Eberhard I, Count of Württemberg
Encyclopedia
Eberhard I was Count of Württemberg from 1279 until his death. He was nicknamed 'der Erlauchte' or the Illustrious Highness
.
and took office at the age of about eleven years. It is generally assumed that he stood under the guardianship and regency of Count Hartmann I of Grüningen. Ulrich II died in 1279 and his guardian Hartmann in 1280, allowing Eberhard to exercise unrestricted reign of the County of Württemberg from 1280.
His father, Ulrich I, had extended the Württemberg territory and the anti-king Henry Raspe IV had legitimized his conquests. However, when Rudolph I was elected Emperor, these territories had to be returned to the Empire. Rudolph created bailiwicks to administer the reclaimed imperial territories. He appointed his brother-in-law Albrecht von Hohenberg-Rotenburg as Vogt
of the new bailiwick of Lower Swabia. Rudolph's aim was to re-establish the Duchy of Swabia
, which had been leaderless after the execution in 1268 of Conradin
, the last member of the Hohenstaufen
dynasty. To this end, he appointed his young son Rudolph II as Duke of Swabia. Eberhard resisted these measures. Despite being weaker, he managed exploit the situation after Rudolph's death in 1291 and achieve military successes against Albrecht of Hohenberg-Rotenburg.
Rudolph's successor Adolph of Nassau, did not try to extend his power base into Swabia. After Adolph was overthrown in 1298, Eberhard promised to support his successor Albert I, the oldest son of Rudolph of Habsburg. In return, Albert appointed him Vogt of Lower Swabia. Eberhard used this position to safeguard his territorial claims. It wasn't until 1305 that he again came into military conflict with Albrecht.
Eberhard supported the Bohemian nobility in their struggle against Albert I and his successor Henry VII
. Imperial Vogt Konrad IV von Weinberg, who acted on the orders of Henry VII, declared war on Eberhard, causing much distress in Württemberg. Württemberg was saved from defeat by the death of Henry VII on 24 August 1313 and the election in 1314 of Louis IV
as King of the Germans and of Frederick the Fair as anti-king. By maneuvering tactically between the king and the anti-king, Eberhard managed to offset his territorial losses and even gain some more territories. His participation in the war in Bohemia
brought in additional funding, which he used to purchase land and towns in Swabia from impoverished noble families, for example, the Count Palatine of Tübingen.
Eberhard I made Stuttgart
the capital of Württemberg. He died in 1325 and was buried in the Stiftskirche
in Stuttgart.
of Württemberg, who died a few weeks before his birth. His mother was a Agnes of Silesia-Legnica, who probably died at his birth; some sources speak of a caesarean section
.
Eberhard was married three times.
-Heiligenberg from Sigmaringen
. Other authors think that she was a member of the noble Hohenberg
family, but they may be confused with Matilda of Hohenberg, who married his son and successor Ulrich III
. A third theory holds that she was a daughter of the Dukes of Teck. The fact that his son Ulrich III acquired Sigmaringen in 1325 and that his daughter Agnes married Count Henry of Werdenberg-Sargans-Trochtelfingen both point to a close relationship between Eberhard and the Werdenberg dynasty.
This marriage produced a son and a daughter:
. From this marriage, Eberhard had a son:
of Baden-Baden. From this marriage, Eberhard had three daughters:
Illustrious Highness
His/Her Illustrious Highness is the English-language form for a style used by various members of the European aristocracy....
.
Life
Eberhard's half-brother and predecessor Ulrich IIUlrich II, Count of Württemberg
Ulrich II was Count of Württemberg from 1265 until 1279.Ulrich was the son of Ulrich I and Mechthild of Baden. He acceded power in 1265 at the age of 11 and thus, probably, was under the tutelage of Count Hartmann II of Grüningen. He is first mentioned sole in documents since 1270...
and took office at the age of about eleven years. It is generally assumed that he stood under the guardianship and regency of Count Hartmann I of Grüningen. Ulrich II died in 1279 and his guardian Hartmann in 1280, allowing Eberhard to exercise unrestricted reign of the County of Württemberg from 1280.
His father, Ulrich I, had extended the Württemberg territory and the anti-king Henry Raspe IV had legitimized his conquests. However, when Rudolph I was elected Emperor, these territories had to be returned to the Empire. Rudolph created bailiwicks to administer the reclaimed imperial territories. He appointed his brother-in-law Albrecht von Hohenberg-Rotenburg as Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of the new bailiwick of Lower Swabia. Rudolph's aim was to re-establish the Duchy of Swabia
Duchy of Swabia
Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany.-History:...
, which had been leaderless after the execution in 1268 of Conradin
Conradin
Conrad , called the Younger or the Boy, but usually known by the diminutive Conradin , was the Duke of Swabia , King of Jerusalem , and King of Sicily .-Early childhood:Conradin was born in Wolfstein, Bavaria, to Conrad...
, the last member of the Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
dynasty. To this end, he appointed his young son Rudolph II as Duke of Swabia. Eberhard resisted these measures. Despite being weaker, he managed exploit the situation after Rudolph's death in 1291 and achieve military successes against Albrecht of Hohenberg-Rotenburg.
