Bernhard Knipperdolling was born in 1495. He became the leader of Anabaptists in the city Münster of Westphalia, Germany. He may have been a very successful clothing merchant; however, he wasn't widely known until the year 1527. After an Anabaptist movement, the bishop and city council lost their influence and pushed Bernhard Knipperdolling to the place as mayor. Through this, he met and became a loyal supporter of Jan van Leyden, who later married Knipperdolling's daughter. Jan van Leyden eventually appointed 12 elders, who took over the government. Knipperdolling lost place as mayor, but carried on his loyalty towards Leyden. While being loyal, he also attempted to establish a sectarian government. He objected to violence, not wanting bloodshed to invite outside groups. Only the opposition would be expelled, and any ungodly people must be re-baptized. Knipperdolling trained his people to defend themselves, but when the time came, they couldn't do it. He was most known for the position he took within leading the rebellion. The rebellion didn't end well, resulting in Knipperdolling and Leyden being publicly tortured on January 22, 1536.
Krahn, Cornelius. "Knipperdolling, Bernt (ca. 1490-1536)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 21 Jan 2014. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Knipperdolling,_Bernt_(ca._1490-1536)&oldid=105597.
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