Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-10-05
MaInshera, : Faithful MIfsf.

Weinsbefg ~ IN the northwestern
part Of Wurtemberg, About thirty
miles from Stuttgart. It is early men
toned as capital city Of the bishopric
Of Wurzburg, and later we read that in
the year 514 Emperor Louis I. estab-
lished the Freiherrshaft Of Weinsberg.
About 1l29 Freiherr Wolfram Won
Weinberg transferred The castle to The
Rhenish Palgravine, Gottfried Of Called.
The latter gave it as a marriage gift
with his daughter Uta to Duke Welt
vi, who regarded it as a part of the
al1odial estate OF his wife, and refused
to deliver it to Konrad III. when this
emperor claimed itasa reversionary fee.
An intense hatred existed between
the Hohenstaufens and Welfss 1t be-
gan in the time Of the unfortunate
Emperor Henry ", and eliminated
when in 1919 Henry sent for Frederic
of Hoheastaufen, and, in a solemn
speech in which he acknowledged his
loyalty, gave him his daughter Agnes
in marriage, and the dukedom Of
Suabia as a dowry. The death Of
Henry in 1889 brought new compIica-
tions and feuds, and Konrad welcomed
any event that might make the Welt
feel his power. He accordingly APP
peared with his army before the castle,
having in the meantime defeated the
forces of Welt at EssIingen as they
were fastening to the help Of the
besieged Weinsberg. The attack upon
the castle was begun. After deter
mined struggle Welt fell, wounded,
and the surrender seemed now to be
inevitable. without grace or mercy"
were the words Of the eemperor, and the
town was to share the fate Of the
castIe. The greatest terror prevailed.
Then the highborn duchesses and the
wives Of the town officers held coun-
Gil, and determined to go in procession
to the emperor, implore 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 to
leave besieged town, and to take with
them all that they could carry tfpon 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 opened
at command of the emperor, when
Duke Frederic, the emperor's brother,
turning, espied down in the village
street and along the steep path that
led from the castle a long line Of
women, carrying ON their backs, not
clothing; jewels and silver, but each
her husband; and behold, Uta, the
stately duchess Of the castle, leads the
procession, the wounded Duke Welt
Upon her backI Had not the emperor
distinctly said, "take with you all that
you can CARRY upon your Shoulders ?"
When Duke Frederic beheld this sight,
the like of which had never before
been witnessed since the world be-
gan. he cried out angrily to the en1-
peror, ''That was not in the compactY'
But the emperor, whose face showed
quite plainly that he was not dis
pleased by this exhibition of womanly
faithfu11ess; answered, ga kings word
IS not to be broken and while the
emperor and his army looked on In
mute surprise, the strange procession
wended its way, patiently and silently,
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 that all the treasures Of the
women should at once be collected and
carried out TO them.
To perpetuate this instance Of
womanly fidelity, the ruins have ever
since borne the name "Weibertreue"--
woman's faithfulness.- Harper.