Isenburg
Encyclopedia
Isenburg was a region of Germany
located in southern present-day Hesse
, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt
. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau (located in the Rhineland-Palatinate
), which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg
and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern. These countships were partitioned between themselves many times over the next 700 years.
. Occasionally referred to as the House of Rommersdorf before the 12th century, the house originated in the Hessian comitatus of the Niederlahngau in the 10th Century. It partitioned into the lines of Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern in 1137, before partitioning again into smaller units, but by 1500 only the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen (in Upper Isenburg) and Lower Isenburg remained. In 1664 the Lower Isenburg branch died out. The Büdingen line continued to partition, and by the beginning of the 19th Century the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen, Isenburg-Birstein, Isenburg-Meerholz and Isenburg-Wächtersbach existed.
was defeated by Napoleon Bonaparte of France
in that year, the empire was abolished and the Confederation of the Rhine
was established amongst the various German states. As an incentive to join the Confederation, it was stated that any state which joined could mediatise
their neighbours. Prince Charles of Isenburg-Birstein
joined the Confederation and was granted the mediatized Isenburgian Countships of Isenburg-Büdingen
, Isenburg-Meerholz
, Isenburg-Philippseich
, and Isenburg-Wächtersbach
. His Principality was renamed to Isenburg.
The Principality continued under the rule of Prince Charles through the Napoleonic era, but was mediatised by the Congress of Vienna
for being too keen an ally of Napoleon Bonaparte. The lands of the principality were divided between the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
and the Electorate of Hesse-Kassel
(or Hesse-Cassel).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
located in southern present-day Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau (located in the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
), which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg
Isenburg-Isenburg
Isenburg-Isenburg was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Isenburg in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was created as a partition of the Niederlahngau in 1137. It partitioned into Lower Isenburg and Isenburg-Braunsberg in 1199....
and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern. These countships were partitioned between themselves many times over the next 700 years.
House of Isenburg
The House of Isenburg was an old aristocratic family of medieval Germany, named after the castle of Isenburg in North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. Occasionally referred to as the House of Rommersdorf before the 12th century, the house originated in the Hessian comitatus of the Niederlahngau in the 10th Century. It partitioned into the lines of Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern in 1137, before partitioning again into smaller units, but by 1500 only the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen (in Upper Isenburg) and Lower Isenburg remained. In 1664 the Lower Isenburg branch died out. The Büdingen line continued to partition, and by the beginning of the 19th Century the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen, Isenburg-Birstein, Isenburg-Meerholz and Isenburg-Wächtersbach existed.
"Family tree" of the Isenburg countships
Isenburg, the original countship was divided in 1137 into:- Isenburg (or Isenburg-IsenburgIsenburg-IsenburgIsenburg-Isenburg was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Isenburg in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was created as a partition of the Niederlahngau in 1137. It partitioned into Lower Isenburg and Isenburg-Braunsberg in 1199....
), 1137-1199, eventually dividing ca. 1210 into: - Isenburg-BraunsbergIsenburg-BraunsbergIsenburg-Braunsberg was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Braunsberg in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Isenburg in 1199 . In 1338 Isenburg-Braunsberg became an Imperial County. It slowly acquired territories of the County of...
, 1210-1388, when it was renamed Isenburg-WiedIsenburg-WiedIsenburg-Wied was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Neuwied in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was renamed from Isenburg-Braunsberg in 1388, and was superseded by Wied in 1462....
. Isenburg-Wied, in turn, existed from 1388-1454, when it passed by marriage to the Lords of RunkelRunkelRunkel is a town on the Lahn River in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany.- Location :Runkel lies in the Lahn Valley on both sides of the river between the Westerwald and the Taunus, some eight kilometres east of Limburg....
and was superseded by the Countship of WiedWiedWied was a County of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, located on the river Wied where it meets the Rhine. Wied emerged as a County earlier than many other German states. From 1243–1462, Wied was united with an Isenburgian County as Isenburg-Wied. Wied was partitioned twice: between itself and...
in 1462. - Nieder-IsenburgNieder-IsenburgNieder-Isenburg was a small mediæval County in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was located to the east of the town of Neuwied, due north of Vallendar....
(Lower Isenburg), 1218-1502 when it was divided into:
-
-
- Isenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-Grenzau was the name of several states of the Holy Roman Empire, based around the Lordship of Grenzau, in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first state called Isenburg-Grenzau existed 1158–1290; the second 1341–1439; and the third 1502–1664....
, 1502–1664. After the death of Count Ernest in 1664 without direct heirs, his territories were claimed back as feudal tenures by the Archbishoprics of CologneArchbishopric of CologneThe Electorate of Cologne was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire and existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the temporal possessions of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne . It was ruled by the Archbishop in his function as prince-elector of...
and TrierArchbishopric of TrierThe Archbishopric of Trier was a Roman Catholic diocese in Germany, that existed from Carolingian times until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Its suffragans were the dioceses of Metz, Toul and Verdun. Since the 9th century the Archbishops of Trier were simultaneously princes and since the 11th...
