“Unzufriedenheit II”
1463-1472
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Mortiz Köster’s new approach to governance did not have many inherent fans. Of course, such a reality was natural, given his own lack of charm and the aggressive fashion in which he promoted his semi-reformist agenda. Even in Dithmarschen itself, a growing number of powerful families began to attack the way he had put down the rebellion in Stade, and seeking a quick political gain, aimed to have the Achtundvierzig replace him. Noting such obvious overtures, he pursued a clever strategy of glorifying the Dithmarschen Landrecht while providing favors to the wealthiest members of Dithmarscher society. While many of these efforts were essentially minor in the scheme of Dithmarschen’s history, there are some notable exceptions.
Similar to the Florentine Guilder, the Dithmarscher Geelden was a small gold coin.
The first such move was the implementation of a new form of coinage for the small bauernrepublik, which aimed to replace the borrowed currencies of the region’s earlier history with a new, proper coinage. This Dithmarscher Geelden, which honored the Achtundvierzig of 1464, was an important first step in the historical development of future economic strategies for the small state. This was also especially important as it asserted a sort of “independence” for Dithmarschen during a time when the Hanseatic League and Kingdom of Denmark were entering a brutal confrontation over the harassment of merchants in the Baltic. This conflict would be so disastrous for the Danish that they would be forced to return the Duchy of Holstein (now under the Badener Geroldsecks) to imperial immediacy.
This period of rather chaotic warfare and strife provided a second opening by which Köster could affirm his dominance over the Dithmarschen Landrecht. As Stade had been (temporarily) pacified and the various regional powers of the northern Holy Roman Empire were preoccupied, he began plans to secure even more territory for Dithmarschen. It was upon the suggestion of his closest supporters that he turned his attention towards the weak Principality of Lüneburg. Its territory, politically centered in Celle, was mostly sparsely populated, and its mostly-agricultural character had an imminent appeal to Köster, although his oversight of significant cultural differences would later cost him immensely.
The Coat of Arms of the Princes of Lüneburg.
While the Prince of Lüneburg was (distantly) related to the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, their split had become somewhat noteworthy, with no small amount of disdain being expressed by each side regarding their kin. One example being the Brunswicker insistence upon ownership of “Lüneburg,” even though nearly all land associated with the name belonged to the Principality. Furthermore, with Brunswick busy recovering from one of the many intra-Imperial feuds that they had made themselves privy to, Dithmarschen met no opposition from the Welfs, although the Brunswickers had also made clear that they considered the territory as belonging somewhat to them.
Regardless, in late 1465, an army under the command of Anton Nann provoked a pre-emptive attack by the Lüneburgers near the border, and began the capture of the territory. During this conflict, Nann became particularly well-known for his skill in both personal combat and matters of tactics, and began to develop a legacy of his own. A tall, well-built man, his personal valor made him a well-liked character in most circles. This would prove to be most useful, as his capacities were manifest in the rapid conclusion to the conflict and its relatively quiet aftermath. His plan, which involved allowing their Hamburger and Oldenburger allies to eliminate the remnants of the enemy army after an easy victory, was extremely successful, and his methods of short-term military administration were both practical and relatively just. Of course, this meant that he was hated – for a time – by the more extreme elements of the Achtundvierzig.
The Blecherners partly received their name because they were perceived as having an "annoying bell-like youthfulness."
Led by young “traditionalists” like Joachim Rachel (the grandson of Henning Rachel), the Blecherners – as they were called because their brass belt buckles and insatiable personalities – provided the very beginnings of factionalism within the Dithmarscher Landrecht. However, this is only a half-truth. In reality, true organized factions would take far longer to develop, and the Blecherners were united only in their disdain for Köster and disapproval of his and Nann’s attempts to slowly strip power away from more local governments. Regardless, they formed the minority, and their complaints did not extend far beyond meetings of the Achtundvierzig.
