Thomas Fuchs of Wallburg

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Thomas Fuchs, grave slab in the Dominican Church of St. Blasius (Regensburg) by Jörg Gartner

Thomas Fuchs von Wallburg zu Schneeberg († December 2, 1526 ) comes from the Frankish noble family of the Fuchs and was imperial governor in Regensburg from 1512 until his death .

Appointment as Reichshauptmann

In the Augsburg arbitration in 1492, the Bavarian Duke Albrecht IV was forced by the Emperor to surrender the free imperial city of Regensburg , which he had annexed and which had voluntarily surrendered to him in 1486. The city lost its status as a "Free City" and was forced to recognize the emperor as the supreme authority and to pay homage to him . Imperial commissioners were initially installed to safeguard the emperor's interests in the city and to monitor the city council. From 1499 their tasks were transferred to an imperial governor appointed by the emperor who was to reside in the city. The Kaiser was able to directly influence the occupation of the Inner Council and the development of the city through the Reichshauptmann. The first imperial governor, Sigmund von Rohrbach, died on December 18, 1511. Emperor Maximilian I wanted to appoint Thomas Fuchs, with whom he was highly indebted with 2,540 guilders, as his successor, but fierce resistance formed in the city of Regensburg. One had hoped to be able to break free from the dependency of the emperor without the Reichshauptmann. In addition, they were not prepared to pay the imperial governor's annual salary of 400 guilders, as set by the emperor. The first protest by negotiators Hans Portner and Hans Hirsdorfer, sent to Vienna by the city council to see the emperor, was rejected. On March 12, 1512, the imperial commissioners Albert Wolfstein and Jörg Wispek appeared at the town hall in Regensburg to install Thomas Fuchs as the new imperial governor in his office. But even these emissaries of the emperor had to find out that no quick success was possible in Regensburg. The city council played for time, activated legal assistance and opposed the planned appointment of Thomas Fuchs with ever new legal objections. In July 1512 a five-person commission of the emperor had to withdraw from Regensburg without having achieved anything.
The appointment of the new imperial governor developed into a power struggle between the city council, the population and the emperor. A third commission of the emperor appeared in the city on March 6, 1513, with the members Wilhelm von Wolfstein, Sigmund von Reizenstein, Jobst Albersdorfer, the Augsburg mayor Hans Langenmantel and Georg Rötinger from Nördlingen. It also remained unsuccessful and the power struggles within the city organs (Inner and Outer Council, Common ) between the supporters of the Emperor and those of the Duke of Bavaria continued with great severity. Wolfgang Liskircher, the eldest of the council loyal to the emperor and member of the inner council of the city, was sentenced to death on pretexts and hanged on April 4, 1513. It was not until the end of 1513 that tensions in the city decreased again and it was agreed to accept the appointment of an imperial governor. On April 2, 1514, the last commission of the emperor appeared in the city, the new imperial governor Thomas Fuchs was appointed and the political opponents were settled hard. The cathedral builder Wolfgang Roritzer was executed as ringleader . Numerous other death sentences were passed and carried out. A total of 180 people are said to have been affected by the imperial punitive measures. On June 12, 1514, the commission left and Thomas Fuchs was able to begin his work as imperial governor.

Activity as Reich Governor

During his time in office, Reich Governor Thomas Fuchs developed an intensive relationship with the city of Regensburg and even had his own building built here as a residence. As Reich Governor, he gained a deep insight into the city's difficult financial situation. He used this knowledge and his good relations with the emperor to help the city out of the economic crisis. The city council put its trust in the imperial governor and in 1514 an expanded regimental order was passed, which ensured that conditions were permanently stabilized. The city took over the salary of the imperial governor and was exempted from some taxes to the emperor. The Reichshauptmann was also commissioned to look after the city's financial interests vis-à-vis the local clergy, headed by Bishop Johann . This became particularly important when, in 1521, following the construction of the Marienkapelle at the site of the destroyed Jewish synagogue, the pilgrimage to Mary took place, which generated high revenues. Even after Fuchs was appointed to the Council of the Reich Regiment in Esslingen , he continued his activities as Reich Governor for Regensburg without restrictions and was involved in Regensburg at the Reichstag, at the Imperial Court and in the imperial administration responsible for Regensburg, the Reich Regiment in Innsbruck . His influence even increased. After an appeal to the Imperial General Treasurer Gabriel von Salamanca , Regensburg was even freed from aid to the Turks in 1523 .

