They soon, however, forced the young men into the army to fight their battles, dissolved the religious houses, and eventually dismissed both bishops and parish priests.  This was more than these extremely religious people could brook.  The Bavarians had broken faith in not preserving the constitution:  now they were free from their oath, they declared.  In this sentiment the emperor of Austria warmly seconded them, and secret plots of rebellion began speedily to ferment through the land.  In 1809, the memorable, never-to-be-forgotten year Nine of Tyrolese history, the earnestly longed-for opportunity arrived.  In April of this year the Austrians declared war against France, and on the 8th of the same month the enthusiastic patriot Johann Maria von Kolb appeared in the market-place of Innichen, where he issued written proclamations, still preserved at Bruneck, bidding all the parish priests and the inhabitants of the Upper Pusterthal instantly to rise, throw off the Bavarian yoke and join the beloved Austrian troops, which were now marching in that direction.

Incited by Von Kolb and other leaders, the people rose and welcomed the Austrians.  The Bavarian troops stationed at Bruneck hastily retreated to Brixen, and the Austrians entered the chief town of the Pusterthal on April 12.  Peace now reigned in the district for several months.  The rest of the Tyrol, however, was in commotion.  In May the Bavarians were again back in the country, and the French coming to their assistance.  The people rose under the leadership of the brave Hofer.  They won a great victory at Iselberg, but in October the French had taken possession of Innsbruck, and the treaty of Schonbrunn immediately followed, in which the Tyrolese, again handed over to Bavaria, were ordered to lay down their arms.

The people disobeyed:  they were incredulous, believing the official documents to be forged; and, although he knew better, Von Kolb strengthened them in this belief.  He, together with Peter Kemenater, a wealthy wirth, and George Lantschner, the priest of Weitenthal, urged the people to rise and fight for their country, setting at naught any treaty of peace.  Thus, though the French troops were allowed by the town authorities to enter Bruneck on November 5, the people remained in a state of turbulence, the men of Taufers immediately rising and fighting the French at Gaisz, the first village in their valley, and although defeated and driven back, the neighboring peasants of Aufhofen took up the attack, having in their turn their village plundered and some of the inhabitants killed by the enemy.