Swabian Circle
Encyclopedia
The Swabian Circle was an Imperial Circle
of the Holy Roman Empire
established in 1500 on the territory of the former German stem-duchy of Swabia
. However, it did not include the Habsburg home territories of Swabian Austria
, the member states of the Swiss Confederacy
nor the lands of the Alsace
region west of the Rhine, which belonged to the Upper Rhenish Circle
. The Swabian League
of 1488, a predecessor organization, disbanded in the course of the Protestant Reformation
later in the 16th century.
(replaced by the margrave of Baden
after the 1803 Reichsdeputationshauptschluss
) and the Duke of Württemberg
; meetings of the circle's diet were usually held at the Imperial city
of Ulm
. Though it was shattered into a multitude of mainly very small states, the circle had an effective government, which, in view of the eastward expansion of France
, from 1694 on even maintained its own army based at the Kehl
fortress.
As of 1792 the Swabian Circle consisted of 88 territories, of which only the Duchy of Württemberg, the Margraviate of Baden and the Bishopric of Augsburg were of any significance. The Reichsdeputationshauptschluss reduced the number to 41 and the 1806 Rheinbundakte
to seven (including the territories that had fallen to Bavaria
).
Wikipedia article Schwäbischer Reichskreis.
Imperial Circle
An Imperial Circle comprised a regional grouping of territories of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing a common defensive structure and of collecting the imperial taxes, but also as a means of organization within the Imperial Diet and the Imperial Chamber Court.Each...
of the Holy Roman Empire
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...
established in 1500 on the territory of the former German stem-duchy of Swabia
Duchy of Swabia
Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany.-History:...
. However, it did not include the Habsburg home territories of Swabian 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...
, the member states of the Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
nor the lands of the 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...
region west of the Rhine, which belonged to the Upper Rhenish Circle
Upper Rhenish Circle
The Upper Rhenish Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1500 on the territory of the former Duchy of Upper Lorraine and large parts of Rhenish Franconia including the Swabian Alsace region and the Burgundian duchy of Savoy....
. The Swabian League
Swabian League
The Swabian League was an association of Imperial States - cities, prelates, principalities and knights - principally in the territory of the Early medieval stem duchy of Swabia, established in 1488 at the behest of Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg and supported as well by Bertold von...
of 1488, a predecessor organization, disbanded in the course of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
later in the 16th century.
Administration
The directors of the Swabian Circle were the Bishop of ConstanceBishopric of Constance
The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from about 585 until 1821. Its seat was Konstanz at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany...
(replaced by the margrave of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
after the 1803 Reichsdeputationshauptschluss
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
) and the Duke of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
; meetings of the circle's diet were usually held at the Imperial city
Free Imperial City
In the Holy Roman Empire, a free imperial city was a city formally ruled by the emperor only — as opposed to the majority of cities in the Empire, which were governed by one of the many princes of the Empire, such as dukes or prince-bishops...
of Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
. Though it was shattered into a multitude of mainly very small states, the circle had an effective government, which, in view of the eastward expansion of France
Early Modern France
Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
, from 1694 on even maintained its own army based at the Kehl
Kehl
Kehl is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the river Rhine, directly opposite the French city of Strasbourg.-History:...
fortress.
As of 1792 the Swabian Circle consisted of 88 territories, of which only the Duchy of Württemberg, the Margraviate of Baden and the Bishopric of Augsburg were of any significance. The Reichsdeputationshauptschluss reduced the number to 41 and the 1806 Rheinbundakte
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
to seven (including the territories that had fallen to Bavaria
History of Bavaria
The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of...
).