Rudolph's successor Adolph of Nassau, did not try to extend his power base into Swabia. After Adolph was overthrown in 1298, Eberhard promised to support his successor Albert I, the oldest son of Rudolph of Habsburg. In return, Albert appointed him Vogt of Lower Swabia. Eberhard used this position to safeguard his territorial claims. It wasn't until 1305 that he again came into military conflict with Albrecht.
Eberhard supported the Bohemian nobility in their struggle against Albert I and his successor Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
. Imperial Vogt Konrad IV von Weinberg, who acted on the orders of Henry VII, declared war on Eberhard, causing much distress in Württemberg. Württemberg was saved from defeat by the death of Henry VII on 24 August 1313 and the election in 1314 of Louis IV
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
as King of the Germans and of Frederick the Fair as anti-king. By maneuvering tactically between the king and the anti-king, Eberhard managed to offset his territorial losses and even gain some more territories. His participation in the war in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
brought in additional funding, which he used to purchase land and towns in Swabia from impoverished noble families, for example, the Count Palatine of Tübingen.
Eberhard I made Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
the capital of Württemberg. He died in 1325 and was buried in the Stiftskirche
Stiftskirche (Stuttgart)
The Stiftskirche Stuttgart is an inner-city church in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the main church of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg as well as the parish church of the evangelical inner-city church district of Stuttgart.-History and...
in Stuttgart.
Family
Eberhard was the son of Count Ulrich IUlrich I, Count of Württemberg
Ulrich I, Count of Württemberg , also known as “Ulrich der Stifter” or “Ulrich mit dem Daumen”, was count of Württemberg from about 1241 until his death.-Life:...
of Württemberg, who died a few weeks before his birth. His mother was a Agnes of Silesia-Legnica, who probably died at his birth; some sources speak of a caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
.
Eberhard was married three times.
First marriage
The identity of the first wife is uncertain. Martin Crucius thought she may have been Adelaide of WerdenbergWerdenberg (Holy Roman Empire)
Werdenberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire situated on either side of the Rhine, including parts of what is now St. Gallen , Liechtenstein, and Vorarlberg ....
-Heiligenberg from Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....
. Other authors think that she was a member of the noble Hohenberg
Counts of Hohenberg (Swabia)
The Counts of Hohenberg were an ancient swabian dynasty in the southwest of the present-day Germany, in the State of Baden-Württemberg. In the 13th century the dynasty of Hohenberg was one of the most prominent lineages in Southwestern Germany. In 1381 however, Rudolf III...
family, but they may be confused with Matilda of Hohenberg, who married his son and successor Ulrich III
Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg
Ulrich III, , Count of Württemberg from 1325 until 1344.Ulrich was already strongly involved in politics during the reign of his father Eberhard I. In 1319 he handled a treaty with King Frederick I, the Handsome. He renewed this treaty after assuming reign in 1325, when Württemberg had temporarily ...
. A third theory holds that she was a daughter of the Dukes of Teck. The fact that his son Ulrich III acquired Sigmaringen in 1325 and that his daughter Agnes married Count Henry of Werdenberg-Sargans-Trochtelfingen both point to a close relationship between Eberhard and the Werdenberg dynasty.
This marriage produced a son and a daughter:
- Ulrich (born: after 1285; died: 1315)
- Agnes (born: before 1300; died: before 1349), married Henry of Werdenberg-Sargans-Trochtelfingen
Second marriage
Eberhard's second wife was Margaret, a daughter of Duke Frederick III of LorraineFrederick III, Duke of Lorraine
Frederick III was the Duke of Lorraine from 1251 to his death. He was the only son and successor of Matthias II and Catherine of Limburg....
. From this marriage, Eberhard had a son:
- Ulrich IIIUlrich III, Count of WürttembergUlrich III, , Count of Württemberg from 1325 until 1344.Ulrich was already strongly involved in politics during the reign of his father Eberhard I. In 1319 he handled a treaty with King Frederick I, the Handsome. He renewed this treaty after assuming reign in 1325, when Württemberg had temporarily ...
(born: between 1286 and 1291; died: 11 July 1344), Count of Württemberg from 1325 to 1344
Third marriage
Eberhard's third wife was Irmengard, a daughter of Margrave Rudolph IRudolf I, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Rudolf I, Margrave of Baden was Margrave of Baden from 1250 until his death.He was the son of Herman V and Irmengard, Countess Palatinate of the Rhine. She was the daughter of Henry I, Count Palatinate of the Rhine. He inherited Baden, together with his brother Herman VI, until Herman VI's...
of Baden-Baden. From this marriage, Eberhard had three daughters:
- Agnes (born: around 1295; died: 1317), countess by marriage of Oettingen
- Adelaide Matilda (born: between 1295 and 1300; died: 3 September 1342), married Kraft II of Hohenlohe (d. 3 May 1344)
- Irmengard (born: after 1300; died: 1329), countess by marriage of Hohenberg