![Alter Zuerichkrieg Vermittlung Johannes Loesel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Alter_Zuerichkrieg_Vermittlung_Johannes_Loesel.jpg)
Johann Loesel (c. 1390–1460) was a knight of the
Order of Saint John
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...
, during 1440–1444 grand bailiff from and 1445–1460 grand prior of the
grand priory
A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of monk ...
of
Alemannia (Upper Germany), a division of the order within the
langue of Germany.
A native of
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
, Loesel joined the order at Eichen (Eichhof) near
Weißenburg. In 1426, he was given the
commandery
In the Middle Ages, a commandery (rarely commandry) was the smallest administrative division of the European landed properties of a military order. It was also the name of the house where the knights of the commandery lived.Anthony Luttrell and G ...
of
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
. He acted as commander at Mainz during 1429–1439.
In 1434, he also received command of
Rheinfelden. In 1440, he was given the rank of great bailiff at
Rhodes
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
, an office created for the German tongue of the order in 1428. The grand bailiff of the German tongue was responsible for the fortifications of Rhodes.
In 1444, Loesel was made grand prior of Germany, resigning from the office of grand bailiff and returning to Europe.
He was responsible for the commanderies of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
,
Bubikon
Bubikon is a municipality in the district of Hinwil in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.
History
Some names of localities have Celtic (''Mürg'') origins, others (''Tafleten'', ''Kammern'', ''Zell'') may have Roman origins. Fiefs of the ...
,
Leuggern
Leuggern is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.
History
The remains of a Roman era Rhine fortifications watchtower have been discovered in Felsenau. The modern municipality of Leuggern is first ment ...
and
Wädenswil
Wädenswil, locally often called ''Wädi'' or ''Wädischwil,'' is a municipality located in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. The population, , was about 21,000. On 1 January 2019 the former municipalities of Hüt ...
, mostly residing in Wädenswil.
In February 1446 he acted as mediator between
Zürich
Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...
and the
Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy or Swiss Confederacy (Modern German: ; historically , after the Reformation also , "Confederation of the Swiss") was a loose confederation of independent small states (, German or In the charters of the 14th century ...
in the
Old Zürich War
The Old Zurich War (german: Alter Zürichkrieg), 1440–46, was a conflict between the canton of Zurich and the other seven cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy over the succession to the Count of Toggenburg.
In 1436, Count Friedrich VII of ...
.
The delegates met on boats on
Lake Zürich
__NOTOC__
Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used to ...
, with Loesel mediating peace talks rom his own boat.
The mediation did not result in a peace treaty, and the war continued for another four years, until the treaty of Kappel of 8 April 1450.
The commandery at Rheinfelden was destroyed in an attack by
Hans von Rechberg
Hans may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Hans (name), a masculine given name
* Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician
** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans
** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...
in 1449.
In 1455, Loesel was in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
at the court of
Archduke Albert to ask for permission to rebuild the destroyed commandery.
In the following year, he was present at the building site in Rheinfelden, designating the site for the new chapel.
In 1456, he sponsored the rebuilding of the church at Wädenswil.
He died on 8 April 1460 and was buried in the order's church there. The church has been destroyed and his epitaph is not extant except in a drawing.
References
* Walter Gerd Rödel: ''Die deutschen (Groß-)Prioren.'' In: Bernard Andenmatten, Petra Zimmer und Patrick Braun (eds.), ''Helvetia Sacra, 4. Abteilung, Band 7, Teil 1 Die Johanniter'', Basel (2006), p. 60.
*A. Bernoulli: ''Hans und Peter Rots Pilgerreisen, 1440 und 1453.'' Beiträge zur Geschichte Basels, 11: 329–408, Basel, 1882, p. 388.
*Gerold Edlibach, Meyer and Zeller (eds.), ''Züricher Chronik'' (1847)
p. 48*Cécile Sommer-Ramer: ''Rheinfelden.'' In: Bernard Andenmatten, Petra Zimmer und Patrick Braun (eds.): ''Helvetia Sacra, 4. Abteilung, Band 7, Teil 1 Die Johanniter'' (2006), 434f.
*Veronika Feller-Vest: ''Wädenswil.'' In: Bernard Andenmatten, Petra Zimmer und Patrick Braun (eds.): ''Helvetia Sacra, 4. Abteilung, Band 7, Teil 1 Die Johanniter'' (2006), 514–536.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loesel, Johann
1390s births
1460 deaths
Knights Hospitaller
Year of birth uncertain