William, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg
Encyclopedia
Margrave William of Hachberg-Sausenberg (born: 1406; died: 15 August 1482) was the son of Margrave Rudolf III of Hachberg-Sausenberg and the Anne of Freiburg-Neuchâtel. He ruled from 1428 to 1441, and abdicated on 21 June 1441 in favor of his infant sons, Rudolf IV
and Hugo. As they ware still infants, his cousin Count John of Freiburg-Neuchâtel took over the government as regent.
without their consent. Nevertheless, his lifestyle led to a divorce in 1436. They had at least three children: two sons, Rudolf IV
and Hugo, who succeeded him, and a daughter, Ursula, who became the second wife of Count James Truchseß of Waldburg.
As William was constantly in debt and the pressure of his creditors increased, he found eventually that he could only keep his ancestral lands in the family by abdicating in favour of his sons.
, William dedicated himself to the expansion of Sausenburg Castle
.
, Kirchen
, Eimeldingen
, Holzen and Niedereggenen.
On 3 November 1437, Margrave William of Hachberg, in his capacity as bailiff, gave Cüne am Bühel rights to Waldshut, Guardian of the Abbess of Königsfelden Abbey, the third part of the grain tithe to Birkingen, the tithe to Eschbach and the wine tithe on Schönenbühel to Waldshut. He had boughts these rights from Albrecht Merler, who lived at Kadelburg. It is not known when he bought these rights.
in Dijon
. During the Council of Basel, he was called upon as mediator between Austria and Burgundy and later as mediator between Burgundy and France. In 1432, the Protector of the Concil, Duke William III
of Bavaria appointed William of Hachberg as acting head. In 1434, Duke Philip III
of Burgundy, appointed him as councillor and Chamberlain.
In 1437, the Duke of Austria appointed him governor of the Austrian possessions in the Sundgau
, Alsace
and Freiburg
. As governor of Further Austria
, he was involved in the war between Emperor Frederick III
and the Old Swiss Confederacy
. After the Swiss defeated the Austrians in the Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl
in 1443, the Emperor sent William to King Charles VII of France
to plea for help. France sent , the so-called Armagnac
s.
Rudolf IV, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg
Margrave Rudolf IV of Hachberg-Sausenberg was the son the Margrave William of Hachberg-Sausenberg and his wife Elisabeth of Montfort-Bregenz....
and Hugo. As they ware still infants, his cousin Count John of Freiburg-Neuchâtel took over the government as regent.
Marriage and issue
William married Elizabeth, daughter of the Count William VII of Montfort-Bregenz. His wife's relatives intervened because of his lavish lifestyle and he had to promise not to mortgage any assets from her dowryDowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
without their consent. Nevertheless, his lifestyle led to a divorce in 1436. They had at least three children: two sons, Rudolf IV
Rudolf IV, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg
Margrave Rudolf IV of Hachberg-Sausenberg was the son the Margrave William of Hachberg-Sausenberg and his wife Elisabeth of Montfort-Bregenz....
and Hugo, who succeeded him, and a daughter, Ursula, who became the second wife of Count James Truchseß of Waldburg.
As William was constantly in debt and the pressure of his creditors increased, he found eventually that he could only keep his ancestral lands in the family by abdicating in favour of his sons.
Construction activities
After his father had expanded Rötteln CastleRötteln Castle
Rötteln Castle , located above the Lörrach suburb of Haagen, lies in the extreme southwest corner of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden....
, William dedicated himself to the expansion of Sausenburg Castle
Sausenburg Castle
Sausenburg Castle is a German castle ruin at the foot of the Black Forest, just north of the city of Kandern in Baden-Württemberg, between the villages of Sitzenkirch and Malsburg-Marzell. The castle was originally the stronghold of the lords von Sausenburg...
.
Expansion of the country's sovereignty
He bought in 1432 the low justice in EfringenEfringen-Kirchen
Efringen-Kirchen is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Fortifications:During World War I fortifications were built at Istein, these were destroyed at the end of the war. In 1936 plans were drawn up to turn the location into the "Gibraltar of the West" with two...
, Kirchen
Efringen-Kirchen
Efringen-Kirchen is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Fortifications:During World War I fortifications were built at Istein, these were destroyed at the end of the war. In 1936 plans were drawn up to turn the location into the "Gibraltar of the West" with two...
, Eimeldingen
Eimeldingen
Eimeldingen is a town in the district of Lörrach, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
, Holzen and Niedereggenen.
On 3 November 1437, Margrave William of Hachberg, in his capacity as bailiff, gave Cüne am Bühel rights to Waldshut, Guardian of the Abbess of Königsfelden Abbey, the third part of the grain tithe to Birkingen, the tithe to Eschbach and the wine tithe on Schönenbühel to Waldshut. He had boughts these rights from Albrecht Merler, who lived at Kadelburg. It is not known when he bought these rights.
Diplomatic Services
Via his cousin John of Freiburg-Neuchatel, William gained access to the court of the Duke of BurgundyDuchy 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 Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
. During the Council of Basel, he was called upon as mediator between Austria and Burgundy and later as mediator between Burgundy and France. In 1432, the Protector of the Concil, Duke William III
William III, Duke of Bavaria
William III , was Duke of Bavaria-Munich , together and in concord with his older brother Ernest, Duke of Bavaria....
of Bavaria appointed William of Hachberg as acting head. In 1434, Duke Philip III
Philip III, Duke of Burgundy
Philip the Good KG , also Philip III, Duke of Burgundy was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty . During his reign Burgundy reached the height of its prosperity and prestige and became a leading center of the arts...
of Burgundy, appointed him as councillor and Chamberlain.
In 1437, the Duke of Austria appointed him governor of the Austrian possessions in the Sundgau
Sundgau
Sundgau is a geographical territory on the eastern edge of France that was once a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. The name Sundgau derives from Alemannic German, which means "South County" ....
, 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...
and Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
. As governor of Further Austria
Further Austria
Further Austria or Anterior Austria was the collective name for the old possessions of the House of Habsburg in the former Swabian stem duchy of south-western Germany, including territories in the Alsace region west of the Rhine and in Vorarlberg, after the focus of the Habsburgs had moved to the...
, he was involved in the war between Emperor Frederick III
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...
and the Old Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
. After the Swiss defeated the Austrians in the Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl
Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl
The Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl was a battle of the Old Zürich War that occurred on July 22, 1443, resulting in a defeat for Zürich.The battle took place outside the gates of Zürich, beyond the Sihl . The troops of Zürich, with Habsburg reinforcements, met the attacking confederates on the...
in 1443, the Emperor sent William to King Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
to plea for help. France sent , the so-called Armagnac
Armagnac (party)
The Armagnac party was prominent in French politics and warfare during the Hundred Years' War. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans was killed at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407...
s.