Composition
The circle was made up of the following states:| Name | Type of entity | Comments |
|---|---|---|
 AalenAalen Aalen is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, about east of Stuttgart and north of Ulm. It is the seat of the Ostalbkreis district, and its largest city, as well as the largest city within the Ostwürttemberg region. In spatial planning, Aalen is designated a Mittelzentrum... |
Imperial City Imperial City -Places:* Imperial City, Beijing, the central section of Beijing* Imperial City , a walled fortress and palace in the former capital of Vietnam.* Free imperial city, city formally responsible only to the emperor in the Holy Roman Empire,.... |
Imperial immediacy (Reichsfreiheit) granted by Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor.... in 1360. |
| Augsburg Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg The Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg was one of the prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, which belonged to the Swabian Circle.-Early period:... |
Prince-Bishop Prince-Bishop A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office... ric |
Established in the 11th century, from the 15th century residence at Dillingen. |
| Augsburg Augsburg Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg Rudolph I of Germany Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties... in 1276. |
 AulendorfKönigsegg-Aulendorf Königsegg-Aulendorf was a county of southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The territories of Königsegg-Aulendorf by 1806 were four separate exclaves, centred around Königsegg in the west, Aulendorf in the east, and two smaller territories north and south of the Teutonic Knights' territory at... |
Lordship | Held by the Lords of Königsegg Königsegg Königsegg was a German statelet of southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Königsegg emerged in 1192 as a Lordship, and was raised to a Barony in 1470... from about 1350. |
| Baar Baar (region) The Baar is a plateau that lies 600 to 900 metres above sea level in southwest Germany. It is bordered by the southeastern edge of the Black Forest to the west, the southwestern part of the Swabian Alb known as the Heuberg to the east, and the Randen mountain to the south.The Baar contains the... |
Landgraviate | Territory around Rottweil Rottweil Rottweil is a town in the south west of Germany and is the oldest town in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.Located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb hills, Rottweil has about 25,000 inhabitants... , held by the Counts of Fürstenberg Fürstenberg (princely family) Fürstenberg is the name of a noble house in Germany, based primarily in southern Baden-Württemberg. The family derives its name from the fortified town of the line's founder, Count Heinrich von Fürstenberg, today part of Hüfingen... since 1238. |
 BadenBaden Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany.... |
Margraviate | Established in 1112, partitioned into Baden-Durlach and Baden-Baden from 1535 to 1771. |
| Baden-Baden Baden-Baden Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe... |
Margraviate | Subdivision of Baden from 1535, residence at Rastatt Rastatt Rastatt is a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000... from 1705, fell to Baden-Durlach in 1771. |
| Baden-Durlach Durlach Durlach is a borough of the German city of Karlsruhe with a population of roughly 30,000.-History:Durlach was bestowed by emperor Frederick II on the margrave Hermann V of Zähringen as an allodial possession, but afterwards came into the hands of Rudolph of Habsburg.It was chosen by the margrave... |
Margraviate | Subdivision of Baden from 1535, residence at Karlsruhe Karlsruhe The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states... from 1715. |
| Baden-Hachberg-Sausenberg 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... |
Margraviate | Markgräflerland Markgräflerland Markgräflerland is a region in the southwest of Germany, in the south of the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, located between the Breisgau in the north and the Black Forest in the east.-History and geography:... territory, inherited by Baden in 1503. |
| Baindt Baindt Abbey Baindt Abbey was a Cistercian nunnery in Baindt in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Cistercians:The abbey was founded in 1240 by Konrad of Winterstetten. It was granted imperial immediacy in 1376, although it was subordinate to Salem Abbey.The abbey was destroyed in 1525... |
Prince-Abbacy Prince-abbot A Prince-Abbot is a title for a cleric who is a Prince of the Church , in the sense of an ex officio temporal lord of a feudal entity, notably a State of the Holy Roman Empire. The secular territory ruled by the head of an abbey is known as Prince-Abbacy or Abbey-principality... |
Gained Reichsfreiheit in 1376. |
 Biberach an der RißBiberach an der Riß Biberach is a town in the south of Germany. It is the capital of Biberach district, in the Upper Swabia region of the German state of Baden-Württemberg... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1281. |
