Wexford Palatines - End of Part I

We have now come to the end of the 1st part of the Wexford Palatines.  We have seen their homeland and also the reasons they had for leaving. What we can say is that the region was an area devastated by many wars and famine. And in the middle of all of this comes along a Golden Book promising a better life in the English Carolinas. Part I of the story has covered the origins of the Wexford Palatines.

The Palatinate
The Thirty Years War
William Penn
King Louis XIV
The War of the Palatine Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession
The Golden Book

Part II of their story details their journey from the Palatinate to Wexford.  It was not a destination that any of them would have guessed at when they left. It begins with a journey down the Rhine.

The Golden Book

In 1696 a Lutheran minister, Joshua Kocherthal (1669 – December 27, 1719), moved to Kraichgau just south of Heidelberg. He moved to the area to serve the small parishes there. As a Lutheran minister Kocherthal would have seen first hand the result of raids by Louis XIV Catholic armies during the War of Spanish Succession.  He would have also seen the destruction of the cities of Heidelberg, Worms, Mannheim and others during the War of the Palatine Succession. Such turmoil would definitely have affected Kocherthal and his congregation.
Since the time of William Penn and George Fox, other missionaries had visited the Palatinate. There were also many books and pamphlets in circulation describing the opportunities in the English colonies.  William Penn himself commissioned several of them. Joshua Kocherthal had very likely come across these. In 1704 Kocherthal made a trip to London. While there he made contact with proprietors of the Carolinas. At this meeting Kocherthal agreed to write a book promoting the Carolinas as a place where palatines could find a life free of war and religious persecution. In 1706, having never been to Carolina Kocherthal published his book titled "A Complete and Detailed Report of the Renowned District of Carolina Located in English America".
Kocherthal's book was published with some limited success. By 1708, Kocherthal had convinced over 50 palatines to make the journey with him to the Carolinas. Their journey took them through England. Whilst in England, Kocherthal made the case to the English crown that they were refugees fleeing French persecution in the Succession War (a war to which England was party). Their plea was successful and the crown paid for their passage to New York and provided them with a small amount to live on.
In 1709, Kocherthal brought out revised editions of his book on the Carolinas and it was these editions of the book that made the greatest impact.  The new editions contained an appendix detailing Kocherthal's trip to New York.  The book was full of praise for Queen Anne and her attitude towards the refugees in 1708. It strongly hinted that any palatine that chose to make the trip would be similarly supported by the English crown. How officially this view was endorsed by Queen Anne herself is subject to speculation.  But the new editions went as far as showing Queen Anne's picture on the cover.  The cover itself was embossed in gold lettering, from whence grew the term 'Golden Book'.
A parliamentary report into the palatine exodus of 1709 found many mentions of the Golden Book among the refugees and many of them expressed a wish to go to the Carolinas. It definitely appears that this book more than any other factor was the trigger that caused the palatines to leave their homeland and make the arduous trip into an unknown new world.

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714)

In 1701, shortly after the end of the Nine Years War, Charles II of Spain died without an heir.  This was similar to the earlier situation in Palatine when Charles II, Elector Palatine died without an heir. It would also follow a similar pattern with a disputed line of descent and Louis XIV making a claim on behalf of France. In the Spanish case the two closest in line for the throne were Philip of France, grandson of Louis XIV and a Charles VI a son of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. Pretty soon the major powers of Europe were lining up behind the rival claimants and once again Europe would be at war.
Although the Spanish succession did not directly concern the Palatinate, it found itself once again being regularly invaded by the armies of Louis XIV as the French battled the allied German and English forces. In 1706 Marshall Villars carried out raids on Koblenz and Mainz. In May of the following year he marched armies across the Palatinate once again occupying Mannheim and Heidelberg. Walter Knittle quotes an English colonel of the time saying that the French "over-run the lazy and sleepy Empire and not only maintained a great army in it all the year, but by contributions, sent money into France to help the King's other affairs."
In the winter of 1708 things got even worse in the Palatinate as the coldest winter in living memory fell across the region. It got so cold that the Rhine itself had frozen over.
The War of the Spanish Succession would continue until 1713 when it would end with the Treaty of Utrecht. However many of the palatines wouldn't see the ending of the war.  They were looking for a way to escape war and famine. In 1709 a book circulated through the region that provided just that.  That book became known as The Golden Book.

