no sons. Of the three sons of Hans the Younger, only two were still alive, Grundlach and Ulrich, who was the only one of the three brothers who had briefly belonged to the council. Shortly after the beginning of the new century, they too died, leaving no offspring. Only Niklas II, the only son Niklas I and his wife Barbara could continue the family. Nevertheless, relatively little has been passed on about him and his wife Brigitte, which is due to their early death.

Live and act

From Muffel's memorial book comes the assumption that Niklas III. Muffel was born in 1410. However, a comparison of further information from this document, the council lists from that time and a marriage certificate shows that the year 1409 could also be the year of birth. Due to the early death of his parents, Niklas III was orphaned. already at the age of five and grew up with his sister Barbara with his grandmother Barbara Muffel. Through the death of her husband and son, her own long life and her extraordinary personality, she became the most influential woman of the sex, who at times fully fulfilled her duties as the only responsible representative of the grouch. The so-called "Muffelin" increased and kept the family property and looked after her grandchildren in the newly acquired house opposite the Egidienkloster. In 1436 she largely renounced her property in favor of her only male grandson. So Niklas III. at her death in 1442 she had long since taken over the family business. In 1431 he married Margarete von Lauffenholtz, daughter of Conrad von Lauffenholtz.

Offices

In 1426 King Sigmund enfeoffed Niklas III, who had only come of age in the previous year. including the village of Eckenhaid and half of Eschenau . Already eight years later, in 1433, Muffel became a member of the Nuremberg Council, to which he belonged until his death and which entrusted him with the care of the Nuremberg Clarakloster and the Egidienkloster at the beginning of his career. In 1443 Niklas Muffel was elected the old mayor, and in the following year he received an independent assignment as envoy for the first time and represented Nuremberg in the new Swabian association of cities. In doing so, he was able to demonstrate his diplomatic skills and agree to some important exceptional provisions for his hometown. In 1447 Muffel began to “commute” between Ulm and Nuremberg and campaigned for the interests of his hometown in the Swabian City Association for almost four years. Muffel did his job as envoy so satisfactorily that, when the long smoldering dispute with the margrave Albrecht Achilles came to a head , he went to the court of King Friedrich III. was sent to Wiener Neustadt. After lengthy negotiations, during which Muffel was even received by the king himself, an initial agreement was reached in 1450, a provisional peace agreement and a final settlement in the three following years. After mediation by Duke Ludwig of Bavaria, a contract was signed in 1453, with the result of which Nuremberg could be satisfied. It succeeded in preserving and safeguarding the long controversial claims and rights of the city. The fact that this unification process had taken so long was due to the clumsiness of the decisions of the court and king and not to a lack of zeal or poor negotiating skills. On the contrary: Niklas Muffel's zealous commitment and his diplomatic skills during the Margrave War and in dealing with its consequences can be attributed to the fact that in 1451 he was entrusted with the honorable task of the coronation of Frederick III. to be present in Italy. He led the Nuremberg delegation, brought some of the imperial regalia from Nuremberg and obtained an imperial confirmation of the privileges of his native city. For Niklas Muffel, taking part in the coronation in 1452 undoubtedly marked the climax of his career in the diplomatic service in Nuremberg, which continued until 1455. During his stay in Rome, Muffel had been elected one of the three chief captains. Accelerated by several deaths and the resignation of two elderly gentlemen, he was appointed Losunger in 1457 and thus headed the council together with a second Losunger. This office was held by Niklas III. until 1469, which meant that he was entrusted with the city seals, the keys to the imperial regalia and gates. In addition, the entire financial administration, tax revenue and accounting were his responsibility, he led other honorable delegations and took care of the order, organization and expansion of the imperial city archive. In addition to his political activities, it was also part of Niklas Muffel's tasks to preserve and increase the rich family property. So he amassed considerable property by buying farms and goods or being enfeoffed with them.

Fonts

In the course of Muffel's participation in the imperial coronation of Frederick III. A description of the city of Rome was written in Rome in 1452 (tradition: autograph fair copy, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München; scope: 43 pages). The report in the tradition of the “Mirabilia Romae” can be divided into three main sections: the seven main churches, the station days of Roman churches during the closed period and the description of other important churches in Rome and some secular buildings. The never-ending list of the churches, chapels and altars of Rome is peppered with the naming of amazing relics and the corresponding indulgences to be expected. There is talk of the tablets of the Law of Moses, the burning bush and the diaper of Jesus as well as various images of the Virgin Mary, all of which were painted by St. Luke. In addition to the reproduction of a lot of pious legends, which are presented uncritically and naively as facts, no promise of indulgence seems too great: For example, Pope Sylvester promised indulgence for as many years of indulgence when visiting the Church of St. John as when the church was inaugurated a strong one Rain drops had fallen.

