Dernbacher Feud
Encyclopedia
The Dernbacher Feud was an over one hundred year long (ca. 1230 - 1333) ongoing dispute in present-day Germany
between the House of Nassau
, several knightly families, and the Landgrave of Hesse. The conflict erupted mainly over property rights in Herborn
and the surrounding area (the Herborner Mark).
The feud was named after the knightly House of Dernbach, a powerful Ganerbschaft (jointly-owned inheritance) with almost sovereign rights. The Dernbachers, along with the Lords of Bicken (the present-day administrative center of Mittenaar
), carried the primary burden of opposing Nassau’s quest for the territorial dominion of the area.
Barbarossa. As early as 1230, violent incidents between the local nobility and Nassau were reported. By the death of Count Henry (Heinrich) II, the Rich
in 1251, the feud was already in full swing.
The cause of the feud was the ambition of Nassau to curtail or take away the rights (including mining, hunting, and customs rights) and possessions (forests and ore mines in the Schelderwald) of the local aristocracy. The Landgraves of Thuringia and later of Hesse supported the local nobility. The leading figures of the lower nobility against Nassau were the Lords of Dernbach. Parallel with this conflict, Count Henry II was also fighting a vendetta against the Knight of Wilnsdorf
in the Siegerland
, who soon allied himself with the Dernbachers.
Not much is known about the fighting itself, but presumably it followed the usual pattern of feuds: essentially the looting and devastation of enemy possessions. At the beginning of the feud, according to tradition, Nassau destroyed a castle of the Dernbachers near Herborn, in the territory of the present-day borough of Seelbach, and the small Hessian castle of Lixfeld. However, historians cannot substantiate this allegation. In connection with the feud, Nassau constructed their first castle near Dillenburg
and the Herborn Castle.
When the Countship of Nassau was divided in 1255 under Henry II’s sons Walram II
and Otto I
, the Dernbacher Feud had its first mention in the corresponding document. There are reports that sporadic fighting continued during the reign of Henry III of Nassau-Siegen (1270–1343). It must have been during this time that the Dernbachers received support from neighboring Lords of Bicken, who came to Hainchen.
By around 1250 the Landgraves of Hesse, who in regard to the Herborner Mark were the feudal lords of the Counts of Nassau, had also become involved in the feud. This was possibly in connection with the Thüringia-Hesse War of Succession. Landgrave Henry I built a castle at Eisemroth (the present-day administrative center of Siegbach
) in 1307-1308 for protection against Nassau. On November 9, 1309, the Dernbachers sold their home castle, the small Wasserburg Alt-Dernbach, to the new Landgrave Otto I and received it back as a fiefdom. This was presumably because its finances were heavily affected by the feud.
Otto undertook to further expand the castle, to bring the city under its protection to prevent it from falling into the hands of Nassau. Apparently, this allowed the Dernbachs to strongly assert themselves against Nassau again.
On June 26, 1312, Landgraf Otto I concluded an agreement with several members of the House of Nassau. It committed both sides in the future to no longer build castles against each other, and the Nassaus conceded that they could not restrict the rights are the Lords of Dernbach and Wilnsdorf. Afterward the feud seems to have cooled somewhat, because by 1325 Nassau had bought some of the possessions of the Dernbachers, Bickeners, and the Bickeners of Hainchen, which brought them a stable power base, particularly in the court of Ebersbach (present-day Ewersbach in Dietzhölztal
).
In 1325, the feud erupted anew with great hardship. In this time, among other things, the wooden castle of Nassau at Dillenburg was burnt down. Presumably in the same year Henry III of Nassau-Siegen destroyed the Castle (Alt-) Dernbach, the headquarters of the Dernbachers. The Castle Wallenfels, built by the Landgrave in 1320, was apparently surrendered in battle and came securely into Nassau’s possession (though later it had to be held “open” to the Landgrave). The Landgrave thus lost important bases in the disputed territory and so in 1326 built the new Hessenwald Castle, near the present site of Roth at the Heligenberg, strategically advantageously located on the remaining possessions of the Lords of Bicken, and likewise protecting the Breidenbacher area.
One of the major battles, lost by Hesse, took place in 1327 in Seibertshausen (a village later abandoned and eventually incorporated into Weidenhausen of Gladenbach
). However, Landgrave Henry II of Hesse
later won the battle on August 10, 1328 at Wetzlar
, in which Count John of Nassau-Dillenburg (son of Otto I) was killed.
and 13 courts in smaller villages. In 1334 Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg was finally given Wallenfels Castle by Landgrave Henry II. On July 30, a contract was once more concluded between Nassau and the Dernbachers, in which questions about the rights from the first peace treaty were clarified.
