Kintzheim
Encyclopedia
Kintzheim is a commune
in the Bas-Rhin
department in Alsace
in north-eastern France
.
The Château de Kintzheim
is a well-known landmark in the commune.
The coat of arms is identical to the former coat of arms of nearby Sélestat
, of which Kintzheim was a dependency between 1338 and 1791.
, not far from the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
. To the north it is dominated by the Hahnenberg Hill (Hill of the heath rooster), and to the south by the Paelattenberg (Prelates' Hill), the community profits from viticulture
and the associated commercial benefits of tourism.
The village is surrounded by Sélestat
on the east side, Orschwiller
to the south and Lièpvre
to the west along with La Vancelle
and Châtenois
to the north.
The 13th century Château de Kintzheim
overlooks the settlement and marks the edge of the game
rich forests of the Vosges Mountains
. Wines produced from the vineyards on the Hahnenberg and Praeletenberg hills enjoy the 'grand cru Praletenbourg' designation: of traditional Alsatian
style, these wines can be checked out at the local cooperative wine cellars of Orschwiller-Kintzheim
.
Tourism is also supported by local wild life, with a stork
park and an eagle
flying centre (the village coat of arms featuring an eagle) in the commune along with a network of marked walking paths in the surrounding vineyards and forests together with a range of other recreational and leisure facilities.
words "König" (King) and "Heim" (home/farmstead). Based on that, the name would signify a king's home, which would be consistent with the good defensive position of the castle
.
An alternative etymology attaches the Gallic word "cuno" (cone) to the Germanic
"Heim". "Cuno" indicates the top of a hill and may be related to a Latin word for the top of a helmet, coming from the paleolithic root word "Kun"
Around 774 the name was written as "Quningishaim" and in 881 as "Chuniggesheim"
period. Kintzheim is located on the route of the famous Roman empire period road
that traversed Alsace
from north to south. Funerary relics from the 1st and 2nd centuries have been discovered.
, the lands and forests of Kintzheim were subject to royal taxation: this was the time when Mayor
Wulfoald
{or Vulfoald) exercised great power in Austrasia
, even after the king came into his majority. Childeric was killed in 675 while hunting: Wulfoald then arranged for the return from Ireland
to Austrasia of Dagobert II
. Dagobert was king until he, too, was killed on December 23, 779: subsequently Dagobert became known as Saint Dagobert, his day being December 23. Mayor
Wulfoald
died soon afterwards, in 780.
as "Kunigesheim", was clearly positioned on the slopes of Kintzheim. The emperor was a frequent visitor to the region where as a young man he would hunt in the company of his personal chaplain
, the Abbot Fulrad
. Before he died in 784, Fulrad had founded monasteries at Lièpvre
and at Saint Hippolyte. Fulrad arranged that the abbot of Lièpvre receive a portion of the forest at "Quuningishaim" and several other properties included in the royal hunting forests in the region. A year later, in 775, it is recorded that Charlemagne, returning to Aachen
from his conquest of Lombardy
, visited the "Palatium Selestatis", his autumn palace most likely on the slopes of the Kintzheim hills. In 781 the emperor bestowed further lands, including the Kintzheim forests, on the priory at Lièpvre.
As part of a land exchange during a lull in a fratricidal war, Charlesmagne's grandson, the emperor Lothar I, in February 843 offered Kunigesheim (Königsheim)
to Erchanger de Souabe, Count of Nordgau
. The Abbey of Andlau
held lands adjoining Lièpvre
and positioned at the bottom of the village on land that was part of Kintzheim. These were close to the hospice at Sélestat, known at this time as Abtissinhurst or Graveloch, and which, it is claimed, was part of the court complex (la cour colongères) belonging to the Abbey of Andlau
at Kintzheim. Erchangar's daughter, Richardis (Sainte Richarde d'Andlau after her canonisation in 1049)
, the (ultimately estranged) wife of Charles the Fat
, would inherit all these assets.