The role of the Reichshauptmann in the expulsion of the Jews from Regensburg

On behalf of the emperor, after taking office in 1514, the imperial governor Thomas Fuchs was also responsible for protecting the Jews in Regensburg, which the Jews had to buy through the tribute paid to the emperor. Only a few decades earlier, when pogroms against the Jews took place in many cities of the empire as part of the legend of the ritual murder , it had become apparent that the emperor was ready to allow the protection of the Jews to be bought from him. So had Emperor Maximilian I z. B. approved the expulsion of the Jews from Nuremberg in 1499 against payment of 8,000 guilders by the city. On the other hand, his predecessor, Emperor Friedrich III, refused to expel the city of Regensburg in 1476 because Regensburg was considered an unreliable payer of the transfer fee. Instead, he imposed a fine of 8,000 guilders on the city for the unjustified incarceration of 17 Jews. The 17 imprisoned Jews were released in 1480 after the emperor had admitted in 1479 that it was not the city but the Jewish community itself that should pay the fine. This should be done through annual payments of 200 guilders to the city and in addition the community should pay 200 guilders annually as protection money to the emperor. The Jews could not raise the money because their community was very impoverished and also owed the Palatinate Elector Ottheinrich . Because Emperor Maximilian I had not received any money, he again refused applications from the city in 1507 and 1514 to allow the Jews to be deported. Because of the increasing danger from the Turks, the emperor urgently needed money and, after the appointment of the imperial governor Thomas Fuchs, saw the possibility of forcing the unreliable debtor Regensburg to pay. The city council lawyers, such as B. Dr. Peringer, evaded the coercion, shifted the problem to the legal level and delayed a solution with the question of to whom the payments should be made in the event of death by the emperor, to the Empire or to the House of Habsburg. It was also disputed where the case should be heard, at the Reich Chamber Court or the Regimental Court in Innsbruck. Because of the expected duration of the process and the high costs, the imperial advisor Cardinal Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg suggested that the imperial governor Thomas Fuchs should decide the case as judge. However, this solution was proposed by the representative of the Jews, Dr. Zasius refused. In the meantime, the tensions between Jews and the population in the city continued to grow and, from 1516, were additionally fueled by the anti-Semite Balthasar Hubmaier , who incited the city population against the Jews as a cathedral preacher .

In this confusing situation, Emperor Maximilian I died in January 1519 and then events precipitated because the city's magistrate believed it could use the existing power vacuum during the imperialless period. On February 21, the Jewish community was given the order to clear the synagogue by Reich Governor Thomas Fuchs, who acted as the representative of the magistrate. The reason given was an imminent uprising by the population. The resolution had already been passed on February 6th without the Reichshauptmann, who, however, had previously supported the positions of the magistrate. Opposite the lawyer for the Jews, Dr. Zasius, Reichshauptmann Fuchs pretended that he had been taken by surprise, but it is clear that he had not stood in the way of the city's wishes. He probably even promoted the plans, even if he was allegedly "devoted" to carrying out the evacuation and the demolition measures. All the houses of the Jews and the synagogue were destroyed and the construction of the pilgrimage church to the beautiful Maria began in place of the synagogue . This created facts that even a new emperor could not reverse. The name of the Imperial Governor Thomas Fuchs is engraved on the foundation stone of the new pilgrimage chapel, which is a clear indication that he was involved in the campaign and perhaps even the initiator of the construction of the pilgrimage chapel.

Inheritance protection contract with the House of Habsburg

The expulsion of the Jews not only had significant financial consequences for the city of Regensburg, because the city had to take on all existing demands on the Jews. The long-term settlement of the claims was agreed on March 2, 1521 at the Reichstag in Worms in the so-called inheritance protection contract with Emperor Charles V. The city of Regensburg contractually undertook to compensate all those who had been harmed by the expulsion of the Jews. So the city should z. B. Debts of the Jewish community to Count Palatine Ottheinrich in the amount of 4100 florins and also other debts of the Jews z. B. take over at the Bishop of Regensburg.

Reich Governor Thomas Fuchs played a key role in the contract negotiations. The inheritance protection contract became fundamentally important for the future of the city of Regensburg. With this contract, the hereditary protection of the House of Habsburg over the Regensburg Jews was transformed into a hereditary protection of the House of Habsburg over the imperial city of Regensburg. In order to obtain the emperor's forgiveness for the unauthorized expulsion of the Jews, the city of Regensburg was now obliged in the contract to replace the Jews with the former Jewish tribute of 484 guilders annually to the emperor. In return, the city received a protection guarantee from the Imperial House of Habsburg. In September 1532 Archduke Ferdinand sold the Jewish tribute to the city of Regensburg for a one-off sum of 8,000 florins because he needed money for the Turkish war. The protection guarantee was not affected.
As the emperor's creditor, the imperial governor Thomas Fuchs was also involved in the agreed financial transfer actions. The tribute arrears of 1454 florins of florins that had meanwhile accumulated with the emperor were to be paid directly to the imperial governor Thomas Fuchs by the city of Regensburg instead of to the emperor in order to settle part of the old debts the emperor had with him. From the annual tribute payments made by the city to the emperor in the amount of 484 florins , the imperial governor Fuchs was to receive 127 florins annually as interest for the remaining debt with the emperor. The interest money was paid out by the city to the descendants of the imperial governor until 1565. It was not until this year that the city of Regensburg finally redeemed all remaining debts with one-off payments to the emperor and the Fuchs heirs.

