Braunschweig layers

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In the history of the city of Braunschweig , the revolutionary civil unrest triggered by constitutional conflicts were referred to as Braunschweig strata . Along with Ghent and Paris, Braunschweig was one of the most restless cities in late medieval and early modern Europe.

1293–1294: Gildemeister shift

The first "shift" took place in 1293/94 and became known as the "shift of the guild master". The reason was the insistence of the artisan guilds to participate in the city government, which was dominated by the patricians and large merchants . This dominance of the merchants resulted from the increase in trade and its importance for the city as well as the membership in the Hanseatic League . On the other hand, the guilds increased their influence on the urban regiment. The trigger for the escalation of the conflict was the intervention of the dukes Albrecht II and his brother Heinrich I for the supremacy in the city. Each of the brothers supported one of the competing parties, Heinrich allied with the guild masters and Albrecht with the incumbent city government. Heinrich's attempt to conquer the old town suppressed the inhabitants by appointing Albrecht as lord of the city and paying homage to him. With his brother, he then reached an agreement on joint ownership of the city. Albrecht had the rebellious Gilderat executed and reinstated the old town council.

1374–1380: Large stratum, also stratum of the council

Allegory of the “Great Shift” from 1374 also called “Shift of the Council”, from the shift book (1514) by Hermann Bote .

The second “shift” took place from 1374 to 1380 and was known as the “Great Shift”. The “big class” was triggered by dissatisfaction with the city's high level of debt. The main reasons for the city's problems were the long-term economic and demographic changes due to the outbreak of the plague in Braunschweig in 1350. The city council was occupied in 1374 and held by revolting groups until 1376. Eight council members were killed during the riots. The escaping patricians used their influence in the Hanseatic League for a trade ban against Braunschweig. The city was also excluded from the Hanseatic League from 1375 to 1380. As a result, the city suffered severe economic problems.

After the unrest ended, a constitutional amendment was approved in 1386, which should involve the guilds in the city council.

1445–1446: Class of the "disobedient citizens"

The third shift was triggered by the dissatisfaction of the communities. These felt disadvantaged in relation to the guilds in the city council. The dissatisfaction was reinforced by the announcement of new charges and allegations that corruption and nepotism prevail in the existing council. In order to avert a new shift, the council and the guild masters agreed in the so-called "Big Letter" to grant the communities the right to vote. As a result, the craftsmen who were not represented in a guild and other population groups were also involved in the council election. In addition, the peasantry that surrounded the city for defense purposes could each elect two captains. The captains then elected representatives for the council from among their number.

1487–1489: Ludeke Hollants shift

The indebted city of Braunschweig tried to counteract a currency crisis in 1488 with a new coin system. The resulting devaluation of money put a strain on the poorer citizens of Meinheit who were not able to form a guild , which led to the first riots in the city, so that the new order was revoked. Nevertheless, the situation in the city did not calm down and the insurgents named Ludeke Hollant as their leader.

The rebels succeeded in de facto disempowering the council and centering power in the hands of the "twenty-four" under Ludeke Hollant. Many former councilors left the city voluntarily or were forced to leave. However, the arbitrary rule of the "twenty-four" provoked protests in the population. The unrest was fueled by the fact that the new rulers could not keep their promises and Hollant tried to sentence the former councilor Horneborch to death. Nevertheless, Hollant was given a coat of arms by Duke Wilhelm the Younger in the summer of that year, who tried to use the inner-city unrest for his own purposes.

The rumor that Duke Wilhelm was allowing weapons to be brought into the city with Hollant's toleration ultimately led to Hollant's fall. The population and the council rose together. An escalation could be avoided through negotiations. Hollant surrendered, and the 1488 recess was burned in his presence on November 30th in the Old Town Hall.

More shifts, riots and riots

literature

  • Manfred RW Garzmann (ed.): Council and constitution in medieval Braunschweig. Festschrift for the 600th anniversary of the Council Constitution 1386–1986. (= Braunschweig Workpieces . Volume 64). Braunschweig 1986, ISBN 3-87884-032-2 .
  • Manfred RW Garzmann: Mayor and municipality in Braunschweig in the 13th and 14th centuries. (= Braunschweig Workpieces. Volume 53). Braunschweig 1976, ISBN 3-87884-003-2 .
  • Richard Moderhack : Brunswick town history. Wagner, Braunschweig 1997, ISBN 3-87884-050-0 .
  • Hans Leo Reimann: Unrest and turmoil in medieval Braunschweig. (= Braunschweiger Werkstücke. Volume 28, 1962; Dissertation University of Hamburg, March 10, 1961). Orphanage printing and publishing house, Braunschweig 1962, OCLC 600466598 .
  • Werner Spieß : History of the city of Braunschweig in the post-Middle Ages. From the end of the Middle Ages to the end of urban freedom 1491–1671. 2 volumes, Braunschweig 1966, OCLC 468435670 .

Web links

Individual evidence