Königsfelden Abbey
Encyclopedia
Königsfelden Abbey is a former Franciscan
monastery and former Clarisse
convent in the municipality
of Windisch
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
. It was founded in 1308 by the Habsburgs and during the Reformation
in 1528 it was secularized. The complex was then the residence of the bailiff
s of Bern, and since 1868 it has been a psychiatric clinic. The church is a museum since 2009. It contains a 14th Century stained glass which, together with the windows in the Cathedral of Bern, are the most valuable in Switzerland.
On May 1, 1308, King Albrecht I was murdered by his nephew John Parricida
in the community of Windisch. In memory of this event his wife, Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol, founded Königsfelden Abbey in 1310-11 at the site – approximately 200 metres (656.2 ft) from Brugg
. Albrecht’s oldest daughter, Agnes of Hungary, the widow of the Hungarian King Andrew III, moved to Königsfelden in 1317 and led it to commercial success, but did not join a religious order.
With the conquest of the Western Aargau by the city of Bern the Abbey lost its connection with the Habsburg family. After the Reformation in 1528 the monastery was abolished. The complex served as the seat of the Bernese bailiff
s of the Königsfelden district, a steward took over the administration of former monastic property. In 1804 the former monastery became the property of the canton of Aargau, which had been founded in the year before. The new canton established a mental hospital. In 1872 a new building was built and since 1887 it has been a psychiatric clinic. During the construction a large part of the Franciscan convent was demolished.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery and former Clarisse
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
convent in the municipality
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
of Windisch
Windisch
Windisch is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Windisch is situated at the site of the Roman legion camp Vindonissa. In 1064 the current municipality was mentioned as Vinse, and in 1175 as Vindisse. Until the 19th Century the official name was...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It was founded in 1308 by the Habsburgs and during the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in 1528 it was secularized. The complex was then the residence of the bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s of Bern, and since 1868 it has been a psychiatric clinic. The church is a museum since 2009. It contains a 14th Century stained glass which, together with the windows in the Cathedral of Bern, are the most valuable in Switzerland.
History
John Parricida
John Parricida, or John the Parricide or Johann Parricida , also called John of Swabia from the House of Habsburg was a son of Rudolf II, former Duke of Austria and Agnes, daughter of King Ottokar II Přemysl of Bohemia...
in the community of Windisch. In memory of this event his wife, Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol, founded Königsfelden Abbey in 1310-11 at the site – approximately 200 metres (656.2 ft) from Brugg
Brugg
Brugg or Brügg may refer to the following places:* In Switzerland:** Brugg, Aargau, in the Canton of Aargau*** FC Brugg, a Swiss football club, from the town of Brugg in Canton Aargau...
. Albrecht’s oldest daughter, Agnes of Hungary, the widow of the Hungarian King Andrew III, moved to Königsfelden in 1317 and led it to commercial success, but did not join a religious order.
With the conquest of the Western Aargau by the city of Bern the Abbey lost its connection with the Habsburg family. After the Reformation in 1528 the monastery was abolished. The complex served as the seat of the Bernese bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s of the Königsfelden district, a steward took over the administration of former monastic property. In 1804 the former monastery became the property of the canton of Aargau, which had been founded in the year before. The new canton established a mental hospital. In 1872 a new building was built and since 1887 it has been a psychiatric clinic. During the construction a large part of the Franciscan convent was demolished.
Abbesses
- 1310-1313 Elisabeth von Görz
- about 1313 Hedwiga von Kuntzlau
- 1318-1324 Guta von Bachenstein
- 1329 Benigna von Bachenstein
- about 1330 Agnes von Ungarn
- about 1334 Adelheid I.
- about 1355 Elisabeth I. von Leiningen
- about 1371 Anna I. von Goldenberg
- 1374-1383 Irmengard von Hohenberg
- about 1405 Adelheid II. von Hallwyl
- 1406-1408 Margaretha I. von Wachingen
- 1411-1415 Margaretha II. von Grünenberg
- 1416-1456 Elisabeth II. von Leiningen
- about 1456 Ursula von Mirlingen
- about 1459 Eva von Erpach
- about 1471 Osanna Jäger
- 1472-1492 Apollonia von Hohenberg
- 1497-1506 Anna II. von Stein
- 1511-1513 Emerita Lutschern
- 1516-1528 Katherina von Waldburg