KING OF ALL THE WORLD

The holy terrors of Munster. Their revolution in 1534-35 anticipated the “psychic epidemics” of our own time:

“The spread of the Anabaptists in lower Germany and the Netherlands must largely be ascribed to the activity of Melchior Hofmann, a widely travelled furrier. The arrival of some of his disciples (Melchiorites) at Münster in Westphalia (1533-34) marks the beginning of the most extraordinary period in the history of the Anabaptists and the city of Münster. In the latter, Bernard Rothmann a chaplain, and Knipperdollinck a cloth-merchant, had already succeeded in diffusing Lutheran ideas. They joined the Anabaptist movement, of which John Matthys or Matthiessen, a former baker, and John Bockelsohn or Bockold, a Dutch tailor (more generally known as John of Leyden), became two great local representatives. Knipperdollinck was elected burgomaster (February, 1534) and the city passed under the complete and unrestricted control of the partisans of rebaptism.

Münster, instead of Strasburg, was to become the centre of the projected conquest of the world, the “New Jerusalem”, the founding of which was signalized by a reign of terror and indescribable orgies. Treasures of literature and art were destroyed; communism, polygamy, and community of women were introduced. Rothmann took unto himself four wives and John of Leyden, sixteen. The latter was proclaimed King of the “New Sion”, when Francis of Waldeck, Bishop and temporal lord of the city, had already begun its siege (1534). ” ( New Advent )

From his residence outside the town, the reigning prince-bishop, Franz von Waldeck, had uneasily watched the progress of the doctrinal  revolution within his city. He had tolerated the conservative Lutheran burghers; but now as the social revolution on the Anabaptists began, he determined to crush it. Anticipating a war, the Anabaptists in their turn established a regular army, appointed officers of the watch, manned the walls, emplaced cannon, and dug earthworks to strengthen the town’s defenses.

Every man and women within the walls was conscripted. The property of the exiles was confiscated; and each Anabaptist family was assigned, according to its need, a patch of communal land. All account books and promissory notes found among the effects of the exiles was burned. What was wearable or edible was taken into a central storehouse to be distributed by seven “deacons”. “The poorest amongst us, who used to be despised as beggars, now go about dressed as finely as the highest and most distinguished,” boasted an Anabaptist leaflet. “By God’s grace they have become as rich as the burgonmaster…”

When at last the prince-bishop’s forces moved in to begin the siege of Munster, the Dutch extremists instituted a reign of “justice and virtue”. For two months there was unremitting propaganda against private ownership and capital. The surrender of private wealth to the public stores was made a test of Christian faith. Once the money was seized; it was used only for public purposes, such as hiring of mercenaries to bolster the town’s defenses and for the purchase of needed stores. Workers within town received their wages in kind. “Amongst us”, an Anabaptist wrote, ” God…has restored community as it was in the beginning as it befits the Saints of God…”

In the meantime the authorities of the bishopric and neighboring principalities of Cleves and Cologne cordoned off the city. Cavalry patrolled the roads into Munster and all traffic to and fro was halted. In April, 1534, Jan Matthys made a sortie against the prince-bishop’s forces. He moved against the great army with only a dozen men, acting, he alleged, on a vision sent him by God, and believing himself to be invincible. He was instantly captured and butchered by the prince-bishop’s men.

The movement might have collapsed with the death of the prophet, but his disciple, Jan of Leyden, now came forward, revealing new qualities of leadership. Haranguing the crowds, he restored their faith in victory,

military operations continued. In May, running naked through the streets, Jan fell into a trance. When he awoke, he proclaimed his great vision; Jan of Leyden was to reign as king on God’s new Israel, assisted by a council of twelve elders.

The messianic kingdom was now established, and a new legal code eliminated nearly every vestige of private property. But it was in the realm of sexual behavior that Jan of Leyden now moved to legislate. God, he asserted, had required of men that they increase and multiply. Like the patriarchs of Israel, the Anabaptists of Munster were to take many wives. There was a surplus of women in the town; spoiled nuns and widows of the slain. Once again, those who demurred were executed. There was no record in any case that the new legislation caused much grief to these derelict and desperate women, though under the system of strict legal subordination they had little opportunity to speak. For a woman to complain of plural marriage became, like so much else in this new kingdom, a capital offense.

