Fürstenberg (principality)

County of Fürstenberg
Grafschaft Fürstenberg
State of the Holy Roman Empire
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1218–1408 →
 
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Coat of arms

Fürstenberg territories in 1806
Capital Fürstenberg
Government Principality
Historical era Middle Ages
Early modern time
 -  Count Egino IV of Urach
    inherited Zähringen		 1218
 -  Partitioned into
    Fürstenberg and
    Wolfach		 1408

Fürstenberg was a county (German: Graftschaft) of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its ruling family was the House of Fürstenberg (princely family).

History

The county emerged when count Egino IV of Urach by marriage inherited large parts of the Duchy of Zähringen upon the death of Duke Berthold V in 1218, and 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 counts and Princes 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 Fürstenberg. Most of its territory was given to Baden; smaller parts were given to Württemberg, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and Bavaria.

Geography

As of 1806, Fürstenberg had an area of 20,000 km² and a population of 100,000. Its capital was Donaueschingen.

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

Smaller exclaves included the cities of Trochtelfingen and Hayingen.

Counts of Fürstenberg (1250 - 1408)

States of Fürstenberg

Notes

    References