Jakob Murer's Weissenau Chronicle of the German Peasants' War of 1525

Although peasant uprisings occurred throughout the Middle Ages, the German Peasants’ War of 1524–25 was unparalleled in terms of size and violence. It broke out across Alsace and southwestern Germany before quickly spreading to central Germany and Austria and although its causes are still debated, scholars agree that it resulted in the deaths of at least 100,000 people, mostly peasants. Delegates from the three main groups of rebellious peasants met and agreed upon the Twelve Articles, a list of demands that asserted civil liberties as natural rights for the first time in Europe. These meetings are considered to be the first constituent assembly on German soil.
Abbot Jakob Murer’s account describes the war as it occurred in the area around Ravensburg, Germany from the perspective of the authorities suppressing the revolt. Although Murer expresses some sympathy for the peasants and emphasizes his attempts at mediation, he ultimately rejects their aims and actions. 11 double-page pen and ink drawings illustrate the events, often depicting several successive events, even spatially separated ones, within a single picture, and buildings are limited to what was essential for recognizing a location.