GRUMBACH, WILHELM VON German adventurer, born on June I, 1503, chiefly known through his con nection with the so-called "Grumbach feuds" (Grumbachsche Handel), the last attempt of the German knights to destroy the power of the territorial princes. He was attached to the court of Casimir, prince of Bayreuth (d. 1527), and fought against the peasants during the rising in 1524 and 1525. About 154o Grum bach became associated with Albert Alcibiades, prince of Bay reuth, whom he served both in peace and war. After the con clusion of the peace of Passau in 1552, Grumbach assisted Albert in his career of plunder in Franconia and was thus able to take some revenge upon his enemy, Melchior von Zobel, bishop of Wiirzburg. Grumbach held his lands in fief from the bishops of Wiirzburg, and had held office at the court of Conrad of Bibra, who was bishop from 154o to 1544. Albert's career, however, was checked by his defeat at Sievershausen in July 1553 and his sub sequent flight into France, and the bishop seized Grumbach's lands. The knight obtained an order of restitution from the im perial court of justice (Reichskammergericht), but he was unable to execute it ; and in April 1558 some of his partisans seized and killed the bishop. Grumbach fled to France. Returning to Ger many he pleaded his cause, unsuccessfully, before the diet at Augsburg in 1559. He had found a new patron in John Frederick, (q.v.) duke of Saxony, whose father, John Frederick, had been obliged to surrender the electoral dignity to the Albertine branch of his family. Grumbach suggested to the duke a general rising of the German knights as a means to the recovery of the elec torate. Magical charms were employed against the duke's enemies, and communications from angels were invented which helped to stir up the zeal of the people. In 1563 Grumbach attacked Wurz burg, seized and plundered the city and compelled the chapter and the bishop to restore his lands. He was consequently placed under the imperial ban, but John Frederick refused to withdraw his protection. Meanwhile Grumbach planned the assassination of the Saxon elector, Augustus; proclamations were issued calling for assistance; and alliances both without and within Germany were concluded. In Nov. i566 John Frederick was placed under the ban, which had been renewed against Grumbach earlier in the year, and Augustus marched against Gotha. A mutiny led to the capitula tion of the town. Grumbach was tortured, and barbarously exe cuted at Gotha on April 18, 1567. John Frederick was imprisoned for life.
See F. Ortloff, Geschichte der Grumbachschen Handel (Jena, 1868 70), and J. Voigt, Wilhelm von Grumbach and seine Handel (Leipzig,