, which is the origin of the imperial eagle
on the coat of arms. During the 13th century the German emperors transferred the income of the village to the local noble families, including the Kagens, the Rathsamhausens (then written Racenhuzen) and the Andlaus. From 1267 the castle at Kintzheim was in the possession of the Rathsamhausen family. In 1286 part of Kintzheim was let by the emperor
to Hartmann and Egelophe de Rathsamhausen for 150 silver marks. The area was increased in 1299 by a farm at Kintzheim which the Abbey of Senones
gave them in fief.
In 1298 the inhabitants of the nearby village of Châtenois
, at this time administered by the bellicose Bishop
of Strasbourg
, torched and devastated the castle at Kintzheim. The Rathsamhausen and Kagen families rebuilt it, however, between 1300 and 1306.
, Châtenois
, Kintzheim, and Saint-Hippolyte
.
set about buying the lands of Kintzheim from its noble landlords, although the Abbey of Andlau would continue to exercise certain prerogatives including the appointment of the provost until 1534. Louis of Bavaria
transferred most of Kintzheim to Sélestat and the Rathsamhausen sold them the rest of the village, retaining only the castle.
From now on Sélestat exercised full control over Kintzheim until several decades after the revolution
: in the meantime, as far as the records are concerned, Kintzheim tends to share its history with that of Sélestat.
which in this area broke out in 1525 touched the neighbourhood very directly. At Scherwiller the Duke of Lorraine crushed an 'army' of 5,000 peasants and saw to it that the village was (again) torched. The peasant uprising started in several centres including Sélestat
, though in reality it had been brewing during a much longer period and over a wider area: the revolt raged across Germanic central Europe for three years. Economic hardship was a key cause of these armed insurrections. Since the previous century Alsace had been ravaged by a succession of military invasions involving the destruction of villages and crops: the burden of homes burned down and of harvests destroyed or stolen was always suffered most acutely by the peasants. In addition to economic shortage and loss must be added the exploitation of the small farmers by the nobility
and the monasteries: the result was a growing antagonism towards landowners. In addition to poll taxes and tithes, peasants found themselves increasingly burdened by the additional taxes levied in order to fund international wars and other extravagances of the lords and nobles.
laid siege to Sélestat
. They occupied Kintzheim and left its castle in ruins.
, Kintzheim's experience of the revolution
was relatively calm. The two priests
were exiled across the river in Baden
, from where they may have made clandestine returns visits to Kintzheim where they would have been successfully concealed by villagers. The village still has a small closet
with a chair inside it which was constructed to conceal two priests during searches by the National Guard
. Any 'trawl' for them was announced so that the priests could be alerted. During the revolution two nuns lived in retirement at Kintzheim. On the eighteenth of Pluviôse
, Year II (Revolutionary Calendar) Kintzheim was obliged to provide 12,000 silver pounds
in return for valueless Assignat
s with a face value of 12,000 pounds.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
department in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
in north-eastern 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...
.
The Château de Kintzheim
Château de Kintzheim
Château de Kintzheim is a castle in Kintzheim, Bas-Rhin, France dating from the 12th century. The ruins of the château dominate the village of Kintzheim.-History:Kintzheim was known in the 6th century under the name of Regis Villa....
is a well-known landmark in the commune.
Heraldry
The Kintzheim coat of arms is a black eagle on a white background. The bird's talons are highlighted in red, along with its tongue.The coat of arms is identical to the former coat of arms of nearby Sélestat
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
, of which Kintzheim was a dependency between 1338 and 1791.
Geography
Kintzheim is positioned on the Alsatian Wine RouteAlsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines, which for historical reasons have a strong Germanic influence, are produced under three different Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées : Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand...
, not far from the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
The château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is located at Orschwiller, Alsace, France, in the Vosges mountains just west of Sélestat. The castle is nestled at a strategic location on a high hill overlooking the Alsatian plain; as a result it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty...
. To the north it is dominated by the Hahnenberg Hill (Hill of the heath rooster), and to the south by the Paelattenberg (Prelates' Hill), the community profits from viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and the associated commercial benefits of tourism.
