The Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle was an Imperial Circle

Imperial Circle

An Imperial Circle comprised a regional grouping of territories of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing a common defensive structure and of collecting the imperial taxes, but also as a means of organization within the Imperial Diet and the Imperial Chamber Court.Each...

 of the Holy Roman Empire

Holy 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...

. It comprised territories of the former Duchy of Lower Lorraine

Lower Lorraine

The Duchy of Lower Lorraine or Lower Lotharingia , established in 959 was a stem duchy of the medieval German kingdom, which encompassed part of modern-day Belgium, the Netherlands, the northern part of the German Rhineland and a part of northern France east of the Schelde river.It was created out...

, Frisia

Frisia

Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...

 and the Westphalia

Westphalia

Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...

n part of the former Duchy of Saxony

Duchy of Saxony

The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...

.

The circle was made up of numerous small states, however the Counts De la Marck

De la Marck

The House of La Marck, , original German name von der Mark, was an important family in the history of Europe, which from about 1200 appeared as the Counts of Mark.-History:...

 were able to collect a significant amount of territories, the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 on. The Empire's largest ecclesiastical territory was held by the Prince-Bishops of Münster.

Composition

The circle was made up of the following states:

Name	Type of entity	Comments
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, ...	Imperial City Free Imperial City In the Holy Roman Empire, a free imperial city was a city formally ruled by the emperor only — as opposed to the majority of cities in the Empire, which were governed by one of the many princes of the Empire, such as dukes or prince-bishops...	Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...  in 1166
Anholt Lordship of Anholt The Lordship of Anholt was a small state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was an imperial estate and a member of the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle.-Geography:...	Lordship	Former territory of the Utrecht bishops, reichsfrei since the 14th century, held by the Lords of Gemen Gemen Gemen was an immediate, sovereign lordship of the Holy Roman Empire, in the Lower Rhine region. Since Gemen had a vote in the Imperial Diet it was also an Imperial Estate. It was centered on Gemen, a small town and castle in the present municipality of Borken, western North Rhine-Westphalia.Gemen... , fell to Salm-Salm Salm-Salm The Principality of Salm-Salm was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was located in the present-day French départements of the Bas-Rhin and the Vosges and was one of a number of partitions of Salm.-History:...  in 1641
Beilstein County of Beilstein The Lordship of Winneburg and Beilstein was a state of the Holy Roman Empire situated on the Moselle River around Winneburg Castle near Cochem....	Lordship	Fief of Trier since 1488, held by the Freiherr Freiherr The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname... en von Metternich from 1635, Reichsgrafen Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl... from 1679
Bentheim	County County A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...	Inherited by the Freiherren von Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt was a County of Germany, located in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia in the region surrounding Steinfurt. Bentheim-Steinfurt was a partition of Bentheim-Bentheim...  in 1421, Bentheim-Bentheim Bentheim-Bentheim Bentheim-Bentheim was a County of southeastern Lower Saxony, Germany. The borders of Bentheim-Bentheim by 1806 were the modern borders of the District of Bentheim. It was one of the original partitions of the County of Bentheim in 1277, and it partitioned between itself and Bentheim-Steinfurt in 1454...  since 1454, again held by Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt was a County of Germany, located in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia in the region surrounding Steinfurt. Bentheim-Steinfurt was a partition of Bentheim-Bentheim...  from 1530
Berg Berg (state) Berg was a state – originally a county, later a duchy – in the Rhineland of Germany. Its capital was Düsseldorf. It existed from the early 12th to the 19th centuries.-Ascent:...	Duchy Duchy A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...	Raised to duchy by King Wenceslaus of Luxembourg Wenceslaus, King of the Romans Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...  in 1380, part of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 to 1614, with Jülich Duchy of Jülich The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...  to Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg is a former territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of some 100,000.-History:...  according to the Treaty of Xanten Treaty of Xanten The Treaty of Xanten was signed in the Lower Rhine town of Xanten on November 12, 1614 between Wolfgang William, Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg and John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, with representatives from England and France serving as mediators....
