Zawis and Kunigunde/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
WIDOW PLEADS FOR THE BODY OF HER DEAD HUSBAND.
During the following month of March, 1279, Rudolph, Albert, Bruno bishop of Olmütz, and Brother Primus held a solemn conference at Vienna. Each came to the meeting the representative of a distinct power, then struggling for pre-eminence, to some extent, in rivalry of the others. Rudolph embodied the imperial power on the new basis, assumed since his election, of abandoning German claims in Italy and seeking a compensation of equal importance in the eastern provinces of Europe. Albert strove to establish the principle of a new sovereignty, distinct from the empire with its center at Vienna. Bruno maintained the cause of Rome, then putting forth ceaseless efforts to include the Greek provinces within its jurisdiction. Brother Primus advocated the foundation ofa religious-military authority on the principle of knightly organization, but directed against heresy in all its forms. This new combination he strove to constitute a permanent jurisdiction combined with the others.
“A new era opens before us,” said Rudolph abruptly; “we must confront fresh combinations. For centuries Bohemia has resisted our development. Now that power is effectually broken. They confronted us indeed recently, with the old spirit, notwithstanding the loss of their great prince; but the unity and resources of the kingdom have been shattered. Bohemia must blend with the empire. Poland, Silesia, Brandenburg, Austria, and the Adriatic provinces have been disposed of. Bohemia no longer possesses a coast or a harbor. Look to it, Albert, that your favorite policy of an Austrian empire to the East and South, shall include control of the Adriatic.”
“We are divided by mountains, jealousies, and tongues,” replied Albert. “Venice is still strong; Italy restless; Sicily controls commerce; Spain acquiring consolidation. Our first policy is to unify our populations.”
“In order to effect that purpose,” exclaimed Bruno, eagerly, “the authority of the holy father is essential. Through the one sacred Latin tongue, and uniformity of creed, alone can the newly acquired populations be harmonized. Our chief antagonist, Constantinople, has been humbled since 1204, and the glorious crusades have placed outer as well as inner Europe at our feet. By the former we have acquired military supremacy, and provinces; and by the latter we have possessed magistracies, dignities and lands easily acquired during the absence of leaders and defenders. Our monastic fortresses and garrisons hold internal Europe.”
“True, lord bishop,” observed brother Primus, “but while the crusades have thus benefited your outward jurisdiction, they have also liberated from the East, from Thrace, from Bulgaria, Constantinople, Dalmatia, Bosnia, and even from Asia Minor, a flood of hitherto concealed or imperfectly announced doctrines, dogmas, and communities that have spread far more widely and acceptably than we openly admit. Since the tenth century these doctrines have claimed attention and have kept the stake fires active everywhere, and although thousands have suffered by the fagot, the sword, and the dungeon, yet the pestilence has continually spread until it has reached from the western ocean to the holy see itself. The heretics have bishops and popes, churches and castles. They are as numerous as the sands. They hold great councils and infect provinces and cities.
“Our clergy have grown wealthy, and in too many cases, proud and immoral. The heretics have adopted that simple earnestness of preaching, and that air of sympathy with the poor that have wholly supplanted the church in the hearts of multitudes.
“The combined strength of the empire and of the hierarchy is imperatively necessary, or this perilous invasion will overwhelm us.”
“I fear that commendable zeal surpasses dutiful discretion, Brother Primus,” interposed Bruno with a severe look. “A century ago such apprehensions were justifiable. But the illustrious Innocent, of divine memory, gathered the forces of the church, and the chief power of the heretics in Albigensium fell utterly before them. Rulers have taken warning by these merited punishments to eradicate heresy from their states, even at the cost of population, ruin, beggary, and desolation.”
“I would rather, a thousand times, rule over a wilderness than over prosperity gained by heretics,” interposed Albert. “And such shall be the principle I shall establish in my states.”
“Every true son of the church will imitate your example,” observed Brother Primus, “but our peril is still greater than the reverend bishop is aware of.”
“I am well informed,” firmly responded Bruno. “Until about a century ago in every one of these provinces from Constantinople, and especially Philippopolis to Milan, and from Viterbo to the Rhine—mouth, every district listened with joy not only to abuse and defamation of the clergy, but to the socalled evangelism of the heretics. From Smyrna to Ierne they extended. Until Nikol the Slavonian abjured heresy under compulsion, and from dread of foreign intervention, the entire Bosnian dynasty was heretical. Hungary, Poland, Bohemia more than tolerated the Greek heretics who had always affiliated with Constantinople, whence they had sprung. Their chief churches of Bulgaria, Druguria, Philadelphia in Roumania, of Passau, and Donnezach, of Slavonia, of Constantinople both Greek and Latin, of Metz, Strasbourg, of Milan, where a large college had long subsisted, of Coucorrezo, of Bajolo, of Florence, of Valle Spoletana, of Tolosa, Carcassonne, of Aquileia, Cremona, Carinthia, Austria, and especially at Vienna and Neustedt, at Bagnolo, Brescia, Treves, Cologne, and many other cities, exercised wide jurisdiction; and a strong and regular heretical hierarchy added strength to their accursed combination. Their division into ‘Auditores,’ ‘Credentes,’ ‘Christians’ or ‘Perfecti,’ ‘Sacerdotes,’ ‘Prelates’ and ‘Popes’ is current history. On this point, brother, I must suggest to you that a worthy effort could be made, by your chosen agents, in suppressing, effacing, and extirpating all evidences of the power, the numbers, and the doctrines of these heretics. Centuries hence the absence of proof will aid the church in its claim of unbroken universality. The church of Rome has never been either unbroken or universal. With difficulty it has made head in these provinces chiefly through the contentions of the populations. By aiding one and another ambitious aspirant the church has introduced her dismembering policy.
