Land letter (Stiftspropstei Berchtesgaden)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
First page of the confirmation of the land letter by Salzburg Archbishop Pilgrim II of Puchheim

The country letter of Ulrich I Wulp turned on 11 February 1377 when he took office as provost of the monastery pen Berchtesgaden to his subjects in Berchtesgaden to do something to counter to the large debt burden of the monastery pen.

prehistory

Provost Ulrich and his Augustinian canons lived in great luxury, so that even their rich income, among other things from a salt shelf that has been securitized since 1180, was insufficient. The debt burden reached a “fantastic level” and the country was becoming increasingly impoverished. When Wulp took office on February 11, 1377, he tried to counter this with a "Landbrief", confirmed on February 22, 1377 by Salzburg's Archbishop Pilgrim II of Puchheim . In it he offered the serf subjects the estates and fiefs of the monastery for purchase under inheritance law, but on the condition that the subjects continued to fulfill their fief obligations. This extension of rights for the subjects was also the price to “maintain and increase the population of the desert valleys of Berchtesgaden”. The simultaneous introduction of a “ right of inheritance with moderate, unavailable fees” was a step that was “still missing in other countries in the late centuries” and gave culture the most effective boost. After Ulrich had tilled the forests in the side valleys , the farmers were given the tithe , but no “grain service” - the natural service consisted only of cheese and chickens. Another consequence of the Landbrief was the development and design of the gnotships (cooperatives) Au , Berg , Bischofswiesen , Ettenberg , Gern , Ramsau , Scheffau , Schönau “in terms of scope and interior retention”. According to Koch-Sternfeld, the term “cooperative” already indicated “milder sub-Than conditions”.

As far as the debt burden is concerned, it was not until 1556 (shortly before it was raised to the rank of prince provost of Berchtesgaden ) that the monastery found a noticeable, but not long lasting, repayment thanks to Wolfgang II. Griesstätter zu Haslach .

An excerpt from the country letter in full

Taken from the original spelling (including sometimes arbitrary upper and lower case) and punctuation according to Joseph Ernst von Koch-Sternfeld from 1815, but for better readability with a fundamental change by adding "-" to the continuous text when it is highlighted here ( only) mirror points were set in front of new content. The introductory paragraph from Koch-Sternfeld precedes the land letter. The original online in 3 pictures is the confirmation of the land letter from the Salzburg Archbishop Pilgrim II. Von Puchheim on February 22nd, 1377 via the "Find aids database" of the Bavarian Main State Archives .

On Ash Wednesday 1377 in Berchtesgaden, the provost Ulrich, Andre Dekan , and the whole chapter of the church, with the knowledge, advice and favor of Archbishop Pilgrims of Salzburg, prepared the land letter, which stipulated the personal and real rights of the subjects of the bishopric , as well as their duties in the closed districts [= Berchtesgadener Land ] more benevolently organized and determined. Essentially, this letter documents the following:

“Because of the visible need of the church, goods and fiefs with the Alps, which up to now have left it on Freystift every year, may be sold to the church's serfs and their descendants with legal inheritance rights; however, against specially resolved letters, and with the reservation of serfdom, taxes and natural services (in the kitchen and box ), the security services on the towers and districts, and the tax:

  • Only because of committed misdeeds should in future belongings and goods be confiscated, driving and lying down: - Honorable death could be defended.
  • The Landwehr remains reserved after national emergency; every owner of the right of inheritance with his armor; and who would not have to, ½ should lbs. Pfenn. Pay change, and the judge buy the armor at the defaulting expense.
  • In the future, deaths will no longer have to be paid from the goods sold: - Can only be sold and pledged to people in the church with the permission of the rulership. With every purchase from now on there is an instruction of 32 pfennings ; 60 Pfenning are to be paid for each pea payment or fiefdom.
  • Disputed inheritance must be fought out beforehand according to land law. - Goods and fiefs can be divided into two, three, or more parts; however, all duties and services would only be required of the two major owners.
  • Anyone who does not appear to the bid without an honest cause has ½ pounds. to pay; in the event of recurrence, the garnishment occurs; Arrears in the third year make the fief forfeit; Goods and fiefs should be structurally held at home and in the field; after unsuccessful reminders and changes, the fiefdom falls for the house of God

etc"

See also

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b c BayHStA, Fürstpropstei Berchtesgaden Urkunden 137 / II , first page of the confirmation of the land letter by the Salzburg Archbishop Pilgrim II of Puchheim in the Bavarian Main State Archive , online at gda.bayern.de and with reference to 3 images via DFGViewer , online at dfg-viewer.de
  2. ↑ a b BayHStA, Fürstpropstei Berchtesgaden Urkunden 137 / a , reference to the Landbrief itself in the Bavarian Main State Archives (but with the "Note on delivery: insert" without viewing possibility via DFGViewer ), online at gda.bayern.de
  3. ↑ a b c Joseph Ernst von Koch-Sternfeld : History of the Principality of Berchtesgaden and its salt works. Volume 2. Joseph Lindauer, Salzburg 1815, from p. 28 below ( full text in the Google book search)
  4. ↑ land letter, der; -s / -e. see Early New High German Dictionary , online at fwb-online.de
  5. ↑ a b A. Helm : Berchtesgaden through the ages , keyword: history of the country, pp. 108-109
  6. ↑ Manfred Feulner : Berchtesgaden. History of the country and its people. Pp. 75, 92, 93.