Niklaus Leuenberger

Niklaus Leuenberger (born the July 17th 1615 with Schönholz, carried out the August 27th 1653 with Bern) was one of the leaders of the rural rebellion which led to the Guerre of the peasants of 1653 in Suisse. It was called the “king of the peasants”.

Biography

Leuenberger was baptized the July 17th 1615. It belonged to a family of easy peasants. His/her father, Hans, were born in 1586. Starting from 1643, he was member of the court of Ranflüh. He married in 1639 with Katharina Äschlimann then towards 1642 with Eva Stucki.

War of the peasants

Appointed chief of the insurrection little before the formation of the “league of Huttwil” (the May 14th 1653), Leuenberger made besiege Bern by its troops the May 22nd 1653. Six days later, after having concluded an agreement with the mayor from Bern (the “peace of Murifeld”) Leuenberger left the surroundings of the city. The June 3rd 1653, its troops faced with Wohlenschwil the quota of Conrad Werdmüller which had not been informed in time of the evolution of the situation. Badly equipped, the army of Leuenberger was quickly overcome and had to beat retirement. June 7th, 1653, a Bernese forwarding carried out by Sigmund von Erlach met a regiment of 2000 men of Leuenberger. The peasants folded up themselves with Herzogenbuchsee where they were overcome by Von Erlach. The city was burnt during the battle and Leuenberger escaped. It tried to hide but it was betrayed by a neighbor.

Execution

The June 9th 1653, Samuel Tribolet, the Landvogt (sheriff) of the district of Bern apprehended it. Leuenberger was decapitated then dismembered in Bern the September 6th 1653. Its head was fixed on a gibet with at side one of the four specimens of the pact sealing the league of Huttwil.

Monument

In 1903, at the time of the 250 years of the war of the peasants, the commune of Rüderswil set up a monument in memory of Niklaus Leuenberger.

References

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