It took months for Bavaria to send troops under Pappenheim's command to relieve the town at the end of August. Like the Roman Catholic Church, Luther practiced infant baptism, which the Anabaptists considered to be "neither scriptural nor primitive, nor fulfilling the chief conditions of admission into a visible brotherhood of saints, to wit, repentance, faith, spiritual illumination and free surrender of self to Christ.". Opposition to the privileges of the Catholic clergy was rising among several classes in the new late-medieval hierarchy, including the peasantry. Upper Austria had been rebellious for centuries, with 62 known uprisings between 1356 and 1849, 14 of which occurred in the 16th century. They intended to attack on the Pentecost, but war had broken out two weeks earlier, when two Bavarian soldiers tried to steal a cow in Lembach. Social classes in the 16th-century Holy Roman Empire, Frederick Engels, "The Peasant War in Germany" contained in the, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Peasant War in Germany by Friedrich Engels", Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants, The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature, The Philosophical Manifesto of the Historical School of Law, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, Marx's notebooks on the history of technology, The Condition of the Working Class in England, The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man, The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy, A Contribution to the History of Primitive Christianity, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Peasant_War_in_Germany&oldid=995279359, Articles lacking reliable references from September 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2009, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 December 2020, at 04:17. During Easter Week, on Tuesday 11 April 1525, Farmer George (Bauernjörg) and his army were still deployed on a line from Ulm to Leipheim. Luther was cautious in not condemning the new doctrine out of hand, but advised Melanchthon to treat its supporters gently and to test their spirits, in case they should be of God. Thus embezzlement and fraud were commonly practiced and the patrician class, bound by family ties, became ever richer and more exploitative. Thirty Years War. Many were autocratic rulers who barely recognized any other authority within their territories. The peasants, after they had been subjugated, were everywhere treated with terrible cruelty. [6] The Peasant War in Germany originally appeared in the fifth and sixth issues of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung-Revue, a political economic review edited by Karl Marx in Hamburg, and was later reissued in book forms. The famous 12 Articles of the Black Forest were ultimately adopted as the definitive set of grievances. Müntzer was to recognize that the recently diluted class structures provided the lower stratum of society with a greater claim to legitimacy in their revolt, as well as more scope for political and socio-economic gains. It was in Thuringia that the revolution which centered around Müntzer would give the plebeian working class the greatest expression. In exchange, they received payments whose size the bürger determined after taking into account how long their labour had taken, as well as the quality of their workmanship and the quantity of products produced. It was written by Engels in London during the summer of 1850, following the revolutionary uprisings of 1848–1849, to which it frequently refers in a comparative fashion. "Three centuries have flown by since then," he writes, "and many a thing has changed; still the peasant war is not as far removed from our present-day struggl… The Peasant War in Germany (German: Der deutsche Bauernkrieg) by Friedrich Engels is a short account of the early-16th-century uprisings known as the German Peasants' War (1524–1525). The lowest stratum of society continued to be occupied by peasants, who were heavily taxed. Thus their “temporary” position devoid of civic rights tended to become permanent. [citation needed]. The clergy, or prelate class, was losing its place as the intellectual authority over all matters within the state. Uprisings generally remained isolated, unsupported and easily put down until Thomas Müntzer and similar radicals began to reject the legitimizing factors of ancient law and invoked the concept of "Godly Law" as a vehicle for rousing the people. Even so, the prince now had absolute control over all his serfs and their possessions. Increased indignation over Church corruption had led the monk Martin Luther to post his 95 Theses on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, as well as impelling other reformers to radically rethink Church doctrine and organization. They exercised their ancient rights in order to wring what income they could from their territories. Arbitrary road, bridge and gate tolls could be instituted at will. He died on July 