 BonndorfBonndorf Bonndorf is a town in the Waldshut district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the southern Black Forest, 14 km southeast of Titisee-Neustadt. It comprises the villages Boll, Brunnadern, Dillendorf, Ebnet, Gündelwangen, Holzschlag, Wellendingen and Wittlekofen. The town is... |
Lordship | Acquired by St. Blaise's Abbey in 1609 to gain Reichsfreiheit. |
 BopfingenBopfingen Bopfingen is a small city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the Ostalbkreis, between Aalen and Nördlingen. It consists of the city Bopfingen itself and its suburbs Aufhausen, Baldern, Flochberg, Kerkingen, Oberdorf, Schloßberg, Trochtelfingen, and Unterriffingen.Bopfingen is famous... |
Imperial City | Since 1241. |
| Buchau Buchau Abbey Buchau Abbey or the Imperial Abbey of Buchau was a nunnery, and later collegiate foundation, in the present town of Bad Buchau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 819 by Louis the Pious Louis the Pious Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813... . |
| Buchau Bad Buchau Bad Buchau is a small town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with about 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated near the Federsee, which is separated from the town by a wide reed belt.... |
Imperial City | Since the 13th century. |
 BuchhornFriedrichshafen This article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1275. |
 ConstanceBishopric of Constance The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from about 585 until 1821. Its seat was Konstanz at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany... |
Bishopric | Established about 585, Reichsfreiheit confirmed by Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick 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... in 1155, residence at Meersburg Meersburg Meersburg is a town of Baden-Württemberg in the southwest of Germany at Lake Constance.It is famous for its charming medieval city. The lower town and upper town are reserved for pedestrians only and connected by two stairways and a steep street .-History:The name of the town means "Burg on the... from 1526. |
| Dinkelsbühl Dinkelsbühl Dinkelsbühl is a historic city in Bavaria, Germany and a former Free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. Now it belongs to the district of Ansbach, north of Aalen.-History:... |
Imperial City | Since 1351. |
| Eberstein | County Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl... |
Line extinct in 1660, inherited by Württemberg Württemberg Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia.... . |
 EglingenHohenstein (Reutlingen) Hohenstein is a town in the district of Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.... |
Lordship | Held by Thurn und Taxis Thurn und Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :... from 1726. |
| Eglofs | Lordship | Held by the Counts of Abensberg Abensberg Abensberg is a town in the Lower Bavarian district of Kelheim, in Bavaria, Germany, lying around 30 km southwest of Regensburg, 40 km east of Ingolstadt, 50 northwest of Landshut and 100 km north of Munich... from 1661. |
| Elchingen Elchingen Abbey Elchingen Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Oberelchingen in Bavaria, Germany, in the diocese of Augsburg.- History :Dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul, the monastery was founded by the Counts of Dillingen... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 1120, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1485. |
 EllwangenEllwangen Abbey Ellwangen Abbey was the earliest Benedictine monastery established in the Duchy of Swabia, at the present-day town of Ellwangen an der Jagst, Baden-Württemberg about 100 km north-east of Stuttgart.-Imperial abbey:... |
Prince-Provost Prince-Provost Prince-Provost is a rare title for a monastic superior with the ecclesiastical style of provost who is a Prince of the Church in the sense that he also ranks as a secular 'prince' , notably a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire, holding a direct vote in the Reichstag assembly coequal to an actual... ry |
Established in 1460 as successor of Ellwangen Imperial Abbey Ellwangen Abbey Ellwangen Abbey was the earliest Benedictine monastery established in the Duchy of Swabia, at the present-day town of Ellwangen an der Jagst, Baden-Württemberg about 100 km north-east of Stuttgart.-Imperial abbey:... . |
 EßlingenEsslingen am Neckar Esslingen am Neckar is a city in the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, capital of the District of Esslingen as well as the largest city in the district.... |
Imperial City | Since 1229. |
| Fugger Fugger The Fugger family was a historically prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and venture capitalists like the Welser and the Höchstetter families. This banking family replaced the de'... |
Freiherr Freiherr The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname... en |
Acquired the former County of Kirchberg Illerkirchberg Illerkirchberg is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.... and Weißenhorn Weißenhorn Weißenhorn is a town in the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria. Weissenhorn lies about 22 km southeast of Ulm at the river "Roth".-History:... in 1507, ennobled by Maximilian I Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky... in 1511, hereditary Imperial counts from 1530. |