In 1468 Niklas Muffel completed his memorial book entitled “Gedechtnusse und Schriefft” (tradition: handwriting, German National Museum Nuremberg; copy, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Munich; volume: 6 pages). It contains information that serves as a reminder to his descendants and should be useful in legal transactions. In return, the author hoped for the preservation of the family foundations, the commemoration of the achievements of his ancestors and himself as well as the redemption from "eternal death". Accordingly, the first part of the traditional, religious work contains a detailed account of how the Muffel family came into possession of a chip from the Holy Cross through King Wenzel. This is followed by a description of how Niklas Muffel himself was able to expand his family's pious foundations, shrines and indulgences. Then the author talks about his status, his origins and his many successes, which have caused envious people in the council. The origin of the text is closely related to Muffel's life situation: The thefts mentioned at the beginning had already been discovered in the winter of 1468 and Muffel had to reckon with at least a major loss of reputation. Niklas III ends with an enumeration of his numerous children, their befitting spouses and his grandchildren, the fatherly and caring exhortation to all his descendants to trust in God alone, as well as the naming of the rulers of his time in the kingdom, the church and Nuremberg. his work. With the mentioned child and family directory, the historical classification of the events, the sober reporting style, which is given up in favor of emotional portrayals, “Gedechtnusse und Schriefft” corresponds to the conventions of patrician memorial books.

Foundations and collection of relics

Niklas Muffel's religiosity and piety are evident not only in his description of the city of Rome, but also in various foundations and a huge collection of relics. As early as 1430, he and his grandmother Barbara handed over four of his imperial estates to the “12 Brothers Almosen” in Karthausen. As already mentioned, the councilors gave him the custody of the St. Egidien Monastery as early as 1433, and five years later also that of the Klarakloster. Niklas III felt like his ancestors. St. Egidien is so connected that he donated a lot of money to the establishment and decoration of the church. Several vaulted cellars and a new roof for the Egidienkloster can also be traced back to these foundations. In addition, Niklas III invested. into an extensive collection of relics: he had already collected 308 pieces, but according to the memorial book he regretted not having a relic for every day of the year. In an additional draft to his will from 1462, Niklas Muffel names a few wishes for what should happen to the relics he has collected after his death. For example, he commissioned the production of two tabernacles with relics for the Holy Cross altar of the Egidienkirche and some frescoes. During his trip to Rome in 1452, Niklas Muffel managed to get a letter of indulgence issued for the parish church of the apostle St. Bartholomäus and the chapel of St. Michael the Archangel in Eschenau.

Trial and death

Niklas Muffel's financial situation deteriorated noticeably due to his spending on relics and foundations, the bankruptcy of Anton Baumgarten, which caused Muffel to suffer heavy losses as a partner, the costs of rebuilding the parts of Ermreuth and Eschenau that were destroyed in the First Margrave War or mere extravagance. In 1468 he was forced to take out several loans, for which he pledged part of Eschenau, for example. In the same year Muffel even sold the village of Ermreuth, which his sons could only buy back after their father's death. In this financial emergency, Niklas Muffel reached into the city coffers: When he left the Losungerstube, where the money supplies and the most valuable documents of the city are stored, a few gold guilders fell from the sleeve of his coat. Two weeks later he is said to have appropriated a sack with 1000 guilders when the accounts of the Heilig-Geist-Spital were submitted . Funds from the care of the St. Klara monastery are also said to have been embezzled. When it became known in the spring of 1469 that Muffel, contrary to his oath of office, had disclosed matters that had been discussed confidentially, he was arrested. The next day, a two-week interrogation by his successors began, in which he was questioned partly with and partly without torture and ultimately confessed. Muffel revoked his confession because he had only been under torture and in fear of dying without absolution. During the trial and judgment, the council's violent hostility towards Niklas Muffel played a major role, as Muffel himself suggests in his memorial book:

"(...) domit han i deserve that vil people in the council wear neyt and union"

- Niklas Muffel

According to entries in the council book, there had been several conflicts in the small council since 1460, which should have taken place between Groland, Tetzel and Muffel and the latter should have brought a reprimand. Niklas Muffels had repeatedly shown his quick-tempered character to the councilors, which could have cost him a lot of affection and caused some reluctance. After corresponding incriminating statements in the second and third slogans Anton Tucher and Anton Tallner and after one of the most spectacular trials in the history of Nuremberg, Niklas Muffel was sentenced to death on the gallows on February 28, 1469. The sentence was carried out that same day. The execution by hanging was by no means in line with Muffel's status, execution with the sword would have been more honorable. Whether this discrepancy can be explained by the enmities mentioned in the council or whether it was even a political conspiracy to end Muffel's overpowering position remains unclear to this day. The process, which was not considered to be legal at the time, and the execution of Muffels caused an unusual sensation among contemporaries, which is shown, for example, in a contemporary poem by Heinz Überertwerch, the "Muffel Song", which refers to the Muffel case.

