Rise of the German Cities
The German towns first become conspicuous in political affairs in the twelfth century. We find them participating in the struggles of the time, fighting their bishops or neighboring lords, or…
From: 1114 C.E. To: 1187 C.E.
Location: Cologne, Germany
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From Readings in European History by James Robinson, 1906.
How the people of Cologne fought Emperor Henry V in 1114 (From the Annals of Cologne)
The German towns first become conspicuous in political affairs in the twelfth century. We find them participating in the struggles of the time, fighting their bishops or neighboring lords, or even the emperor himself. They begin also to have their own annals, in which the local events are given a prominent place.
No German town was more important than Cologne, with its great commerce and its influential archbishop. The following passages from The Greater Annals of Cologne, the first part of which was probably written in the form in which we have it about 1175, give a vivid picture of the pride of the burghers and their dubious relations with the emperor.
Remembering his dislike for the people of Cologne, the emperor got together a great army of Alemannians and Bavarians and of Saxons, under their duke Lothaire, with the purpose of reducing to shame and insignificance this most flourishing among the cities of France and Germany. He first attempted to take and destroy the fortified town of Deutz, so that by stationing a garrison at this point he could cut off the people of Cologne from receiving anything by water. As soon as the people of Cologne heard of this, they called together under their standard great numbers of their most valiant young men, crossed the Rhine with a strong force of bowmen, and, drawing themselves up in battle array, awaited the attack of the emperor with stout hearts. When the emperor observed their bravery he took counsel with his followers and determined to draw out the battle until evening, when the enemy, supposing his troops to be worn out, would begin to withdraw and so be the more easily overcome.
In the meanwhile the cavaliers of both sides had a free field and rode against one another as if they were taking part in a spectacle; but when a great cloud of arrows came showering in from the side of the Cologne people the knights of the enemy fell dead or wounded. There was in the emperor's army a corps whose armor was made of horn and so could not be pierced by iron. When these removed their armor, however, in order to get a little air, for it was very hot, they were immediately covered with arrows, and all but six fell on the spot.
When the emperor saw that the enemy did not give way but steadily held its own, he decided that he would yield the field, since the position proved ill chosen, and accordingly retreated that night behind the Wagenburg. The next day he directed his army against Bonn and Jiilich, two fortified places belonging to Cologne, and plundered and burned everything within reach.
On his return, Archbishop Frederick, Duke Gottfried of Lorraine, Henry of Zutphen, and Count Theodoric of Are intercepted him with great bravery, but in vain, for some of the most distinguished on their side Count Gerhard of Jülich and Lambert of Mulenarke were taken prisoners, and Eberhard of Gandernol, a valorous man, was killed. But when Count Frederick of Westphalia and his brother Henry came up with heavy reinforcements the emperor was forced to give way and barely escaped the pursuing enemy by flight.
For the third time the combatants met in a great engagement on the plain of Andernach, nine miles from Cologne, and here the people of Cologne won the victory, as is their wont. The emperor had under his standard a very strong force, footmen as well as cavalry, made up of Saxons, Franconians, Alemannians, and Bavarians, as well as valorous knights from Burgundy. He appeared before Andernach with this mighty host, but proposed to fight the battle with the help of his dukes, for he himself took no part, but awaited the outcome of the conflict at a little distance.
Then appeared the ranks of Cologne in battle array, far fewer in number but nowise inferior in bravery, under the leadership of their duke and archbishop, Frederick, and of the former Duke Henry of Lorraine, Count Theodoric of Are, Count Henry of Kessel, and others equally valorous and well versed in war. In the first onset Duke Henry, with a small detachment, rushed upon a far superior mass of the enemy, but was forced to retreat to his camp.
Then amid a frightful din of trumpets both armies, eager for the conflict, set upon each other, and for a long time the struggle remained undecided. At last the chosen youth of Cologne, in a wild rage, resolved either to conquer or die, and began to slash about them with fearful effect, so that the enemy was compelled to flee. Then Count Theodoric, a brave knight to whom the victory was chiefly due, since he had pressed forward with his followers against the enemy like a lion, began a fearful slaughter on all sides.
Many free men of knightly rank were killed or taken prisoners. Duke Bertolf of Carinthia, a faithful adherent of the emperor, was captured and taken in charge by Count Theodoric himself. None of the leaders on the side of Cologne were either killed or captured except Count Henry of Kessel, an excellent man, who, through the turpitude of his followers, fell under the horses' hoofs and perished. He was honorably buried in Cologne near the cathedral of St. Peter.
In describing the events of the year 1187, toward the end of the reign of Frederick Barbarossa, The Greater Annals of Cologne report another incident which serves to indicate that no great degree of mutual confidence existed as yet between the city and the emperor.
In the bishopric of Cologne there was fearful apprehension. The rumor had spread that the emperor wished to lead an army through the territory of Cologne, ostensibly to aid the French king, but really with the purpose of surrounding and laying siege to the city. He had already constructed a bridge of boats and planks over the Moselle in order that his troops might cross. Excited by this, the townspeople put the moat in order and set to work to construct new gates. The archbishop supplied his people with guards and provisions and saw to the walls and moats of his various towns.
Now the archbishop was not on especially good terms with the emperor, since he seemed rather to incline to the side of the pope, who was hostile to the imperial party; and it was this suspicion of the emperor's disfavor that led the people to accept his rumored plans as true. Nevertheless it is clear that the emperor was not at this time planning to attack Cologne, and consequently he was much irritated when he learned of the excitement and preparations.
On the day of the Assumption he held a diet at Worms and complained, in the presence of the princes, of the conduct of the archbishop of Cologne and the people of that city, who had dared to bar his way through a part of his realm and had circulated such a shameful rumor about him throughout the Roman Empire. In consequence of this he had caused the Rhine to be blocked since the festival of St. James, so that the people of Cologne could not procure the grain and wine which usually reached them by river.
At this time a mighty feud prevailed between Bishop Baldwin of Utrecht and Count Otto of Geldern over Veluwe. Fire and murder raged, and it was said that all this happened with the approbation of the emperor, for during the feud neither of the parties engaged could bear aid to the people of Cologne, nor could any ships pass up the river.
Robinson, James Harvey. Readings in European History: A Collection of Extracts from the Sources. Ginn and Co., 1906.
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