Bibra family

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bibra coat of arms, gothic style
Representation of a Bibra knight in front of the castle Bibra
Coat of arms from St. Leo Kirche in Bibra, window date from about 1492
Detail of bronze coat of arms by Peter Vischer
Prince-Bishop Lorenz von Bibra,detail of tomb by Tilman Riemenschneider in Würzburg Dom (cathedral)
Prince-Bishop Conrad von Bibra
Prince-Bishop Heinrich von Bibra by his court painter, Johann Andreas Herrlein
Ernst von Bibra
Map of Grabfeld showing localities with strong Bibra family ties
Burg Bibra
Bibra
Brennhausen
Irmelshausen
Castle at Schwebheim in 1870 engraving
Castle Adelsdorf
Schloss Kleinbardorf

Bibra family was one of the leading Uradel (ancient noble) families in Franconia (northern part of Bavaria) and Thuringia from the mid-15th century to about 1600. Later on the family rose from Reichsritter (Imperial Knights) to Reichsfreiherr (Barons of the Holy Roman Empire). After the Holy Roman Empire dissolved, they were made ‘’Freiherr’‘ (Barons) of Bavaria and Bohemia.

History

Earliest references to the family include a document of Bishop Otto of Bamberg from the year 1119 of a Rupertus de Bibra. In 1151 a Pertholdus (Berthold) de Bibra and his sons Pertholdus (Berthold) and Tagino are referenced in another document. The family prospered in numbers, wealth, and influence in the 15th century and early 16th century. By the time of Siebmachers Wappenbuch of 1605, the family is listed as the most important family of Franconia under the rank of Freiherr. By 1600 most of the family died off without heirs partially due natural causes such as the Bubonic plague and the number of family members who took church positions. After the death of Heinrich von Bibra in 1602, the Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn seized most of the family’s assets as part of the Counter-Reformation resulting in a 79 year lawsuit. The lawsuit (Reichskammergericht) was eventually settled with the family receiving all the properties except Burgwallbach but without income during the suit. From 1602 on there were many important members of the family but the family itself never recovered the leading position it previously had in the late 15th and 16th centuries. Between 1698 and 1772, the various lines were raised to Reichsfreiherr (Barons of the Holy Roman Empire). In later times, the family spread to the Austrian Empire, the British Empire, and the United States.

Prominent Members of the Family

Nikolaus von Bibra, 13th century Erfurt monk, unknown if connected to von Bibra family. Listed under theology and satire, he wrote under the pseudonym Occultus Erfordernis and his satirical work is called Carmen Satiricum. (German Wikipedia article)

Riemenschneider Patronage

The tomb of Lorenz von Bibra by Tilman Riemenschneider (c. 1460 – 7 July 1531) in the Würzburg Dom (cathedral) is one of Riemenschneider's most famous works. Lorenz also commissioned Riemenscheider to do the tomb of his predecessor, Rudolf von Scherenberg. In Bibra the family commissioned Riemenschneider to do the Altar of the Apostles, Altar of the Church Fathers, Altar of the Annunciation, Carving of St. Kilian, a crucifix, and an epithet of Hans von Bibra (Lorenz’ father). Kilian von Bibra also commissioned a work by Riemenscheider other than at Bibra.

Localities Associated with Family

Family seat:

  • Burg Bibra near Meiningen (c.1100–present) is reportedly the longest continuously owned castle by a family in Thuringia having been in the family since written records began including during the East German period.

Second seat:

Historical holdings still in family:

  • Schloss Brennhausen (1681–present) is a unique and beautifully situated castle frequently featured in books and calendars.
  • Dörfleshof farming estate (between Aubstadt and Ottelmannshausen)(c. 1848–present)

Estates, castles, manor houses, and villages that previously came under Bibra control (Germany unless otherwise stated):

German cities with close association:

Memorials:

  • Bibra Kreuz – A memorial to fallen WWI soldier Helmuth von Bibra from the Irmelshausen Senior Sub-line in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany German Wikipedia Article

Klosters closely associated with Bibra family:

  • Rohr (just north of Meiningen) during the 14th century (last Bibra burial 1473)
  • Henneberg Kloster Veßra in the 15th century (last Bibra burial 1488)

Australia

Coat of Arms of Municipalities

The Bibra coat of arms is incorporated into several municipalities.

