Erazem Lueger
Encyclopedia
Erazem Lueger was a knight of Predjama castle in the 15th century and a renowned robber baron. Erazem was the son of the Imperial Governor of Trieste, Nikolaj Lueger. According to legend, in 1483 he killed Marshall Pappenheim
at the Vienna Court during an argument in which Pappenheim had offended the honour of Erazem's friend, Andrej Baumkircher of Vipava
. However Pappenheim was a relative of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III
so he fled to his castle Predjama to escape punishment. He then allied himself with the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus and started to attack Habsburg estates and towns in Carniola. Emperor Fredrick III sent the governor of Trieste Gaspar Ravbar to siege Predjama Castle. Ravbar tried to starve Erazem to death but Erazem seemed to have an unlimited supply of fresh food. Later it was known that Erazem had gotten his fresh food supply through a secret passage through the caves. After a long siege Erazem was betrayed by one of his men and was killed by a shot from a cannon.
A headstrong and rebellious knight, Erasmus rebelled against the Austrian emperor Fredrick III and eventually killed his kinsman. Thus enraged, the Austrian leader commissioned the governor of Trieste to capture and kill Erasmus. This is where the impregnability of Predjama Castle was truly put to the test.
For a year and a day Erasmus was besieged in his fortress. But, much to the dismay of his adversaries, he continued to survive and taunt the attacking soldiers by pelting them with cherries. They couldn't figure out how he was getting his supplies. As far as they knew, there was only one way in and out of the valley, and the castle. But the cunning knight knew better. Unbeknownst to the soldiers, Erasmus knew of a secret tunnel leading from the castle, which allowed him to travel to the nearby village of Vipava and collect supplies, including hoards of fresh cherries when the season was ripe.
But it seemed that the soldiers were to have the last laugh. With the strategic placement of a small signal flag, a servant of Erasmus was bribed to reveal when his master was in attendance at that place where the elusive knight and even the noblest of men needed to go after consuming lots of cherries and wine: the outhouse. Unfortunately for Erasmus, the toilet, situated on the top floor and at the very edge of the castle, was the one place that wasn't so impregnable. When the moment came, the flag was placed there by the treacherous servant. A single cannon ball was launched, and the errant knight was literally caught with his pants down.
Pappenheim
Pappenheim is a town in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Altmühl, 11 km south of Weißenburg in Bayern.- Notable people :The architect and professor Eduard Mezger was born in Pappenheim....
at the Vienna Court during an argument in which Pappenheim had offended the honour of Erazem's friend, Andrej Baumkircher of Vipava
Vipava, Slovenia
Vipava is a small town in western Slovenia with 1500 inhabitants. It is the center of a municipality with 5,185 people. Vipava is built near the numerous sources of the Vipava River, in the upper Vipava Valley, 102 m above sea level...
. However Pappenheim was a relative of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
so he fled to his castle Predjama to escape punishment. He then allied himself with the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus and started to attack Habsburg estates and towns in Carniola. Emperor Fredrick III sent the governor of Trieste Gaspar Ravbar to siege Predjama Castle. Ravbar tried to starve Erazem to death but Erazem seemed to have an unlimited supply of fresh food. Later it was known that Erazem had gotten his fresh food supply through a secret passage through the caves. After a long siege Erazem was betrayed by one of his men and was killed by a shot from a cannon.
A headstrong and rebellious knight, Erasmus rebelled against the Austrian emperor Fredrick III and eventually killed his kinsman. Thus enraged, the Austrian leader commissioned the governor of Trieste to capture and kill Erasmus. This is where the impregnability of Predjama Castle was truly put to the test.
For a year and a day Erasmus was besieged in his fortress. But, much to the dismay of his adversaries, he continued to survive and taunt the attacking soldiers by pelting them with cherries. They couldn't figure out how he was getting his supplies. As far as they knew, there was only one way in and out of the valley, and the castle. But the cunning knight knew better. Unbeknownst to the soldiers, Erasmus knew of a secret tunnel leading from the castle, which allowed him to travel to the nearby village of Vipava and collect supplies, including hoards of fresh cherries when the season was ripe.
But it seemed that the soldiers were to have the last laugh. With the strategic placement of a small signal flag, a servant of Erasmus was bribed to reveal when his master was in attendance at that place where the elusive knight and even the noblest of men needed to go after consuming lots of cherries and wine: the outhouse. Unfortunately for Erasmus, the toilet, situated on the top floor and at the very edge of the castle, was the one place that wasn't so impregnable. When the moment came, the flag was placed there by the treacherous servant. A single cannon ball was launched, and the errant knight was literally caught with his pants down.
External links
- http://www.castles.nl/eur/sl/pj/pj.html