Worms in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times (500‐1689 AD) By Daniel Nagel •
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During the Middle Ages Worms was a very important city. It benefited from its loca‐
tion on the River Rhine, a major transportation route, from the fertile soil of the Rhine valley and the blessings of a mild climate. During the 5th century, Worms was a provincial city within the Roman Empire that was at that time divided in a Western and an Eastern part. The capital of the Western Empire was Rome and the Roman emperor ruled, at least in theory, a realm stretch‐
ing from England to Northern Africa. In reality, the Western Empire was increasingly under siege. The once mighty Roman army had suffered terrible losses and was no longer able to defend the borders of the Empire from invasion by Germanic tribes. External and internal problems lead to its collapse in AD 476. The Western Roman Empire was replaced by various kingdoms of which the Frankish kingdom (Francia) was the most powerful. However, it never achieved the high stan‐
dard of civilization that the Roman Empire is known for. The famous system of roads fell into disrepair, the institutions of the Roman Empire including the army dissolved, the monetized economy vanished, the highly professional methods of producing goods and constructing buildings were eventually forgotten and over time even liter‐
acy became rare. It is certain that people continued to live in Worms after the collapse of the Roman Empire, but we know very little about who they were. However, the existence of many towns and villages ending in “‐heim” suggest that from around 500 Franks set‐
tled in the region around Worms and probably also in the city itself. The Franks were one of many Germanic tribes that left their homesteads during the Migration period from 300‐500 AD and settled on Roman territory. One of these tribes were the Burgundians who founded a short‐lived kingdom in or around Worms. The destruction of the Burgundian kingdom became the subject of heroic legends which were later transformed into the most famous medieval German epic poem, the Nibelungenlied. The Nibelungenmuseum, located inside the city walls, de‐
tails the impact of the Nibelungenlied on German history. As a result, Worms soon became part of the expanding Frankish Empire (Francia), whose power center was located in the north of present‐day France, in Belgium and in western Germany. Between 500 and 800 AD the Franks subsequently conquered all of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy and large parts of Germany. We know very little about the city of Worms during the reign of the Merovingian kings, the Frankish dynasty who ruled from 450‐750 AD, because very few written sources mention Worms in this time and archaeological evidence is scarce. The Catholic Church was the only institution that had survived the collapse of the Roman Empire, so the bishop of Worms became the ruler of the city. During the rule of the Carolingian dynasty, the importance of Worms grew signifi‐
cantly. Pepin the Short, who was Frankish king from 752‐768, and especially Charle‐
magne (768 king, 800 emperor, died 814) frequently visited the city with their courts and convened diets (Hoftage), assemblies/gatherings/conventions of powerful Frank‐
ish dukes and bishops in the city. 1
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The Frankish kings owned considerable property in Worms and its vicinity. These crown lands provided produce and other important resources like wood, wine, beer and wax to the royal court, when it resided in Worms. Following the partition of Francia in the 9th century, Worms eventually became part of East Francia, the Kingdom of the East Franks, which covered large parts of what today is Germany, Switzerland, Austria and several other central European countries. Worms remained a city where important decisions were made. The first “Holy Ro‐
man” (German) Emperor Otto the Great (936‐973) had his son Otto II. elected king in Worms in 961. One of the most powerful individuals in Otto the Great’s empire was Konrad, Duke of Lorraine (Konrad der Rote, Conrad the Red), who died in the Battle of Lechfeld against the Hungarians and was buried at Worms Cathedral. Konrad was the progeni‐
tor of the Salian dynasty, which owned considerable property in Worms and its vicin‐
ity. The Salians later became Holy Roman Emperors and ruled Germany from 1027 to 1125. The history of Worms in this time was greatly influenced by Burchard, bishop of Worms from 1000 to 1025. Bishop Burchard ordered the repair of the city walls and the construction of several churches and monasteries. The Paulusstift (St. Paul’s Church) still very much looks like it did in Burchard’s time. Other churches that date back to that period are the Martinskirche (St. Martin’s Church) and the church you are currently visiting: the Andreasstift (St. Andrew’s Church). He also built a Cathe‐
dral of St. Peter that preceded the current Cathedral (Dom) at the same place. In ad‐
dition, Bishop Burchard was a scholar who compiled an influential book on Canon law. He is buried at Worms Cathedral. The 11th century saw the emergence of citizens who became important political ac‐
tors in the city. They were closely aligned with the Salian dynasty of emperors and at‐
tempted to take over the city government from the bishop. Due to the support that he received from the citizens of Worms, Emperor Heinrich IV in 1074 granted privileges to the citizens of Worms, making it the first such medieval charter by a German king. The charter granted the “Jews and the other citizens of Worms” exemption from certain tolls and customs. The original charter survives and is preserved in the municipal archives. The charter refers to the growing Jewish community, which contributed to the in‐
creasing wealth of the city and managed to finance the building of a Synagogue in 1034. The Synagogue remained the center of Jewish life until its destruction on No‐
vember 9, 1938. It was rebuilt after the war. The Jewish cemetery, Europe’s oldest and another outstanding example of Jewish life in Worms during the Middle Ages, al‐
so dates back to the 11th century. Worms soon became a center of Jewish learning in Europe. The famous rabbi Raschi, who wrote an influential commentary of the Talmud, received his religious education in Worms. The Raschi‐House, which houses the municipal archives and the Jewish Museum, commemorates his life and impact. It is located behind the Synagogue. The Jewish community often suffered from prosecution by the Christian majority. In the wake of the First Crusade in 1096, the Jewish community in Worms was attacked by its Christian neighbors, who murdered several hundred Jews. Although the Jewish community recovered, this pogrom is a reminder of the constant tension between Christians and Jews, which often lead to violent attacks on the Jews. In 1122 Pope Calixtus II and Emperor Henry V settled a conflict between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in Worms. At stake in the so called Investiture Contro‐
