Knights' Revolt

Throughout the late Middle Ages, the once-distinguished Imperial knights were in sharp decline. The knights lost power and prominence due to the developments in military machinery, the augmented force of the nobility, and the downfall of feudalism. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church demanded a tithe of 10%, meaning the Imperial knights no longer enjoyed the wealth they once did.

The diminishment in the power of the Imperial knights led knights Franz von Sickingen and Ulrich von Hutten to take a stand. The men wanted to take advantage of the Protestant Reformation to drive the Church of Rome out of Germany and restore the Imperial knights to their former glory. What became known as the Knights' Revolt took place between 27 August 1522 and 6 May 1523. While this short-lived revolt ultimately failed, it had enduring consequences, inspiring the cataclysmic German Peasants' War of 1524-1526.

Knights' Revolt History

Firstly, here is a table outlining the essential facts of the Knights' Revolt:

Knights' Revolt Timeline

Here is a brief timeline outlining the origins, key events, and consequences of the Knights' Revolt:

In 1517, Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses in Wittenberg. This piece of work criticised the corruption and immorality of the Roman Catholic Church. It gained widespread support throughout the Holy Roman Empire. For the Imperial knights, such cries for reform presented an unprecedented opportunity. The breakdown of the Holy Roman Empire would allow the knights to capture Catholic lands and assets and restore the once distinguished order to its former glory.

Fig. 1 Martin Luther.

Such an opportunity appealed to several Imperial knights, notably Franz von Sickingen and Ulrich von Hutten.

Franz von Sickingen and Ulrich von Hutten

Born on 2 March 1481, Franz von Sickingen inherited Ebernburg Castle from his father, Schweickhardt von Sickingen. Like his father, Franz von Sickingen became a knight, fighting for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I at Venice in 1508. This service led to him receiving lands on the Rhine river and Nanstein Castle.

Sickingen ignored The Eternal Peace of 1495, continuing to take land, towns, and hostages for financial gain. When Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died, Sickengen even took bribes from France to support Charles V's bid to become Holy Roman Emperor.

Fig. 2 Franz von Sickingen.

In 1517, Ulrich von Hutten appealed to the Swabian League – a military alliance between Imperial cities – regarding the murder of his relative. Hutten was a poet, writer, and highly educated. He had learned Latin from a young age at a Benedictine monastery, travelled in Cologne, and studied law in Italy. During his travels, Hutten developed a contempt for the pope, Catholicism, and the Holy Roman Empire. Sickengen, understanding the potential financial gains of helping such a highly educated man, acquainted himself with Hutton.

German Knights' Revolt

Now we have the background to the Knights' Revolt, let's look at what actually happened!

Franz von Sickingen proposed a revolt to remove the Church from Germanic territories and create an independent Germany. He launched a campaign demanding his followers stop paying taxes. Ulrich von Hutten helped by disseminating Sickingen's views through pamphlets and publications.

In 1522, Sickingen left to seek support in Switzerland, convening a Brotherly Convention of Knights. Once elected leader, Sickingen decided that their first target would be the Archbishop of Trier, Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads.

Siege of Trier

After assembling an army, Sickingen encouraged people to overthrow their archbishop forcibly. Sickingen claimed to be marching on behalf of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. However, the Diet of Nuremberg (est. 1522), acting on behalf of the absent Charles V, disagreed. The Diet hence demanded that Sickingen cease his campaign.

Ignoring the demands of the Diet of Nuremberg, Sickingen marched on to Trier in August 1522. Unfortunately, the peasants of Trier did not mobilise, and Count Louis V of Palatine and Landgrave Philip of Hesse came to Archbishop Richard's aid.

After seven days of siege and five failed assault attempts, Sickingen ran out of gunpowder. During the siege, he was issued a Ban of the Empire and forced to retreat to Nanstein Castle in the winter of 1522.

Siege of Nanstein Castle

After the Siege of Trier, Sickingen retreated to Nanstein Castle, and Hutten went to Switzerland to drum up support.

Archbishop Richard of Trier, Count Louis V of Palatine, and Landgrave Philip of Hesse besieged Nanstein Castle in 1523. Sickingen expected a prolonged siege of some four months, by which time reinforcements would have arrived. However, Sickingen had failed to realise the strength of artillery weaponry. Within a few days, his defences were decimated, and he was seriously injured.

Fig. 3 Landgrave Philip of Hesse.

On 7 May 1523, Sickingen surrendered to Archbishop Richard of Trier, Count Louis V of the Palatine, and Landgrave Philip of Hesse; he died of his wounds shortly after. Hutten died from syphilis a matter of months later in Switzerland.

The Knights' Revolt Aftermath

After the attempted revolt, the knights involved had their castles removed. The once prestigious Imperial knights were now bankrupt, homeless, and held no real power.

Despite the revolt appearing to be an apparent failure, the knight's refusal to pay church tithes did have a lasting effect. The following year, in 1524, the German peasants followed the example of the Imperial knights and refused to pay church tithes. This stand-off led to the German Peasants' Revolt, the most significant uprising in Western Europe until the French Revolution.