 FürstenbergFürstenberg (state) Fürstenberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:... |
County | Various territories, established from the bequest of Berthold V of Zähringen Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen Berchtold V of Zähringen was Duke of Zähringen until his death, succeeding his father Berchtold IV in 1186.- History and legacy :... in 1218, Fürstenberg-Baar Fürstenberg-Baar Fürstenberg-Baar was a County of medieval Germany, located in southern Baden-Württemberg in the historical territory of Baar. It was created as a partition of Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg in 1441. It inherited the County of Fürstenberg-Geisingen in 1483, and Fürstenberg-Wolfach in 1490... since 1441. |
| Fürstenberg-Blumberg |
County | Subdivision from 1559, again partitioned in 1614. |
| Fürstenberg-Messkirch |
County | Subdivision of Fürstenberg-Blumberg from 1614, raised to Principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince.... in 1716, inherited by Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg was the name applied to two historical states in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Both Counties were named after the state of Fürstenberg and the castle of the same name. The first County was created as a partition of the County of Fürstenberg in 1408... in 1744. |
| Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen was a County of mediæval Germany, located in the territorial Landgraviate of Stühlingen. It emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Blomberg in 1614... |
County | Subdivision of Fürstenberg-Blumberg from 1614, again partitoned between Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg and Fürstenberg-Weitra Fürstenberg-Weitra Fürstenberg-Weitra was a line of Counts of Fürstenberg of southwestern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, based in Bohemia in the Czech Republic. Fürstenberg-Weitra emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Stühlingen, and was partitioned between itself and Fürstenberg-Taikowitz in 1759... in 1704. |
| Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg was a County of southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located in the historical territory of Heiligenberg. It was created as a partition of Fürstenberg-Baar in 1559, and suffered one partition: between itself and Fürstenberg-Donaueichingen in 1617... |
County | Subdivision from 1559, raised to Principality in 1664, inherited by Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg in 1716. |
| Gengenbach Gengenbach Abbey Gengenbach Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Gengenbach in the district of Ortenau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:It was founded by Saint Pirmin sometime after his expulsion from Reichenau in 727 and settled by monks from Gorze Abbey. It enjoyed good relations with the Carolingian... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 730 by Saint Pirmin Saint Pirmin Saint Pirmin , also named Pirminius, was a monk, strongly influenced by Celtic Christianity and Saint Amand.-Biography:... , granted to Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg The Bishopric of Bamberg was established in 1007, to further expand the spread of Christianity in Germany. The ecclesiastical state was a member of the Holy Roman Empire from about 1245 until it was subsumed to the Electorate of Bavaria in 1802... by Henry II Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004... in 1007. |
 GengenbachGengenbach Gengenbach is a town in the district of Ortenau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany and a popular tourist destination on the western edge of the Black Forest with about 11,000 inhabitants.... |
Imperial City | Since 1360. |
 Giengen an der Brenz |
Imperial City | Since 1391. |
| Gundelfingen Gundelfingen Gundelfingen im Breisgau is a municipality directly north of the city Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.Gundelfingen is one of the larger municipalities in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district... |
Lordship | Acquired by Baden Baden Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany.... in 1507. |
| Gutenzell Gutenzell Abbey Gutenzell Abbey was a Cistercian nunnery in the municipality of Gutenzell-Hürbel in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The origins of the monastery are unknown... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1237, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Sigismund Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411... in 1437. |
| Hausen Hausen -Places in Switzerland:*Hausen am Albis, in the Canton of Zurich*Hausen bei Brugg, in the Canton of Aargau-Bavaria:*Hausen, Miltenberg, in the Miltenberg district*Hausen, Lower Bavaria, in the Kelheim district*Hausen, Upper Franconia, in the Forchheim district... |