Blankenheim-Gerolstein Blankenheim, North Rhine-Westphalia Blankenheim is a municipality in the district of Euskirchen in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Blankenheim is located in the Eifel hills, approx. 27 km south-west of Euskirchen...	County	Inherited by Manderscheid in 1468
Brakel Brakel, Germany Brakel is a town in the district of Höxter in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Location :Brakel lies at the midpoint of the district of Höxter between the Eggegebirge and the Weser in the Oberwälder Land nature area in the old Saxon region of Nethegau....	Imperial City	Status challenged by the Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn
Cambrai	Prince-Bishopric	Diocese established in the 6th century, Reichsfreiheit granted by King Henry II Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...  in 1007, archbishopric fom 1559, fell to France Early Modern France Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...  by the 1679 Peace of Nijmegen Treaties of Nijmegen The Treaties of Peace of Nijmegen were a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Nijmegen between August 1678 and December 1679...
Cambray Cambrai Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...	Imperial City	Status challenged by the Cambrai bishops, declared to a duchy by Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...  in 1510
Kleve Duchy of Cleves The Duchy of Cleves was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was situated in the northern Rhineland on both sides of the Lower Rhine, around its capital Cleves and the town of Wesel, bordering the lands of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster in the east and the Duchy of Brabant in the west...	Duchy	Part of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 to 1614, with Mark and Ravensberg to Brandenburg Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....  according to the Treaty of Xanten
Köln KOLN KOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...	Imperial City	Status acknowledged by Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...  in 1475
Corvey Corvey Abbey The Imperial Abbey of Corvey was a Benedictine monastery on the River Weser, 2 km northeast of Höxter, now in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany....	Prince-Abbacy Prince-abbot A Prince-Abbot is a title for a cleric who is a Prince of the Church , in the sense of an ex officio temporal lord of a feudal entity, notably a State of the Holy Roman Empire. The secular territory ruled by the head of an abbey is known as Prince-Abbacy or Abbey-principality...	Established in 815 by King Louis the Pious Louis the Pious Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
Delmenhorst Delmenhorst Delmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...	County	Established by a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg House of Oldenburg The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden... , held by Oldenburg Oldenburg (state) Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...  since 1436
Diepholz Diepholz Diepholz is a town and capital of the district of Diepholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Hunte, approximately 45 km northeast of Osnabrück, and 60 km southwest of Bremen....	County	Established about 1160, to Brunswick-Lüneburg Brunswick-Lüneburg The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...  in 1585
Dortmund Dortmund Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....	Imperial City	Status confirmed by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...  in 1236
Duisburg Duisburg - History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...	Imperial City	Given in pawn to Cleves by King Rudolph of Habsburg 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...  in 1290, finally divested of the Imperial title by Elector Frederick William I of Brandenburg in 1674
Düren Düren Düren is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of Düren district. It is located between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur.-Roman era:Celts inhabited Düren's area before the Romans. They called their small settlement Durum . After the Celts other Germanic tribes settled this area...	Imperial City	Status confirmed by Emperor Otto III Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...  in 1000, given in pawn to Jülich Duchy of Jülich The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...  by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1241
East Frisia East Frisia East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....	County	Raised to Principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....  1662, fell to Prussia Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...  in 1744
Echternach Abbey of Echternach The Abbey of Echternach is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. The Abbey was founded by St Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg, in the seventh century...	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 698 by Saint Willibrord Willibrord __notoc__Willibrord was a Northumbrian missionary saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands... , immediacy granted by King Pepin the Short in 751, annexed by France French First Republic The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...  in 1794