Descendants

Niklas III. had six sons and six daughters. Three of his daughters died early, Barbara joined the Klarakloster at a young age, Anna married Friedrich IV. Kreß and Ursula married Heinrich IV. Topler. Johann aspired to a career as a clergyman and was first cathedral capitular in Bamberg, later provost of St. Stephan. After the division of the estate, Niklas IV withdrew from Nuremberg in 1469 and founded the line of "Muffel von Ermreuth" based on Ermreuth. This expired in 1912. Gabriel, the second eldest of the sons of Niklas III, stayed in Nuremberg and was elected as old envoy to the minor council nine years after his father's death. Although he remained a councilor until his death, he was never able to rise to the position of junior mayor in the long term. The line of "Muffel von Eschenau" continued by Gabriel I. Muffel remained connected with Nuremberg and expired in 1784. Niklas V., Hieronymus and Heinrich remained single. While Jerome entered the Franciscan monastery in old age, little more is known about Heinrich than that he stayed at the court of Count Palatine Friedrich for a time, Niklas V died as a student in Leipzig a year after his father.

Auctions

  • 1825 in Nuremberg: a painting is placed in the middle of the large sheet of a chorale book; Emperor Friedrich III. sits on a throne chair, and hands a kneeling knight (Jac. Muffel) the coat of arms he has been awarded. , 1490
  • 1826 in Nuremberg: An old water painting enhanced with gold was presented by the German king, N. Mussel was probably his coat of arms, directory of the collection of books, oil paintings, copper engravings, water and enamel paintings, ... of the postmaster Schuster, who died in Nuremberg … Text Archive - Internet Archive

