1500. Peasants against Landsknechts. The Struggle for the Peasant Republic of Dithmarschen
A colour woodcut depicting the Battle of Hemmingstedt. It captures well the ferocity of the fighting and the variety of weapons used.
Translation of the article "Landsknechte versus Landwirte. Kampf um die norddeutsche Bauernrepublick", published in the German military- historical in the magazine "Clausewiz" No. 5-2025
Author: Hagen Seehase
Translation: Slug_BDMP
February 17, 1500. On the swampy plains of northern Germany, the battle-tested army of Landsknechts and the peasant militia met. It would seem that a quick and easy victory for the "professionals" was guaranteed. However, what happened shocked everyone, especially the Landsknechts.
The Dithmarschen region in northern Germany, on the Holstein coast of the North Sea, was a Saxon homeland for centuries. In the Middle Ages, it became an agricultural centre thanks to the fertile soils of the marches.
Translator's Note:
Marches (from German Marsch, Marschland) is a category of wetlands periodically flooded by the waters of a nearby body of water[1], characterized by herbaceous halophytic vegetation. In Russian, this term usually refers to low-lying strips of the sea coast exposed to high tides or surges of sea water.
Marsh soils — soils of marshes — areas of land periodically exposed to the influence of sea waters.
The leading economic force in the region was the wealthy peasants.
Officially, Dithmarschen was a fief of the Archbishop of Bremen. However, in reality it was a kind of self-governing republic, headed by a council of 48 judges, elected for life from among the peasants themselves. The only urban settlement in Dithmarschen worth mentioning was Meldorf.
Dithmarschen's wealth naturally aroused envy. Twice, in 1319 and 1403/04, the Holstein princes attempted to conquer it, but both were successfully repelled by the Dithmarschens.
Around 1471, Emperor Frederick III granted Dithmarschen to the Danish King Christian I (who was also Duke of Holstein), but in 1477 he was forced to reverse his decision under pressure from the Pope, who confirmed the authority of the Archbishop of Bremen over the region.
In 1481, Frederick, Christian's son and heir, became Duke of Holstein, and his elder brother became King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, John I, or, as his subjects called him, King Hans.
King John I was the ruler of a vast empire that included Denmark, Sweden, Norway and part of Northern Germany
During this period, all his attention was absorbed by Sweden, where the power of the Danish king was shaken by the influence of the national liberation movement led by the knight Sten Sture.
This plays into the hands of the peasant republic, which at this time is building alliances with the Hanseatic cities, which are also wary of the ambitious Danish king.
In 1499, King Hans had successfully dealt with Sweden and turned his attention to Dithmarschen. At the state council in Rendsburg, he demanded not only the restoration of his brother's authority over the region, but also the payment of 15000 marks per year and the construction of three fortresses in key locations in Dithmarschen. This caused indignation among the locals, and it became clear to everyone: war was inevitable.
The balance of power seemed to be clear: the Archbishop of Bremen and the Hanseatic cities refused to help the peasants, and the Danish king called not only the knighthood of Denmark and Holstein, but also the allied contingent from Oldenburg. 2000 heavily armed horsemen (not all of them were knights, of course, this number also included squires) were not even the largest contingent. The Holstein militia numbered 5000 people. Johann also had an impressive artillery a park of two dozen field guns, but they rather tie down the army.
But the main striking force of the royal army is the four-thousand-strong "Black Guard" led by Junker Thomas Slentz. The origin of this man is unclear. There is information that he was from Cologne, although his surname is more typical for eastern Germany. But more is known about Slentz's army - they are landsknechts.
One of the first mentions of this term dates back to 1471. The chronicle of the Palatine city of Landsheim mentions that it was defended, among others, by "20 infantrymen from this area" (20 Fussknechte diesselbe Land). This emphasized that these were German mercenaries, as opposed to foreigners. However, these warriors still bear little resemblance to those stereotypical Landsknechts in their split, colorful clothes. They would become like that only in 20–30 years.
"Black Guard"
This army was born during the War of the Burgundian Succession. Then, in 1479, the future Emperor Maximilian managed to decide the Battle of Genegate in his favor thanks to it. The Landsknechts were first able to hold their position, and then go on the offensive and take the battlefield. Maximilian himself fought on foot in the ranks of the Landsknechts, holding a pike. Although the army later disintegrated, Maximilian was inspired by the idea of creating a national infantry fighting in the Swiss manner.
When Maximilian was crowned King of Rome in 1486, he recruited two such formations, one three- and one four-thousand strong, armed with long pikes and trained by Swiss instructors. The warriors came primarily from Swabia, Alsace, Tyrol and the Rhineland. In 1488, the Stadtholder of Friesland, Albrecht of Saxony, used a formation of Landsknechts, the "Black Guard", to suppress a Frisian rebellion. Soon after, another formation of 2000 fighters joined them, and they were given the name "Magna Guardia". Soon after, their leader, the Franconian adventurer Wilwolt von Schaumberg, purchased black cloth for his Landsknechts to sew clothes, a kind of uniform. From then on, they were called the "Black Guard".
