Cologne Diocesan Feud

The Cologne Diocesan Feud (German: Kölner Stiftsfehde, or Stiftsfehde zu Köln), also called the Neuss War (Neusser Krieg) or Burgundian War (Burgundischer Krieg), was a conflict, which began in 1473, between the Archbishop of Cologne, Ruprecht of the Palatinate and the Landstände of his archbishopric.

As a result of the involvement of Charles the Bold of Burgundy and, eventually, the Holy Roman Empire the matter at times assumed a European dimension.

The Erblandesvereinigung envisaged that, in this case of important fiscal and public policy issues, the sovereign had to seek the permission of estates or Landstände.

When he let a dispute occur over the raising of a poll and hearth tax on the town of Zons, which was enfeoffed to the cathedral chapter, the conflict broke out openly.

In 1473, Hessian troops under Johann Schenk zu Schweinsberg, sent to support the administrator, failed in their attempt to capture the town of Brilon in the Duchy of Westphalia, but then played an important role in the defence of Neuss.

The same year there was an attempt at the "Trier Meeting" (Trierer Treffen) to clarify the position of Charles the Bold and the Emperor and the prince-electors.

Instead of marching on Cologne as Ruprecht had thought, the army advanced on Neuss, a town defended by Hermann of Hesse and his 4,000-man body of troops.

After the withdrawal of Burgundian troops, Ruprecht of the Palatinate still had available several supporters in the Upper Diocese (Oberstift) and in the Duchy of Westphalia.

However, confirmation from the Pope in light of the difficult church legal situation - Ruprecht was not just the sovereign, but first and foremost a bishop - was taking a long time to arrive.