Jan of Leyden himself took fifteen wives, the most beautiful of them Divara, the widow of the old prophet Matthys. The king set up his court in the old palace of the bishops and dressed himself, as a symbol of God’s magnificence, in silks and gold. At the same time he did not entirely neglect the war. By summer two hundred of the prince-bishop’s mercenaries had gone over to the Anabaptists. In an attack on the walls at the end of August, 1534, the bishop’s forces were repulsed, and disintegrated. For the moment it seemed that Munster was reprieved.

Alas for Munster, the victory went to the head of the Anabaptist king. Perhaps he really believed that God had already sent salvation to the faithful and that new victories were in store. In any event, rather than flee the besieged city, Jan of Leyden maintained his profligate court, played at theatricals, and legislated a new social order that grew more and more bizarre.

Jan of Leyden proclaimed himself king of all the world. His elite troops wore emblems of a globe pierced by two swords, the sword of Faith and the sword of secular Power. His throne was draped with cloth of gold. Beside him stood two pages, one bearing a copy of the Old Testament and the other a sword. The court played and feasted through the night. Meanwhile, the common people were worked in a regimen of tireless austerity, as the kings’s councillor suddenly announced that God hated all excess of dress. Eighty-three wagonloads of clothing and bedding were collected for the central stores.

The situation with the Anabaptists had been simmering for some time; the component of the movement being more radical than elsewhere and perhaps due to the restraint and the wish of Philipp I, Landgrave of  Hesse, not to take extreme measure against them in an effort to induce them back into the Lutheran fold:

“In his attitude toward the Anabaptists he showed extraordinary generosity and kindness. He saw in the Anabaptist movement a disorder in religious life, which had its roots in error and weakness in the faith rather than in moral error like sedition and revolt, and which must therefore be treated with lenience and consideration. Characteristic of his attitude are his words: “I see more improvement of conduct among those whom we call fanatics than among those who are Lutheran” “On every hand there is no perfect faith in us, so that we must say: Lord, …. “Alas, how cold love is among us who call ourselves Christian and those who create such offense must give an account before God and bear a grievous judgment” (Corpus Reformatorum IX, 762). Above all, he said, one must try to lead them back to the church by persuasion and indoctrination. Expulsion from the country was the severest penalty he would permit; it too must be preceded by teaching. Bishop Franz of Münster asked his advice concerning the punishment of the Anabaptists (letter of 20 January 1534; Cornelius, p. 218), as did also Karl, Margrave of Baden (letter of 12 October 1566). Philipp replied, informing him of the decrees that had been issued against the Anabaptists: “not to follow them too strictly, but always deal according to the circumstances and persons, so that the poor people might be converted and brought to the truth” (Hochhut, 554; Franz, No. 150).

“In July 1533, when 18 Anabaptists were again seized in Hausbreitenbach and the Elector of Saxony again demanded their execution, Philipp refused with the words, “Our Lord will give grace that they may be converted.” This hope of Philipp’s was fulfilled in several instances in September of that year when some Anabaptists imprisoned in Mühlhausen recanted. After the revolt of 1525 the protectorate over the city of Mühlhausen was held in turn for a period of one year each by the Elector of Saxony,Duke Georg of Saxony,  and Philipp of Hesse. On 15 June 1533, the rule fell to Philipp. He had a difficult position to maintain against the other two rulers. But he did not yield, and sent the pastor Raidt to Mühlhausen to convert the Anabaptists imprisoned there; Raidt was surprisingly successful in persuading all to recant, whereupon they were re-released (Wappler, II, 101). The Anabaptists at Sorga near Hersfeld were expelled in September 1533. They immigrated to Moravia (Wappler, II, 102; Franz, No. 28).”