History of the Rothenburg Castle
Rothenburg has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. It has survived wars, plagues, earthquakes, reformations and wars. This Bavarian Castle town has not changed in the last 300 years--laws have been passed to preserve its medieval charm.
Early History
The original Rothenburg castle was built in 1070, just after the Normans conquered England. During that time in Europe, various earls, princes, kings and emperors were jockeying for power, and a second castle town was built in 1142. One hundred years later in 1247, Rothenburg was named one of the Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Emperor rotated his court through the various Imperial Cities. Frederick I, also known as Barbarossa, spent time in Rothenburg before heading off to a Crusade. He died in Turkey before making it to the Holy Land.
Black Death and Earthquakes
The plague, also called the Black Death, came to Europe in 1347 to 1354, and roughly a third of the population died. The castle was destroyed by an earthquake in 1356, but due to its designation as an Imperial City, it did not need to spend resources in defending itself. It could use its savings to rebuild the walls and to build the buildings we enjoy today. The Imperial cities, including Rothenburg, attracted people and were prosperous training centers. By 1400, the city had a population of 6,000, with another 14,000 in the surrounding countryside. Rothenburg had three fairs and was a pilgrimage site.
Reformation and Wars
When Martin Luther spoke for the people not having to pay huge sums for forgiveness in 1517, the German nobility saw a way to get their principalities out from the rule of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Rothenburg chose to become Lutheran. In the next century, war broke out between clashing ideologies, and armies of Protestants and Catholics swarmed over Europe destroying towns and countryside alike. Rothenberg was conquered but spared destruction by an ingenious dare made by the mayor.
The Dare
In 1631, a Catholic Count with an army of 30,000 wanted to use Rothenburg to house his soldiers. Protestant Rothenburg fought back and lost. However, the Count promised the mayor he would not destroy the town if the Mayor would drink a three-liter tankard of wine in one gulp. The mayor accepted the dare and drank it all down. He took a three day nap to sleep it off, and although Rothenburg did put up 29,700 soldiers that winter, its buildings were not destroyed. However, its population was destitute and three years later when the Black Death made a return the population grew even more sparse.
The long desolation and renewal
Rothenburg survived for the next 200 years, but was not well known. In the late 1800s artists found their way to Rothenburg and began to paint its charming buildings. Rothenburg again came to attract people. It is now one of the most visited places in Bavaria. Laws were passed to prevent any modernization of the town, to preserve its medieval charm.
Tags: Black Death, History Rothenburg, History Rothenburg Castle, medieval charm, preserve medieval, preserve medieval charm