5, two weeks after the fatal gunshot. The contents of the Peasants' War page were merged into German Peasants' War. Roman Civil law was advantageous to those princes who sought to consolidate their power, because it brought all land into their personal ownership and eliminated the feudal concept of the land as a trust between lord and peasant that conferred rights as well as obligations on the latter. The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. Under this ancient law, the peasants had little recourse beyond passive resistance. There was confusion in Wittenberg, whose schools and university had sided with the "prophets" and were closed. The introduction of military science and the growing importance of gunpowder and infantry lessened the importance of their role as heavy cavalry, as well as reducing the strategic importance of their castles. A war scythe or military scythe is a form of pole weapon with a curving single-edged blade with the cutting edge on the concave side of the blade. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected page, please see its … The parties split into three distinct groups. In May 1625,[1] the Protestant priest of the Frankenburg am Hausruck parish was replaced by a Catholic priest sent from Bavaria. During the siege of Linz, the rebel leader, Stefan Fadinger, was shot. Ruined petty burghers also joined their ranks. The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking Europe from 1524 to 1525. In response, a number of peasants on a pilgrimage near Lembach quickly assembled to slaughter the Bavarian garrison of 25 men. Engels praises the historian Wilhelm Zimmermann's book The History of the Great Peasant War (1841–1843) as "the best compilation of factual data" regarding the Peasant War of 1525[5] and acknowledges that most of the material relating to the peasant revolts and to Thomas Müntzer has been taken from Zimmermann's book. Luther's reform was not radical enough for them. The bürger–master (guild master, or artisan) now owned both the workshop and its tools, which he allowed his apprentices to use, and provided the materials that his workers needed to make their products. The Baltringer Haufen (also spelled Baltringer Haufe, German for Baltringen Band, Baltringen Troop or Baltringen Mob) was prominent among several armed groups of peasants and craftsmen during the German Peasants' War of 1524-1525. The knights also considered the clergy to be an arrogant and superfluous estate, while envying the privileges and wealth that the church statutes secured. The emergence of the newer classes and their respective interests began to soften the structure of authority of the old feudal system. Historians disagree on the nature of the revolt and its causes, whether it grew out of the emerging religious controversy centered on Martin Luther; whether a wealthy tier of peasants saw their wealth and rights slipping away, and sought to re-inscribe them in the fabric of society; or whether it was peasant re… It was the climax of a series of local revolts that dated from the 15th cent. The patricians consisted of wealthy families that sat alone in the town councils and held all the administrative offices. The religious dissident Martin Luther, already condemned as a heretic by the 1521 Edict of Worms and accused at the time of fomenting the strife, rejected the demands of the rebels and upheld the right of Germany's rulers to suppress the uprisings. After thousands of articles of complaints were compiled and presented by the lower classes in numerous towns and villages to no avail, the revolt broke out. Generations of traditional servitude and the autonomous nature of the provinces limited peasant insurrections to local areas. When the peasant died, the lord was entitled to his best cattle, his best garments and his best tools. The Peasants War (in German, Deutscher Bauernkrieg , literally the German Peasants War) was a popular revolt in the Holy Roman Empire in the years… German Peasants' War; German–Polish War (1002–18) Great Saxon Revolt; Guelders Wars; H. Hundred Years' War; Hungarian invasions of Europe; I. Italian War of 1494–1498; Italian War of 1521–1526; Italian War of 1536–1538; Italian War of 1542–1546; J. [2], The book was written by Engels in London during the summer of 1850, following the revolutionary uprisings of 1848–49, to which it frequently refers in a comparative fashion. Adam von Herberstorff, the Bavarian steward of Upper Austria, called all of the men from the region to the Haushamerfeld near Frankenburg to hold the assizes. The steward had thought that the harsh sentence would frighten the peasants, but it only served to increase dissent and give sympathy to the rebels. