Würzburg guild certificate

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The Würzburg guild document from 1373 is an alliance document which established an alliance between the city of Würzburg and the masters of all Würzburg guilds and was intended to ensure the harmony of the city and general order.

The importance of the guilds for Würzburg

In the first half of the 13th century, the number of craftsmen grew, as did their wealth and skill. As a result, the guilds' interest in shaping public life began to grow.

From the 13th century there were regular clashes between the citizens of Würzburg and the incumbent bishop, who was also the city lord, about the struggle for urban autonomy . With an arbitration award on October 7, 1261 one tries to resolve this dispute. The citizens of Würzburg were no longer allowed to elect the Council of Twenty-four without the consent of the bishop, whereupon they had to promise to recognize the rights of the bishop, clergy, nobility and ministerials . The contract was renewed on August 26, 1275 by the famous Dominican scholar Albertus Magnus. Part of this treaty guaranteed the bishop unlimited power to dissolve the guilds as he wished. At the same time, the contract also contained the condition that not only the clergy and the nobility, but also merchants and craftsmen should keep their rights. Therefore, the aim of this treaty was not to destroy the guilds as business associations, but only to destroy their political function.

King Rudolf von Habsburg dissolved all city councils and guilds that had been founded without the consent of a bishop on the Speyer court in March 1275. Since the council and the guilds continued to work in Würzburg, the incumbent Bishop Berthold von Sterneberg (1274–1287) lifted them again. However, when a nobility feud broke out a short time later in the court monastery against the bishop, the bishop needed the craftsmen for military service. Since these served him well, he revoked the abolition of the guilds with a document on March 17, 1279. Barely six months later, however, he dissolved the guilds again, as he was put under pressure from the clergy and the nobility.

The guild charter from 1373

Escalation of events

Organization of guilds was still a major problem in the early 14th century. On August 14, 1303, the citizens of Würzburg asked King Albrecht for approval of their rights and freedoms, which King Albrecht granted them. At the beginning, the king still represented a mediating element between the citizens and bishops, but the new Würzburg bishop Andres tried to get the guilds abolished from the beginning of his term in office in 1303. In 1308 it was finally decided to prohibit the guilds and it was left to the respective city lord to reinstate the guilds.

Around the middle of the 14th century there was a risk that the guilds would lose their independence for good. On September 23, 1357, Emperor Charles IV banned the Würzburg Council of Twenty-Four and the guilds, and imposed the penalty on the Würzburg citizens that they would have to pay 1000 pounds sterling annually to the bishop for a period of 10 years. This led to demographic changes, as many wealthy citizens moved to the surrounding cities of Würzburg and Nuremberg to escape tax pressure.

The incumbent bishop Albrecht, who was an opponent of the guilds, died on June 27, 1372. Albrecht III took over the office . von Heßberg , who among other things recognized the guilds again. On October 6, 1372 Gerhard von Schwarzburg (1372-1400) was by Pope Gregory XI. personally appointed as Würzburg bishop, as this bishop did not recognize Albrecht von Heßberg. On December 1, 1372, the regalia was awarded by Emperor Charles IV. Würzburg now had two bishops.

Gerhard von Schwarzburg demanded the resignation of Albrecht von Heßberg and thus angered the majority of the citizens of Würzburg against him and a guerrilla war broke out, as a result of which Albrecht von Heßberg fled the city.

The bishop then demanded the termination of the Council of 24, the abolition of the guilds and the delivery of the city key.

The Würzburg guild certificate from 1373

The city council and the guilds decided on November 15, 1373 to form an alliance, the aim of which was to secure and preserve the peace and community of Würzburg. The city was represented by the two mayors and 38 members of the old and new councils. The guild certificate heralded the last stage of development of the Würzburg guilds.

The Würzburg guild certificate from 1373 contains the most detailed list of all guilds with the seals of 37 guilds. The alliance document is of particular importance because it shows the breadth of typical medieval urban trade. In medieval research it is therefore referred to as the "most remarkable piece of the guild seal tradition".

In the first section of the document, the two mayors Engel Weybeler and Sitz Vischelin are named, followed by the names of 38 members of the old and new Council of Twenty-four, after which it is mentioned who the document is addressed to. The last thing is what will happen if you fail to comply. In the case of a slight offense, one hand is cut off; in the case of a larger one, the hand is beheaded; in any case, however, a complaint will be filed.

The guilds are then named. These 37 are the merchants, carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, bread bakers, bakers, butchers, furriers, tailors, shoemakers, winemakers in the Kühbach and in Niedernhofen. Painters, saddlers and swordsmen form their own guild, followed by gardeners, winemakers in Pleichach, on Rennweg, in front of St. and sand, gardeners, egg dealers, innkeepers, vintners, boatmen, salt boxers, bathers, cobblers, fishermen, fodder and sack porters.

Every guild is preceded by the guild master and then all members of the guild are included. The guild certificate also shows that wine production in Würzburg has a special position, as almost a quarter of the guilds are winegrowers' guilds, listed separately according to the respective residential areas.

