Erasmus of Lueg [1] ( German: Erasmus von Lueg, [2] [3] Erasmus Lueger; Slovene: Erazem Predjamski [4]) was a burgrave of Predjama Castle in the 15th century and a renowned robber baron. [4]
He was the son of the Imperial Governor of Trieste, Nikolaj Lueger.
According to legend, in 1483 he killed Marshall Pappenheim at the Vienna Court [2] during an argument in which Pappenheim had offended the honor of Erasmus's dead friend, Andreas Baumkircher of Vipava. However, Pappenheim was a relative of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III so Erasmus fled to his castle, Predjama, to escape punishment. [4] He then allied himself with the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus and started to attack Habsburg estates and towns in Carniola. [2] Emperor Fredrick III sent the governor of Trieste, Gaspar Ravbar, to besiege Predjama Castle. Ravbar tried to starve Erasmus to death, but Erasmus survived on food delivered via a secret tunnel through the cave system under the castle.
Erasmus was killed after a long siege. [4] According to a popular but unfounded legend, Erasmus was betrayed by one of his men and was killed while in his room, or in his garderobe, by a shot from a cannon or catapult. [5] [6]