Lordship of Myllendonk
Encyclopedia
The Lordship of Myllendonk (sometimes spelled "Millendonk") 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 Grevenbroich
and the Castle of Myllendonk. From 1700 Myllendonk was an Imperial Estate with a vote in the Bench of Counts of Westphalia
.
The Lords of Myllendonk are first mentioned in 1166 as belonging to one of the most important lines in the Lower Rhine
. The Dukes of Guelders
gained overlordship of the territory in 1268, and overlordship passed to the Archbishopric of Cologne in 1279. The line was annexed to the Pesch Myllendonk family in 1263, and in c. 1350 passed to the House of Mirlaer which renamed itself to Myllendonk-Mirlaer. Myllendonk was eventually inherited by the Counts of Bronchhorst, the Dukes of Croÿ
in 1682, the Countess of Berlepsch in 1694, and through the female inheritance to the Counts of Ostein in 1700. Myllendonk was also raised to the Bench of Counts of Westphalia
in 1700 as an immediate Imperial Estate.
The Counts of Ostein ruled Myllendonk until 1794 when the French
conquered the German
territory on the western side of the Rhine River. The Counts of Ostein were compensated with the secularised Abbacy of Buchau in 1803. Myllendonk itself remained French until the Congress of Vienna
awarded the territory to Prussia
in 1814. The following year the Lorsdhip was abolished at the territory was annexed into the newly created Province of Rhineland.
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...
, located in western North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, Germany
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...
. It was bordered by the Duchy of 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 the west and north, the Lordship of Dyck to the south, and the Archbishopric of Cologne
Archbishopric of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire and existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the temporal possessions of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne . It was ruled by the Archbishop in his function as prince-elector of...
to the east and southeast. The lordship contained Grevenbroich
Grevenbroich
Grevenbroich is a town in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Erft, approximately 15 km southwest of Neuss and 15 km southeast of Mönchengladbach.-City districts:...
and the Castle of Myllendonk. From 1700 Myllendonk was an Imperial Estate with a vote in the Bench of Counts of Westphalia
Bench of Counts of Westphalia
The Bench of Counts of Westphalia was one of the four comital benches of the Reichstag in the Holy Roman Empire. Collectively, the Counts exercised one vote...
.
The Lords of Myllendonk are first mentioned in 1166 as belonging to one of the most important lines in the Lower Rhine
Lower Rhine
The Lower Rhine flows from Bonn, Germany, to the North Sea at Hoek van Holland, Netherlands.Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands, the Rhine splits into many branches. The main branch is called the Waal which flows from Nijmegen to meet the river Meuse; after which it is called Merwede...
. The Dukes of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
gained overlordship of the territory in 1268, and overlordship passed to the Archbishopric of Cologne in 1279. The line was annexed to the Pesch Myllendonk family in 1263, and in c. 1350 passed to the House of Mirlaer which renamed itself to Myllendonk-Mirlaer. Myllendonk was eventually inherited by the Counts of Bronchhorst, the Dukes of Croÿ
Croy
Croy may refer to:*Croy, Switzerland, a municipality in the canton of Vaud*One of several communities in Scotland, including:**Croy, Highland**Croy, North Lanarkshire*The House of Croÿ, an ancient and wealthy family originating in Belgium...
in 1682, the Countess of Berlepsch in 1694, and through the female inheritance to the Counts of Ostein in 1700. Myllendonk was also raised to the Bench of Counts of Westphalia
Bench of Counts of Westphalia
The Bench of Counts of Westphalia was one of the four comital benches of the Reichstag in the Holy Roman Empire. Collectively, the Counts exercised one vote...
in 1700 as an immediate Imperial Estate.
The Counts of Ostein ruled Myllendonk until 1794 when the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
conquered the German
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...
territory on the western side of the Rhine River. The Counts of Ostein were compensated with the secularised Abbacy of Buchau in 1803. Myllendonk itself remained French until the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
awarded the territory to Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
in 1814. The following year the Lorsdhip was abolished at the territory was annexed into the newly created Province of Rhineland.