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Counts of Falkenstein (Bavaria)
Encyclopedia
The count
s of Falkenstein (from 1125 referred to as counts of Falkenstein-Neuburg) were Bavaria
n nobility. In the time of the House of Hohenstaufen they were among the most influential dynasties.
The counts of Falkenstein had their oldest possessions in the upper Vils valley near Taufkirchen (Vils)
and the valley of Inn
in southern Bavaria
. In the zenith of their power they controlled a wide region extending into Tyrol
, the Mangfall
valley, Lower Austria
and Chiemgau
.
Major domiciles of the counts of Falkenstein were Falkenstein über dem Inn, Neuburg bei Vagen, Altenburg, Herantstein in Upper Austria, Hartmannsberg near Hemhof, Antwurt (now Antwort) near Endorf
and Hernstein
near Baden in Lower Austria. Administrative towns were e.g. Aibling and Prien am Chiemsee
.
The allodial possessions of the Falkensteiners were in Geiselbach in the upper Vils valley. The first count of Falkenstein mentioned in records was Reginolt de Valchensteine (1115), although both the Falkensteiner and Neuburger lineage seem to descend from Patto von Dilching (early 11th century).
The counts of Falkenstein rapidly extended their influence. By marriage they merged with the counts of Weyarn-Neuburg in 1125. In 1133 they founded the monastery of Weyarn
.
After the deposition of Henry the Lion
, when the bavarian dukedom was transferred to Otto I
of Wittelsbach
the Falkensteiners allied with the enemies of the Wittelbachers. This marked the beginning of the forced decline of the dynasty of Falkenstein.
The Falkensteiner lineage perished with the assassination of the last counts of Falkenstein in the 13th century.
, the Codex Falkensteinensis is considered as the only conserved tradition book of a secular authority. It was created in 1170 at the Falkensteiner Neuburg near Vagen.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
s of Falkenstein (from 1125 referred to as counts of Falkenstein-Neuburg) were Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n nobility. In the time of the House of Hohenstaufen they were among the most influential dynasties.
Dominion
Taufkirchen (Vils)
Taufkirchen is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
and the valley of Inn
Inn River
The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...
in southern Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. In the zenith of their power they controlled a wide region extending into Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, the Mangfall
Mangfall
The Mangfall is a left tributary of the River Inn in Upper Bavaria and 58 km long. The Mangfall is the tailstream of the Tegernsee lake and discharges near Rosenheim into the Inn....
valley, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
and Chiemgau
Chiemgau
Chiemgau is the common name of a geographic area in Upper Bavaria. It refers to the foothills of the Alps between the rivers Inn and Traun, with lake Chiemsee at its center. The political districts that contain the Chiemgau are Rosenheim and Traunstein...
.
Major domiciles of the counts of Falkenstein were Falkenstein über dem Inn, Neuburg bei Vagen, Altenburg, Herantstein in Upper Austria, Hartmannsberg near Hemhof, Antwurt (now Antwort) near Endorf
Bad Endorf
Bad Endorf is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim in Bavaria in Germany. The relatively small town is located about 15 km outside of Rosenheim and is in close proximity to the Chiemsee lake and its larger shore towns, Prien, Gstadt, and Seebruck....
and Hernstein
Hernstein
-Municipal divisions:The market municipality of Hernstein has seven Katastralgemeinden:*Grillenberg*Hernstein**Alkersdorf **Aigen *Kleinfeld*Neusiedl bei Grillenberg*Pöllau*Steinhof*Veitsau...
near Baden in Lower Austria. Administrative towns were e.g. Aibling and Prien am Chiemsee
Prien am Chiemsee
Prien am Chiemsee is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim, in Bavaria, Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the western shore of the Chiemsee lake, 16 km east of Rosenheim.-Famous resident:...
.
History
The counts of Falkenstein rapidly extended their influence. By marriage they merged with the counts of Weyarn-Neuburg in 1125. In 1133 they founded the monastery of Weyarn
Weyarn
Weyarn is a municipality in the district of Miesbach in Bavaria in Germany. It dates back to a monastery that was founded by Siboto II, count of Falkenstein in 1133. It is located 38 km southeast of Munich and can be easily reached on highway A8 running from Munich to Salzburg. Many farming...
.
After the deposition of Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
, when the bavarian dukedom was transferred to Otto I
Otto I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria
Otto I , called the Redhead , was Duke of Bavaria from 1180 until his death. He was the first Bavarian ruler from the House of Wittelsbach, a dynasty which reigned until the abdication of King Ludwig III of Bavaria in the German Revolution of 1918.-Biography:Duke Otto I was probably born at...
of Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
the Falkensteiners allied with the enemies of the Wittelbachers. This marked the beginning of the forced decline of the dynasty of Falkenstein.
The Falkensteiner lineage perished with the assassination of the last counts of Falkenstein in the 13th century.
Codex Falkensteinensis
Being known as the oldest feud directory and urbarUrbar
Urbar may refer to:Places in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany:*Urbar, Mayen-Koblenz*Urbar, Rhein-Hunsrück...
, the Codex Falkensteinensis is considered as the only conserved tradition book of a secular authority. It was created in 1170 at the Falkensteiner Neuburg near Vagen.