The village is surrounded by Sélestat
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
on the east side, Orschwiller
Orschwiller
Orschwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is located in the commune.-References:*...
to the south and Lièpvre
Lièpvre
Lièpvre is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In the 8th century saint and abbot, Fulrad, built a monastery and filled it with relics of Saint Cucuphas.-Geography:...
to the west along with La Vancelle
La Vancelle
La Vancelle is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
and Châtenois
Châtenois, Bas-Rhin
Châtenois is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
to the north.
The 13th century Château de Kintzheim
Château de Kintzheim
Château de Kintzheim is a castle in Kintzheim, Bas-Rhin, France dating from the 12th century. The ruins of the château dominate the village of Kintzheim.-History:Kintzheim was known in the 6th century under the name of Regis Villa....
overlooks the settlement and marks the edge of the game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
rich forests of the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
. Wines produced from the vineyards on the Hahnenberg and Praeletenberg hills enjoy the 'grand cru Praletenbourg' designation: of traditional Alsatian
Alsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines, which for historical reasons have a strong Germanic influence, are produced under three different Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées : Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand...
style, these wines can be checked out at the local cooperative wine cellars of Orschwiller-Kintzheim
Orschwiller
Orschwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is located in the commune.-References:*...
.
Tourism is also supported by local wild life, with a stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
park and an eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
flying centre (the village coat of arms featuring an eagle) in the commune along with a network of marked walking paths in the surrounding vineyards and forests together with a range of other recreational and leisure facilities.
Etymology
"Kintzheim" may derive from a concatenation of the GermanicAlsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
words "König" (King) and "Heim" (home/farmstead). Based on that, the name would signify a king's home, which would be consistent with the good defensive position of the castle
Château de Kintzheim
Château de Kintzheim is a castle in Kintzheim, Bas-Rhin, France dating from the 12th century. The ruins of the château dominate the village of Kintzheim.-History:Kintzheim was known in the 6th century under the name of Regis Villa....
.
An alternative etymology attaches the Gallic word "cuno" (cone) to the Germanic
Alsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
"Heim". "Cuno" indicates the top of a hill and may be related to a Latin word for the top of a helmet, coming from the paleolithic root word "Kun"
Around 774 the name was written as "Quningishaim" and in 881 as "Chuniggesheim"
Origins
The origins of the village are not known. There may have been a settlement here in Neolithic times, but the earliest identified relics date back only to the Roman empireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
period. Kintzheim is located on the route of the famous Roman empire period road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
that traversed Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
from north to south. Funerary relics from the 1st and 2nd centuries have been discovered.
Merovingian
In the 8th century it is recorded that the village was at the centre of a large royal estate. During the time of King Childeric IIChilderic II
Childeric II was the king of Austrasia from 662 and of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 until his death, making him sole King of the Franks for the final two years of his life. He was the second eldest son of Clovis II. His elder brother Chlothar III was briefly sole king from 661, but gave...
, the lands and forests of Kintzheim were subject to royal taxation: this was the time when Mayor
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
Wulfoald
Wulfoald
Wulfoald was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia from 656 or 661, depending on when Grimoald I was removed from that office , to his death and mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 to 675.He was the regent of Austrasia during the minority of Childeric II until 670...
{or Vulfoald) exercised great power in Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
, even after the king came into his majority. Childeric was killed in 675 while hunting: Wulfoald then arranged for the return from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Austrasia of Dagobert II
Dagobert II
Dagobert II was the king of Austrasia , the son of Sigebert III and Chimnechild of Burgundy. The Feast Date of St Dagobert II is 23 December -Biography:...
. Dagobert was king until he, too, was killed on December 23, 779: subsequently Dagobert became known as Saint Dagobert, his day being December 23. Mayor
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
Wulfoald
Wulfoald
Wulfoald was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia from 656 or 661, depending on when Grimoald I was removed from that office , to his death and mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 to 675.He was the regent of Austrasia during the minority of Childeric II until 670...
died soon afterwards, in 780.