Attitude of the Reich Governor to the introduction of the Reformation

Reichshauptmann Fuchs was confronted with Luther's teachings at an early age, especially through his relatives Jakob and Andreas Fuchs, both canons in Bamberg and zealous supporters of the Reformation . As early as 1518 he had personal contact with Martin Luther . It was Thomas Fuchs who, with his good contacts to the emperor, organized the written assurance of an imperial escort to the Reichstag in Augsburg for Luther at the request of the humanist and student friend of Luther Crotus Rubeanus . Luther was summoned there for an interrogation and was asked to revoke his theses. As Reich Captain Thomas Fuchs asked in December 1519 for the City Council in Luther also an advisory opinion on the question of who the patronage should have at the newly to be built church to the beautiful Maria , which was conceived at that time already in the making. Luther recommended that he take a flexible stance in legal disputes with the bishop, but this was not followed. It is also considered certain that due to the influence of Reich Governor Fuchs, the lawyer and syndic of the city of Bamberg, Dr. Johannes Hiltner was called to Regensburg, where from January 1522 he became the real operator of the Reformation in Regensburg. As Reich Governor Thomas Fuchs acted very carefully. He reported to the city council on the cruel religious conflicts in the cities of Switzerland and advised several times to officially hold on to the previous faith in order not to endanger the common goal of bringing the upcoming religious convention to Regensburg. The city council followed its advice, for example banning B. the local book printers to print Lutheran writings and also ordered the public reading of the Edict of Worms , in which the imperial ban on Luther and a printing ban on his writings were imposed. The Imperial Governor Fuchs reported to Archduke Ferdinand about the city's loyalty to imperial and papal commandments and wanted to use this strategy to increase the city's prospect of a seat for an imperial authority. The cautious and wise tactics of Reich Governor Thomas Fuchs and the cautious actions of Councilor Hiltner, which was coordinated with it, meant that the Reformation approaches in Regensburg unfolded more slowly than in other cities and the Reformation in the end in harmony with the Emperor and the City Council, officially was introduced quite late in 1542. This had aroused the displeasure of some citizens early on and accordingly the Reichshauptmann Fuchs had a bad reputation among supporters of Luther. He was accused of self-interest and the intention to take personal advantage of his position in the city.

Possessions

From 1508 he acquired possessions of the rule Schneeberg in the northern Upper Palatinate, whose fiefdom him of I. Emperor Maximilian were transferred. Since then he has also called himself Thomas Fuchs zu Schneeberg. Emperor Charles V enfeoffed him in May 1521 with the dominions of Schönsee and Reichenstein. His son Hans Fuchs finally brought together the holdings of Schneeberg , Altenschneeberg , Tiefenbach , Frauenstein , Schönsee , Reichenstein and Winklarn that had been acquired by then in one hand.
Around 1515 he acquired a complex of buildings on the corner of Am Ölberg and today's Gesandersstraße, which was expanded into his residence. The large property, later referred to as "Fuchs´sche dwelling", was bought by the city of Regensburg in 1531 for 1000 guilders, and in 1537 the imperial city high school was relocated there. The Protestant Alumneum was established there around 1900.

family

Thomas Fuchs was married twice. His first wife Margarete fell ill during the Worms Reichstag and died soon afterwards in Bad Wildbad in 1521. He married his second wife Regina in Esslingen in 1524.

Hans Fuchs von Wallburg comes from his first marriage . He inherited his possessions in the Upper Palatinate and succeeded him as Reich Governor in Regensburg.

Thomas Fuchs died on December 2nd, 1526. An epitaph was erected in the Dominican church , in the direct vicinity of Fuchs's dwelling, which reminds of him to this day.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tobias Beck, 2011, pages 1-3.2
  2. ↑ Historisches Lexikon Bayern: Aristocratic Wolfstein Family
  3. ^ Karl Bauer: Regensburg. Art, culture and everyday history , MZ Buchverlag 2014, pp. 203–204, ISBN 978-3-86646-300-4 .
  4. ↑ Bavarikon
  5. ^ Karl Bauer: Regensburg. Art, culture and everyday history , MZ Buchverlag 2014, p. 123, ISBN 978-3-86646-300-4 .
  6. ↑ Widmann: Chronicle, page 26
  7. ↑ Tobias Beck, 2011, chap. 3.3-3.5
  8. ↑ Tobias Beck, 2011, p. 111
  9. ↑ BayHStA GN38
  10. ↑ Tobias Beck, 2011, pp. 116–117
  11. ↑ Martin Weindl, From the pilgrimage church to the beautiful Maria to the Protestant Neupfarrkirche. The legal background , In: 450 Years of the Evangelical Church in Regensburg 1542-1992, pp. 51–55, Catalog Museums Stadt Regensburg 1992, ISBN 3-925753-28-1
  12. ↑ Tobias Beck, 2011, pp. 114–115
  13. ↑ Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv GN 39: Fuchs to Ferdinand I on June 21, 1524
  14. ↑ Karl Bauer, 2014 pp. 324, 355-356
  15. ^ List of monuments in Regensburg
personal data
SURNAME Fuchs von Wallburg, Thomas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Fuchs zum Schneeberg, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Imperial Governor of Regensburg
DATE OF BIRTH 15th century
DATE OF DEATH December 2, 1526
Place of death regensburg