Altemarkt Peasants' Revolt

IV/81

Peasant revolt in central Reichfeld. The anger was directed against a local ruler of the Altemarkt area, Bishop Adam Schulz.

The Altemarkt Peasants' Revolt was a notable uprising in the central Reichfeld district. At its height, the conflict involved an estimated 80 men: contemporary estimates put the dead at 20. The revolt consisted of a series of economic uprisings in which peasants, town-dwellers and nobles alike participated. They were opposing the Reichfeld State Forces.

The peasant armies were organized into bands, known as Haufen. The Haufen united peasants by territory, and the bands varied in size, dependant upon insurgent numbers available from within a single locality. Whilst some bands numbered about 10 men, others, such as the peasant force at Ulmsburg, had upwards of 20 in total. The best known bands were: Braunwald Militia, Weiskirche Free Folks.