Wilhelm von Grumbach

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Wilhelm von Grumbach (June 1, 1503 – April 18, 1567) was a German adventurer, chiefly known through his connection with the so-called Grumbach feuds (Grumbachsche Handel), the last attempt of the German knights to destroy the power of the territorial princes.

A member of an old Franconian family Grumbach (a branch of the Wolfskehl family), he was born on June 1, 1503, and having passed some time at the court of Casimir, prince of Bayreuth (died 1527), fought against the peasants during the rising in 1524 and 1525. About 1540 Grumbach became associated with Albert Alcibiades, the turbulent prince of Bayreuth, whom he served both in peace and war. After the conclusion of the peace of Passau in 1552, Grumbach assisted Albert in his career of plunder in Franconia and was thus able to take some revenge upon his enemy, Meichior von Zobel, bishop of Würzburg. Zobel was killed by Grumbach’s henchman Christoph Kretzen who interestingly was married to Katherine Biber, Zobel's predecessor Conrad von Bibra's natural daughter.

As a landholder, Grumbach was a vassal of the bishops of Würzburg, and had held office at the court of Conrad von Bibra, who was bishop from 1540 to 1544. When, however, Zobel was chosen to succeed Conrad the harmonious relations between lord and vassal were quickly disturbed. Unable to free himself and his associates from the suzerainty of the bishop by appealing to the imperial courts he decided to adopt more violent measures, and his friendship with Albert was very serviceable in this connection. Albert's career, however, was checked by his defeat at Sievershausen in July 1553 and his subsequent flight into France, and the bishop took advantage of this state of affairs to seize Grumbach's lands.

The knight obtained an order of restitution from the imperial court of justice (Reichskammergericht), but he was unable to carry this into effect; and in April 1558 some of his partisans seized and killed the bishop. Grumbach declared he was innocent of this crime, but his story was not believed, and he fled to France.

Returning to Germany, he pleaded his cause in person before the diet at Augsburg in 1559, but without success. Meanwhile he had found a new patron in John Frederick, duke of Saxony. whose father. John Frederick had been obliged to surrender the electoral dignity to the Albertine branch of his family. Chafing under this deprivation the duke listened readily to Grumbach's plans for recovering the lost dignity, including a general rising of the German knights and the deposition of Frederick II of Denmark. Magical charms were employed against the dukes enemies, and communications from angels were invented which helped to stir up the zeal of the people.

In 1563 Grumbach attacked Wurzburg, seized and plundered the city and compelled the chapter and the bishop to restore his lands. He was consequently placed under the imperial ban, but John Frederick refused to obey the order of the emperor Maximilian II to withdraw his protection from him. Meanwhile Grumbach sought to compass the assassination of the Saxon elector, Augustus; proclamations were issued calling for assistance; and alliances both without and within Germany were concluded.

In November 1566 John Frederick was placed under the ban, which had been renewed against Grumbach earlier in the year, and Augustus marched against Gotha. Assistance was not forthcoming, and a mutiny led to the capitulation of the town. Grumbach was delivered to his foes, and, after being tortured, was executed at Gotha on April 18, 1567.

See F Ortloff, Geschichte der Grumbachschen Handel (Jena, 1868–1870), and J Voigt, Wilhelm von Grumbach und seine Handel (Leipzig, 1846–1847).

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