Essen Essen Abbey Essen Abbey was a collegiate foundation for women of the high nobility in Essen. It was founded in about 845 by the Saxon Altfrid , later Bishop of Hildesheim and saint, near a royal estate called Astnidhi, which later gave its name to the religious house and to the town...	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 845 by Saint Altfrid Altfrid Saint Altfrid was a leading figure in Germany in the ninth century. A Benedictine monk, he became Bishop of Hildesheim, and founded Essen Abbey. He was also a close royal adviser to the East Frankish King Louis the German.He is a Roman Catholic saint... , immediacy probably granted by King Conrad I Conrad I of Germany Conrad I , called the Younger, was Duke of Franconia from 906 and King of Germany from 911 to 918, the only king of the Conradine dynasty...  (911-918), secularised 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....  to Prussia Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...  in 1803
Fagnolle Philippeville Philippeville is a Walloon municipality located in Belgium in the province of Namur. The Philippeville municipality includes the old communes of Fagnolle, Franchimont, Jamagne, Jamiolle, Merlemont, Neuville, Omezée, Roly, Romedenne, Samart, Sart-en-Fagne, Sautour, Surice , Villers-en-Fagne,...	Lordship	Held by the House of Ligne House of Ligne The House of Ligne is one of the oldest Belgian noble families, dating back to the eleventh century. It s name comes from the village in which it originated, between Ath and Tournai. The lords of Ligne belonged to the entourage of the Count of Hainaut at the time of the Crusades... , raised to county in 1770
Gemen Gemen Gemen was an immediate, sovereign lordship of the Holy Roman Empire, in the Lower Rhine region. Since Gemen had a vote in the Imperial Diet it was also an Imperial Estate. It was centered on Gemen, a small town and castle in the present municipality of Borken, western North Rhine-Westphalia.Gemen...	Lordship	Held by the Counts of Holstein-Schauenburg Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein The Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein were titles of the Holy Roman Empire. The dynastic family came from Schauenburg near Rinteln on the Weser in Germany... , fell to the House of Limburg-Stirum House of Limburg-Stirum The house of Limburg-Stirum, which adopted its name in the 12th century from the castle of Limburg an der Lenne in what is now Germany, descends from the Ezzonen dynasty in the 9th century, making it one of the oldest families in Europe....  in 1640
Gimborn Gimborn Castle Gimborn Castle is a former moated castle situated in a remote valley of the upper Leppe in the municipality of Marienheide in the Oberbergischer Kreis of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-History:...	Lordship	Held by the House of Schwarzenberg House of Schwarzenberg -History:The family was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family was created when Erkinger I of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time, they also possessed some fiefdoms in... , Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Ferdinand II of Habsburg Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...  in 1631, raised to county in 1698, sold to Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn Johann Ludwig Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn was a German lieutenant-general and art collector.-Life:He was an illegitimate son of George II of Great Britain by his mistress Amalie von Wallmoden...  in 1782
Gronsveld Gronsveld Gronsveld is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is part of the municipality of Eijsden and situated southeast of the municipality of Maastricht, to which it is bordering....	Lordship	Richsfreiheit granted by Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...  in 1498, raised to county about 1588, annexed by France in 1794
Hallermund	County	Fief of Brunswick-Calenberg around Springe Springe Springe is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Deister hills, southwest of Hanover.-City Structure:* Springe with 12,666 Inhabitants* Bennigsen with 4,095 Inhabitants... , raised to Imperial county in 1706
Herford Herford Abbey Herford Abbey was the oldest women's religious house in the Duchy of Saxony. It was founded as a house of secular canonesses in 789, initially in Müdehorst by a nobleman called Waltger, who moved it in about 800 onto the lands of his estate Herivurth which stood at the crossing of a number of...	Prince-Abbacy	Nunnery established in 789, immediate prince-abbacy since 1147, confirmed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa in 1152
Herford Herford Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford.- Geographic location :...	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit derived from Herford Abbey, challenged by Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1547, annexed by Brandenburgian Ravensberg in 1652
Holzappel Holzappel Holzappel is a municipality in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, with a population in 2006 of 1100.Holzappel was a county and state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1643 until 1714. It was founded by Peter Melander of Holzappel, an imperial field marshal during the Thirty Years'...	County	Former Esterau possession of Nassau House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as... , granted by Emperor Ferdinand III of Habsburg Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...  to his field marshal Peter Melander von Holzappel in 1643, to Anhalt-Bernburg Anhalt-Bernburg Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...  in 1676