Lordship | Territory around Hausen Castle near Beuron Beuron Beuron is a municipality in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Beuron is known for the Beuron Archabbey and the Beuron Art School for religious art.Beuron is divided into subdistricts :* Hausen im Donautal* Langenbrunn* Neidingen... , acquired by Fugger Fugger The Fugger family was a historically prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and venture capitalists like the Welser and the Höchstetter families. This banking family replaced the de'... in 1682, to Castell Castell (Germany) Castell was a county of northern Bavaria, Germany, ruling a string of territories in the historical region of Franconia, both east and west of Würzburg. Little is known about the noble Counts of Castell, although they were the counts of Kreis Gerolzhofen, Regierungsbezirk, and Unterfranken of Bavaria... in 1735. |
| Heggbach Heggbach Abbey Heggbach Abbey was a Cistercian nunnery in Heggbach, now part of the municipality of Maselheim in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.- History :... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1231, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1428. |
 HeilbronnHeilbronn Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state.... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Charles IV Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor.... in 1371. |
| Heiligenberg Heiligenberg Heiligenberg is a municipality and a village in the Bodensee district in Baden-Württemberg, about seven kilometres north of Salem, in Germany.-Location and climate:... |
County | Held by the Counts of Fürstenberg from 1535. |
| Hohenems Hohenems Hohenems is a town in the westernmost Austrian state of Vorarlberg, in the Dornbirn district. It lies in the middle of the Austrian part of the Rhine valley. With a population of 15,200 it is the fifth largest municipality in Vorarlberg... |
County | Reichsfreiheit granted by Ferdinand I Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest... in 1560, acquired by Habsburg in 1765. |
| Hohengeroldseck Hohengeroldseck The Hohengeroldseck family or House of Geroldseck was a German noble family which arrived in Baden-Baden about 948 AD and ended on the male line in 1636 with the death of Kurfürsten Jacob von und zu Geroldseck. They were heavily involved in mining of ores, especially silver. The Hohengeroldseck... |
County | 948AD to 1636AD then to Count Palatine, then held by the House of Leyen Leyen The House of Leyen is an ancient German family of high nobility, the origin of which can be traced to the middle of the 12th century, which had estates at the Moselle River. Originally the family was named by its castle in Gondorf . Since the 14th century it has called itself von der Leyen... from 1807, Imperial Counts from 1711, Principality of Leyen Principality of Leyen The Principality of Leyen was a Napoleonic German state which existed 1806–14 in Hohengeroldseck, in the west of modern Baden-Württemberg. The House of Leyen had acquired many districts in western Germany, and eventually these were inherited by the Leyen line of counts at Adendorf. In 1797, France... in 1806. |
| Hohenhöwen | Lordship | Established in 1415, with Stühlingen Stühlingen Stühlingen is a town in the Waldshut district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the border with Switzerland, with a border crossing to the village of Oberwiesen in Schleitheim municipality, 15 km northwest of Schaffhausen town.... acquired by Pappenheim Pappenheim (state) Pappenheim was a German statelet in western Bavaria, Germany, located on the Altmühl river between Treuchtlingen and Solnhofen, and south of Weißenburg. Pappenheim originated as a Lordship around 1030, and was raised to a county in 1628. Pappenheim was partitioned twice: between itself, Aletzheim,... in 1582, to Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen was a County of mediæval Germany, located in the territorial Landgraviate of Stühlingen. It emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Blomberg in 1614... in 1639. |
 HohenzollernZollern Zollern, from 1218 Hohenzollern, was a county of the Holy Roman Empire. Its ruling dynasty was the House of Hohenzollern, a Swabian noble family first mentioned in 1061. They named their estates after Hohenzollern Castle at the Swabian Alb; its capital was Hechingen... |
County | County of Zollern established in the 11th century, partitioned in 1576. |
 Hohenzollern-HechingenHohenzollern-Hechingen Hohenzollern-Hechingen was a county and principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to a branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty.-History:... |
County | Subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, raised to principality in 1623. |
| Hohenzollern-Haigerloch |
County | Former Lordship of Haigerloch Haigerloch -Geography:-Geographical situation:Haigerloch lies at between 430 and 550 metres elevation in the valley of the Eyach, which forms two loops in a steep shelly limestone valley... , subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, inherited by Hohenzollen-Sigmaringen in 1767. |
 Hohenzollern-SigmaringenHohenzollern-Sigmaringen -Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children... |
County | Subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, raised to principality in 1623. |
 IrseeIrsee Abbey Irsee Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey located at Irsee near Kaufbeuren in Bavaria. It is now a conference and training centre for Bavarian Swabia.-Abbey:... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1186, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1694. |
