Coblence was the next large town, and the situation is beautiful, as it is at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle, with the strong fortifications opposite, the Castle of Ehrenbreitstein, often called the Gibraltar of the Rhine.
Just after leaving Coblence they saw two castles, one the royal castle of Stolzenfels on its "proud rock," more than four hundred feet above the river. It was destroyed by the French in the seventeenth century, but is now completely restored.
The other castle is directly opposite, above the mouth of the Lahn river, is called the Castle of Lahneck, and has been lately restored. Alice knew the legend of this castle, and told it to the rest of the party.
"It was here, in the beginning of the fourteenth century, that the order of Knights Templars, which had been founded for religious purposes chiefly, was severely persecuted by Philippe le Beau of France and Pope Clement V.
LAHNECK CASTLE.—Page [54].
"After many vicissitudes there was a long and desperate siege, in which all the knights fell except one man. He held the commander at bay, who was so overpowered by the knight's bravery he offered him life and liberty if he would stop fighting and beg for mercy.
"The templar's only answer was to throw his spear among the soldiers, and then was killed by throwing himself on their lances."
Boppart was the next town of any interest, it being a walled town of Roman origin.
The wall had crumbled away in many places, and houses had been built on the ruins.