The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-30
THE FAITHFUL WIVES OF
WEINSBERG.

WelDsberg Is IN the northwestern
part of Wu;tem berg, about thirty
miles from Stuttgart. 1t is early
mentioned as capital city OF the
bishOprlc of u Ii zburg, and later We
read that In the year ga Emperor
Louis l. established the Freiherrshait
OF WelnsbeTg. About 1929, FreisherT
Wolfram von Weinsberg transferred
the castle to the Rhenisn PaigraVine.
GJttfred OF Called. The latter gave
1t as q marriage gift with bis daugh-
ter Uta to Duke Welt vi, who :e-
gsrded 1t as q part OF the sllodlal
estate OF his wife, and refused to de.
liver 1t TO Konrad III. when this en-
peror claimed 1t as a reversionary fee.
An intense hatred existed between
Hobenstauiens and Wells. 1t began
In the time OF the unfortunate Em.
peroE Henry w., and @ minated
when in 1879 Henry cent for frederic
of Hohenstauien, and, in q solemn
speech 10 WHICH be acknowledged bis
loyalty, gave bis daughter Agnes 10
marriage, and the Dukedom of
Saubia as dowry. The death of Henry
in 1889 brought new complications
and feuds, and Konrad welcomed an
event that might make the Welt fee
Ii power. He accordingly appeared
with his army before the castle, hay-
ing in the meantime defeated the
forces OF Welt at Esslingen az they
were Fastening to the help OF the
besieged Weinsberg. The attack
upon the castle was begun. After 3
determined struggle, Welt fell,
wounded, and the surrender seemed
now inevitable. "Without grace or
mercy" were the words OF the en-
peror, and the tow was to share the
fate of the castle. The greatest ter
ror prevailed. Then the high-born
duchesses and the wives of the town
officers held,s council, and determined
to go IN procession to the emperor,
mplore him to let them escape, and
also allow them to carry away with
them their most precious possessions.
The emperor, who had no wish to
wage war with women, received them
kindly, gave them permission 20 leave
the besieged town, and to take with
them all they could carry upon their
shoulders. The women went away,
night passed, and the morning came.
At an early hour Konrad's army was
drawn up in file, the gates were
were opened at command Of the
emperor, when Duke Frederic, the
emperor's brother, turning, espied,
down in the village street and along
he steep path that led from the
castle, long line of women, carry
ing on their backs, not clothing. Jew
els, and silver, but each her husband;
and, benold, Uta. the stately duchess
of the castle, leads the procession,
toe wounded Duke Welt upon her
backi Had not the emperor distinctly
said, "Take with you all that you
can carry upon your shouldersH''
i When Duke Frederic beheld this
sight, the ike of which had never
before been witnessed since the world
began, he cried cut sngrily to the
emperor, THAT was not in the COM
psctl' but the emperor, whose face
showed quite plainly that he was not
displeased by this exhibition oil
womanlyEfaithfulness. answered. "a
king 8 word is not TO be broken;" and
while the emperor and bis army
looked on in mute surprise.
the strange procession wended
it's way, patiently, down the steep
hillside, out into the country road,
carrying away the men, and leaving
the castle and toWn to the troops
The emperor generously ordered thai
all the treasures OF the women should
at once be collected and at once car
RED out to them.
To perpetuste this instance o
Womsnly fidelity, the ruins have evel
since borne the name "Weibertreue'
-Woman's faiLhfulnesa.-Elise AL
len, in Harper's Magazine.