 IsnyIsny im Allgäu Isny im Allgäu is a town in south-eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in the western, Württembergish part of the Allgäu region. For nearly 1000 years, Isny was an important town within the Holy Roman Empire... |
Imperial City | From 1365. |
 Justingen |
Lordship | Territory around Justingen Castle near Schelklingen Schelklingen Schelklingen is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is situated 10 km north of Ehingen, and 20 km west of Ulm... , acquired by Württemberg Württemberg Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia.... in 1751. |
| Kaisheim Kaisheim Abbey Kaisheim Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Kaisheim, Bavaria, Germany.- History :It was founded by Henry II, Count of Lechsgemünd and his wife Liutgard, and was a daughter house of Lucelle Abbey in Alsace. Count Henry's initial gift of the land was made in 1133; the foundation charter was dated... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1133, Imperial abbey since 1346. |
| Kaufbeuren Kaufbeuren Kaufbeuren is an independent city in the Regierungsbezirk of Schwaben, southern Bavaria. The city is completely enclaved within the district of Ostallgäu.- Culture and Objects of Interest :* Townhall * Crescentiakloster... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286. |
| Kempten | Prince-Abbacy | Established in 752, Reichsfreiheit granted by Henry IV Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century... in 1062. |
| Kempten | Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1289. |
| Kinzigtal | Lordship | Territory around Wolfach Wolfach Wolfach is a city in the Black forest and part of the Ortenaukreis in Baden-Württemberg .- Geographical position :Wolfach lies where the 2 rivers Wolf and Kinzig meet in the Kinzig valley... , held by Fürstenberg Fürstenberg (state) Fürstenberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:... since 1291. |
 KlettgauKlettgau Klettgau is a group of towns in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Landgraviat of Klettgau to 1812.There is a border crossing into Switzerland at Erzingen to Trasadingen in Schaffhausen canton.... |
Landgraviate | Held by the Counts of Sulz Sulz am Neckar Sulz am Neckar is a town in the district of Rottweil, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Neckar, 22 km north of Rottweil, and 19 km southeast of Freudenstadt.... since 1410, acquired by the House of Schwarzenberg House of Schwarzenberg -History:The family was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family was created when Erkinger I of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time, they also possessed some fiefdoms in... in 1698. |
| Königsegg Königsegg Königsegg was a German statelet of southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Königsegg emerged in 1192 as a Lordship, and was raised to a Barony in 1470... |
Lordship | Territory around Guggenhausen Guggenhausen Guggenhausen is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.... , acquired the Imperial county of Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels was a German state in far southwestern Bavaria, Germany, located north of Austria and west of Baden-Württemberg. It was created as a partition of the Barony of Königsegg in 1622, and was raised to a County seven years later... in 1565, Freiherren from 1621, partitioned in 1622. |
| Königsegg-Aulendorf Königsegg-Aulendorf Königsegg-Aulendorf was a county of southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The territories of Königsegg-Aulendorf by 1806 were four separate exclaves, centred around Königsegg in the west, Aulendorf in the east, and two smaller territories north and south of the Teutonic Knights' territory at... |
Lordship | Subdivision of Königsegg from 1622, Imperial county from 1629. |
| Königsegg-Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels was a German state in far southwestern Bavaria, Germany, located north of Austria and west of Baden-Württemberg. It was created as a partition of the Barony of Königsegg in 1622, and was raised to a County seven years later... |
Lordship | Subdivision of Königsegg from 1622, Imperial county from 1629. |
 LeutkirchLeutkirch im Allgäu Leutkirch im Allgäu is a city in south-eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in the western, Württembergish part of the Allgäu region. It belongs to the administrative region of Tübingen.... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Adolf of Nassau in 1293. |
| Liechtenstein Liechtenstein The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan... |
Principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince.... |
