!!!Gaismair, Michael

b. Sterzing/Vipiteno (South Tyrol), 1490, 
d. Padova (Italy; murdered), April 15, 1532, leader of the  Peasants' 
Revolts in the Tyrol and in Salzburg in 1525/1526. His father owned a 
mining company. G. was the scribe of the provincial governor and the 
secretary of the Bishop of Brixen/Bressanone. In May 1525 G. became 
the leader of the revolt in the South Tyrol, insisted that a diet be 
held in Innsbruck in June 1525, was incarcerated in August, managed to 
escape in October and went to the Grisons (Graubuenden). In the 
Grisons formulated a Tyrolean "Landesordnung", (= legislation, legal 
source), which called for a complete restructuring of the political 
system and the establishment of a republic. In spring 1526 set out for 
Salzburg with his troops, but was defeated near Radstadt. Escaped with 
many of his followers over the Hohe Tauern mountain range to Lienz, 
invaded the Puster Valley, and reached the area around Venice. On 
April 15, 1532 he was assassinated by former friends in Padua. He was 
the sole leader of the peasant revolt who strategically pursued 
political goals.

!Literature
J. Maček, Der Tiroler Bauernkrieg und M. G., 1965; H. 
Benedikter, Rebell im Land Ti., 1970; A. Stella, Il Bauernfuehrer M. 
G. e l'utopia di un repubblicanesimo popolare, 1999.



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