Organization of the Family

For the last four centuries the family has divided itself between two Branches named after the two brothers whom all living Bibra descend: Valentine (1560–1595) and Bernhard (1562–1609). Within each branch, the family has divided further in Lines centered on castles and a manor house (Gleicherwiesen). The last two centuries, the Lines are as follows:

Valentine Branch

Adelsdorf Line (extinct in the male line since 1993)
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1698
Became Bavarian Barons 1815
Gleicherweisen Line
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1698
Became Bavarian Barons 1815
Schwebheim Line (extinct 1958)
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1698
Became Bavarian Barons 1817
Schnabelwaid, later Weisendorf Line (extinct 1856)
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1698
Became Bohemian (part of the Austrian Empire), Barons 1810

Bernhard Branch

Brennhausen Line
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1772
Became Bavarian Barons 1828
Bibra-Bibra Line
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1772
Became Bavarian Barons 1816
Irmelshausen Line (Older sub-line & Younger sub-line)
Raised to Imperial Barons (Reichsfreiherr) 1713
Became Bavarian Barons 1816

All branches of the family were raised to Freiherr. Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a title, translated as Baron, not a first or middle name. The female forms are Freifrau and Freiin. In 1919, all nobility predicates were transformed into constituents of the family name in Germany.

Outline of family

Schloss Roßrieth
Bibra Palais (Bibra Haus), Bamberg
Epitaph of Bernhard and Sibylle von Bibra at Irmelshausen
Grave of Friedrich Kaspar von Bibra (1681–1750) in Höchheim
Bibra Lake located in the Perth Australia suburb, Bibra Lake

References

  1. ↑ The Von Bibra Story Lois Nyman and Graeme von Bibra, November 1996, Foot & Playsted Pty Ltd., Launceston ISBN 0-9597188-1-8 pp. 64–66

