However, Austria's situation had become somewhat uncontrollable this time.
Over the past few years, Austria had fought the Southern Netherlands War, the Silesian Wars, and the War against France, with campaigns to suppress rebellions in places like Serbia mixed in between.
The enormous military expenditures could only come from taxes.
The Imperial Tax was nearly 20% higher than it had been under Joseph II, and a "Special War Tax" had been added as well, almost draining the common people dry.
Now there were also rumors that "the Emperor intended to increase the number of days of corvée required from serfs," and that the Special War Tax, originally said to be collected for only one year, would be levied indefinitely.
This final "straw" finally broke the serfs completely.
A younger serf edged forward and lowered his voice. "I heard the serfs in Seoden looted Viscount Hammer's estate and burned all his land deeds and contracts of servitude..."
Seoden was a village more than thirty kilometers from here, where seventy percent of the land belonged to Viscount Hammer.
"God! They're bold indeed!"
The young serf said, "At worst, they'll be thrown into prison, and they can't possibly arrest the whole village. Besides, if we can't pay the taxes, we'll end up in prison anyway—or be hounded to death by usurers!"
The serfs beside him all lowered their heads and fell silent.
Two days later.
The bells of Trentham Village Church were rung wildly as more than a hundred serfs from Seoden Village poured into the village carrying hoes and clubs.
The local serfs quickly joined them one after another, and the mob soon swelled to nearly three hundred people.
They charged straight into Baron Scheller's manor, beat down everyone who dared stand in their way, and then began looting.
Fortunately, the Schellers