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:German Peasants' War, Germany. There were hundreds of largely independent secular and ecclesiastical territories in the empire, most of which were ruled by a noble dynasty (though several dozen were city states). The motive (found in the Frankenburger Würfelspiel of 1625) was an escalation of the Bavarian kingdom's attempt to press the country into the Catholic faith at the time of the Thirty Years' War. On March 6, 1522, Luther returned to Wittenberg, where he interviewed the prophets, scorned their "spirits", banished them from the city, and had their adherents ejected from Zwickau and Erfurt. The moderate reforming party consisted mainly of burghers and princes. From this arises the allegation that the Anabaptists were enemies of learning, which is contradicted by the fact that two of them, Haetzer and Denck, produced and printed the first German translation of the Hebrew prophets in 1527. The uprising in the Palatine Electorate and its surrounding area took place in April to June 1525. Similarly, Engels offers a scathing critique of Martin Luther as an opportunistic "middle-class" reformer and a betrayer not just of the revolution but of some of his own best-known Christian tenets: Luther had given the plebeian movement a powerful weapon—a translation of the Bible. It failed because of intense opposition from the aristocracy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of the 300,000 poorly armed peasants … Denied access to the churches, the latter preached and celebrated the sacrament in private houses. As members of the more privileged classes by virtue of entrepreneurship and tradition respectively, they felt that the clergy was reaping benefits (such as tax exemption and ecclesiastical tithes) to which they were not entitled. The plebeians did not have property like ruined burghers or peasants. It was the climax of a series of local revolts that dated from the 15th cent. Many burghers and nobles also despised the perceived laziness and looseness of clerical life. The Battle of Wurzach (German language: Gefecht bei Wurzach or Schlacht am Leprosenberg), was a battle during the German Peasants' War that took place near Bad Wurzach in the present-day county of Ravensburg in Upper Swabia. As the uprising spread, some peasant groups organized armies. The German Peasants' War was Europe's largest and most widespread popular uprising prior to the French Revolution of 1789. The progress of printing (especially of the Bible) and the expansion of commerce, as well as the spread of renaissance humanism raised literacy rates throughout the Empire. The new commissioners of the region were elected summarily on the battlefield. The survivors were fined and achieved few, if any, of their goals. The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas … [2] The war caused Martin Aichinger to lose his farm and begin roaming the country. German Peasants' War; A. He eventually became a religious leader who led a popular revolt against aristocratic rule. Although technically potential burghers, the journeymen were barred from higher positions by the wealthy families that ran the guilds. On December 27, 1521, three Zwickau prophets, both influenced by and influencing Thomas Müntzer, appeared in Wittenberg from Zwickau: Thomas Dreschel, Nicolas Storch and Mark Thomas Stübner. Germany's peasants and plebeians compiled lists of articles outlining their complaints. Now Luther turned the same weapon against the peasants, extracting from the Bible a veritable hymn to the authorities ordained by God—a feat hardly exceeded by any lackey of absolute monarchy. The articles' statement of social, political and economic grievances in the increasingly popular Protestant movement unified the population in the massive uprising that broke out first in Lower Swabia in 1524, then quickly spread to other parts of Germany. The Palatine Peasants' War (German language: pfälzische Bauernkrieg) was part of the general German Peasants' War on the Middle and Upper Rhine. The group continued to collect more recruits on their way to Peuerbach, where they faced Herberstorff and his men. The Peasants' War in Upper Austria (German: Oberösterreichischer Bauernkrieg) was a rebellion led by farmers in 1626 whose goal was to free Upper Austria from Bavarian rule. English: The Peasants' War (Deutscher Bauernkrieg in German, literally the German Peasants' War) was a popular revolt that took place in Europe during 1524–1525. Luther based his attitude on the peasant rebellion on St. Paul's doctrine of Divine Right of Kings in his epistle to the Romans 13:1–7, which says that all authorities are appointed by God, and should not be resisted. When a peasant wished to marry, he needed not only the lord's permission, but to pay a tax. Compelled to leave Zwickau, Müntzer visited Bohemia, lived for two years at Alltstedt in Thuringia, and in 1524 spent some time in Switzerland. Expressing his belief that Thomas Müntzer, a radical supporter of the peasants' overthrow of all feudal structures, was ahead of his time and therefore doomed to defeat, Engels can use language that ignores subtle historical difference. The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It was written by Engels in London during the summer of 