Unfortunately, the peaceful lull which followed the quiet war was not to last. In 1468, just two years after the expulsion of the Prince of Lüneburg, Köster began to reform the local administration of the area, just as he had in Stade. The first such move was the denial of traditional rights for the Free Imperial Town of Lüneburg, while the second was the forceful revocation of noble powers in the area. Particularly, the institution of serfdom was abolished, destabilizing the whole region. The historian Friedrich Sanders would later write of the decision, noting:
“Indeed, the act was one of immense courage and philosophical importance, it was also one of immense stupidity. Instead of accustoming himself to the local society and developing a method by which its own cultural predilections could be used against it (primarily through burgher privileges), he stripped nude the helpful elements of that region’s culture, and instead clothed it in a thrifted drapery. It should be obvious as to why they did not appreciate his efforts – Köster made no effort whatsoever to make them appreciate his efforts.”
While Sanders’ assessment takes on a particularly hostile tone, it is nonetheless now generally agreed that Köster had made a grave error in applying such an approach to the Lüneburg Heath and Wendland. For while the lands near Stade had already been independent of a powerful nobility for quite some time, the shift was much more abrupt in the newer case. Indeed, this action would set the course for an extremely difficult time for Dithmarschen, as it became particularly clear that a widespread dissatisfaction existed among the populace of its added territories. The attention of the Achtundvierzig, however, would not be allowed to settle upon such brewing internal crises, as extremely troubling information arrived in 1469.
The Lüneburg Heath is a mostly sparsely populated area of woodland which came under the control of Dithmarschen in 1466.
A very large war had erupted between an alliance of ecclesiastical princes and secular princes in the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire. The combined forces of Mainz, Trier, Münster, and Cologne, as well as numerous other states, united against successive attempts for territorial domination in what would retrospectively be referred to as the League of Koblenz. With such a powerful base, they aimed to assert some semblance of supremacy. Naturally, Dithmarschen was obligated to join its ally, Brunswick, in such an important conflict, although it, in fact, possessed very little stake in the war. To this end, Dithmarschers were driven more by the fear of an uncooperative shift in power among Imperial states than by a desire for victory by their allies.
To the Achtundvierzig’s disappointment, the War of the League of Koblenz would not be resolved at the speed of the last Dithmarscher engagement. Despite significant initial headway, the secular forces faced a string of defeats culminating in a loss at the Battle of Lohe, in which nearly six-thousand men (including the majority of the Dithmarscher contingent,) had fallen during the fighting. Following Lohe, the League’s forces committed to a strategy which would first eliminate Dithmarschen, then use its territory as an effective base for further attacks. When fourteen-thousand soldiers came streaming into the region, the Dithmarschen Landrecht had no option but to flee, moving temporarily to Vörde, which was the most established community supportive of the Achtundvierzig outside of Dithmarschen itself.
Dithmarscher Guardsmen preparing for a skirmish against the League of Koblenz.
Amidst the chaotic flight from Meldorf, further news arrived, with the nobility of Celle openly declaring their support for the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg. The situation was further exacerbated when they began to take up arms against the bauernrepublik, hoping that the intervention of friendly nearby states would ensure their victory. Fortunately for the Dithmarschers, Nann (now the first Marshal of the Dithmarscher Guard) moved in to swiftly subdue the enemy. Unfortunately, while his men would be successful in defeating the separatists, he would be killed by a stray arrow shortly before returning to report on the revolt of the nobility. Having died with Dithmarschen still occupied, Nann is claimed to have uttered the dying words: “If only I had lived to see Heide reclaimed…” Although these last words only began to be attested in the 1530s, over half a century after his actual death.
Regardless, this shocking death aroused countless suspicious, with Köster (now stripped of the widespread support which had followed him throughout roughly eleven years in power) being accused of arranging for the death of his most prominent potential rival. While it is still unknown if such claims were correct, they did succeed in ensuring his replacement as Chief Judge. Thus, with Dithmarschen still occupied, widespread dissatisfaction amongst the war-weary populace, and a soaring deficit, a compromise emerged. To replace Köster would be Dithmarschen’s first leader of an aristocratic background: Maximilien von Wiemerstedt.
