Ancient Bacharach was once a famous place, and long before the fiery
wine that grows there became famous throughout the world--"it was in
the good old times" as our grandmothers say--it was the delight of
many a connoisseur abroad. About that time its grateful lovers erected
an altar to Bacchus who provided them so liberally with wine. The
place of sacrifice was on a huge rock projecting out of the Rhine,
between an island and the right bank of the river, and in honour of
the god they gave the town the name it still bears.
The inscriptions on the altar-stone have become unintelligible, but
the Bacharach folk know well to the present day the original meaning
of them.
Fishermen still keep up the old custom but now more as an amusement;
they dress up a straw-man as Bacchus, place him on the altar, and
surround him singing.
The ruins of the castle of Stahleck are situated on the Rhine, above
the wild, romantic country of Bacharach.
About the time of Conrad III., the first Emperor of the House of
Hohenstaufen, a young ambitious knight, Palatinate Count Hermann,
inhabited this castle. Being a nephew of the emperor, this aspiring
knight considered his high and mighty relationship as a sufficient
reason for enlarging his dominions.
He conceived no less a plan than that of taking possession of part of
the property which bordered on his land, belonging to the Archbishops
of Mayence and Treves, supporting his claim by declaring that for more
than one reason he had a right of possession. The jealousy which at
that time existed between the clerical and the secular powers, brought
a number of neighbouring knights to his side as allies, and the count
began his unprovoked quarrel by taking a castle at Treves on the
Moselle by storm. This castle belonged to the diocese of that town.
Adalbert of Monstereil, a man of an undaunted character, was then
Bishop both of Treves and Metz.
He at once collected his warriors to drive the bold robber from the
conquered castle. The temerity of the count and his superior forces
dismayed Adalbert, giving him grounds for sober reflections. But the
good bishop was a clever man and, not believing himself sufficiently
strong to resist the count, he sought refuge in spiritual weapons.
When his people were about to assault the stronghold, he made a most
enthusiastic speech to his troops.
Holding up a crucifix in his right hand, he told to them that in the
silent hours of the previous night the Archangel Michael had appeared
to him, and had given him this crucifix, at the same time promising
him certain victory if each of his warriors attacked the enemy in the
firm belief that an invincible Higher Power was near to help them.
The bishop's words inspired his men with a great courage. Led on by
the holy man carrying the crucifix in his raised hand, they marched on
to the assault, stormed the castle, and made Hermann's troops flee in
great confusion. The ambitious count, now finding himself deserted by
his troops, was forced to renounce the feud which he had hoped to
carry on against the bishop.
* * * * *
The disgraceful defeat the count had suffered was most humiliating to
him, but it had not killed his ambition.
He now directed his thoughts to his other ecclesiastical neighbour.
Having searched through some ancient documents, he thought he had
found full right to a strip of land which Arnold of Solnhofen, Bishop
of Mayence, then held in possession. He at once sent in his claim to
this mighty prince of the church, who received it with a scornful
laugh. "Oh!" said the bishop, tearing up the written complaint, "I
shall be able to manage this little count as well as I have all along
managed the stubborn people of Mayence, some of whom have bitterly
repented of having rebelled against their bishop."
Hermann was told how Solnhofen had treated his claim. In great wrath
he swore to take vengeance on the man who had dared to tear up his
complaint so contumeliously. His young wife implored him with tears in
her eyes not to raise his hand against a servant of the Lord again.
But he turned contemptuously away.
Herman was well aware that, through the influence of the bishop's
companions-in-arms, he was now hated by the citizens of Mayence. This
circumstance made him determine to rob Arnold of land and dignity, as
he ascribed the cause of this deadly dissension to the power the
bishop exerted over the people of his diocese.
The count, now joined by several daring knights, again prepared to
make war against the representative of the church, and marched to
attack the bishop in his stronghold.
Arnold was enraged at this persistent striving against the dominions
of the church, and his dark soul conceived a dastardly plan to rid
them of their enemy. He hired two villains who treacherously put the
count to death.
Soon afterwards the rebellious citizens of Mayence successfully
stormed the bishop's palace and turned the cruel prelate out of his
episcopal seat, whereupon he was obliged to flee for his life. But
Arnold was not so easily subdued and he soon returned, breathing
vengeance. His friends warned him in vain, and even the famous
prophetess, Hildegarde of Rupertusberg, sent a messenger to him with
the words, "Turn to the Lord whom you have forsaken, your hour is
near at hand."
But he heeded not this admonition, and at last he was killed by the
rebels in the Abbey of Jacobsberg, some distance from the town where
he had taken up his residence.