At the end of the document there is a short summary of the names of those under whom the alliance is to exist and the date.

outlook

On July 24, 1396, Würzburg formed a peace protection association with some surrounding towns in order to escape the tax pressure exerted by Prince-Bishop Gerhard, who had enforced some special taxes. Later there was an uprising in which the guilds largely took over the council of 24; Citizens plundered the possessions of clergymen and Bishop Gerhard fled to the Marienberg Fortress , which was besieged by the citizens for two weeks.

The Würzburg wanted to become an imperial city and on October 13, 1397 they were included in " the protection of the king and the shield of the empire ".

It came to the decisive battle of Bergtheim between the bishop and the citizens of the city of Würzburg. The citizens suffered utter defeat. This is to be equated with the fall of the guilds as political associations. The guilds were banned, and from then on one could only speak of "craftsmen" or the "brotherhood" of a trade.

Bibliography

swell

  • Engel, Wilhelm: Deeds to the history of the city of Würzburg. 1201–1401 (= sources and research on the history of the diocese and bishopric of Würzburg, vol. 5 / Regesta Herbipolensia, vol. 1). Wuerzburg 1952.
  • Fries, Lorenz: History, names, gender, life, deeds and death of the bishops of Würzburg and Dukes of Franconia, also what happened during the reign of each and every one of them, in: Würzburger Chronik, Vol. 1. Würzburg 1924.
  • Fries, Lorenz: From Embricho to Albrecht III. von Hessburg (1127-1376), in: Chronicle of the Bishops of Würzburg 742-1495, Vol. 3, ed. v. Christoph Bauer. Würzburg 1999.

literature

  • Arnold, Klaus: In the struggle for civil freedom. The city of Würzburg in the later Middle Ages (approx. 1250–1400), in: From the beginning to the outbreak of the Peasants' War, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 94-109.
  • Brod, Walter M .: On the history of the guilds in the old Würzburg, in: 600 years Büttner guild Würzburg. 1373–1973 (= Mainfränkische Hefte, Heft 59). Wuerzburg 1973.
  • Dettelbacher, Werner: From the royal settlement to the episcopal city, in: Würzburg. 1300 years of city life between education and bourgeoisie, church and culture, ed. v. Klaus M. Höynck and Alexander von Papp. Wuerzburg 2003.
  • Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Wuerzburg 1950.
  • Himmelstein, Franz Xaver: Order of the bishops of Würzburg. Wurzburg 2 1881.
  • Sprandel, Rolf: Economic history, in: From the beginnings to the outbreak of the Peasant War, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 322–356.
  • Teige, Winfried: The city and its craft - From the guild to the guild, in: Würzburg. 1300 years of city life between education and bourgeoisie, church and culture, ed. v. Klaus M. Höynck and Alexander von Papp. Wuerzburg 2003.

Individual evidence

  1. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 6ff.
  2. ^ Arnold, Klaus: In the struggle for civil liberty. The city of Würzburg in the later Middle Ages (approx. 1250–1400), in: From the beginning to the outbreak of the Peasants' War, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 94-109. P. 98.
  3. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 11f.
  4. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 12ff.
  5. ^ Arnold, Klaus: In the struggle for civil liberty. The city of Würzburg in the later Middle Ages (approx. 1250–1400), in: From the beginning to the outbreak of the Peasants' War, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 94-109. P. 100.
  6. ^ Arnold, Klaus: In the struggle for civil liberty. The city of Würzburg in the later Middle Ages (approx. 1250–1400), in: From the beginning to the outbreak of the Peasants' War, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 94-109. P. 100f.
  7. Sprandel, Rolf: Wirtschaftsgeschichte, in: From the beginnings to the outbreak of the peasant war, ed. v. Ulrich Wagner. History of the city of Würzburg, vol. 1. Stuttgart 2001. pp. 322–356. P. 325.
  8. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. pp. 26f.
  9. ^ Brod, Walter M .: On the history of the guilds in the old Würzburg, in: 600 years Büttnerzunft Würzburg. 1373–1973 (= Mainfränkische Hefte, Heft 59). Würzburg 1973. p. 9.
  10. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 27.
  11. ^ Brod, Walter M .: On the history of the guilds in the old Würzburg, in: 600 years Büttnerzunft Würzburg. 1373–1973 (= Mainfränkische Hefte, Heft 59). Würzburg 1973. p. 9.
  12. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 37.
  13. ^ Brod, Walter M .: On the history of the guilds in the old Würzburg, in: 600 years Büttnerzunft Würzburg. 1373–1973 (= Mainfränkische Hefte, Heft 59). Würzburg 1973. p. 8f.
  14. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. pp. 30f.
  15. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. pp. 30ff.
  16. Engel, Wilhelm: Würzburg guild seal from five centuries (= Mainfränkische Hefte, booklet 7). Würzburg 1950. p. 35ff.
  17. Teige, Winfried: The city and its craft - From the guild to the guild, in: Würzburg. 1300 years of city life between education and bourgeoisie, church and culture, ed. v. Klaus M. Höynch and Alexander von Papp. Würzburg 2003. p. 47.