Margraviate of Baden: Difference between revisions

|image_coat conventional_long_name = Coat of armsMargraviate of Baden.svg

|image_map common_name = Baden-1803-1819.png

|today image_coat = Arms of the =house of {{DEU}}Baden.svg

|country today = [[Germany]]

| status = VassalMargraviate

| empire = Holy Roman Empire

| government_type = Feudal monarchy|

|event_pre date_pre =

|p1 s1 = DuchyElectorate of SwabiaBaden

|image_s1 title_leader = [[File:Coat of arms of Baden.svg|25px|alt=|link=Electorate [[Margrave of Baden]]

|title_leader leader2 = [[Frederick I, Margrave of Baden|Frederick I]]

|leader2 leader4 = [[FrederickChristopher I, Margrave of Baden-Baden|FrederickChristopher I]]

The '''Margraviate of Baden''' ({{lang-de|Markgrafschaft Baden}}) was a historical territory of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Spread along the eastright sidebanks of the [[Upper Rhine]] River in southwesternsouth-western [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]], it was named a [[margrave|margraviate]] in 1112 and existed until 18031535, when it was raisedsplit into the two margraviates of [[Baden-Durlach]] and [[Margraviate of Baden-Baden|Baden-Baden]]. The two parts were reunited in 1771 under Margrave [[Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden|Charles Frederick]], even if the three parts of the state maintained their distinct seats to anthe [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Reichstag]].<ref>Votes number 58 Baden, 60 Durlach, 62 Höchberg.</ref> The restored Margraviate of Baden was elevated to the status of [[Prince-elector|electorate]] in 1803. In 1806, the [[Electorate of Baden]], receiving territorial additions, became the [[Grand Duchy of Baden]]. The [[List of rulers of Baden|rulers of Baden]], belongedknown toas the [[House of Baden]], were a cadet line of the [[Duchy of Swabia|Swabian]] [[House of Zähringen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.friesian.com/deutsch.htm#baden |title=Germany, the German Confederation |publisher=Friesian.com |date= |accessdate=2012-10-19}}</ref>

During the 11th century, the Duchy of Swabia lacked a powerful central authority and was under the control of various comital dynasties, the strongest of them being the [[House of Hohenstaufen]], the [[House of Welf]], the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburgs]] and the House of Zähringen. Emperor [[Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry III]] had promised the ducal throne to the Zähringen scion [[Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia|Berthold]], however, upon Henry's death in 1056 his widow [[Agnes of Poitou]] appointed [[Rudolf of Rheinfelden]] Duke of Swabia. Berthold renounced his rights and was compensated with the [[Duchy of Carinthia]] and the [[March of Verona]] in [[Kingdom of Italy (medieval)|Italy]]. Not able to establish himself, he finally lost both territories, when he was deposed by King [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV of Germany]] during the [[Investiture Controversy]] in 1077. Berthold retired to his Swabian home territory, where he died the next year. The Veronese margravial title was nevertheless retained by his eldest son [[Herman I, Margrave of Baden|Herman I]]

[[Herman II, Margrave of Baden|Herman II]], son of Herman I and grandson of Berthold II, had concluded an agreement with the rivalling Hohenstaufen dynasty, and about 1098 was enfeoffed with [[Imperial immediacy|immediate]] territory by Emperor Henry IV. Like his father, Herman II insisted on his margravial title. He chose to establish his residence in Germany, as he had been born and raised there. His lordship of choice was [[Baden-Baden|Baden]] (present-day Baden-Baden), where his father had gained the right to rule by marrying the heiress, Judit von Backnang-Sulichgau, Countess of [[County of Eberstein|Eberstein]]-[[Calw]]. In Baden, Herman II had [[Hohenbaden Castle]] built. Construction began about 1100, and when completed in 1112, he marked the occasion by adopting the title of a Margrave of Baden.

Because Baden was the capital, the new Margraviatemargraviate was also known as Baden. Herman II would continue to be Margravemargrave until his death in 1130. His son and grandson, Hermann III (reigned 1130-11601130–1160) and Herman IV (reigned 1160-11901160–1190), added to their territories. Around 1200, these lands were divided for the first time. Two lines, [[Baden-Baden]] and [[Baden-HachbergHochberg]], were founded. The latter was divided about a hundred years later to create the third line – [[Baden-Sausenberg]].

In the 12th and 13th centuries Baden was a loyal and steadfast supporter of the [[House of Hohenstaufen]], even against its own relatives from Zähringen-Swabia. In return for its services, it was permitted to spread its rule throughout southwestern Germany, west across the Rhine Riverriver into [[Alsace]], east to the edges of the [[Black Forest]], north to the [[Murg (Northern Black Forest)|Murg River]] river and south to the [[Breisgau]]. The fourth Margravemargrave of Baden-Baden, [[Herman V, Margrave of Baden-Baden]] (reigned 1190-12431190–1243), founded the cities of [[Backnang]], [[Durlach]], [[Stuttgart]], [[Ettlingen]], and [[Pforzheim]] and several monasteries, including the [[Lichtenthal Abbey]], which became the burial place of his descendants. In 1219 he moved his seat of power to Pforzheim. He had to abandon his claims to [[House of Zähringen|Zähringen]] and [[Braunschweig]], but he gained the title of ''Graf'' [Count] von [[Ortenau]] and Breisgau, named for the two valleys in southern Baden. His son and grandson, [[Herman VI, Margrave of Baden]] (reigned 1243-12501243–1250) and [[Frederick I, Margrave of Baden]] (reigned 1250-12681250–1268), claimed the ducal titles of Dukes[[Duchy of [[Austria|Austria]] and [[Duchy of Styria|Styria]]. The Austrians rejected them as they did not want to be ruled by outsiders.