Hoya	County	Fief of Brunswick-Lüneburg Brunswick-Lüneburg The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...  from 1519, line extinct in 1582
Jülich Duchy of Jülich The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...	Duchy	Reichsfreiheit confirmed by Emperor Louis IV of Wittelsbach 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....  in 1328, raised to duchy by Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....  in 1356, part of Jülich-Cleves-Berg 1521 to 1614, with Berg to Palatinate-Neuburg according to the Treaty of Xanten
Kerpen and Lommersum	Lordship	Annexed by Brabant Duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...  from Cologne after the 1288 Battle of Worringen Battle of Worringen The Battle of Worringen was fought on June 5, 1288, near the town of Worringen , which is now the northernmost borough of Cologne... , inherited by Burgundy Duchy of Burgundy The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...  in 1406 and the House of Habsburg in 1482, fell to Jülich in 1710, raised to county in 1712, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1786
Kornelimünster Kornelimünster Abbey Kornelimünster Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Kornelimünster, since 1972 a part of Aachen , in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.- First foundation :...	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 814 by Saint Benedict of Aniane Benedict of Aniane Saint Benedict of Aniane , born Witiza and called the Second Benedict, was a Benedictine monk and monastic reformer, who left a large imprint on the religious practice of the Carolingian Empire...
Lemgo Lemgo Lemgo is a city in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of c. 42,000.It was founded in the 12th century by Bernhard II at the crossroad of two merchant routes. Lemgo was a member of the Hanseatic League, a medieval trading association of free cities in several...	Imperial City	Established about 1190 by Lord Bernard II Bernard II, Lord of Lippe Bernard II was Lord of Lippe from 1167 through 1196....  of Lippe Principality of Lippe Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:... , Reichsfreiheit ascertained by the Imperial Chamber Court
Lüttich	Prince-Bishopric	Established about 315 by Saint Maternus of Cologne at Tongeren
Lingen Lingen Lingen is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 2008 the population was 52,353, and in addition there are about 5,000 people who have registered the city as their secondary residence...	County	Emerged from Tecklenburg Tecklenburg Tecklenburg is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is located at the foothills of the Teutoburg Forest, southwest of Osnabrück.-Division of the town:...  in 1493, seized as a reverted fief by Emperor Charles V of Habsburg Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...  in 1547, with the Burgundian Netherlands Burgundian Netherlands In the history of the Low Countries, the Burgundian Netherlands refers to a number of Imperial and French fiefs ruled in personal union by the House of Valois-Burgundy and their Habsburg heirs in the period from 1384 to 1482...  to King Philip II of Spain Philip II of Spain Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....  in 1555, conquered by Prince Maurice of Nassau Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange from 1618, on the death of his eldest half brother, Philip William, Prince of Orange,...  in 1597, inherited by Prussia Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...  in 1702
Lippe Principality of Lippe Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...	Lordship	Lordship established about 1123, raised to county in 1528, split off Lippe-Alverdissen Lippe-Alverdissen Lippe-Alverdissen was a county in Germany. It was created in 1613 following the death of Count Simon VI of Lippe, with his realm being split between his three sons with his youngest son Philipp receiving the territory of Lippe-Alverdissen....  in 1613 (Schaumburg-Lippe Schaumburg-Lippe Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...  from 1643), raised to principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....  in 1789
Luxemburg Luxembourg Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...	Duchy	To Burgundian Circle Burgundian Circle The Burgundian Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy , the circle roughly covered the Low Countries, i.e...  in 1512
Manderscheid	County	Held Schleiden Schleiden Schleiden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies in the Eifel hills, in the district of Euskirchen, and has 13,957 inhabitants...  since 1445, raised to Imperial county by Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg in 1457, inherited Blankenheim-Gerolstein in 1468, Sternberg-Manderscheid from 1780, annexed by France in 1794
Mark	County	Established about 1160, acquired Cleves in 1368, part of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 to 1614, with Cleves and Ravensberg to Brandenburg according to the Treaty of Xanten
Myllendonk Lordship of Myllendonk The Lordship of Myllendonk was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire, located in western North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was bordered by the Duchy of Jülich to the west and north, the Lordship of Dyck to the south, and the Archbishopric of Cologne to the east and southeast. The lordship contained...	Lordship	Regained Reichsfreiheit in 1700, held by the Counts of Ostein from 1732