Carolingian
With Dagobert's death, part of his property passed to Pepin the Short including the Abbey of Saint Mihiel. Pepin was the father of Emperor Charlemagne who would consolidate much of western Europe into a single empire. One of Charlemagne's palaces, known as "Villa Regia" (Quuningishaim), and translated into subsequent Germanic dialectAlsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
as "Kunigesheim", was clearly positioned on the slopes of Kintzheim. The emperor was a frequent visitor to the region where as a young man he would hunt in the company of his personal chaplain
Almoner
An almoner is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing cash to the deserving poor.Historically, almoners were Christian religious functionaries whose duty was to distribute alms to the poor. Monasteries were required to spend one tenth of their income in charity to...
, the Abbot Fulrad
Fulrad
Saint Fulrad was abbot of St. Denis' Abbey . He was born at Saint-Hippolyte, Haut-Rhin in Alsace. He served as a counselor to three Frankish rulers: Pepin, Carloman, and Charlemagne...
. Before he died in 784, Fulrad had founded monasteries at Lièpvre
Lièpvre
Lièpvre is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In the 8th century saint and abbot, Fulrad, built a monastery and filled it with relics of Saint Cucuphas.-Geography:...
and at Saint Hippolyte. Fulrad arranged that the abbot of Lièpvre receive a portion of the forest at "Quuningishaim" and several other properties included in the royal hunting forests in the region. A year later, in 775, it is recorded that Charlemagne, returning to Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
from his conquest of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, visited the "Palatium Selestatis", his autumn palace most likely on the slopes of the Kintzheim hills. In 781 the emperor bestowed further lands, including the Kintzheim forests, on the priory at Lièpvre.
As part of a land exchange during a lull in a fratricidal war, Charlesmagne's grandson, the emperor Lothar I, in February 843 offered Kunigesheim (Königsheim)
Königsheim
Königsheim is a town in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-External links:*...
to Erchanger de Souabe, Count of Nordgau
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. The Abbey of Andlau
Andlau Abbey
Andlau Abbey was a women's collegiate foundation for secular canonesses located at Andlau in Alsace, eastern France.-History:...
held lands adjoining Lièpvre
Lièpvre
Lièpvre is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In the 8th century saint and abbot, Fulrad, built a monastery and filled it with relics of Saint Cucuphas.-Geography:...
and positioned at the bottom of the village on land that was part of Kintzheim. These were close to the hospice at Sélestat, known at this time as Abtissinhurst or Graveloch, and which, it is claimed, was part of the court complex (la cour colongères) belonging to the Abbey of Andlau
Andlau Abbey
Andlau Abbey was a women's collegiate foundation for secular canonesses located at Andlau in Alsace, eastern France.-History:...
at Kintzheim. Erchangar's daughter, Richardis (Sainte Richarde d'Andlau after her canonisation in 1049)
Richardis
Saint Richardis, also known as Richgard and Richardis of Swabia , was the Holy Roman Empress as the wife of Charles the Fat. She was renowned for her piety.-Life:...
, the (ultimately estranged) wife of Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
, would inherit all these assets.
The empire
In turn the village passed to the Hohenstaufens and then to 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...
, which is the origin of the imperial eagle
Imperial Eagle
An Imperial Eagle is a heraldic eagle used by an empire, notably:*the military standard of the Roman Empire, see Aquila .*the Byzantine imperial eagle*the German Reichsadler...
on the coat of arms. During the 13th century the German emperors transferred the income of the village to the local noble families, including the Kagens, the Rathsamhausens (then written Racenhuzen) and the Andlaus. From 1267 the castle at Kintzheim was in the possession of the Rathsamhausen family. In 1286 part of Kintzheim was let by the emperor
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
to Hartmann and Egelophe de Rathsamhausen for 150 silver marks. The area was increased in 1299 by a farm at Kintzheim which the Abbey of Senones
Senones, Vosges
Senones is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Until 1793, Senones was the capital of the Principality of Salm-Salm.- External links :*...
gave them in fief.
In 1298 the inhabitants of the nearby village of Châtenois
Châtenois, Bas-Rhin
Châtenois is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, at this time administered by the bellicose Bishop
Conrad de Lichtenberg
Conrad de Lichtenberg was a bishop of Strasbourg in the 13th century.Lichtenberg was born to a wealthy family and entered the clergy at the age of 13. He was elected Bishop of Strasbourg in 1273....
of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, torched and devastated the castle at Kintzheim. The Rathsamhausen and Kagen families rebuilt it, however, between 1300 and 1306.
