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Knight of the week
Sir John of Felsenbau:
This week's Knight of the week: "Sir Rudolph I von Habsburg" - Rudolph was born in 1218 at Habsburg (Hawks) Catle. His early youth was spent to martial and athletic exercises. He was distinquished in his horsemanship and his great strength. In 1236 he was knighted by Frederick II. After his father's death in 1239, he inherited large estates along with the ancestral castle of Habsburg. In 1240 he was appointed Graf (Count) von Habsburg and Landgraf von Thurgau.
Around 1245 he served with the Teutonic Knights in the war against the Prussian pagans. He was elected King of Germany and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1273. In 1276, he was again at war. In 1277 he was confirmed as the Duke if Austria and Styria. At the battle of Marchfeld in 1278 (One of the largest "knight" battles of the Middle ages), he remained on the battlefield with his men until the battle was over...more than 10,000 knights lay dead on the battlefield!
His next task was to rid his land of the Robber Knights. On the Rhine alone, he destroyed 70 strongholds and in Thuringia he conqured 66 castles within a year!
Rudloph died in 1291. His reign was memorable in founding the House of Hapsburg as a powerful Dynasty. Rudolph was also known for the founding of "The Noble Knighthood" where the knights were known for their knightly virtues (as they became known for.) Rudolph's honesty became a proverb and for many years after his death, it was said of liars and thiefs: "He has not our Roudolphs Honesty!" With Rudolph began a period of peace for Germany which was to last for 200 years!
Lord Dane:
I love your "Knight of the Week" series here, Sir John, very informative .... but one thing... How the heck do you manage to scavenge up those surcoats & shields for each presentation on such short notice??? lol
Sir John of Felsenbau:
well...not on short notice...since my wife died about 3 years ago...I needed to keep busy so on weekends and evenings I'd research a knight, and make the outfit. The wood for the shields is all from the trash...the cloth for the surcoats I bought at a thrift store...so the only real expense was the helmets...and I'm good at finding the cheapest price on the one I want. By the way...ALL the surcoats I sewed by hand! So they are really more authentic. (Hey I even sewed my late wife's wedding dress! But that's another story.)
Sir John
Lord Dane:
--- Quote from: Sir John of Felsenbau on 2012-06-24, 14:03:53 ---well...not on short notice...since my wife died about 3 years ago...I needed to keep busy so on weekends and evenings I'd research a knight, and make the outfit. The wood for the shields is all from the trash...the cloth for the surcoats I bought at a thrift store...so the only real expense was the helmets...and I'm good at finding the cheapest price on the one I want. By the way...ALL the surcoats I sewed by hand! So they are really more authentic. (Hey I even sewed my late wife's wedding dress! But that's another story.)
Sir John
--- End quote ---
Very admirable, Sir John. And my respects for your wife. May God bless you.
Sir John of Felsenbau:
Thanks...it didn't get really hard on me until the last 2 years of her life when the MS affected her brain and she was in and out of mental hospitals. Sometimes she would just wander off leaving the door open, me not knowing where she was. It took a huge toll on me, but I stayed with her till the end, even when her family deserted her!
Sir John
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