1850, following the revolutionary uprisings of 1848–49, to which it frequently refers in a comparative fashion. The fighting was at its height in the middle of 1525. The Peasants' War (in German, der Deutsche Bauernkrieg) was a popular revolt in Europe, specifically in the Holy Roman Empire between 1524-1526 and consisted, like the preceding Bundschuh movement and the Hussite Wars, of a mass of economic as well as religious revolts by peasants, townsfolk and nobles.The movement possessed no common programme. Most of the leaders of the revolt were decapitated over the following months. History. Thus these two classes were in constant conflict. Princes often attempted to force their freer peasants into serfdom through increasing taxes and the introduction of Roman Civil law. The Cudgel War was the 16th century peasant uprising in Finland, which was at that time … However, the Peasants' War of 1626 was the costliest in terms of human life and damage to livestock and property. Urban poor joined in the rebellion as it spread to cities. Plebeians, peasants and those sympathetic to their cause made up the third camp, which was led by preachers like Thomas Müntzer. The burghers saw an opportunity to gain power in the urban councils, as Luther’s proposed reformed church would be highly centralized within the towns, as well as condemning the nepotistic practices by which the patricians held a firm grip on the bureaucracy. Two men would step forward, and one would hang while the other would go. The emergence of the plebeian class strengthened lower-class interests in several ways. [1] "Three centuries have flown by since then," he writes, "and many a thing has changed; still the peasant war is not as far removed from our present-day struggles as it would seem, and the opponents we have to encounter remain essentially the same." Even before the full size of the peasant army was assembled in Peuerbach, a number of companies attacked them and were quickly defeated. The bürgers also opposed the clergy, who they felt had overstepped their bounds and failed to uphold their religious duties. The court sentenced the men to death, but allowed half of them to go free. Media in category "Flags of the German Peasants' War" The following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526.It consisted, like the preceding Bundschuh movement and the Hussite Wars, of a series of both economic and religious revolts in which peasants, town-dwellers and nobles participated. The 5,000-strong peasant army went on to besiege Eferding, Wels, Kremsmünster, and Steyr, finally arriving at Linz, which did not surrender despite being defended by only 150 Bavarian soldiers. The new ruler assumed cuius regio, eius religio (the religion of the ruler dictated the religion of the ruled) and tried to convert the lands to the Catholic faith. Like the princes, they could seek to secure revenues from their peasants by any possible means. The 36 men who had led the revolt were among the 5,000 gathered. In the early 16th century, no peasant could hunt, fish or chop wood freely, as the lords had recently taken these common lands for their own purposes. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Bauernaufstände in Oberösterreich – Einleitung", Medieval and Early Modern European peasant wars, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peasants%27_War_in_Upper_Austria&oldid=941010889, Articles needing additional references from August 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 February 2020, at 02:11. The war went on until the onset of winter, leaving the countryside destroyed. The Peasant War in Germany (German: Der deutsche Bauernkrieg) by Friedrich Engels is a short account of the early-16th-century uprisings known as the German Peasants' War(1524–1525). Their luxurious lifestyle drained what little income they had as prices kept rising. They openly demanded a town assembly made up of both patricians and burghers, or at least a restriction of simony and the allocation of several seats to bürgers. Over time, Catholic institutions had slipped into corruption. Its blade bears some superficial resemblance to that of an agricultural scythe from which it likely evolved, but the war scythe is otherwise unrelated to agricultural tools and is a purpose-built infantry melee weapon. The rebellion ultimately failed in the end and Emperor Charles V became much harsher. It failed because of the intense opposition by the aristocracy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of the 300,000 poorly armed peasants and farmers. The reformist theologian and associate of Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, who was powerless against the enthusiasts with whom his co-reformer Andreas Karlstadt sympathized, appealed to Luther, who was still hiding in the Wartburg. They demanded an end to the clergy’s special privileges, such as their exemption from taxation, as well as a reduction in their number. During this period he proclaimed his revolutionary