On May 21, 1336 an agreement was also concluded between the Lords of Bicken and Nassau, in which they sold Hainchen Castle (with the bulk of the property belonging to it) to the Count, but received rights to reign around Ebersbach.
In 1350, the Lords of Dernbach, with the help of the Lords of Bicken in Hainchen and with the support of the Landgrave, built the castle of New Dernbach in the Hessian territory of Blankenstein (Gladenbach
). After the end of the feuds, the boundaries between Hessen and Nassau in the area were set, which remain still today as district boundaries.
On April 21, 1486, a Heidenrich of Dernbach sold his remaining serfs in the Nassau area to the local count for a low price. With this, the Lordship of Dernbach was finally transferred to Nassau.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
between the House 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...
, several knightly families, and the Landgrave of Hesse. The conflict erupted mainly over property rights in Herborn
Herborn
Herborn is a historic town on the Dill in the Lahn-Dill district of Hesse in Germany. Before World War I, it was granted its own title as Nassauisches Rothenburg. The symbol or mascot of this town is a bear. Scenic attractions include its half-timbered houses; Herborn is located on the German...
and the surrounding area (the Herborner Mark).
The feud was named after the knightly House of Dernbach, a powerful Ganerbschaft (jointly-owned inheritance) with almost sovereign rights. The Dernbachers, along with the Lords of Bicken (the present-day administrative center of Mittenaar
Mittenaar
-Municipal area's extent:On Mittenaar's 3 518 ha live more than 5,000 people. About 45 km of roads connect the various centres. More than half the municipal area is wooded.-Neighbouring communities:...
), carried the primary burden of opposing Nassau’s quest for the territorial dominion of the area.
Beginning of the feud
In the middle of the 12th century, the emerging House of Nassau greatly expanded its possessions. In 1231, it received the sovereignty over the Herborner Mark as a sub-fief from the Landgrave of Thuringia, who had be awarded it by Emperor Frederick IFrederick 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...
Barbarossa. As early as 1230, violent incidents between the local nobility and Nassau were reported. By the death of Count Henry (Heinrich) II, the Rich
Henry II of Nassau
Henry II the Rich was Count of Nassau between 1198 and 1247. Among his descendants are the present-day rulers of both Luxembourg and the Netherlands.-Biography:...
in 1251, the feud was already in full swing.
The cause of the feud was the ambition of Nassau to curtail or take away the rights (including mining, hunting, and customs rights) and possessions (forests and ore mines in the Schelderwald) of the local aristocracy. The Landgraves of Thuringia and later of Hesse supported the local nobility. The leading figures of the lower nobility against Nassau were the Lords of Dernbach. Parallel with this conflict, Count Henry II was also fighting a vendetta against the Knight of Wilnsdorf
Wilnsdorf
Wilnsdorf is a municipality in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:The southern municipal limits, with the Kalteiche peak, part of the Rothaargebirge, form not only the community's highest point, at 579 m above sea level, but also the boundary...
in the Siegerland
Siegerland
The Siegerland is a region of Germany covering the old district of Siegen and the upper part of the district of Altenkirchen, belonging to the Rhineland-Palatinate adjoining it to the west.Geologically, the Siegerland belongs to the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge...
, who soon allied himself with the Dernbachers.
Not much is known about the fighting itself, but presumably it followed the usual pattern of feuds: essentially the looting and devastation of enemy possessions. At the beginning of the feud, according to tradition, Nassau destroyed a castle of the Dernbachers near Herborn, in the territory of the present-day borough of Seelbach, and the small Hessian castle of Lixfeld. However, historians cannot substantiate this allegation. In connection with the feud, Nassau constructed their first castle near 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....
and the Herborn Castle.
When the Countship of Nassau was divided in 1255 under Henry II’s sons Walram II
Walram II of Nassau
-Biography:Walram was the elder son of Count Henry II of Nassau and Matilda of Guelders. He was chief cavalry officer in the service of Emperor Rudolf I.In about 1247, Henry II abdicated, passing the reign to Walram's younger brother, Otto...
and Otto I
Otto I of Nassau
Otto I of Nassau , Count of Nassau was the younger son of Count Henry II of Nassau and Matilda of Geldern. Otto I became the count of Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Herborn and Beilstein after many years of quarrel with his brother Count Walram II. In the division of 17 December 1255 he received...
, the Dernbacher Feud had its first mention in the corresponding document. There are reports that sporadic fighting continued during the reign of Henry III of Nassau-Siegen (1270–1343). It must have been during this time that the Dernbachers received support from neighboring Lords of Bicken, who came to Hainchen.
