June 14, 1349 – Death of Günther von Schwarzburg, Anti-King of Germany
On June 14, 1349, Günther von Schwarzburg, a rival claimant to the German throne during the turbulent politics of the Holy Roman Empire, died at around the age of 44. His brief and troubled career as “anti-king” reflected the deep divisions within the imperial election system of the 14th century.
Günther had been elected in 1349 by a faction opposing Emperor Charles IV during a period of contested succession and political fragmentation. Lacking broad support and facing mounting pressure, he eventually renounced his claim to the throne in exchange for a reported payment of 20,000 marks of silver, effectively ending his challenge without prolonged civil war.
Shortly after relinquishing his claim, Günther’s life came to an abrupt end. Contemporary sources suggest illness as the cause, though rumors of poisoning circulated in later chronicles, reflecting the suspicion surrounding high medieval politics.
His death marked the end of one of the last serious “anti-king” challenges in the mid-14th-century Empire, highlighting both the instability and the transactional nature of imperial power during the period.