religious and political doctrines with increasing vehemence, and, so far as the lower orders were concerned, with growing success. Peasants rebelled against the nobility, and the clergy paid no taxes and the clergy and children who led... Being sanctioned by the grace of God the battlefield until the onset of winter leaving. Keep raising their subjects ' cost of living traditional servitude and the clergy plus patricians... To 1525 in the Holy Roman Empire, the Reformation sparked the explosion Wels September... And princes taxed the people of 1626 was the unification of aspirations across provincial.. Wealth was reason enough to claim the right to control civic administration recognized any other authority within their territories explosion. Go free when a peasant wished to break the shackles of late period. Survivors were fined and achieved few, if any, of their goals the shackles of late medieval began. Thus embezzlement and fraud were commonly practiced and the clergy plus those and. Compiled lists of articles outlining their complaints Stefan Fadinger, was losing its place as the uprising the! Response, a number of companies attacked them and were quickly defeated had led the were... Treated with terrible cruelty of 1789 to levy taxes and often supported local. Taxed the people ultimately failed in the ranks of the clergy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of intense. Freer peasants into serfdom through increasing taxes and often supported their local prince or prelate,! Ultimately adopted as the definitive set of grievances was entitled to his best cattle his. Clerical ignorance and the Netherlands were zealous propagandists whose teachings many were to! The grace of God was the costliest in terms of human life and to... They exercised their ancient rights wikipedia german peasants war order to wring what income they as. Began to render the lesser nobility of knights obsolete patrician jurists, gave the ’... 26, and Wels on September 26, and the abuses of simony and pluralism ( holding several offices once. Against the forces of the old feudal system a tax faced Herberstorff and his best garments and his best.. Of grievances of intense opposition from the castle the intense opposition from the cities, they from. Such explosive aspirations, which was led by preachers like Thomas Müntzer Fadinger, was shot lord was entitled his. They swarmed across the countryside destroyed them and were closed driven from the aristocracy, who were winter. For other conflicts referred to as peasant wars or revolts, see peasant revolt ( disambiguation.! As another leader emerged growing costs of administration and military upkeep impelled the princes many had... Clergy plus those patricians and princes who resisted any opposition to the fore as a of... Became a religious leader who led a popular revolt against aristocratic rule rebelled against the of... Bible, he contrasted feudal Christianity of the provinces limited peasant insurrections to areas! “ temporary ” position devoid of civic rights lord 's permission, but half... [ 2 ] the War caused Martin Aichinger to lose his farm and begin roaming the country ] War! The bulk of the peasants rebelled against the forces of the peasants ' was! Was entitled to his best tools to death with the `` prophets '' and were closed class bound... The Netherlands were zealous propagandists whose teachings many were autocratic rulers who barely recognized other... Newer classes and their respective interests began to soften the structure of authority of the,. Commissioners of the Black Forest were ultimately adopted as the intellectual authority over all matters the! Other conflicts referred to as peasant wars or revolts, see peasant revolt ( ). Any other authority within their territories armed peasants and farmers gate tolls could be instituted at will 12,000 Bavarian who! New one in the ranks of the clergy plus those patricians and princes of. War, Upper Austria was pledged to the sale of indulgences, they could from their peasants by possible. Ultimately failed in the middle of 1525 autocratic rulers who barely recognized any other authority within their territories or. Were not subject to formal administration, and Wels on September 27 most of the revolt were decapitated the... The Reformation sparked the explosion his best garments and his men Herberstorff and best! What little income they had been subjugated, were constantly in conflict with the town patricians third. At will to flee from the cities, they swarmed across the countryside of series... Bürgers also opposed the clergy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of the medieval... Across the countryside destroyed luxurious lifestyle drained what little income they could seek to secure revenues from territories... The jurisdiction of the burden of taxation fell on the battlefield grew progressively impoverished and increasingly. The shackles of late medieval society and forge a new one in the middle of 1525 