In late 1499, this guard, led by the elected commander Neidhart Fuchs, fought on the side of Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg against the Archbishopric of Bremen, proving to be a real disaster. But in 1500, Magnus runs out of money, and the Landsknechts are hired by the Danish king.
By this time, the Black Guard reportedly numbered 3983 men, divided into 16 companies. The companies were commanded by captains, and the leader of all was Junker Thomas Slentz. By this time, the Landsknechts included not only representatives of Southern Germany, but also Dutch, Frisians, Scots, Lombards, and Flemings.
The Landsknechts' weapons consisted of the usual long pikes, halberds and two-handed swords of the time. There were also archers among them. The captains rode on horseback. Until then, the "Black Guard" had consistently defeated opponents whose main force was peasant militias. Therefore, it was believed that the armed peasants of Dithmarschen would not be a problem for them.
Peasant militia
The peasant republic could field about 6000 able-bodied men. And they were indeed able-bodied! They were free peasants accustomed to defending their property with weapons in their hands. As early as 1415, they were waging a bitter civil war with their northern neighbors, the Frisians. They were not afraid to enter into conflicts over property washed ashore ("coastal law") even with Hanseatic Hamburg itself. Many Ditmarschens served as mercenaries in the Hansa troops and thus had military experience. And their income allowed them to buy high-quality weapons and armor. Every Ditmarschen man, from the age of 15 until old age, was subject to military service and had to maintain his equipment in order. This was strictly checked at regular military reviews. The commander-in-chief and unit commanders were chosen from among the most respected members of the communities. The republic also had artillery - from 40 to 50 guns.
The militia's weapons and equipment were ideal for fighting on swampy marches. Their spears were not as long as those of the Landsknechts, but the peasants were masters of using them, including because these spears served as poles for jumping over irrigation canals. For this purpose, the spears had disc-shaped ends - so that they did not get stuck in the mud.
Note: The pike is the main weapon of the landsknechts.
The main weapon of the Landsknechts was the long spear Langspieß, later called a pike. (Translator's note: this weapon was also called the long spoke in the Russian army, in the regiments of the new (foreign) formation.)
Langspies is first mentioned in context Appenzell Wars (1401-1429).
The Swiss may have adopted it from the Italians. Long spears were known to have been made in Turin in 1330. In Basel there is a sculpture depicting a warrior with such a spear, dating back to 1370. From Switzerland this weapon spread to the German lands.
The length of the langspies, or pike, was 5-6 meters. It was crowned with a 16-18-centimeter tip. The length of the pike had to exceed that of knightly spears. Only this could protect the infantry from cavalry. Despite such impressive dimensions, the weapon was not that heavy - the weight of the pike with an ash shaft was "only" 3,5 kg. This allowed it to be carried on long foot marches, although not on the shoulder, as is believed today. The swaying long pikes could clash with neighboring ones or even hit a comrade in the face. On the march, the pike was dragged along the ground, grasping the shaft under the tip. Emperor Maximilian drew up instructions for the use of the pike for his landsknechts. At the same time, we must not forget that pikemen were effective only in large, dense formations. A single fighter with such a weapon was powerless. In close combat, the pike was also useless. However, the pikemen's battle was practically invulnerable to heavy cavalry.
War in the marches
The natural conditions of Dithmarschen differ significantly from those of neighboring Holstein and Denmark. The soil of the marches provides good harvests, but this requires complex melioration measures. A system of canals is built to drain the water. Otherwise, the area turns into a swamp. These canals are difficult to notice in the dark, in fog or during snowfall. A person unfamiliar with the area is doomed to get lost there. The area is difficult to pass for troops, wagons, and guns, and therefore they are tied to a few roads that are easy to block, and it is very difficult to bypass the barriers. It is practically impossible to line up large infantry forces there in battle formation, let alone cavalry.
Another problem for the Danish king was the landsknechts themselves. If the feudal militias were free for the lord (although the time of their service was limited, as was the geography of their combat use), then the maintenance of an entire army of mercenaries cost a fortune. All this pushed the king to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
The military campaign was originally planned for May, but for the above reasons it began in February. On February 11, 1500, Johann I's army crossed the border of Dithmarschen. The enemy did not try to meet the invaders directly at the border, but retreated on marches and held only key points in the region. The republic's authorities tried to evacuate the civilian population to the island of Büsum, but they were unable to do so completely.
The very next day, the Danish army occupies Windbergen without a fight, and a day later, Meldorf. They plant the royal banner, the Danebrog, on the church bell tower and begin to plunder the town and even the church. If we are to believe the sources of the opposing side, the invaders showed bestial cruelty and killed everyone in sight in order to break the fighting spirit of the defenders and force them to surrender. However, they achieved exactly the opposite - bitterness and a thirst for revenge.
February 17. "Wahr de Garr, de Bur de kumt!"
The expression in the section title, translated from the Old German dialect, means the following: "Beware, Landsknecht, the peasant is coming!" "Garr" - "Black Guard". It is believed that this was the battle cry of the Ditmarschens in battle.