literature

  • Thomas Cramer: The smaller song poets of the 14th and 15th centuries. Volume 3. Munich 1982, pp. 341-347.
  • Peter Fleischmann: Councilor and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, pp. 709-732.
  • Bertold Frhr. von Haller, Matthias Kirchhoff: Gedechtnusse and screamed Niklas II. Muffels (1409 / 10-1469). New edition, translation and commentary on the memorial book . In: Communications from the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 97. Nuremberg 2010, pp. 45–109.
  • Karl Hegel: Supplement. Nicolaus Muffel's Trial and Condemnation . In: The chronicles of the German cities from the 14th to the 16th century . Published by the Historical Commission at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Volume 11. Stuttgart 1961, pp. 753-777.
  • Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, pp. 257–344.
  • Gerhard Hirschmann:  Muffel, Nikolaus III. from. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 18, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1997, ISBN 3-428-00199-0 , p. 569 ( digitized version ).
  • Matthias Kirchhoff: Memory in Nuremberg Texts of the 15th Century. Commemorative books, brother books, city praise, chronicles. In: Nürnberger Werkstücke zur Stadt- und Landesgeschichte , Volume 68. Neustadt ad Aisch 2009, pp. 77–103.
  • Matthias Kirchhoff: storytelling against "eternal death" . In: Yearbook for International German Studies 2011. (to be published in spring 2011).
  • Nine Miedema: The "Mirabilia Romae". Investigations into their transmission with an edition of the German and Dutch texts . Tubingen 1996.
  • Niklas Muffel: memorial book by Nicolaus Muffel. 1468. In: The chronicles of the German cities from the 14th to the 16th century. Published by the Historical Commission at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Volume 11. Stuttgart 1961. pp. 737-751.
  • Niklas Muffel: Description of the city of Rome . In: Wilhelm Vogt (Ed.): Nikolaus Muffels description of the city of Rome . Tübingen 1876, pp. 5-62.
  • Mummenhoff, Ernst :  Muffel, Nikolas . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 22, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1885, pp. 444-451.
  • Helgard Ulmschneider: Muffle, Nikolaus . In: Kurt Ruh (Ed.): The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon . Volume 6. Berlin / New York 1987, pp. 714-718.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Glossary German-New High German ( Memento of the original dated December 31, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , uni-hamburg.de. Retrieved December 30, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / webapp6.rrz.uni-hamburg.de
  2. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, p. 264.
  3. ^ Matthias Kirchhoff: Memory in Nuremberg Texts of the 15th Century. Commemorative books, brother books, city praise, chronicles. In: Nürnberger Werkstücke zur Stadt- und Landesgeschichte , Volume 68. Neustadt ad Aisch 2009, p. 77.
  4. ^ A b Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, pp. 293-310.
  5. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, p. 711.
  6. ↑ Bertold Frhr. von Haller, Matthias Kirchhoff: Gedechtnusse and screamed Niklas II. Muffels (1409 / 10-1469) . New edition, translation and commentary on the memorial book. In: Communications from the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 97. Nuremberg 2010, pp. 92–95.
  7. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, pp. 310–312.
  8. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, pp. 716–717.
  9. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, p. 325.
  10. ↑ Nine Miedema: The "Mirabilia Romae". Investigations into their transmission with an edition of the German and Dutch texts . Tubingen 1996.
  11. ↑ Helgard Ulmschneider: Muffel, Nikolaus . In: Kurt Ruh (Ed.): The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon . Volume 6. Berlin / New York 1987, pp. 715-716.
  12. ↑ Bertold Frhr. von Haller, Matthias Kirchhoff: Gedechtnusse and screamed Niklas II. Muffels (1409 / 10-1469) . New edition, translation and commentary on the memorial book. In: Communications from the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 97. Nuremberg 2010, pp. 47–48.
  13. ^ Matthias Kirchhoff: Telling against "eternal death" . In: Yearbook for International German Studies 2011 (to be published in spring 2011).
  14. ↑ Helgard Ulmschneider: Muffel, Nikolaus . In: Kurt Ruh (Ed.): The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon . Volume 6. Berlin / New York 1987, pp. 716-717.
  15. ↑ Bertold Frhr. von Haller, Matthias Kirchhoff: Gedechtnusse and screamed Niklas II. Muffels (1409 / 10-1469) . New edition, translation and commentary on the memorial book. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 97. Nuremberg 2010, p. 48.
  16. ↑ Helgard Ulmschneider: Muffel, Nikolaus . In: Kurt Ruh (Ed.): The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon . Volume 6. Berlin / New York 1987, p. 717.
  17. ^ Matthias Kirchhoff: Memory in Nuremberg Texts of the 15th Century. Commemorative books, brother books, city praise, chronicles. In: Nürnberger Werkstücke zur Stadt- und Landesgeschichte , Volume 68. Neustadt ad Aisch 2009, p. 85.
  18. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, p. 312.
  19. ^ Matthias Kirchhoff: Memory in Nuremberg Texts of the 15th Century. Commemorative books, brother books, city praise, chronicles. In: Nürnberger Werkstücke zur Stadt- und Landesgeschichte , Volume 68. Neustadt ad Aisch 2009, p. 96.
  20. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications from the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, pp. 329–331.
  21. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, p. 332.
  22. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, pp. 718–719.
  23. ^ Karl Hegel: Supplement. Nicolaus Muffel's Trial and Condemnation . In: The chronicles of the German cities from the 14th to the 16th century . Published by the Historical Commission at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Volume 11. Stuttgart 1961, p. 753.
  24. ↑ Niklas Muffel: Memorial book by Nicolaus Muffel. 1468 . In: The chronicles of the German cities from the 14th to the 16th century . Published by the Historical Commission at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Volume 11. Stuttgart 1961, p. 749
  25. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, p. 718.
  26. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, p. 719.
  27. ^ Matthias Kirchhoff: Memory in Nuremberg Texts of the 15th Century. Commemorative books, brother books, city praise, chronicles. In: Nürnberger Werkstücke zur Stadt- und Landesgeschichte , Volume 68. Neustadt ad Aisch 2009, p. 80.
  28. ^ Thomas Cramer: The smaller song poets of the 14th and 15th centuries. Volume 3. Munich 1982, pp. 341-347.
  29. ^ Gerhard Hirschmann: The Muffel Family in the Middle Ages. A contribution to the history of the Nuremberg patriciate, its creation and its possessions. In: Communications of the Association for the History of the City of Nuremberg , Volume 41, Nuremberg 1950, pp. 335–342.
  30. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, pp. 719–729.
  31. ^ Peter Fleischmann: Council and patriciate in Nuremberg. The rule of the councilors from the 13th to the 18th centuries . Volume 2: Councilors and Councilors . Neustadt ad Aisch 2008, p. 716.
  32. ↑ Directory of the v.Derschauische Kunstkabinett zu Nürnberg… Nürnberg, at the obligated auctionator Schmidmer., 1825, p. 81, (25 ..), 250 p., Textarchiv - Internet Archive
personal data
SURNAME Muffel, Niklas III.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Muffel, Nikolaus III .; Muffel, Nikolas III.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Nuremberg patrician and author
DATE OF BIRTH 1409 or 1410
PLACE OF BIRTH Nuremberg
DATE OF DEATH February 28, 1469
Place of death Nuremberg