German

  • RHEINHOLD ALBERT: Chronik der Gemeinde Sulzdorf an der Lederhecke. (2 Volumes, zus. 860 S.) hrsg. von der Gemeinde Sulzdorf a. d. L., Verlag Frankenschwelle (Hildburghausen) Pages. 515 – 534. 1994. This is the most thorough source on Brennhausen.
  • MARINA VON BIBRA, Heinrich VIII. – Fürstbischof von Fulda. In: Gerhard Pfeiffer (Hg.), Fränkische Lebensbilder, Bd. 4, Würzburg 1971, 213–229;
  • WILHELM FRHR. VON BIBRA, Geschichte der Familie der Freiherrn von Bibra, 1870;
  • WILHELM FRHR. VON BIBRA, Beiträge zur Familien Geschichte der Reichsfreiherrn von Bibra, Ernster Band (vol. 1), 1880; Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf
  • WILHELM FRHR. VON BIBRA, Beiträge zur Familien Geschichte der Reichsfreiherrn von Bibra, Zweiter Band (vol. 2), 1882; Digitized copy Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf
  • WILHELM FRHR. VON BIBRA, Beiträge zur Familien Geschichte der Reichsfreiherrn von Bibra, Dritter Band (vol. 3), 1888; Digitized copy Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf
  • A. GNAU, Das kirchliche Wirken Heinrich VIII. von Bibra, Fürstbischofs von Fulda (1759–1788), in: Mitteilungen des Historischen Vereins der Diözese Fulda 6 (1902) 12–19;
  • JOHANN EBERHARD VON KAISER, Regierungsgeschichte des jetztigen Fürsten-Bischofs Heinrich des VIII. zu Fulda im Grundriße, Vornehmlich in Hinsicht der innern Landes-Anstalten und Verbesserungen, in: Patriotisches Archiv für Deutschland 2 (1785) 1–102;
  • HANS KARLINGER, Die Kunstdenkmäler von Bayern, III, 13. Bezirksamt Königshofen. – Munich, 1915 (Reprint Munich, 1983, ISBN 3-486-50467-3)
  • WERNER KATHREIN, Bibra, Heinrich, in: Erwin Gatz (Hg.), Die Bischöfe des Heiligen Römischen Reiches 1648–1803, Berlin 1990, 29f.;
  • JOSEF LEINWEBER, Die Fuldaer Äbte und Bischöfe, Frankfurt a.M. 1989, 159–163;
  • MICHAEL MÜLLER, Fürstbischof Heinrich von Bibra und die katholische Aufklärung im Hochstift Fulda (1759–88). Wandel und Kontinuität des kirchlichen Lebens, Fulda 2005;
  • FRANZ SAYN-WITTGENSTEIN, Schlosser in Franken : Residenzen Und Landsitze Im Frankischen, 1974 ISBN 3-406-03575-2 ISBN 978-3-406-03575-3;
  • MARTIN STINGL, REICHFREIHEIT UND FÜRSTENDIENST DIE DIENSTBEZIEHUNGEN DER BIBRA 1500 BIS 1806, Verlag Degener & Co, 1994, 341 pages, ISBN 3-7686-9131-4;
  • WERNER WAGENHÖFER, Die Bibra: Studien und Materialien zur Genealogie und zur Besitzgeschichte einer fränkischen Niederadelsfamilie im Spätmittelalter, Verlag Degener & Co, 1998, 699 pages, ISBN 3-7686-9147-0;
  • WERNER WAGENHÖFER, Grablegen des Niederadels im Spätmittelalterlichen Franken – das Beispiel der Bibra, Wirtschaft – Gesellschaft – Mentalitäten im Mittelalter, Festschrift zum 75. Geburtstag von Rolf Sprandel, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, 2006 ISBN 3-515-08882-2, ISBN 978-3-515-08882-4, Pages.335–359.
  • ALFRED WENDEHORST, Das Bistum Würzburg: Teil 3. Die Bischofsreihe von 1455 -1617, 1978, ISBN 3-11-007475-3;
  • PETER ADOLPH WINKOPP, Beiträge zur Lebensgeschichte Heinrich des achten Fürstbischofen zu Fulda, welcher am 25. September 1788 das Zeitliche mit dem Ewigen verwechselte, in: Der neue deutsche Zuschauer 1 (1789) 93–102.134–144;
  • KLAUS WITTSTADT, Der Bibliotheksgründer Fürstbischof Heinrich VIII. von Bibra (1759–1788), in: Artur Brall (Hg.), Von der Klosterbibliothek zur Landesbibliothek. Beiträge zum zweihundertjährigen Bestehen der Hessischen Landesbibliothek Fulda (Stuttgart 1978) 269–293;
  • F. ZWENGER, Heinrich v. Bibra. Fürstbischof von Fulda, in: BuBl 4 (1923) 139f., 143f., 148 [Weitgehend auf Wilhelm von Bibra beruhend];

English

  • JULIEN CHAPUIS, Tilman Riemenschneider: Master Sculptor of the Late Middle Ages, National Gallery London Publications, 11 October 1999, ISBN 0-300-08162-6 ISBN 978-0-300-08162-6
  • LOIS NYMAN AND GRAEME VON BIBRA, THE VON BIBRA STORY, Foot & Playsted Pty. Ltd., Launceston, Australia, 1996, ISBN 0-9597188-1-8;
  • ERNST VON BIBRA Plant Intoxicants: A Classic Text on the Use of Mind-Altering Plants 1995 Translation of Die narkotischen Genussmittel und der Mensch Translated by Hedwig Schleiffer, Forward by Martin Haseneier and extensive technical notes by Jonathan Ot, an ethnobiologist- ISBN 0-89281-498-5;
  • HILLAY ZMORA, State and nobility in early modern Germany: The knightly feud in Franconia 1440–1567, Cambridge University Press, 1997 (hardback), 2002 (paperback), ISBN 0-521-56179-5;

External links

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Bibra Related Places
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