The War of the Palatine Succession (1688 - 1697)

Louis XIV Army crosses the Rhine (1699) Joseph Parrocel

The War of the Palatine Succession has many names.  It is most commonly known as The Nine Years War. It is also known as The War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg.
The first serious engagement of the war began when Louis XIV army crossed into the Rhineland in September 1688 laying siege to Philippsburg. After a month long siege Philippsburg fell in October. Following this, the army took many of the key cities in the Palatinate including Mannheim, Worms, Kaiserslautern, Heidelberg, and Mainz. France was now in control of all the Palatinate south of Mainz. This, however, would be as far as Louis XIV would go.

Louis XIV quick sweep through German cities had a galvanising effect on the German Princes.  Fearful of their own states they met in Magdeburg on 22nd October and agreed to mobilise the forces of Germany in a united army.  This was an unexpected turn of events and one that Louis had not prepared for. Not willing to fight a protracted war on German soil, Louis decided to retreat. However, in his retreat he made a decision that would have absolutely devastating consequences for the Palatinate.
Louis XIV was worried that the mobilised German army would continue and invade France.  To prevent this, Louis XIV implemented scorched earth policy as the French made their way back to France.  All the main cities and towns of the Palatinate where burned to the ground or destroyed. The German forces finally entered the Palatinate in 1689 laying siege to Mainz on the 22nd July. The siege ended on the 8th September when the French surrendered.

The campaign in the Palatinate was tactically and strategically a failure for Louis XIV. As a postscript to the campaign it also had indirect relevance in Ireland. The difficulties of the campaign diverted Louis XIV attention from other parts of Europe, and in particular England.  James I was supported by Louis XIV on the English throne.  However without Louis XIV full assistance, William III, also known as William of Orange was able to seize the throne on behalf of his wife Anne. The English aspect of the Nine Years War was fought out in some very famous battles in Ireland, most notably the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The War in Europe continued until 20th September 1697 when it was finally resolved through the Treaty of Ryswick. Unfortunately for the palatines, it would be a short lived peace as they would become embroiled in another war, the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701.

King Louis XIV - The Sun King

Louis XIV in 1661

Louis XIV of France (1638 - 1715) is one of the most significant monarchs in the history of Europe.  Over his reign he came to dominate the continent and has captured the imagination of people ever since.  His palace at Versailles, symbolising the power of the monarchy when it was perhaps at it's highest point in Europe. In the latter half of the 17th century Louis XIV embarked on an expansionist policy looking to increase the power and territory of France. Unsurprisingly, this took him into conflict with the other major powers in Europe.
One of the areas Louis XIV hoped to expand into was the Palatinate. Control of the Palatinate would provide Louis with a very natural and defensible border along the Rhine river. The opportunity arose when the Charles II, Elector Palatine died in 1685 having served only five years as Elector Palatine. Charles II died without leaving any heir. Thus it was that the Simmern line of Elector Palatines that had begun with Frederick III in 1560 died out with Charles in 1685. Without an heir, the title of Elector Palatine passed to another branch of the family in the person of Philip William of Neuberg.
Louis XIV seized this opportunity and disputed Philip William's claim to the Palatinate.  Louis XIV counter claim came through Charles II sister Elizabeth Charlotte (Liselotte). Liselotte was married to Louis XIV brother, Philippe I, Duke of Orleans. Louis XIV claimed the Palatinate on behalf of his sister in law. Curiously he did this without actually consulting her.
In pursuit of his claim on the Palatinate, Louis XIV sent his armies into the region and across the Rhine in 1688. This conflict would become known as The War of the Palatine Succession and it would once again result in turmoil and devastation for the Palatinate.