By around 1250 the Landgraves of Hesse, who in regard to the Herborner Mark were the feudal lords of the Counts of Nassau, had also become involved in the feud. This was possibly in connection with the Thüringia-Hesse War of Succession. Landgrave Henry I built a castle at Eisemroth (the present-day administrative center of Siegbach
Siegbach
- Location :The community of Siegbach lies in the Lahn-Dill Highland in the valley of its namesake brook, the Siegbach, which empties into the Aar to the south at Bischoffen.More than half of the municipal area is wooded.- Neighbouring communities :...
) in 1307-1308 for protection against Nassau. On November 9, 1309, the Dernbachers sold their home castle, the small Wasserburg Alt-Dernbach, to the new Landgrave Otto I and received it back as a fiefdom. This was presumably because its finances were heavily affected by the feud.
Otto undertook to further expand the castle, to bring the city under its protection to prevent it from falling into the hands of Nassau. Apparently, this allowed the Dernbachs to strongly assert themselves against Nassau again.
On June 26, 1312, Landgraf Otto I concluded an agreement with several members of the House of Nassau. It committed both sides in the future to no longer build castles against each other, and the Nassaus conceded that they could not restrict the rights are the Lords of Dernbach and Wilnsdorf. Afterward the feud seems to have cooled somewhat, because by 1325 Nassau had bought some of the possessions of the Dernbachers, Bickeners, and the Bickeners of Hainchen, which brought them a stable power base, particularly in the court of Ebersbach (present-day Ewersbach in Dietzhölztal
Dietzhölztal
The community of Dietzhölztal is the northernmost municipality in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany.-Geography:The community is located in a valley of the same name, only a few kilometres east of the border with North Rhine-Westphalia....
).
In 1325, the feud erupted anew with great hardship. In this time, among other things, the wooden castle of Nassau at Dillenburg was burnt down. Presumably in the same year Henry III of Nassau-Siegen destroyed the Castle (Alt-) Dernbach, the headquarters of the Dernbachers. The Castle Wallenfels, built by the Landgrave in 1320, was apparently surrendered in battle and came securely into Nassau’s possession (though later it had to be held “open” to the Landgrave). The Landgrave thus lost important bases in the disputed territory and so in 1326 built the new Hessenwald Castle, near the present site of Roth at the Heligenberg, strategically advantageously located on the remaining possessions of the Lords of Bicken, and likewise protecting the Breidenbacher area.
One of the major battles, lost by Hesse, took place in 1327 in Seibertshausen (a village later abandoned and eventually incorporated into Weidenhausen of Gladenbach
Gladenbach
-Location:The town of Gladenbach lies on the eastern edge of the Westerwald in the Hessian Highland . This part of the Lahn-Dill Highland is often also called the Gladenbach Uplands...
). However, Landgrave Henry II of Hesse
Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse
Henry II of Hesse called "the Iron" was Landgrave of Hesse from 1328 - 1376.Henry was the son of Otto I, Landgrave of Hesse and Adelheid of Ravensburg...
later won the battle on August 10, 1328 at Wetzlar
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, in which Count John of Nassau-Dillenburg (son of Otto I) was killed.
End of the Feud
With the loss of Dernbach Castle, the feud was lost for the knightly house based there. On May 21, 1333 it concluded a contract with Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg, in which it sold all of rights in the Herborn and the Herborner Mark and many other rights in smaller settlements. The Dernbachers retained only the religious patronage rightsIus patronatus
Jus patronatus, also spelt ius patronatus, imitating classical Latin orthography, is the term in Roman Catholic canon law for the "right of patronage"....
and 13 courts in smaller villages. In 1334 Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg was finally given Wallenfels Castle by Landgrave Henry II. On July 30, a contract was once more concluded between Nassau and the Dernbachers, in which questions about the rights from the first peace treaty were clarified.
On May 21, 1336 an agreement was also concluded between the Lords of Bicken and Nassau, in which they sold Hainchen Castle (with the bulk of the property belonging to it) to the Count, but received rights to reign around Ebersbach.
In 1350, the Lords of Dernbach, with the help of the Lords of Bicken in Hainchen and with the support of the Landgrave, built the castle of New Dernbach in the Hessian territory of Blankenstein (Gladenbach
Gladenbach
-Location:The town of Gladenbach lies on the eastern edge of the Westerwald in the Hessian Highland . This part of the Lahn-Dill Highland is often also called the Gladenbach Uplands...
). After the end of the feuds, the boundaries between Hessen and Nassau in the area were set, which remain still today as district boundaries.
On April 21, 1486, a Heidenrich of Dernbach sold his remaining serfs in the Nassau area to the local count for a low price. With this, the Lordship of Dernbach was finally transferred to Nassau.
External links
- History of the Dernbacher Feud, Heritage Club of Diethölztal.