“Your highness will do well to observe and formalize that principle,” added Bruno especially to Albert. “Such is our chief aim, and must continue to be in all countries. By beginning with education and schools, we can, as we have, proceed to regulate, and gradually to enforce, our supreme authority, until Rome sways the policy and the wealth of the world for her unlimited supremacy in all things.”
“The empire has never been thus subordinated,” claimed Rudolph, making an effort to resist the sweeping arrogance of his whilom obeisant but now dictatorial priest.
“The church has imposed its terms, as your highness knows, and will enforce them,” haughtily exclaimed Bruno.
“We will see to that,” responded Rudoph, now sensible of his degradation, and aware how he had been duped.
During this conference another scene had been enacted out of doors. A small cortege approached Vienna. As it drew near the gate on the Moravian side, an elderly woman, closely veiled, was observed to start rapidly towards the imperial schloss for the time. As she hurried, another woman, limping and poorly clad, placed herself beside her, and at once started to clicket her wooden leper rattle. This fearful sound instantly attracted attention. “The lepers, the lepers!” at once became the cry, and the most angry demonstrations drove both women far out of the town. The cortege proceeded uninterrupted and on signal readily obtained admission. With a daring and fidelity that could be exhibited only in full reliance on thousands of sympathizers in Vienna, the schloss attendants, first loudly knocking, boldly announced to the astonished conference, “The queen of Bohemia, your highness, and her retinue.” Albert frowned both from anger and disappointment. He had confided in Teresa to announce the approach of the cortege in time at least to create difficulties. Bruno and Brother Primus looked chiefly at the faces of those accompanying the queen. The persons who entered were Queen Kunigunde, Lady Ludmila, Eudocia, Lord Zawis, Lord Drda, and Solomon. Rudolph smiled, but continued seated. “A sudden visitation, but not unwelcume,” exclaimed the emperor, his smile somewhat clouded. “What cheer, good frau?” he added, partly recovering his self-control. Advancing a few steps, and slightly separated from her attendants, Kunigunde slowly drew aside her veil, and looked quietly at the emperor.
“Truly as frau do I come, your majesty,” she said, “and my commission is such as any bereaved frau might undertake. Deprived in one hour of home, country, dignity, husband, protection, and of child, I represent such accumulation of unhappiness as may well commend me even to the sternness of my country’s subjugator. A queen indeed, and yet not a queen. I resignedly surrender all state, rank and honor. With acquiescence I bow to the strokes that have overwhelmed my royal prosperity. But while I can renounce all earthly pre-eminence, while I can lay aside with serenity the homage of faithful subjects and the honors of courts, I cannot surrender or divest myself of those rights of a woman, and a wife, that the decrees of God, the solemnities of the church, the law of the land, and the dictates of humanity have conferred upon me. Formerly the representative of the exaltation of womanhood in Bohemia, I now simply represent the claims of woman in her depression, her solitude and her bereavement. Nay more, highness, I represent the ordinary claims of humanity on behalf of one not the least among his fellows. In life he vindicated the respect due to every human being of his nation as typified by himself the prince, and in death he demands the reverence of all men for his still unburied remains. In the name of our common humanity, in the name of the rights of society, in the name of that Christian faith that you profess, I ask the restoration to me for respectful burial of the—body—of—my—husband,” the last words almost inaudible with sobs. At this point the other ladies, without any invitation, aided the distressed suppliant to a seat.
Albert bit his lip to blood with vexation. Bruno and Primus looked angrily at the floor. Rudolph moved uneasily, blanched, colored, but laying his clenched fist on the table, he said, with extraordinary recovery of calmness: “Your words, madam, imply a reproach to me, that all this ceremony of burial has not taken place. I appeal to all present whether the occasion did not require and justify the delay. On the paramount necessities of state must the reasons rest. Whenever a great prince has fallen, a legion of personators has sprung up. After the death of our predecessor Frederick II., more than twenty or thirty false Fredericks advanced pretensions and caused infinite commotion. Frederick Barbarossa is even yet expected by the peasantry, and notwithstanding all precaution multitudes of Bohemians will believe their late king is only hidden. But I must thank you for contributing greatly to the removal of my apprehension on that point. The testimony of yourself, madam, and of the distinguished persons present, one of whom can certainly certify whether a man is dead, and who first touched for embalming the still uninjured remains of the distinguished and gallant king, I deem amply sufficient testimony to satisty the requirements of state. Sir Esculapius,” he added,addressing Solomon, “I cannot forget welcome services to myself, on the same occasion. Do you certify to the death of Otakar, king of Bohemia; and to the identity of the body still preserved, with that you partly operated on at the time I refer to?”
“The body is the same, highness,” answered Solomon, “and I am willing to furnish any certificate to that effect. But it has been barbarously mutilated by some coarse and ignorant bungler.”
“Albert, and bishop, I charge you as commissioners to have the remains of Otakar, king of Bohemia, surrendered with all propriety to the control of his consort, the queen dowager. Let it be done at once, and I strictly require prompt report of your doings in the premises to me as your liege lord and sovereign,” the emperor added, rising, and with a stern look and gesture in reply to Bruno’s attempt to assume first place in the empire.