Bavarian uprising of 1705–1706 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bavarian People's uprising
Part of War of the Spanish Succession
The 1705 Slaughter of the Sendling Farmers, detail from the fresco by William Lindenschmit the Elder on the Old Parish Church of St. Margaret.
Date November 1705 - 18 January 1706 Location Sendling and Aidenbach, Bavaria Result Habsburg victory
Belligerents
Bavarian Peasants	Habsburg monarchy
Casualties and losses
c. 5,100	c. 40 + a small unknown number

The Bavarian uprising of 1705–1706 was a revolt by the people of Bavaria. They rose up against the Imperial Army that had taken over their land. This happened during a big European war called the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714).

The uprising lasted for about 75 days. It started in early November 1705 and ended on January 18, 1706. Some historians call it "the first revolution of modern history."

Why the Uprising Started

In 1701, the War of the Spanish Succession began. Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (the ruler of Bavaria) wanted his family to become the new Holy Roman Emperor. This was a very powerful position in Europe.

He joined forces with France against the Habsburg Monarchy, who were the current emperors. But his plans failed badly. His army suffered a huge defeat at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.

After this loss, Maximilian II Emanuel left Bavaria. He went to the Spanish Netherlands, which was controlled by France. This left Bavaria open to the winning Austrian forces. The land was then occupied by troops from Emperor Joseph I. The Bavarian people did not like this occupation and decided to fight back.

Max Emanuel, Duke of Bavaria, was the ruler of Bavaria when the uprising began.

Key Events of the Uprising

The uprising quickly spread across many parts of Bavaria. Rebels took control of areas around towns and strongholds. The peasant revolt reached the Bavarian Forest and other regions.

In December 1705, a special meeting took place. It was called the Braunau Parliament. Representatives from different groups in Bavaria met. These included nobles, church leaders, townspeople, and farmers. They met to discuss how to defend their land. This meeting happened long before many other parliaments in Europe.

At first, the Austrian forces did not react much to the uprising. But this changed when the rebels tried to capture Munich, the capital of Bavaria. Their attack was not successful.

On the night of December 25, 1705, Austrian troops met the peasant army. This happened near Sendling, just outside Munich. This battle became known as Sendling's Night of Murder. The Bavarian rebels were completely defeated by Emperor Joseph I's soldiers.

About 1,100 Bavarians died in this battle. The Austrians lost only about 40 men. Some rebels were even killed after they had given up.

Two weeks later, on January 8, 1706, another major battle happened. This was the Battle of Aidenbach. The rebels suffered another terrible defeat. About 4,000 Bavarians were lost. This battle effectively ended the uprising against Austria.

How the Uprising Ended

After the major defeats, the rebels knew they could not win. On January 11, 1706, a group of rebel leaders went to Salzburg. They wanted to talk about peace.

Soon after, several towns that had joined the uprising surrendered. Schärding surrendered on January 13, 1706. Then Cham surrendered on the 16th, and Braunau on the 17th. Finally, Burghausen, the last city, surrendered on January 18, 1706. This marked the official end of the Bavarian uprising.

This painting shows the legendary "Smith of Kochel" during the uprising.

Leaders and Legends

Many people took part in the uprising. A list of "ringleaders" included about 15 names. These were often local leaders like butchers, innkeepers, or farmers. Some well-known figures were Georg Sebastian Plinganser and Johann Georg Meindl.

One famous figure linked to the uprising was the Smith of Kochel. His real name was said to be Balthasar Mayr or Balthasar Riesenberger. He became a popular folk hero in southern Bavaria. However, there is no real proof that he existed or took part in the uprising. It seems he might have been a made-up character. People may have invented him to help cope with the pain of losing the uprising.