Gift from Osterwitz
The Osterwitz taverns were a Carinthian ministerial family of the Middle Ages . They gained fame primarily through the administration of Hochosterwitz Castle , which they took over as a sovereign fiefdom from the middle of the 12th century and managed it until 1478.
origin
In the year 860, Archbishop Adalwin von Salzburg received the castle and the surrounding estate of Hochosterwitz . He left the management and administration to familiar people, whose origin and gender are not precisely known. Only in the course of the investiture struggle belehnte Archbishop Gebhard the Spanheimer, who were always faithful to him to the side, with the property Osterwitz . The first documented Osterwitzer was the Spanheimer Ceizolf (Ceizolf I.). In a certificate issued in 1106 he was called Ceizolf de Osterwiza . A certain Goteboldus de Osteuuize is also mentioned in a deed of donation dated 1121, in which goods and real estate were awarded to the Friesach Hospital . This is probably the brother of Ceizolf and thus the second documented Osterwitzer.
Ascent
At the beginning of the 13th century in 1209, a family member of the Easter Witzer in a deed to the monastery St. Paul for the first time as pincerna referred. The Latin word pincerna originally referred to the function of cupbearer . From the late Middle Ages, however, no functions were assigned to this hereditary office . The office of cupbearer was initially only assigned to the oldest member of the Osterwitzer family. In the course of the 13th century, however, gradually all male Osterwitzer referred to themselves as giving. The actual incumbent was listed as obrister Schenk in order to be able to stand out from the other nominal taverns . In 1284, Albrecht I and Hermann IV changed ownership within the family. Hermann thus takes over all ownership shares in his father's castle in Osterwitz. From this point in time until the year 1312 there was a lack of sources due to the turbulent political situation within the country. Only at the beginning of the year 1312 does this gap in sources close again.
The 14th century also ushered in the transition from the previously predominant natural economy to the new money economy. The old interest goods economy was thus replaced by the money-based pension economy. This also initiated the slow but unstoppable decline of the old manors. Due to the decline in the natural economy, the Osterwitzer were now forced to enter into foreign services. The clothing of the gift-giving itself, for example, brought in only a load of South Styrian wine in addition to a few marks per year. Due to the ministerial relationship with the respective sovereign, certain feuds could not be avoided, in which the bars of Osterwitz were involved. This was particularly evident at the time of Reinher III, Osterwitzer. (1313–1354) who was repeatedly in the service of Duke Heinrich of Carinthia. The family residence at the castle was unfavorable for the handling of their financial transactions, in which the taverns were now more and more involved. The consequence of this was the acquisition of a mansion in the capital in 1330. From the middle of the 14th century, the taverns were very highly regarded and so they were often consulted as mediators in disputes within the leading social class.
Decline
With the gift of Reinher III. However, the Osterwitzer began to become increasingly entangled in unmistakable financial transactions. Apart from these dubious deals, which left the Osterwitzer more and more falling into debt, the family suffered a momentous event in 1359, which permanently damaged the entire family reputation. There is talk of the capture of a Venetian embassy. In 1359 the Republic of Venice sent an embassy under Doge Lorenzo Celsi to Emperor Charles IV in Prague . As negotiations in Prague were delayed, Celsi sent two of his fellow travelers back to Venice early. The journey home from Prague took them through Carinthia, where they were arrested north of Sankt Veit by the people of the taverns Hermann and Niklas. The reason for this was an old dispute that Hermann and Niklas' father, the Osterwitzer Schenk Reinher III. with Doge Celsi. This old dispute should now be settled. After it became known that the two Venetian ambassadors had been captured, the Signoria of Venice naturally protested against the fact that the legation's immunity had been illegally violated. Venice turned to the Archbishop of Salzburg and the Carinthian Prince Duke Rudolf , even to the Emperor himself to protest against the behavior of the von Osterwitz taverns. They demanded the immediate release of the two ambassadors and the punishment of those responsible. The negotiations, however, dragged on for 21 months until Duke Rudolf finally got his release by paying the Osterwitzern 6,000 guilders in return. The price for this debt relief, however, was not only the freedom of the two Venetians, but also the loss of their economic and personal freedom. On June 24th, 1362, the taverns gave Duke Rudolf their Feste Osterwitz with all the property and people belonging to it and received all of this again as a fief. The taverns were now normal servants of the sovereign and the social decline began.
After the death of the Schenken Hermann V, his brother Niklas became obrister Schenk. Under him, the family's economic situation began to stabilize for a short time. Among other things, Niklas had a very good relationship with Duke Leopold the Lord of Inner Austria. Niklas was appointed governor of Steyer by him. He held this office until Leopold's death in 1386, after which he returned to Carinthia and devoted himself to the administration of Osterwitz and family life. In 1414 Ulrich III. new head of the family and immediately took over the function of captain of Krain until 1429.
From the middle of the 15th century, the time was mainly characterized by the constant danger of Turkish invasions. In this context, the tavern Wilhelm was sent to help the Carniolan people as captain of the people . Nevertheless, there was no siege of the Osterwitzer festivals during this time . Wilhelm's brother and successor, Georg von Osterwitz, died in 1478 in Turkish captivity. The only Osterwitzer that was left was Georg's son Hans. Under him, the final political and economic collapse of the family loomed. From the middle of the 15th century, for inexplicable reasons, presumably because of arrogance or negligence, the imperial fiefdom was no longer granted. The consequence of this was that Emperor Friedrich III. took over the entire ownership of the taverns of Osterwitz. Under this pressure, Hans von Osterwitz had to give up the entire family property. Out of princely grace, only Liebenfels Castle was left to him as a new fiefdom. All of this was recorded in a document published on May 30, 1478. The year 1478 thus marked the political end of the Osterwitz taverns.
literature
- Hermann Wiessner: The taverns from Osterwitz. History of a Carinthian ministerial family that has led through five centuries. Klagenfurt 1977.