In 1474, Count Eberhard V the Bearded and Barbara Gonzaga von Mantua celebrated a spectacular wedding. 13,000 guests attended the wedding, all with rank and title. The celebrations lasted four days, with music and dancing, exquisite food and a fountain of wine.
Count Eberhard V von Württemberg.
In November, 1473, a Württemberg marriage broker first traveled to Mantua in the Palazzo di San Giorgio. In March of 1474, Eberhard himself traveled to Révere near Mantua to get an impression of his bride, 10 years his junior. On April 12, 1474, they were formally married in the Mantua Cathedral. The marriage contract was signed and certified on April 14. In it, among other things, Barbara's travel to Urach was stipulated, which would take place in June of 1474.
The bride, Barbara Gonzaga.
On June 10, 1474, Barbara began making her way from Mantua to Urach. Her escort consisted of 70 individuals, 217 horses, 30 mules and 6 carts. The retinue traveled over Verona, Trento, Brenner and Innsbruck all the way to Kempten, where it arrived 18 days later. Here, the bride was met by Eberhard's escort. On Saturday, July 2, Barbara and her entourage reached Blaubeuren, where she spent the night.
A palace for the new countess.
The arrival of the magnificent bridal procession and Barbara's massive retinue joyfully anticipated was in Urach. Eberhard's residential city decked itself out for the bride and the grand, multiple-day wedding celebration. The festivities became a singular demonstration of the grooms royal identity. Eberhard's pride in his new wife and new relatives were put on display at tremendous logistical, economic and artistic expense.
Attended by 13,000 guests and 4,280 horses.
13,000 guests are said to have attended the wedding of Eberhard the Bearded and Barbara Gonzaga in Urach. This astounding number of guests arrived with 4,280 horses. Both humans and animals expected to be housed and fed. Sattler asked himself in his chronicle, where “all these people found shelter”. The entire city of Urach as well as surrounding areas of Dettlingen and Metzingen were called on to find lodging for people and animals.
Mountains of bread were consumed during the wedding celebration. 165,000 loaves of bread, allegedly. Hectoliters of wine were also required. There was a spectacular fountain that generously dispensed wine. In all, 150,000 liters of wine were imbibed. It may seem unusual today that men and women dined at separate tables. A royal feast was had at all tables, even if the men's table is said to have been more splendidly decorated.
Banquets can be held in the palace.
On the second day, the spectacular wedding meal served at the royal table consisted of 22 courses. Thanks to Sattler, the exact menu sequence is still known today. Everything the heart could desire was served up: from bratwurst with greens, game crusted in precious pepper, roasted suckling pig, boiled trout and crayfish. The lower nobility has a slightly less lavish table: they were only served 12 courses. The staff were only served a modest six courses.
Barbara and Eberhard's wedding was a good arrangement for both courts. Through Barbara, the life of an Italian Renaissance court found its way into tranquil Urach, and her influence on Eberhard was also considerable. For example, it was through her influence that Eberhard became open to the sciences. Classical education and culture became important to him and led to the foundation of the University of Tübingen, among other things.
Count Eberhard V the Bearded and Barbara Gonzaga, stained glass in the choir of the collegiate church in Tübingen, circa 1476/78.