, and the Abbey-principality of Fulda. The core territories including Isenburg were passed on by Fulda to the Counts of Walderdorff. They had to share them according to a later agreement with the Counts of Wied, by then a cadet branch of the Isenburgs. - Isenburg-NeumagenIsenburg-NeumagenIsenburg-Neumagen was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Neumagen-Dhron in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Isenburg-Neumagen was created on the partition of Lower Isenburg in 1502...
, 1502-1554, when it passed by marriage to the Counts of Sayn-HomburgSayn-HomburgSayn-Homburg was a mediæval county of Germany. It was created as a partition of Sponheim-Sayn in 1283...
.- Isenburg-KempenichIsenburg-KempenichIsenburg-Kempenich was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Kempenich in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Isenburg-Kempenich emerged around the Lordship of Kempenich, which was first mentioned in 1093 as being ruled by Richwin of Wied...
, 1137–1424, when it passed to the Lords of SchöneckSchöneckSchöneck may refer to:*Schöneck, Hesse, town in Germany*Schöneck, Saxony, town in Germany*Schœneck, municipality in Lorraine, France*Skarszewy , Poland...
. In 1434, it passed to the Archbishop of Trier, who sold the territory to the Counts of VirneburgVirneburgVirneburg is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.-Geography:Virneburg is a municipality in the Vulkaneifel. Next towns are Mayen in the East and Adenau in the West. The average height is 402 meters above NN. Virneburg is in a valley surrounded by...
. - Isenburg-Limburg-Covern, 1137-1158, when it was divided into:
- Isenburg-CovernIsenburg-CovernIsenburg-Covern was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Kobern-Gondorf in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was partitioned from Isenburg-Limburg-Covern in 1158. After the counts became extinct in 1306 it was annexed by Isenburg-Cleberg....
, 1158–1306, when it passed to Isenburg-Cleberg. - Isenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-Grenzau was the name of several states of the Holy Roman Empire, based around the Lordship of Grenzau, in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first state called Isenburg-Grenzau existed 1158–1290; the second 1341–1439; and the third 1502–1664....
, 1158-1258, when it was divided into:
- Isenburg-Kempenich
- Isenburg-LimburgIsenburg-LimburgThe Countship of Isenburg-Limburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries, based around the city of Limburg an der Lahn in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-House of Limburg:...
, 1258-1406, when it was annexed by the Archbishopric of TrierArchbishopric of TrierThe Archbishopric of Trier was a Roman Catholic diocese in Germany, that existed from Carolingian times until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Its suffragans were the dioceses of Metz, Toul and Verdun. Since the 9th century the Archbishops of Trier were simultaneously princes and since the 11th... - Isenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-Grenzau was the name of several states of the Holy Roman Empire, based around the Lordship of Grenzau, in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first state called Isenburg-Grenzau existed 1158–1290; the second 1341–1439; and the third 1502–1664....
, 1258-1287, when it was divided into:
-
- Isenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-Grenzau was the name of several states of the Holy Roman Empire, based around the Lordship of Grenzau, in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first state called Isenburg-Grenzau existed 1158–1290; the second 1341–1439; and the third 1502–1664....
, 1287-1290, when it passed to Isenburg-Cleberg. - Isenburg-ArnfelsIsenburg-ArnfelsIsenburg-Arnfels was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Bad Hönningen in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Isenburg-Arnfels was created upon the partition in 1286 of the lands of Count Henry II between his sons, the youngest Gerlach receiving his territories in and around...
, 1286-1379, when it passed to Isenburg-Wied. - Isenburg-Cleberg, 1287-1340, when it was divided into:
-
- Isenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-GrenzauIsenburg-Grenzau was the name of several states of the Holy Roman Empire, based around the Lordship of Grenzau, in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first state called Isenburg-Grenzau existed 1158–1290; the second 1341–1439; and the third 1502–1664....
, 1340-1439, when it passed to Nassau-Beilstein. It subsequently passed to the Archbishopric of Trier in 1446, and was finally purchased by the Counts of Nieder-IsenburgNieder-IsenburgNieder-Isenburg was a small mediæval County in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was located to the east of the town of Neuwied, due north of Vallendar....
in 1460. - Isenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-Büdingen was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located in Büdingen. There were two different Counties of the same name. The first was a partition of Isenburg-Cleberg, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein and Isenburg-Ronneburg in 1511. The second was a partition of...
, 1340-1511, when it was divided into:
-
- Isenberg-Büdingen-Ronneburg, or Isenburg-RonneburgRonneburg, HesseRonneburg is both a castle and a municipality in the district of Main-Kinzig, in Hessen, Germany. The town is most notable for being the site of Ronneburg castle.-Geography:...
, 1511-1601, when it was annexed by Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein - Isenburg-Büdingen-BirsteinIsenburg-Büdingen-BirsteinIsenburg-Büdingen-Birstein was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located to the north of Gelnhausen. Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen in 1511, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Birstein, Isenburg-Büdingen, and Isenburg-Offenbach in 1628.-Counts of...