Armagnac destruction
During the civil war of the early 15th century, Armagnac partisans of the Duke of Orleans torched ScherwillerScherwiller
Scherwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The ruined castle of Ramstein is located in Scherwiller.-References:*...
, Châtenois
Châtenois
Châtenois may refer to:* Châtenois, Bas-Rhin, a commune of the French region of Alsace* Châtenois, Haute-Saône, a commune of the French region of Franche-Comté* Châtenois, Jura, a commune of the French region of Franche-Comté...
, Kintzheim, and Saint-Hippolyte
Saint-Hippolyte
Saint-Hippolyte may refer to:Places in Canada:* Saint-Hippolyte, QuebecPlaces in France* Saint-Hippolyte, Aveyron* Saint-Hippolyte, Cantal* Saint-Hippolyte, Charente-Maritime* Saint-Hippolyte, Doubs* Saint-Hippolyte, Gironde...
.
Acquisition by Sélestat
In 1338 the nearby town of SélestatSélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
set about buying the lands of Kintzheim from its noble landlords, although the Abbey of Andlau would continue to exercise certain prerogatives including the appointment of the provost until 1534. Louis of Bavaria
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....
transferred most of Kintzheim to Sélestat and the Rathsamhausen sold them the rest of the village, retaining only the castle.
From now on Sélestat exercised full control over Kintzheim until several decades after the revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
: in the meantime, as far as the records are concerned, Kintzheim tends to share its history with that of Sélestat.
The Peasant wars
The war of the PeasantsGerman Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
which in this area broke out in 1525 touched the neighbourhood very directly. At Scherwiller the Duke of Lorraine crushed an 'army' of 5,000 peasants and saw to it that the village was (again) torched. The peasant uprising started in several centres including Sélestat
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
, though in reality it had been brewing during a much longer period and over a wider area: the revolt raged across Germanic central Europe for three years. Economic hardship was a key cause of these armed insurrections. Since the previous century Alsace had been ravaged by a succession of military invasions involving the destruction of villages and crops: the burden of homes burned down and of harvests destroyed or stolen was always suffered most acutely by the peasants. In addition to economic shortage and loss must be added the exploitation of the small farmers by the nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
and the monasteries: the result was a growing antagonism towards landowners. In addition to poll taxes and tithes, peasants found themselves increasingly burdened by the additional taxes levied in order to fund international wars and other extravagances of the lords and nobles.
Thirty Years' War
During the Thirty Years War, the SwedesGustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
laid siege to Sélestat
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
. They occupied Kintzheim and left its castle in ruins.
The Revolution
In common with most of AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, Kintzheim's experience of the revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
was relatively calm. The two priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
were exiled across the river in Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, from where they may have made clandestine returns visits to Kintzheim where they would have been successfully concealed by villagers. The village still has a small closet
Priest hole
"Priest hole" is the term given to hiding places for priests built into many of the principal Catholic houses of England during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law in England, from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558....
with a chair inside it which was constructed to conceal two priests during searches by the National Guard
National Guard (France)
The National Guard was the name given at the time of the French Revolution to the militias formed in each city, in imitation of the National Guard created in Paris. It was a military force separate from the regular army...
. Any 'trawl' for them was announced so that the priests could be alerted. During the revolution two nuns lived in retirement at Kintzheim. On the eighteenth of Pluviôse
Pluviôse
Pluviôse was the fifth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word pluviosus, which means rainy....
, Year II (Revolutionary Calendar) Kintzheim was obliged to provide 12,000 silver pounds
French livre
The livre was the currency of France until 1795. Several different livres existed, some concurrently. The livre was the name of both units of account and coins.-Etymology:...
in return for valueless Assignat
Assignat
Assignat was the type of a monetary instrument used during the time of the French Revolution, and the French Revolutionary Wars.- France :...
s with a face value of 12,000 pounds.