RUDOLF
218
RUDOLF
rhubarb. The Middle Ages also owed to him the
solution of a disputed geographical question; he
proved that the Caspian was an inland sea and did
not flow into the Arctic. He called attention to the
relationship between German and the Indo-Germanic
group of languages, and to the family unity of the
Hungarians, Bashkirs, and Huns in the great racial
chvision of the Finns; and he also gave a circumstantial
account of the religion of the Mongols and the various
ceremonies of the idolaters. Rubruck's account has
been edited by the Societe de Geographic in the
"Recueil de voyages et de m^moires", IV (Paris.
1S93), German translation by Kulb in the "Geschichte
der Missionsreisen nach Mongolei", I, II (Ratisbon,
1860) ; English tr . bv Rockhill, ' ' The Journey of William
of Rubruk to the Eastern Parts" (London, 1900).
.Schmidt, Uber Rubruks Reise in Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft fur Erdkunde zu Berlin, XX (Berlin, 1885); Matrod, Le voyage de Ft. Guillaume de Rubrouck (Couvin, 1909); Schlager, MongoUnfahrten der Framiskaner (Trier, 1911), 45-126.
Patricius Schlager.
Rudolf of Fulda, chronicler, d. at Fulda, 8 March. S62. In the monasterj' of Fulda Rudolf entered the Benedictine Order, studied under the cele- brated Rabanus Maurus, and was himself a teacher. He was undoubtedly associated ■with King Louis the Pious, whose intimate friend he considered himself, but it is not known how long he remained at court. It is probable that, after the elevation of Rhabanus to the Archiepiscopal See of Mainz, Rudolf followed him thence, and onlj' towards the close of his life took up his permanent residence once more at Fulda. He was one of the most distinguished scholars of his time. The "Annales Fuldenses", begun by Einhard and continued (838-6.3) on the same lines by Rudolf, are valuable contributions to the general history of the period on account of his close connexion with the court. Among the many editions of the "Annales Fuldenses sive Annales regni Francorum orientalis", that of Kurze (Hanover, 1891) is the best (German tr. by Wattenbach, " Geschichtsschreiber der deutschen Vorzeit", XXIII, Leipzig, 1889). At the suggestion of his master Rabanus, Rudolf (838) compiled, from notes of the priest Mego and from oral tradition, a life of St. Lioba or Leobgyth Tpublished in "Acta SS.", VII, Sept., Antwerp ed., 760-9, and in "Mon. Germ. Script.", XV, i, 121-31). It was St. Lioba whom St. Boniface called to Bischof.sheim on the Tauber to assist him by her activity. Under the mis- leading title, " Vitabeati Rabani Mauri, archiepLscopi Moguntini in Germania", there is extant a work upon the miracles performed V)y the relics brought to Fulda by Rabanus, interspersed, according to the spirit of the times, with important historical and ethnological notes. In the "Mon. Germ. Script." (XV, 329-41) it is printed under the more correct title, "Miracula sanctorum in Fuldenses ecclesias translatorum". A similar work of much more importance historically is "Tran.slatio sancti Alexandri W'ildeshusam anno 8.51 " in "Mon. Germ. Scripjt.", II, 07.3-81, begun by Rudolf in 863 at the request of Waltbraht, a grand.s(jn of W'idukin, and completed by Meginhart. Taking the "Germania" of Ta<-itus for his model, he pictured the history of ancient Saxony and the introduction of Christianity.
Wattknuach, iJeiUHchl/irulK OeHrhichtHguellen im MiUelalltr, II (Berlin, IHW), 227 sq., 2:Wwi.; I'otthaht, Bibliolheca hixtoriai metlii aevi (Berlin. 1S96;. I, 07; II, 11.01, 1429, 1.540.
Patricius Schlager.
Rudolf of Habflburg, Grrman king, b. 1 May, 1218; <i. at Sp-yr-r, 1.5 .July, 1291. He was the son of -Mbcrt I\', the founder of the Habsburg line, and CfjunteKS Heilwige of Kiburg. After the death of his father in the Holy Land, Rudolf pursued an in- dependent line of politics, in the conflict between the papar;y and the empire h<- sui)i)orled the Hohen- staufens, and, during the irit<Tregnuui, strove to in-
crease the power of his house, especially in Switzer-
land. In his extensive domains, of which Swabia
formed the centre, he .showed himself a good, if stern
ruler, and especially in the south won manj- friends.
At the instigation of Gregory X, who threatened to
appoint a regent to govern the empire if ste]is were
not taken to restore order to the country by the elec-
tion of a prince who would exercise an effective
rule, Rudolf was cho.sen emperor 1 October, 1273.
Towering but l{>an of stature, with bony cheeks and
hooked no.'^e, he was a courageous warrior, a skilled
diplomat, and distinguished alike for unrelenting
sternness and genial kindness. Six electors voted for
Rudolf; the seventh, Ottakar of Bohemia, abstained
from voting. This powerful king ruled from Meissen
and the mountains in the north of Bohemia as far as
the Adriatic, having added Austria, Styria, Carinthia,
and Krain to his inherited domains. 'When Ottakar
was summoned to answer for this alienation of the
imperial fiefs, Rudolf proved himself an astute
politician in the
proceedings
against Bohemia.
Recognizing that
it was impossible
to force the Ger-
man princes to
the position of
vassals, he utilized
everj^ opportunity
to enhance the
power of his
house, for only the
possession of great
domains could en-
sure for a German
king a position
of prominence.
Supported by the
Church, Rudolf
began the war in
1276, and on the
Marchfeld on 26 Rudolf of Habsburg
August, 1278, Ot- Engraving by Goltzius
takar lost his throne and his life. The ancient posses- sions of t he Bohemian royal house were left to Ottakar's son Wenceslaus, who was still a minor, but the Austrian lands had to be given up and were formally granted by Rudolf to his own sons, as according to the pre- vailing laws of the empire, the sovereign could not retain confiscated lands. In this manner Ostmark came permanently into the possession of the Habs- burgs. Whether the downfall of Ottakar was a Ger- man success or not, is still an open (juestion among scholars. In recent times, the opinion has prevailed that, far from being hostile to the (iermans, Ottakar favoured German immigration into Bohemia, and that, with the possession of the Austrian lanils, he might perhaps have completely germanized Bohemia; and, had he secured the imperial crown, this powerful prince might have given a new imi)ortance to the imperial authority. The creation of a strong central power was also the object of Rudolf's politics. For the consolidation of his kingdom .'ihout the Danube, peace and stabilitj' in (lennaiiy were necess:irv, sinil these only a strong imperial jxjwer could guarantee. Then; was no fixcsd imjx-rial constitution, and the develoi)nient of such would have been resisted by the territorial princes. Rudolf was shrewd enough to abstain from attempting forcibly to increase his con- stitutional powers, and contented himself with i)re- serving such domains and rights as were still ksft to th(? crown. He sought to recover the many imperial poswssions which had been lost since 1245, moreover he saw to it that the taxes laid upon the imperial cities and towns were duly paid; although he failed to establish uniform system of taxation owing to the