Minden Bishopric of Minden The Bishopric of Minden was a Roman Catholic diocese and a state, Prince-bishopric of Minden , of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Minden which is in modern day Germany.-History:...	Prince-Bishopric	Secularised to Brandenburg Brandenburg Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...  by the 1648 Peace of Westphalia Peace of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the... , as the Principality of Minden
Moers Moers Moers is a German city on the left bank of the Rhine. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel...	County	First documented in 1186, held by Wied Wied Wied 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...  since 1493, to the Counts of Neuenahr Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is a town in the German Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the capital of the Ahrweiler district. It is a renowned spa and it has a casino. The A61 motorway connects the town with cities like Cologne and Mainz. The city consists of two parts, Bad Neuenahr in the east...  in 1519, inherited by Adolf van Nieuwenaar Adolf van Nieuwenaar Adolf van Nieuwenaar, Count of Limburg and Meurs was a statesman and soldier, who was stadtholder of Gelderland and Utrecht for the States-General of the Netherlands during the initial stages of the Eighty Years' War.-Early life:Nieuwenaar was the son of Count Gumprecht II von...  in 1578, by Maurice of Nassau Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange from 1618, on the death of his eldest half brother, Philip William, Prince of Orange,...  in 1594, to Prussia Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...  as principality in 1702
Münster	Prince-Bishopric	Bishopric established by Saint Ludger Ludger Saint Ludger was a missionary among the Frisians and Saxons, founder of Werden Abbey and first Bishop of Münster in Westphalia....  about 805, reichsfrei territory emerged in 1180 from the Duchy of Saxony Duchy of Saxony The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein... , held in personal union Personal union A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...  by the Wittelsbach Prince-Bishops of Cologne 1612-1650, 1683–1688 and 1723–1801
Nassau-Dillenburg Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...	County	Emerged from Nassau Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...  in 1303, split off Orange Principality of Orange The Principality of Orange was a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon....  in 1559, principality in 1654, inherited by Orange-Nassau in 1739
Nassau-Diez Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...	County	Former County of Diez, inherited by Nassau-Dillenburg Dillenburg Dillenburg is a town in Hesse's Gießen region in Germany. The town was formerly the seat of the old Dillkreis district, which is now part of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis....  in 1386, emerged from Nassau-Dillenburg in 1606, principality 1654, inherited Orange Principality of Orange The Principality of Orange was a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon....  in 1702, name changed to Orange-Nassau Principality of Orange-Nassau Orange-Nassau was a principality which was part of the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle within the Holy Roman Empire. It existed under this name between 1702 and 1815....
Nassau-Hadamar Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...	County	Emerged from Nassau-Dillenburg in 1606, Principality 1650, line extinct in 1711, inherited by Orange-Nassau in 1743
Oldenburg Oldenburg (state) Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...	County	Established in Saxony Duchy of Saxony The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...  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....  in 1180, personal union Personal union A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...  with Denmark Kingdom of Denmark The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...  1667-1773, raised to duchy ruled by Holstein-Gottorp in 1774
Osnabrück Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück The Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück was a prince-bishopric centred on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück. The diocese was erected in 772 and is the oldest see founded by Charlemagne, in order to Christianize the conquered stem-duchy of Saxony....	Prince-Bishopric
Paderborn Bishopric of Paderborn The Archdiocese of Paderborn is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany; its seat is Paderborn. It was a diocese from its foundation in 799 until 1802, and again from 1821 until 1930. In 1930, it was promoted to an archdiocese...	Prince-Bishopric
Pyrmont Bad Pyrmont -External links:* * -Multimedia:*...	County
Ravensberg	County	Established about 1140 out of former County of Calvelage County of Calvelage The County of Calvelage existed at the end of the 11th century and in the first half of the 12th century in the region of Vechta in Lower Saxony, Germany.The Court of Kalvelage in the farming community of Brockdorf in Lohne provided the name for the county... , held by Berg since 1346, part of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 to 1614, with Cleves and Mark to Brandenburg according to the Treaty of Xanten
Reckheim	County
Reichenstein	Lordship