Margrave [[Bernard I, Margrave of Baden-Baden]] (reigned 1391-14311391–1431) united all of the acquisitions in 1391. A soldier of some renown, Bernard continued the mission of his predecessors, and gained several more districts, including Baden-Pforzheim and Baden-Hochberg. Since 1291, Baden-Pforzheim had its own Margraviatemargraviate, but in 1361 it ran out of heirs, falling back to the House of Baden-Baden. Baden-Hochberg fared little better. Founded in 1190, it lasted until 1418, when it too died with no male heirs. Bernard, being the closest heir, claimed Baden-Hochberg. Baden-Sausenberg, continued its own Margraviatemargraviate until 1503, when the lack of its own heirs sent it back to the House of Baden-Baden.

The consolidation of the Margraviatemargraviate came in 1442. In that year, one-half of the dominions of [[Lahr]] and [[Mahlberg]] was brought into the fold, creating the link between the two main areas, the Breisgau in the south and Baden-Baden in the north. Throughout the [[Late Middle Ages]], Baden grew its administration, finances and armies until it became one of the biggest and strongest states of the Holy Roman Empire in southwestern Germany, especially after it gained the [[Habsburg]] possessions in the rest of the Ortenau and the Breisgau.

In 1462 the dispute over the election of the new Archbishop of Mainz sent [[Charles I, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Charles I]] (reigned 1453-14751453–1475) to fight the war against [[Frederick I, Elector Palatine|Frederick I, the Count Palatine of the Rhine]]. Known as the “Mainz"Mainz Archbishops’Archbishops' Feud",” it was brief, lasting only a few months, but the effects were ruinous for the loser – Charles. He had to surrender several of his territories to the [[Electoral Palatinate]] and its allies. These territories were recovered by his son and successor, [[Christoph I, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Christoph I]] (reigned 1475-15151475–1515). He tried to keep them united under one of his sons, [[Philip I, Margrave of Baden|Philip]], but his efforts were foiled by the Kingking of France, [[Louis XII of France|Louis XII]]. In 1479, the seat of the Margraviate of Baden was moved from Hohenbaden Castle to New Castle (''Neues Schloss'') of Baden-Baden, built by Christoph I. In 1503, the Baden-Sausenberg died without male heirs and all the Badener lands were united by Christoph himself. Before his death, Christoph divided the Margraviatemargraviate between his three sons. Philip succeeded him in 1515 but died childless in 1533, and his share went to his brothers, [[Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Bernard]] and [[Ernest, Margrave of Baden-Durlach|Ernest]]. In 1535, they made a fresh division of their inheritance. It would be the first of several partitions, establishing the two main lines of the House of Baden – Baden-Baden and Baden-Durlach (Baden-Pforzheim until 1565) – which would last until 1771. However, the relations between the two lines were not peaceful, and the constant fragmentationpartitioning did not help.

During the Reformation, several branches, led by Baden-Baden, remained on the side of the [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], the others joining with Baden-Durlach on the Protestant side. The [[Thirty Years' War]] made matters worse for all the branches. Many of them were exiled to other countries. Baden suffered severely during the war. The 1648 [[Treaty of Westphalia]] restored the branches and their churches to their own lands. Gradually the rivalry subsided. During the wars of [[Louis XIV]], the "Sun King" of France, the two Margraviatesmargraviates were ravaged by the French troops. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by the Margrave of Baden-Baden, "Turkish [[Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Louis" William]] (reigned 1677-17071677–1707) fought against France.

In 1771, [[Augustus George, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Augustus George]] became the last Margrave of Baden-Baden when he died without sons. All his territories passed to his 6th cousin twice removed and nearest heir – the Margrave of Baden-Durlach, [[Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden|Charles Frederick]] (reigned 1738-18111738–1811). For the third and last time, all the Badener lands became united under a single ruler.

Neues Schloss Baden-Baden IMGP1164.JPG|The [[New Castle (Baden-Baden)|New Castle of Baden-Baden]]

Schloss-Karlsruhe asv2022-pp110 img07 Schloss Karlsruhe.jpg|[[Karlsruhe Palace]], from 1718 residence of the Margraves of Baden-Durlach, from 1806 of the [[Grand Duchy of Baden]]

* {{EB1911 |wstitle=Baden, Grand Duchy of |volume=3 |pages=184–188}}

[[Category:History of Baden|Margraviate of Baden]]

[[Category:StatesMarches of the Holy Roman Empire]]

[[Category:1110s establishments in Germanythe Holy Roman Empire]]

[[Category:18031112 disestablishmentsestablishments in GermanyEurope]]