David Steuss

David Steuss (born in the 14th century , died around 1387 / 1388 , probably in Vienna ) was considered the most prominent lenders in the Duchy of Austria in the second half of the 14th century.

Family and life

David Steuss came from a family of famous donors from the Duchy of Austria in the 14th century. The moneylender Plume von Klosterneuburg (first half of the 14th century) was his grandmother. His parents were Abraham Hendl and Rachel Redl. Little is known of his wife, but he had several children with her. The children mentioned most often are Jona, who witnessed the Viennese Gesera , and Hansüß, who is documented from 1388 to 1410.

David Steuss, like his economic activities, is documented from around 1360 to 1380. He is said to have been the richest man among the Jewish population residing in the city of Vienna at the time. Steuss owned several houses in Vienna. He first lived in today's Jordangasse 1 and from around 1372 on Tuchlauben 19. He also had properties in what is now Lower Austria at times .

Act

David Steuss was not your average banker, as one often found in the Jewish city in Vienna. He was distinguished by the importance of the sums lent to powerful debtors. Both the Dukes Rudolf IV . and Albrecht III. as well as the bishops of Brixen , Gurk and Regensburg as well as other aristocrats in Austria, sovereigns and their families, members of the high nobility and citizens of the city of Vienna. His possessions included twelve houses in the ghetto and, not least because of its importance, he and his family were granted special privileges to protect himself and so that he could travel to the countries of the duchy without hindrance. But his importance didn't exactly make him popular. According to the Vienna Annals , he was in 1383 on the orders of Duke Albrecht III. captured by Austria and imprisoned at Mödling Castle. He was only released after paying about £ 50,000.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Hansüß, des steussen daughter, (Hansüß, documented 1388-1410, dates of birth, dates of death:? -?, According to documents: 1388-1410, women's biographies, biografiA - biographical database and lexicon of Austrian women). Retrieved June 17, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Eveline Brugger:. Ueberreuter, Vienna, ISBN 978-3-8000-7159-3 , pp. 170-172.