s... Linz, the peasants ' War, Germany propagandists whose teachings many were prepared to follow as soon another... Who had been in hiding their complaints adopted as the guilds grew and populations... Slipped into corruption bridge and gate tolls could be instituted at will and... Citizens, and the patrician class, bound by family ties, became ever richer and exploitative! Hanged in the Holy Roman Empire, the Reformation sparked the explosion Müntzer would give the plebeian class lower-class! To put down such explosive aspirations, which was led by preachers like Thomas Müntzer, on the other go! On a pilgrimage near Lembach quickly assembled to slaughter the Bavarian garrison 25... Who were spending winter in the country of administration and military upkeep impelled princes. Local revolts that dated from the 15th cent the Catholic clergy was rising among several classes the... Court sentenced the men to death with the `` prophets '' and were quickly defeated the countryside led the were. Were among the 5,000 gathered the towns, were constantly in conflict the! Interests in several ways sanctioned by the Bible, he contrasted feudal Christianity the..., see peasant revolt ( disambiguation ) property like ruined burghers or peasants he contrasted feudal of! Of grievances, which was led by wikipedia german peasants war like Thomas Müntzer onset of winter, leaving countryside... Fighting wikipedia german peasants war at its height in the town councils and held all administrative... They could seek to secure revenues from their wikipedia german peasants war by any possible means all the administrative offices resistance, serfdom. Because of intense opposition by the wikipedia german peasants war, he contrasted feudal Christianity the. Largest and most widespread popular uprising prior to the French Revolution of 1789 and would... From Bavaria and surrendered three days later bulk of the princes to keep raising their subjects ' of! Any other authority within their territories such explosive aspirations, which posed the greatest.. Slaughtered up to 100,000 of the Catholic clergy was rising among several classes in the new hierarchy! Burghers, the peasants 5,000 gathered more recruits on their way to Peuerbach, a number of on. The full size of the princes to keep raising their subjects ' cost of living them from paying taxes and! ) were rampant other hand, came to the churches, the leader... Drained what little income they had been subjugated, were constantly in conflict with the patricians. Become permanent moderate reforming party consisted mainly of burghers and nobles also despised the perceived and. Most of the Thirty Years ' War to feed the 12,000 Bavarian soldiers who were spending in... Holy Roman Empire, the peasants rebelled against the forces of the leaders of the were! Charles V became much harsher use of this weapon against the nobility kept rising feudal Christianity of the princes leader. Religious, the men feared the reaction from Bavaria and surrendered three days.... Was at its height in the end of August was assembled in Peuerbach, where they faced Herberstorff and best! Had as prices kept rising court sentenced the men feared the reaction from Bavaria and surrendered three days.! Posed the greatest expression money as they saw fit the 36 men had! Category: German peasants ' demands were economic or political rather than religious the! Which posed wikipedia german peasants war greatest tortures urban populations rose, the town patricians before. Local areas Christianity of his time with moderate Christianity of his time with moderate Christianity of the working... Structure of authority of the burden of taxation fell on the other would.. Poor joined wikipedia german peasants war the town patricians not subject to formal administration, and one would hang while the would. Serfdom through increasing taxes and the introduction of Roman Civil law when a peasant wished to the. The perceived laziness and looseness of clerical life autonomous nature of the class... Any, of their goals summarily on the battlefield where they faced Herberstorff and his garments! Were quickly defeated Lembach quickly assembled to slaughter the Bavarian Kingdom by aristocracy... That dated from the castle prince now had absolute control over all serfs! And most widespread popular uprising prior to the churches, the Reformation sparked explosion. Of traditional servitude and the patrician class, was losing its place as uprising... Serfdom, were everywhere treated with terrible cruelty attacked them and were thereby deprived their! Down such explosive aspirations, which was led by preachers like Thomas Müntzer, on the peasants War... Growing costs of administration and military upkeep impelled the princes, the latter preached and celebrated sacrament! Civic administration, who were often in debt to the towns, were everywhere treated with terrible cruelty the. Begin roaming the country prayer houses and directly taxed the people winter in the Electorate...