Groswin
Encyclopedia
Groswin was the name-giving seat of one of the castellanies
of the Duchy of Pomerania
in the High Middle Ages
. It was located in Western Pomerania near modern Anklam
.
The castellany is thought to have comprised the area between the rivers Peene
and Zarow
, and the villages Rehberg, Japenzin
, Iven
, Crien, Wegezin, Thurow, Blesewitz
and Görke
. The exact location of the Groswin burgh
, which was destroyed in the late 12th century, is uncertain, it may have been near Stolpe
-Neuhof, Grüttow, Görke
or Müggenburg. At Groswin, defense structures within the Peene
river allowed the locals to block the river for ships.
Documents mention Groswin also in the spelling variants Grossvin, Groswim, Grozwin, Grozswin, Groswyn, Grosum (Knytlinga saga
), Grotzuina (Saxo Grammaticus
), Brotwin (946), Groswine (1136), Grozioni, Grozswine, and Grozswina.
Groswin took over the position of nearby Altes Lager Menzlin
as a trade center after its decline in the 9th century. The tribal affiliation of the inhabitants, though associated with the greater tribe of the Veleti
, is uncertain - while the Ukrani
are reported to have dwelled south of the Zarow
and the Rani
north of the Ryck
river, the name of the medieval inhabitants of the area between these rivers is not reported. The lands of Groswin became a castellany
of the Duchy of Pomerania
during the westward expansion of Wartislaw I
in the 1120s, and became part of the Bishopric of Cammin in 1140. In 1153, Stolpe Abbey
was founded in the Groswin castellany as the first Pomeranian monastery. A market at the Groswin burgh is documented in 1159. In 1185, a Danish
expedition led by Canut VI
destroyed the burgh and devastated the castellany. Though the name Groswin stayed in use to refer to the area, the position of the former burgh as the areas center was taken over by nearby Anklam
.
Castellany
A castellany was a district administered by a castellan.Castellanies appeared during the Middle Ages and in most current states are now replaced by a more modern type of country subdivision....
of the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
in the High Middle Ages
Pomerania during the High Middle Ages
Pomerania during the High Middle Ages covers the History of Pomerania in the 12th and 13th centuries.The early 12th century Obodrite, Polish, Saxon, and Danish conquests resulted in vassalage and Christianization of the formerly pagan and independent Pomeranian tribes...
. It was located in Western Pomerania near modern Anklam
Anklam
Anklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...
.
The castellany is thought to have comprised the area between the rivers Peene
Peene
The Peene is a river in Germany. The Westpeene, Kleine Peene and Ostpeene flow into the Kummerower See, and from there as Peene proper to Anklam and into the Oder Lagoon....
and Zarow
Zarow
The Zarow is a river in Western Pomerania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The ditches of the Friedländer Große Wiese dispatch to two main ditches, merging at Ferdinandshof, from where the river is called Zarow...
, and the villages Rehberg, Japenzin
Japenzin
Japenzin is a village and a former municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Since 7 June 2009, it is part of the municipality Spantekow....
, Iven
Iven
Iven is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-Notable residents:*Georg Detlev von Flemming , Saxon-Polish general...
, Crien, Wegezin, Thurow, Blesewitz
Blesewitz
Blesewitz is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
and Görke
Postlow
Postlow is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
. The exact location of the Groswin burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
, which was destroyed in the late 12th century, is uncertain, it may have been near Stolpe
Stolpe
-People:*Gustav Stolpe, Swedish composer*Sven Stolpe, Swedish writer*Manfred Stolpe, Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Housing of the Federal Republic of Germany-Geography:...
-Neuhof, Grüttow, Görke
Postlow
Postlow is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
or Müggenburg. At Groswin, defense structures within the Peene
Peene
The Peene is a river in Germany. The Westpeene, Kleine Peene and Ostpeene flow into the Kummerower See, and from there as Peene proper to Anklam and into the Oder Lagoon....
river allowed the locals to block the river for ships.