Rietberg Rietberg Rietberg is a town in the district of Gütersloh in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approx. 10 km south of Gütersloh and 25 km north-west of Paderborn in the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The town is located at the river Ems. There are 28,878 people living in...	County
Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck was a small County of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory was the area around Dyck in present North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany...	County	status unclear
Sayn Sayn Sayn was a mediæval German County located in the Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. There were two Counties of Sayn: the first County emerged in 1139. It became closely associated with the County of Sponheim early in its existence. Count Henry II was notable for being accused of...	County
Schaumburg Schaumburg Schaumburg is a district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Nienburg, Hanover and Hamelin-Pyrmont, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia .-History:...	County
Schaumburg-Hesse	County
Schaumburg-Lippe Schaumburg-Lippe Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...	County
Schleiden Schleiden Schleiden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies in the Eifel hills, in the district of Euskirchen, and has 13,957 inhabitants...	County
Soest Soest, Germany Soest is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. After Lippstadt, a neighbouring town, Soest is the second biggest town in its district.-Geography:...	Imperial City
Spiegelberg Spiegelberg Spiegelberg is a town in the district of Rems-Murr in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.The name of the town refers to 18th century glass production on the hills, with mirror polishing being done in the valley of the Lauter river....	County
Stavelot-Malmedy Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy The Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Princely power was exercised by the Benedictine abbot of the imperial double monastery of Stavelot and Malmedy, founded in 651. At , it was the second-smallest territory in the Empire, after the Duchy of Bouillon at...	Prince-Abbacy
Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt was a County of Germany, located in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia in the region surrounding Steinfurt. Bentheim-Steinfurt was a partition of Bentheim-Bentheim...	County	Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt was a County of Germany, located in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia in the region surrounding Steinfurt. Bentheim-Steinfurt was a partition of Bentheim-Bentheim...  since 1454, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...  in 1486, County of Steinfurt in 1495
Tecklenburg Tecklenburg Tecklenburg is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is located at the foothills of the Teutoburg Forest, southwest of Osnabrück.-Division of the town:...	County	Bentheim-Tecklenburg Bentheim-Tecklenburg Bentheim-Tecklenburg was a German district based in the region around Tecklenburg in northern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Bentheim-Tecklenburg emerged as a partition of the County of Bentheim in 1277, and was partitioned between itself and Bentheim-Lingen in 1450. Count Conrad converted his...  from 1557
Thorn Thorn, Netherlands Thorn is a town in the municipality of Maasgouw, in the Dutch province of Limburg. It lies on the rivers Meuse and Witbeek. It's known as 'the white village' for its white-washed brick houses in the centre of town.-History:...	Prince-Abbacy
Utrecht	Prince-Bishopric	later to Burgundian Circle Burgundian Circle The Burgundian Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy , the circle roughly covered the Low Countries, i.e...
Verden	Prince-Bishopric	Secularized as a principality held by the King of Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....  from 1648
Verden	Imperial City	status unclear
Virneburg Virneburg Virneburg 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...	County
Warburg Warburg Warburg is a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the river Diemel near the three-state point shared by Hessen, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is in Höxter district and Detmold region...	Imperial City
Werden Werden Abbey Werden Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Essen-Werden , situated on the Ruhr.- The foundation of the abbey :Near Essen Saint Ludger founded a monastery in 799 and became its first abbot. The little church which Saint Ludger built here in honor of Saint Stephen was completed in 804 and dedicated...	Prince-Abbacy
Wesel Wesel Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...	Imperial City	status unclear
Wickrath Lordship of Wickrath The Lordship of Wickrath was a Lordship of the Holy Roman Empire located in western North Rhine-Westphalia around the castle of Wickrath. The Lordship was bordered by Jülich to the south, west and north, and the Archbishopric of Cologne to the east. Wickrath became an immediate Lordship in 1488...	County
Wied Wied Wied 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...	County
Winneburg	Lordship
Wittem Wittem Wittem is a small village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem.Wittem was a separate municipality until 1999, when it merged with Gulpen.-External links: Map of the former municipality, around 1868....	Lordship

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