DURNSTEIN CASTLE - WACHAU VALLEY DANUBE
Ransom of Richard Lionheart
The castle of Dürnstein took its place in the annals of history when it became for time, the prison residence of King Richard I of England, otherwise known as Richard Lionheart when he was held captive by the Duke of Austria, Leopold V. The story of the ransoming of Richard is most popularly known for its place in the legends of Robin Hood, when the Men of Sherwood battle Prince John until Richard’s return, though most of that is a rather imaginative story invention.
King Richard had led the English in the Third Crusade, and legendarily in a dispute of egos and royal wills, Richard had tossed the banner of Duke Leopold V or Austria from the walls during the conquest of the city of Acre, and then supported Guy of Lusignan over the duke’s cousin, Conrad of Montferrat, for governor of Jerusalem. When Conrad was assassinated, the duke suspected Richard of being complicit in having him murdered. Upon Richard’s return from the Holy Land in 1192, making many stops on his long journey (see Varazdin Castle Croatia), he fell afoul of the Austrian duke. By December of 1192, Richard had reached Vienna and was wearing a disguise in the city when he was discovered and arrested five days before Christmas. Duke Leopold had him held at his border castle of Dürnstein on the banks of the Danube.
Pope Celestine III excommunicated Duke Leopold over his treating a fellow crusader in such circumstance and Leopold was compelled to turn Richard over to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV at Speyer (see Speyer Imperial Cathedral), where Richard was held at Castle Trifels. The Emperor demanded 150,000 marks or about 65,000 silver pounds in ransom for Richard’s release. Prince John and King Phillip of France offered 80,000 marks for Richard to be held for another 8 months, but he was finally released on February 4, 1194.
Legend of Blondel the Minstrel
In addition to the Robin Hood story, another romantic legend grew around the ransom of Richard Lionheart in later centuries. The story goes that a devoted minstrel from Richard’s court named Blondel set off to find the king he did not return from the Crusades. Blondel was unaware that Richard was being held captive in Austria, but wandered from fortress to fortress along the route he would have taken, singing a song known only to the two of them. One day, exhausted from his travels, he leaned against the steep walls of the Dürnstein Castle, and sang the first verse of the song for the thousandth time, “Oh king, do you hear me, your Blondel?“ Suddenly, he heard a voice, replying with the second verse,“Blondel! Oh, Blondel! Can it really be you?“ The minstrel hurried back to England with the joyful news of his discovery and soon ransom was sent and Richard Lionheart was able continue on his journey homeward.
The story of Blondel de Nesle was made famous in a 19th Century opera “Richard Coeur de Lion” and has featured in Richard Lionheart stories ever since including a tv series and a Gore Vidal novel. The lyrics seem a little convenient and Richard didn’t return home, but was moved to another prison. There is a stone stature near the castle of Richard on a horse and his devoted minstrel.
Visiting Castle Dürnstein
Dürnstein Castle was nearly completely destroyed by Swedish troops under the command of Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson during the Thirty Years War in 1645. It was the Swedes who also destroyed Heidelberg Castle. The area along the Danube was also part of the Napoleonic Wars and a war monument commemorating the Battle of Durenstein in November of 1805 stands on an adjacent hillside. The castle ruins rise above the rooftops of the historic medieval village of Dürnstein in the very tourist popular World Heritage Wachau Valley of Austria, reminiscent of the Middle Rhine of Germany for its wine vineyards and castle ruins on hillsides.
Dürnstein is a stop for the many river cruise boats on the Danube. There is a hiking path to the ruins with views of the river and valley. A local hotel and restaurant in the village, the Gasthof Sänger Blondel has hosted travelers since 1730 with pleasant rooms, and traditional food tied to the theme of the minstrel legend, and a more upscale Hotel Richard Lowenherz in the former monastery of Dürnstein is next door. The Gottweig Monastery is about two miles away (see Gottweig Abbey Baroque Monastery). © Bargain
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SEE ALSO:
ST PETERS CHURCH BAROQUE GEM OF LEOPOLD I
HOHENSALZBURG CASTLE - SALZBURG
THE LORELEY STATUE - RHINE LEGEND
BREGENZ GEBHARDSBERG CASTLE RESTAURANT