(or Isenburg-Birstein), 1511-1628, which was divided into:
-
- Isenburg-BirsteinIsenburg-BirsteinIsenburg-Birstein was the name of two German historical states based around Birstein in southeastern Hesse, Germany. The first "Isenburg-Birstein" was a County and was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. It was merged into Isenburg-Offenbach in 1664. The second...
, 1628-1664, when it passed to Isenburg-OffenbachIsenburg-OffenbachIsenburg-Offenbach was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Offenbach and Neu Isenburg in modern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. In 1711 the immediacy passed to Isenburg-Birstein while the line was partitioned into... - Isenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-Büdingen was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located in Büdingen. There were two different Counties of the same name. The first was a partition of Isenburg-Cleberg, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein and Isenburg-Ronneburg in 1511. The second was a partition of...
, 1628-1685, when it was divided into:
-
- Isenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-BüdingenIsenburg-Büdingen was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located in Büdingen. There were two different Counties of the same name. The first was a partition of Isenburg-Cleberg, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein and Isenburg-Ronneburg in 1511. The second was a partition of...
, 1685-1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg - Isenburg-WächtersbachIsenburg-WächtersbachIsenburg-Wächtersbach was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created in 1673 as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806.-Counts of Isenburg-Wächtersbach :...
, 1685-1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg - Isenburg-MeerholzIsenburg-MeerholzIsenburg-Meerholz was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen in 1673, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806...
, 1685-1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg - Isenburg-Marienborn, 1685-1725
- Isenburg-Büdingen
- Isenburg-OffenbachIsenburg-OffenbachIsenburg-Offenbach was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Offenbach and Neu Isenburg in modern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. In 1711 the immediacy passed to Isenburg-Birstein while the line was partitioned into...
, 1628-1711, when it was divided into:
-
- Isenburg-BirsteinIsenburg-BirsteinIsenburg-Birstein was the name of two German historical states based around Birstein in southeastern Hesse, Germany. The first "Isenburg-Birstein" was a County and was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. It was merged into Isenburg-Offenbach in 1664. The second...
, 1711-1744, when it became the Principality of Isenburg-Birstein. The Principality existed from 1744-1806, when it was renamed the Principality of Isenburg, 1806 - 1814/5 - Isenburg-EisenbergIsenburg-EisenbergIsenburg-Eisenberg was the name of a junior, non-immediate line of the House of Isenburg. It was partitioned from Isenburg-Offenbach in 1711, and became extinct in 1758....
, 1711 - 1758, when it was absorbed back into the Principality of Isenburg-Birstein - Isenburg-PhilippseichIsenburg-PhilippseichIsenburg-Philippseich was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created in 1711 as a partition of Isenburg-Offenbach, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806.-Counts of Isenburg-Philippseich :*William Maurice II...
, 1711 - 1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg
- Isenburg-Birstein
- Isenburg-Birstein
- Isenberg-Büdingen-Ronneburg, or Isenburg-Ronneburg
- Isenburg-Grenzau
- Isenburg-Grenzau
- Isenburg-Grenzau
-
Principality of Isenburg
It was not until 1806 that there was a state called simply "Isenburg". When the Holy Roman EmpireHoly Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
was defeated by Napoleon Bonaparte of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in that year, the empire was abolished and the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
was established amongst the various German states. As an incentive to join the Confederation, it was stated that any state which joined could mediatise
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
their neighbours. Prince Charles of Isenburg-Birstein
Isenburg-Birstein
Isenburg-Birstein was the name of two German historical states based around Birstein in southeastern Hesse, Germany. The first "Isenburg-Birstein" was a County and was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. It was merged into Isenburg-Offenbach in 1664. The second...
joined the Confederation and was granted the mediatized Isenburgian Countships of Isenburg-Büdingen
Isenburg-Büdingen
Isenburg-Büdingen was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located in Büdingen. There were two different Counties of the same name. The first was a partition of Isenburg-Cleberg, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein and Isenburg-Ronneburg in 1511. The second was a partition of...
, Isenburg-Meerholz
Isenburg-Meerholz
Isenburg-Meerholz was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen in 1673, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806...
, Isenburg-Philippseich
Isenburg-Philippseich
Isenburg-Philippseich was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created in 1711 as a partition of Isenburg-Offenbach, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806.-Counts of Isenburg-Philippseich :*William Maurice II...
, and Isenburg-Wächtersbach
Isenburg-Wächtersbach
Isenburg-Wächtersbach was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created in 1673 as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806.-Counts of Isenburg-Wächtersbach :...
. His Principality was renamed to Isenburg.
The Principality continued under the rule of Prince Charles through the Napoleonic era, but was mediatised by the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
for being too keen an ally of Napoleon Bonaparte. The lands of the principality were divided between the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
and the Electorate of Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
(or Hesse-Cassel).