William Penn

William Penn

Charles Louis reigned over the Palatinate from 1649 until his death in 1680.  During that time the Palatinate was relatively peaceful. The territory was focused on rebuilding after a very costly war.  In June 1677, there was a noteworthy visitor to the Palatinate.
William Penn was a prominent figure in the movement known as the Religious Society of Friends, or more commonly known as the Quakers. He was born in London in 1644. However he spent much of his early years in County Cork in Ireland where his father had estates. Penn was raised in the state Anglican religion, but converted to the Quaker movement, finally declaring at the age of 22.  It is a curious coincidence for the palatines that Penn's conversion began in Ireland.
In the 1670's the growing number of Quakers in England was becoming a serious problem for the Charles II the English King. Penn proposed a solution to this problem.  He suggested a mass emigration of Quakers to the colonies. In 1677 Penn along with other prominent Quakers purchased the province of West Jersey (modern day New Jersey). Their intention was to create a territory where freedom of religion could be guaranteed for all.
In the same year as he purchased land to create a haven for religious tolerance, Penn went on a missionary journey through Holland and Germany preaching the Quaker philosophy and telling people of the new lands in the colonies. Penn kept a journal of his travels that was eventually published as William Penn's Journal of his travel's in Holland and Germany.
Penn's journal provides a fascinating insight both to his travels and his beliefs.  It contains both accounts of his travels and letters he wrote to important people in the region. Chapter IV of the journal provides an account of his journey through the Palatinate. It also contains letters to Charles Louis, the Elector Palatine and to Louis Charles daughter, Princess Elizabeth (who was also sister in law to Louis XIV of France). Penn arrived in the Palatinate on the 23rd June 1677. His route took him to Krisheim, Manheim, Worms, Frankfort, Mentz, Cologne, and on to Duysburg. At Manheim, Penn had hoped to meet with the Elector Palatine, however Charles Louis had just left for Heidelberg. In place of a meeting, Penn wrote a letter to the Elector (dated 25th June).  The main theme of the letter is of religious tolerance which he describes as a "natural, prudent and Christian thing".
Penn's travels in Germany were quite successful. In fact the earliest German Quaker emigrants arrived in the colonies as soon as 1681 founding the area known as Germantown in Pennsylvania. The idea of leaving the Palatinate because of religious beliefs had begun.
Charles Louis died in 1680 and he was succeeded as Elector Palatine by his son Charles II. Although it was not apparent at the time, the death of Charles Louis would mark the end of peace time in the Palatinate and it would not be long before the region was once more caught up in a war not of their making.

The Thirty Years War (1618–1648)

Ernest Crofts' A Scene from the Thirty Years' War

After the introduction of Calvinism to the Palatinate in 1559, the region became one of the major centres for the religion in Europe.  This adoption of Calvinism made the area one of the key fault lines in the religious wars that would dominate Europe over the next 200 year. The most notable of these wars became known as the Thirty Years War.
As anyone who has witnessed modern history will know, wars rarely have a single cause.  The Thirty Years War was primarily between the Protestant states of Europe and the Catholic ones led by the Holy Roman Empire.  The Palatinate was caught up in the the Thirty Years War in what is referred to as the Palatinate Campaign.  This lasted from approximately 1620 - 1622.  The main participants of the campaign were the Spanish who attacked from the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium, Luxembourg) and the English who were garrisoned in the Palatinate.  This campaign ended with a Spanish victory and they occupied the Palatinate.
The war itself would drag on until 1648 where it would finally end with the Peace of Westphalia.  The result of this peace was that the Palatinate was effectively split into Catholic Upper Palatine to the north of Bavaria and a Protestant Lower Palatine along the Rhine. The Lower Palatine corresponds approximately to the modern state of Rhineland Palatinate.
The Thirty Years War was a disaster for the Palatinate.  By the end of it the state was devastated.  The new Emperor Palatinate, Charles Louis embarked on a program to rebuild the battered state. Charles Louis also adopted a pro-French policy that included marrying his daughter, Elizabeth Charlotte, to Philippe of France the brother of Louis XIV.  This decision would have momentous consequences for the palatines.