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versy (Investiturstreit) was the investiture of bishops. The Concordate of Worms stated that kings had the right to invest bishops with secular authority in the territo‐
ries they governed, but not with sacred authority. In earlier times, kings and emper‐
ors had often named bishops and even popes. What seems to be an obscure ques‐
tion today was of immense importance at that time, because many bishops ruled large territories and played an important role in politics. During the 12th century the city continued to prosper due to its close alliance with the House of Hohenstaufen, a dynasty of kings and emperors, who ruled Germany (The Holy Roman Empire) at that time. From 1130 to 1181, Worms Cathedral was com‐
pletely rebuilt as a spectacular example of Romanesque architecture. Although some parts were later added or altered, the current Cathedral largely dates back to the 12th century. At the same time, the city grew in size and population, demonstrating the importance of the city in both political and economic terms. In 1184, Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa granted the citizens of Worms more privi‐
leges, including personal freedom, a rare and extremely valuable right in medieval society. To a large extent, the privileges were the results of the political support that the citizens had provided to Barbarossa. These privileges show the exceptional im‐
portance of the city at that time. At the close of the 12th century, the citizens of Worms were powerful enough to form a city council that governed the city, with the bishop retaining certain rights. This was a new and innovative form of government, setting the city on the path of becoming a self‐governing city‐state (Free Imperial City). This development caused a conflict between the bishops of Worms and the citizens, represented by the city council, which lasted for many centuries. In 1235 Emperor Frederick II married Isabella of England in Worms Cathedral, provid‐
ing another example of the close connection between Worms and the House of Ho‐
henstaufen. After the fall of the House of Hohenstaufen, the city struggled to retain its former in‐
fluence. It formed an alliance with other cities to ensure peace in the absence of a king during the Great Interregnum (1254‐1273). This alliance was the first of many, demonstrating the increasing importance of cities. The history of Worms in the Late Middle Ages (1300‐1500) is characterized by a long lasting conflict between the city council and the clergy (about 10% of the population of 7000) concerning the taxation of clerics. The Late Middle Ages also saw the emer‐
gence of guilds, which later attempted to increase their political influence on the city council, creating another long‐lasting inner‐city conflict. In 1495 Emperor Maximilian I convened an Imperial Diet at Worms which enacted major structural reforms of the Holy Roman Empire. Some reforms were more suc‐
cessful than others, but the Imperial Chamber Court (Reichskammergericht), the highest court of the Empire endured until 1806, when the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist. In the early 16th century, the old conflict between the city council and the Bishop was finally settled. Worms became a Free Imperial City, governed by the city council, while the Bishop retained certain rights. Following an uprising by members of the guilds, several citizens were executed and the influence of the guilds on the city gov‐
ernment was curtailed. This settlement remained in place until 1798. The early 16th century was characterized by violent conflicts: During the German Peasant’s War (Bauernkrieg) in June 1525, a peasant’s army was defeated in battle 3
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near Pfeddersheim, today a suburb of Worms. The peasants had revolted against op‐
pression by feudal landlords. Following Martin Luther’s publication of his Ninety‐Five Theses, the Protestant Ref‐
ormation, aided by innovations in printing, quickly spread throughout Germany, in‐
cluding the city of Worms. In 1521 Emperor Charles V convened an Imperial Diet at Worms to deal with the Reformation, which threatened to tear the Catholic Church apart. Martin Luther was summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms to re‐
nounce or reaffirm his writings. He chose to reaffirm them, thereby endangering his life despite a promise of free passage. To protect him, Luther was taken to Wartburg Castle by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony. While he was there, Luther translated the New Testament from Latin into German, creating the modern German language in the process. He later reemerged as the most important exponent of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Most citizens of Worms gradually became Protestants (Lutherans), but the Bishop and the numerous Catholic clergy kept a strong presence in Worms. For a certain time, Baptist preachers were active in Worms, until they were expelled by the au‐
thorities. Despite the historical events that took place in Worms during the 15th and 16th cen‐
tury, the economic strength of the city gradually declined, and with it its political im‐
portance. In the Thirty Year’s War (1618‐1648) the city of Worms was not destroyed, but it suf‐
fered from occupation by several armies. These armies extorted financial contribu‐
tions, demanded supplies from the city and brought diseases in their wake. Hunger, inflation and violence against civilians by marauding soldiers followed. As a result, the population of Worms declined by about a third from 7500 to about 4‐5000 peo‐
ple. The effects of war were much more severe in the countryside. In the urban hinter‐
land of Worms the population shrunk by up to 80%. Even in Worms itself, it would take until the 19th century for the number of inhabitants to reach the early 17th cen‐
tury levels again! In 1689, the city of Worms was systematically destroyed by French troops during the Nine Year’s War (King William’s War in North America; Pfälzischer Erbfolgekrieg). Worms suffered the same fate as many other cities, towns and villages in Southwest Germany (the most prominent being Heidelberg, Speyer, Mannheim, Bingen, Oppen‐
heim and Rastatt) due to a scorched‐earth policy by French king Louis XIV. On May 31st 1689 all citizens were ordered to leave the city, which then was burned to the ground. The medieval city of Worms lay in ruins. The recovery took centuries. Contact: Museum der Stadt Worms, Weckerlingplatz 7, D‐67547 Worms Phone 06241‐94639‐0 8/2012 4