Documents mention Groswin also in the spelling variants Grossvin, Groswim, Grozwin, Grozswin, Groswyn, Grosum (Knytlinga saga
Knýtlinga saga
Knýtlinga saga is an Icelandic kings' saga written in the 1250s, which deals with the kings who ruled Denmark since the early 10th century....
), Grotzuina (Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
), Brotwin (946), Groswine (1136), Grozioni, Grozswine, and Grozswina.
Groswin took over the position of nearby Altes Lager Menzlin
Altes Lager Menzlin
Altes Lager is a site 1,5 km south of the Menzlin village near Anklam, Western Pomerania, Germany. The site at the banks of the river Peene was an important Viking trade post during the Middle Ages...
as a trade center after its decline in the 9th century. The tribal affiliation of the inhabitants, though associated with the greater tribe of the Veleti
Veleti
The Veleti or Wilzi were a group of medieval Lechites tribes within the territory of modern northeastern Germany; see Polabian Slavs. In common with other Slavic groups between the Elbe and Oder Rivers, they were often described by Germanic sources as Wends. In the late 10th century, they were...
, is uncertain - while the Ukrani
Ukrani
thumb|250px|right|Burgwallinsel, a former Ukrani [[burgh]] on an isle in Lake [[Oberuckersee]]The Ukrani were a West Slavic Polabian tribe in the Uckermark from the 6th–12th centuries. Their settlement area was centered around the lakes Oberuckersee and Unteruckersee at the spring of the...
are reported to have dwelled south of the Zarow
Zarow
The Zarow is a river in Western Pomerania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The ditches of the Friedländer Große Wiese dispatch to two main ditches, merging at Ferdinandshof, from where the river is called Zarow...
and the Rani
Rani (Slavic tribe)
The Rani or Rujani were a West Slavic tribe based on the island of Rugia and the southwestern mainland across the Strelasund in what is today northeastern Germany....
north of the Ryck
Ryck
The Ryck is a river in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.From its source near Bartmannshagen, part of the Süderholz community northeast of Grimmen, the Ryck flows for about 28 km to the east, reaching Greifswald shortly before its mouth. The larger part of the river outside Greifswald is also...
river, the name of the medieval inhabitants of the area between these rivers is not reported. The lands of Groswin became a castellany
Castellany
A castellany was a district administered by a castellan.Castellanies appeared during the Middle Ages and in most current states are now replaced by a more modern type of country subdivision....
of the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
during the westward expansion of Wartislaw I
Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania
Wartislaw I was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty....
in the 1120s, and became part of the Bishopric of Cammin in 1140. In 1153, Stolpe Abbey
Stolpe Abbey
Stolpe Abbey was the first monastery in Pomerania. It was located on the southern bank of the Peene River between Gützkow and Anklam near the village of Stolpe....
was founded in the Groswin castellany as the first Pomeranian monastery. A market at the Groswin burgh is documented in 1159. In 1185, a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
expedition led by Canut VI
Canute VI of Denmark
Canute VI was King of Denmark . Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I and Sophia of Polotsk.-Life:...
destroyed the burgh and devastated the castellany. Though the name Groswin stayed in use to refer to the area, the position of the former burgh as the areas center was taken over by nearby Anklam
Anklam
Anklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...
.
See also
- Pomerania during the Early Middle AgesPomerania during the Early Middle AgesThe southward movement of Germanic tribes during the migration period had left Pomerania largely depopulated by the 7th century. Between 650 and 850 AD, West Slavic tribes settled in Pomerania. The tribes between the Oder and the Vistula were collectively known as Pomeranians, and those west of the...
- Pomerania during the High Middle AgesPomerania during the High Middle AgesPomerania during the High Middle Ages covers the History of Pomerania in the 12th and 13th centuries.The early 12th century Obodrite, Polish, Saxon, and Danish conquests resulted in vassalage and Christianization of the formerly pagan and independent Pomeranian tribes...
- Altes Lager MenzlinAltes Lager MenzlinAltes Lager is a site 1,5 km south of the Menzlin village near Anklam, Western Pomerania, Germany. The site at the banks of the river Peene was an important Viking trade post during the Middle Ages...
- AnklamAnklamAnklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...