The Palatinate

Flag of the Electoral Palatinate

In the late winter of 1710 Johann Weiss arrived with his family in Wexford. Their journey had been long and full of hardship. Ireland had not been their intended destination. They ended up there by chance as much as anything.  They spoke no English, or Irish for that matter. They were penniless, depending on the mercy of others. From literally nothing they began the task of rebuilding their lives, establishing themselves in their adopted homeland.
To understand the forces that brought Johann's family to this point we need to step back a bit to understand the geography and history of his homeland. Johann came from and area of south western Germany commonly referred to as the Palatinate (Rheinpfalz). The Palatinate is situated along the Franco German border. The southern part of the Palatinate is hilly and heavily forested.  The northern part is an important wine region.  The river Rhine runs through the Palatinate and provides an important route for both the region.  It also served as the gateway by which the German palatines emigrated.

The region known as the Palatinate has changed over the years due to wars and border disputes.  However, the origins of the region can trace its history back to the middle ages when as part of the Holy Roman Empire it was ruled over by a Count Palatine.  The area came into existence around the 10th and 11th centuries. In 1356, a decree was issued by the Reichstag assembly.  This decree became known as the Golden Bull of 1356.  The Golden Bull officially recognised the Palatinate as one of the secular regions.  The Count Palatine, now known as the Elector Palatine was a hereditary ruler meaning that rule passed down the family. However, when the senior branch of the family died out in 1559 the Electorate passed to Frederick III of Simmern. Frederick III converted from Catholicism to Calvinism and thus it now became the official religion of the region. This was a decision that would have major consequences for the palatines.  The area grew as a major centre for Calvinism.  It attracted Calvinists from many other parts of Germany and Switzerland where they were facing religious persecution.  The decision to adopt Calvinism was also something that would eventually see the Palatinate become entangled in the Thirty Years War.

Prologue

When I was young my grandmother told me about her family, the Wyse family.  She told me the story about how our family was originally German. Specifically we were descended from German Quakers from the Black Forest who fled to Gorey in Wexford escaping religious persecution in Germany. The story had been passed down from generation to generation in our family. To me this story seemed almost too fantastical too be true.  Not least because historically Ireland would not have been considered a haven for any protestants to come and practice their religion. Also, I had never read in any of the history books about any German influx into Ireland.
Some years ago I started to investigate the roots of the Wyse family. Almost by chance I came across a newspaper article online that talked about the Palatine Germans and their immigration to Ireland.  And there at the bottom of the page among the names of the immigrant families was the name 'Wyse/Wise, Gorey'. And that was the moment I knew I had found them.  The story that had seemed too fantastical to be true was even more fantastical because it was true. It was a special moment, but tinged with some regret that my gran was not around to hear the full story that had passed down to her in fragments.
From then on I set out to find out what I could.  This was a history I wanted to know more about. It was a story that I wanted to tell and to pass on to other generations in our family. Ironically the reason that the newspaper article appeared is that the Palatines in Ireland were just celebrating the tri-centenary of their arrival.  So the very article that had alerted me to presence was telling me that I had missed a golden opportunity to connect with other palatines and learn from them. However, there was still a wealth of information out there on the Palatines, now that I knew where to look.
This blog is a summary of what I have found out in the last few years. It is going to be structured (to begin with anyway) in three parts:

• The first part is going to look at the origins of the palatines. In particular we will look at the Palatinate, the area where the palatines came from. By understanding its history we can understand the reasons why the palatines chose to leave in the first place.
• The second part looks at the journey of the palatines from their home in the Palatinate to their new home in Wexford.
• The third part looks at the palatines themselves; some of the individual families, their lives, and the stories they have to tell.

Mike Mulligan