Principality of Fürstenberg

Fürstenberg was a county (German: Grafschaft), and later a principality (Fürstentum), of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, which was located in present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its ruling family was the House of Fürstenberg.

County (Principality) of Fürstenberg

Grafschaft (Fürstentum) Fürstenberg
1250–1806
Coat of arms
Fürstenberg territories in 1806
StatusPrincipality
CapitalFürstenberg
Common languagesAlemannic
GovernmentPrincipality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
Early modern period
 Egino IV of Urach inherited Zähringen
1218
 County established
1250
 Partitioned into Fürstenberg and Wolfach
1408
1806
Preceded by
Succeeded by
House of Zähringen
Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg
Fürstenberg-Wolfach

History

The county emerged when Egino IV, Count of Urach by marriage, inherited large parts of the Duchy of Zähringen upon the death of Duke Berthold V in 1218, and it was originally called the county of Freiburg. Egino's grandson, Count Henry, started naming himself after his residence at Fürstenberg Castle around 1250.

The county was partitioned in 1284 between itself and the lower county of Dillingen, and then again in 1408 between Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg and Fürstenberg-Wolfach.

Over the centuries, the various rulers expanded their territories to include the Landgraviate of Baar, the Lordships of Gundelfingen, Hausen, Heiligenberg, Höwen, and Meßkirch, and the Landgraviate of Stühlingen in Germany, as well as domains around Křivoklát Castle (German: Pürglitz), Bohemia, Tavíkovice (German: Taikowitz) in Moravia and Weitra in Austria.

In 1667, Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg was raised to a principality and received a vote at the Reichstag. In 1744, various Fürstenberg territories were reunified to the Principality of Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg, as all lines except one had become extinct.

The Rheinbundakte of 1806 dissolved the state of Fürstenberg. Most of its territory was given to Baden, and smaller parts were given to Württemberg, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and Bavaria.

Geography

As of 1789, the territory consisted of five larger, isolated parts as well as several smaller exclaves. The five larger parts were:

The smaller exclaves included the cities of Trochtelfingen and Hayingen.

As of 1806, Fürstenberg had an area of 2,000 km2 and a population of 100,000. Its capital was Donaueschingen.

Counts of Fürstenberg (1250–1408)

  • Henry I, 1250–1284
  • Frederick I, 1284–1296
  • Henry II, 1296–1337
  • Co-rulers:
    • Conrad III, 1337–1370
    • Henry IV, 1337–1366
    • John II, 1337–1365
  • Henry VI, 1365–1408

Partitions of Fürstenberg

References

    • Where were the Fürstenberg territories? Map of the German Southwest in 1789
    • Köbler, Gerhard (2007). Historisches Lexikon der deutschen Länder (7th ed.). Munich. Fürstenberg article.
    • Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Fürstenberg" . Encyclopedia Americana.

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