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his prince, and there is good reason to believe that overrating his own influence at Court he originally adhered to the League for the purpose of acting as mediator between his fellownobles and the Duke. But, naturally enough, this attempt to serve two masters was regarded with suspicion by both, and he was presently caught in the current of party strife. His brothers Michael and Leonhard, his kins men the Lichtensteins of Karneid, his friends the Starkenbergs of Greifenstein, the Spaurs of Nonthal, Heinrich von Rottenburg and Nicholas Vintler were all in the revolt, and his interests, in the main, coincided with theirs. So, after much hesitation and certain futile attempts towards reconciliation, which only excited sus picion of his motives on either side, he threw himself heart and soul into the cause of the Bund. This was the turningpoint of his life, the opening of so strenuous and agitated a career, that, at first sight, one is surprised that the gentle art of versemaking should not have been crushed out of him. But, a born realist, Oswald von Wolkenstein 29 As we have said, the old Elefantenbund, in which Friedrich himself was enrolled, was dissolved in 1406 and reconstituted as the Adelsbund an der Etsch This new league comprised one hundred and thirtyfive nobles pledged to defend their good Tirolese rights against all assailants, not excepting their own sovereign, in case of necessity. Heinrich von Rottenburg, Captain of the Etsch, was at the head of the Bund and Oswald von Wolkenstein was its leading spirit. The latters intellectual superiority, and his known influence with the Emperor were of the utmost value to the rebel lords. For Sigismund, being assured of these barons loyalty to the Empire, had no wish to discountenance any scheme that might cramp the energies of his too ambitious kinsman Duke Friedrich. At first, however, Oswald 30 Oswald von Wolkenstein clung to the hope of inducing the prince to make important concessions and continued his vain efforts at mediation. Thus, before the Bund broke into open rebellion there was a period of sullen opposition and secret ferment in Tirol, and Friedrich profited by the delay to deal his enemies one or two unexpected blows. His chief difficulty being the lack of gold that had him the nickname of Friedl of the empty pouch, the first thing to be done was to replenish his treasury. To effect this, it was indispensable to get rid of Nicholas Vintler the great banker of Bozen, who had all the revenues of the State in his hands. Vintler was a member of the League in virtue of his rank, but took little interest in its schemes. His personal tastes were artistic and literary, and all his spare time was spent in decorating his beauti ful castle of Runggelstein and giving sumptuous entertainments in its frescoed halls. A wealthy merchant and banker, he had filled for many years the post of Receiver General of Tirol. He held all the mortgages and title deeds of State property, and the feudal nobility had to Oswald von Wolkenstein 31 pay into his hands all tithes and taxes due to their overlord on their fiefs. It is uncertain whether Vintler made un lawful profits by these transactiohs or not ; but at any rate the taxes he levied on his fellow nobles were based on old calculations by no means corresponding with the increased value of their lands. When first appointed to his office by Friedrichs father Duke Leopold, he had been granted a special patent exempting him from the duty of submitting his accounts to examination. Accordingly he was deaf to all remonstrance, and while professing devoted loyalty to his sovereign, refused to make any change in his system of taxation. So after much ineffectual discussion, Friedrich lost patience, captured Vintlers luxurious castle by sudden assault and proclaimed its owner as a rebel. The banker had already fled to the stronghold of a fellow member of the Bund and presently, with diplo matic caution, opened peaceful negotiations with the irritated prince. Matters were finally patched up; Vintler not only recovered his beautiful 32 Oswald von Wolkenstein Runggelstein but obtained compensation for damages inflicted by Friedrichs menatarms. Nevertheless the prince had scored a victory, for the seizure of all Vintlers papers and accounts enabled him to master the financial situation. Taxation was now rearranged on a juster basis; money began to flow into the coffers of the State, and the first blow was dealt at the power of the nobles.

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