Slovenia has the Romantic Period stamped all over it. The forests are of the deepest green... just right for knights to gallop their white steeds at breakneck speed along narrow tracks... passing cascading waterfalls... high on the mountain pass. Many castles were started in the C12th when defense was the prime concern... white castles now hang from the edge of cliffs... perfect for damsels to signal distress and seek rescue from the knight on his white steed. Slovenia gives a match between romance and the actual history of some of these castles.
This morning, we visited Predjama Castle outside of Postojnska (only 4 consonants in a row... not the elusive 5). The history/legend of this castle is set in the second half of the C15th... when a local rascal called Erazem was out of control. Because he is local, he is the hero. His argument was with the Austrian emperor Frederick III who was trying to short-change Erazem's mate, the Hungarian king, Mattias Corvinus. Erazem stepped onto the wrong side of the law when he had an argument with the Emperor's representative... that resulted in a death and Erazem being put on the lists for mercenary killers to execute. Erazem took to his country estate... from which he organised bandit raids on passing caravans belonging to the emperor. In response, the emperor sent the army to sort out young Erazem.
Here comes the interesting bit. Erazem had his country estate built so that it was based in a cave and a drawbridge could offer very good defense. The Austrian army tried in vain to attack the castle... and ended up deciding on a siege... trying to starve him out. What the Austrian army did not know was that the castle was joined to a 12 klm cave system that offered numerous exits to the region well away from castle. Hostilities continued over a long period... the Austrians catapulting rocks against the raised drawbridge... Erazem's troops pouring boiling pitch on Austrians if they came too close. However, in between attacks the Austrians were pleased that no food or water was entering the castle. Erazem, the inveterate show-off, would periodically lower from ropes casks of wine and hampers of cherry pie. This would upset the Austrians no end.
The siege did not end well for Erazem... the castle toilet was high on the wall facing the enemy. One night when Erazem needed some private time, a spy gave a prearranged signal and the Austrians bought up their new improved catapult... threw a mammoth sized rock at the toilet and scored a bullseye. Erazem died with his pants down... not the end he had planned.
The army went away... the maidens in the local village took his body and buried him outside the local church... and planted a tree over his grave as a symbol of growth and hope. The tree is still alive today... just!
What is the lesson from this story of courage and dare-doing??? hard to say... except that indoor flushing toilets have made fighting wars so much easier.
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