Louis at once commenced proceedings for the recovery of his lost
electorate; aided by Casimir, King of Poland, the King of Denmark, who
singularly enough was also named Voldemar, and by some other potentates
equally desirous of having a hand in their neighbour's affairs, he soon
found himself able to place a good army in the field. A desultory
warfare, that endured for some years, now commenced between the rival
electors, but finally Voldemar inflicted such a signal defeat upon his
opponent's forces that Louis relinquished the contest in disgust, and
retired to his domains in the Tyrol, making over his claim upon
Brandenburg to his two younger brothers. This transference of the
electorate, it should be mentioned, the Emperor Charles afterwards
confirmed by letters patent in 1350, notwithstanding the contestation
of Voldemar and his partisans.
According to the popular account, the pseudo Voldemar was ultimately
overthrown, condemned to death, and burnt as an impostor; whilst the
veritable Marquis is stated to have died in 1322, either at a place
called Korekei, or at Stendell.
Thus runs the commonly accredited story; but summing up later and
equally reliable records, the favourers of the idea that it was really
the Elector himself who reappeared put the case thus. The Archbishop
of Magdeburg, Primate of Germany, a man totally uninterested either
way, and known for his probity, would not, they say, have recognised
and have given his testimony on behalf of the claimant unless satisfied
as to his identity; nor, they further remark, would the Emperor Charles
and so many other princes have exposed their lives and caused the
effusion of so much human blood for an impostor.
Moreover, one historian shows from contemporary records that by the
Electoral College of Germany Voldemar was still believed to be alive in
1338, sixteen years after his alleged death; but as the official letter
is only founded on a belief, its citation is worthless. The statement
as to his decease in 1322 is, they point out, contradictory, whilst had
the Elector Louis known of his predecessor's death, why did he not
procure documentary evidence of the same? The Emperor Louis was known,
moreover, to have entertained great hatred against the House of
Ascagne, in consequence of its chiefs, Rudolph of Saxony and Voldemar
the First, uncle of the second Voldemar, having declared for his rival
for the empire, Frederick of Austria, in 1313.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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