Poor Conrad

[1] Duke Ulrich's excessive lifestyle had badly dented the Württemberg treasury, while the rural population was increasingly beset by their seignory under the condition of serfdom.

As the citizens of Stuttgart and Tübingen refused to pay a wealth tax, he had an excise imposed on meat, wine, and fruit to the disadvantage of the unprivileged population.

[2] As a protest against the measure, Peter Gaiß (Gaispeter) from Beutelsbach carried out a "trial by ordeal" on 2 May 1514: the new weights of Duke Ulrich were to be thrown in the Rems River at Großheppach.

Instead he convoked a growing crowd of dissatisfied peasants, which moved to the nearby town of Schorndorf, where little damage was inflicted, but the duke was so concerned that he dropped the unpopular tax.

Ducal troops occupied the Rems Valley without resistance, hauling the remaining 1,700 rebels off to Schorndorf, where they were tortured, imprisoned, and their commanders beheaded.