The royal army remained in Meldorf until February 17, when Johann gave the order to advance. At that time, there was a thaw. The roads became impassable for the baggage train and artillery. The commander of the "Black Guard" Slentz tried to convince the king to wait, but Johann, who had more royal arrogance than common sense, remained inexorable. The army stretched out from Meldorf in a multi-kilometer intestine to the north, in the direction of Heide, and by the time the vanguard encountered the enemy, the tail of the column had not yet moved.
Map of the fighting and the Battle of Hemmingstedt in 1500. The Danish forces are shown in red and the forces of the peasant republic are shown in blue
As the Danish army began to move, the militia opened the dams, which were about three kilometers away. This, together with the rain that had been falling continuously all day, turned the roads into muddy paths and the entire area beyond them into a swamp. The drainage channels were filled to the brim and were impassable without bridges.
During the night, a little to the south of the settlement of Hemmingstedt, the defenders of Dithmarschen built trenches - earthen fortifications. The main part of the militia gathered here - about 3000 fighters under the command of Wulf Isebrandt.
The Black Guard, marching in the vanguard of the royal army, tried to take the trench on the move, but their attack was stifled. They were completely deprived of maneuver: the terrain on either side of the road was impassable, and the approaching Holstein militia was pushing them from behind. Small groups of Ditmarschang militiamen attacked the extended column from the flanks, inflicting significant losses on the army.
The King and Duke of Holstein were in the ranks of the cavalry, and so their orders reached the vanguard that had entered the battle with a delay. Soon the entire Danish army was subjected to flanking attacks. The militiamen had installed two small guns on the flanks of their fortification. It was easier for them, being in a fortified position, to keep their powder dry, unlike the arquebusiers of the landsknechts. Therefore, the losses of the attackers were significantly higher.
In response to the artillery bombardment, the attackers made another attempt to storm the trench, but it also ended in failure and significant losses. The death of the commanders was especially tragic: during the assault, not only several captains died, but also the royal governors Kummerdick and Erichs. The murder of Thomas Slentz was a real disaster. The commander, on horseback, inspired his fighters to storm, raising their fighting spirit. One of the militiamen, Long Reimer of Wimmerstedt (probably a fictional character), knocked Slentz off his horse with a halberd. Although Reimer did not manage to pierce the mercenary leader's armor right away, he finished him off by striking him with his halberd while he was lying on the ground.
It should be noted that Slentz was the only one of the opponents whom the Ditmarschens mentioned with respect in their folk songs - as a brave, albeit unlucky warrior.
Finale
Having repelled the third assault, the militiamen themselves launched a counterattack, which put the "guard" to flight. And for this there was only one direction - back, mixing up the ranks of the rest of the army. Inspired by their success, the militiamen continued the attack and, having reached the Holstein militia, began to exterminate it. Those who did not manage to escape died under the blows of the peasants or drowned in the swamp. The cavalry initially tried to hold back the fleeing infantrymen, but they began to push back the horsemen, and only after that did the knights decide to enter the battle themselves. But the militiamen, striking primarily at the horses, forced them out of the way, and then finished off the horsemen stuck in the mud.
The entire battle lasted about three hours.
The king and his brother the duke managed to escape, but both counts of Oldenburg, most of the officers of the guard, the royal standard-bearer Hans von Ahlefeld and many noble knights, such as Rantzau, Raventlow, Pogwich, met their death on the marshy plain. The Dithmarschens mercilessly killed everyone they could reach. They were not even tempted by the possible ransom for the noble prisoners. Only revenge!
The losses of the Danish-Holstein side were monstrous. Different sources estimate them from 4000 to 7000 people, among whom were 360 nobles. The losses of the militia were 60 peasants and 8 mercenaries. Although this seems unlikely.
But even without the ransom, the peasants' spoils were enormous. The convoy and guns were captured. And the dead left on the battlefield did not go unnoticed by the peasants either. The capture of the royal banner, the Dannebrog, had great symbolic significance.
According to legend, the peasants buried only the common warriors, while the aristocrats were left to lie in the mud.
The main components of the militia's victory were their courage, good knowledge of the terrain and weather conditions.
After this defeat, the Danish king had to conclude a rather humiliating treaty with Lübeck and Hamburg, but this was not the biggest problem. Taking advantage of the weakening of Johann's power, Sweden broke away from him in 1501.
The years 1499-1500 were generally unsuccessful for the Landsknechts. They also suffered a number of defeats in the "Swiss War". But a couple of years later, they began to rapidly rise as a decisive military force. At the same time, the stereotypical external image of the Landsknecht was formed.
The peasant republic of Dithmarschen lasted for another half century. It was only in 1559 that it was conquered by Denmark.
The monument, erected in 1900, commemorates the sensational victory of the peasants, which secured the independence of their republic.
To this day, the Battle of Hemmingstedt is imprinted in the collective consciousness of the people of Dithmarschen. For the 400th anniversary of the event, a monument designed by the Kiel architect Wilhelm Voigt was erected there. In the center of the composition is a heavy boulder on four massive stone columns. The legendary battle cry of the peasants is carved into it: "Wahr de Garr, de Bur de kummt". The monument stands on a small hill with a good view of the surrounding landscape. The region is still predominantly agricultural, and today's farmers honor the memory of their heroic ancestors.
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