| Rebel Tales |
Michael Gaismair was born in South Tirol in 1490 to a farmer who also owned a
mining company. Gaismair first became a writer for the mining industry, and then a
scribe for the provincial governor and then a secretary of the Bishop of Brixen. A
crucial turn in his life occurred during the farmers war in 1525. Farmer Peter
Passler was sentenced to death in May after quarreling with authorities. Instead of
negotiating with the revolting farmers as he was directed, sympathetic Gaismair
joined them and became captain of the general rebellion.
mining company. Gaismair first became a writer for the mining industry, and then a
scribe for the provincial governor and then a secretary of the Bishop of Brixen. A
crucial turn in his life occurred during the farmers war in 1525. Farmer Peter
Passler was sentenced to death in May after quarreling with authorities. Instead of
negotiating with the revolting farmers as he was directed, sympathetic Gaismair
joined them and became captain of the general rebellion.
Gaismair and a small number of followers made their escape over the Alps into Venetian territory
and he later went to Tuscany, then Umbria where he hired out as a mercenary. He amassed enough
wealth to buy 42 pieces of real estate and raise horses and sheep, He ended up living in Padua with
his wife Magdalena and four children. On April 15,1532, he was murdered by hired assasins on a
stairwell in Padua. It took 42 blows to kill him. There are no known pictures of Gaismair.
and he later went to Tuscany, then Umbria where he hired out as a mercenary. He amassed enough
wealth to buy 42 pieces of real estate and raise horses and sheep, He ended up living in Padua with
his wife Magdalena and four children. On April 15,1532, he was murdered by hired assasins on a
stairwell in Padua. It took 42 blows to kill him. There are no known pictures of Gaismair.
He and a group of farmers stormed the court and released Passler. Gasmair was arrested in August
and managed to escape in October to Switzerland where he formulated a Tyrolean legislation which
called for a complete restructuring of the political system and the prompt establishment of a republic.
He connected with the Swiss Confederation led by reformer Huldrych Zwingli, and soon planned for
a new order democratically re-shaping Tirol and also Salzburg into a republic in the interest of the
"common man." From the social ideals of the time, Gaismair's visions were similar to later American
and French aspirations: more justice for the citizens and farmer and less power for the aristocracy,
the separation of church and state, and elected officials and impartial judges.
and managed to escape in October to Switzerland where he formulated a Tyrolean legislation which
called for a complete restructuring of the political system and the prompt establishment of a republic.
He connected with the Swiss Confederation led by reformer Huldrych Zwingli, and soon planned for
a new order democratically re-shaping Tirol and also Salzburg into a republic in the interest of the
"common man." From the social ideals of the time, Gaismair's visions were similar to later American
and French aspirations: more justice for the citizens and farmer and less power for the aristocracy,
the separation of church and state, and elected officials and impartial judges.
In spring of 1526, he returned with his troops to assist the farmers and miners in Salzburg who had
rebelled. Their revolt had spread beyond the borders of Salzburg and into adjacent Carinthia and
Styria, and the rebels had taken control of the city of Salzburg as well as parts of Carinthia, Carniola
and Upper Austria. Archbishop of Salzburg Mattäus Lang von Wellenberg negotiated an agreement
with the rebels by addressing several of the peasants' demands and when, in good faith, the peasants
broke off their siege of the bishop's fortress, the Archbishop had a number of rebel leaders executed.
rebelled. Their revolt had spread beyond the borders of Salzburg and into adjacent Carinthia and
Styria, and the rebels had taken control of the city of Salzburg as well as parts of Carinthia, Carniola
and Upper Austria. Archbishop of Salzburg Mattäus Lang von Wellenberg negotiated an agreement
with the rebels by addressing several of the peasants' demands and when, in good faith, the peasants
broke off their siege of the bishop's fortress, the Archbishop had a number of rebel leaders executed.
The peasants resumed their revolt, now joined by Gaismair. A force of 10,000 soldiers, lead by
Georg von Frundsberg, moved into Salzburg to join fight against them, together with forces of the
Swabian League, Austrian and the Archbishop's forces. Gaismair and his followers defeated them in
a number of engagements, but were finally defeated at Radstadt.
Georg von Frundsberg, moved into Salzburg to join fight against them, together with forces of the
Swabian League, Austrian and the Archbishop's forces. Gaismair and his followers defeated them in
a number of engagements, but were finally defeated at Radstadt.