Former County of Vaduz Vaduz Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.... and Lordship of Schellenberg Schellenberg Schellenberg is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein, on the banks of the Rhine. , it has a population of 952 and covers an area of .-Early history:... , acquired by the Counts of Sulz and Klettgau Klettgau Klettgau is a group of towns in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Landgraviat of Klettgau to 1812.There is a border crossing into Switzerland at Erzingen to Trasadingen in Schaffhausen canton.... in 1510, sold to Hohenems Hohenems Hohenems is a town in the westernmost Austrian state of Vorarlberg, in the Dornbirn district. It lies in the middle of the Austrian part of the Rhine valley. With a population of 15,200 it is the fifth largest municipality in Vorarlberg... in 1613, finally to the Princely Family of Liechtenstein Princely Family of Liechtenstein The Liechtenstein dynasty, from which the principality takes its name, is the family which reigns by constitutional, hereditary right over the nation of Liechtenstein... in 1699 (Schellenberg) and 1712 (Vaduz). |
| Lindau Lindau Abbey Lindau Abbey was a house of secular canonesses in Lindau on the Bodensee in Bavaria, Germany, which stands on an island in the lake.- History :... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 822, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1466. |
.png) LindauLindau Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1275. |
 MainauMainau Mainau is an island in Lake Constance . It is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices... |
Commandery Commandry (feudalism) Commandry , or commandery , was the smallest division of the European landed estate or manor under the control of a commendator, or commander, of an order of knights... |
An administrative grouping of lands held by the Teutonic Order since 1272. |
| Marchtal Marchtal Abbey Marchtal Abbey is a former Premonstratensian monastery in Obermarchtal in the Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The minster church of Saints Peter and Paul, the former abbey church, located on a prominent elevation, still dominates the landscape for miles around.-First foundation:In 776... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 776, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1500. |
 MemmingenMemmingen Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286. |
 MeßkirchMeßkirch Meßkirch is a town in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.Meßkirch was the residence of the counts of Zimmern, widely known through Count Froben Christoph's Zimmern Chronicle .... |
Lordship | Held by the Counts of Zimmern since 1354, fell to the House of Helfenstein House of Helfenstein The House of Helfenstein was a German noble family during the High and Late Middle Ages. The family was named after the family castle, Castle Helfenstein, located above Geislingen an der Steige in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany... in 1594, Fürstenberg-Messkirch from 1627. |
 Mindelheim |
Lordship | Held by the House of Frundsberg Georg von Frundsberg Georg von Frundsberg was a South German knight and Landsknecht leader in the service of the Imperial Habsburg dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire.... since 1467, fell to the Duchy of Bavaria History of Bavaria The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of... in 1586, held by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries... as Prince of Mindelheim from 1705 to 1714. |
| Neresheim Neresheim Abbey Neresheim Abbey or the Abbey of Saints Ulrich and Afra, Neresheim is located above the town of Neresheim in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1095, Reichsfreiheit contested by the House of Oettingen-Wallerstein, confirmed by the Reichskammergericht in 1764. |
| Nördlingen Nördlingen Nördlingen is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany, with a population of 20,000. It is located in the middle of a complex meteorite crater, called the Nördlinger Ries. The town was also the place of two battles during the Thirty Years' War... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous... in 1215. |
| Ochsenhausen Ochsenhausen Abbey Ochsenhausen Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Ochsenhausen in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.- History :... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 1090, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1495. |
| Oettingen | County | Partitioned in 1522. |
| Oettingen-Oettingen | County | Subdivision of Oettingen from 1522, raised to principality in 1674, extinct in 1731. |
| Oettingen-Wallerstein | County | Subdivision of Oettingen from 1522, raised to principality in 1774. |
| Oettingen-Spielberg | County | Subdivision of Oettingen-Wallerberg from 1623, raised to principality in 1734. |
| Offenburg Offenburg Offenburg is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With about 60,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city and the capital of the Ortenaukreis.Offenburg also houses University of Applied Sciences Offenburg... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1240. |
| Petershausen Petershausen Abbey Petershausen Abbey was a Benedictine monastery at Petershausen, now a district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 983 by Saint Gebhard of Constance Gebhard of Constance Saint Gebhard was a bishop of Constance from 979 until 995. He founded the Benedictine abbey of Petershausen in 983.-External links:*... , Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen. |
| Pfullendorf Pfullendorf Pfullendorf is a small historic city in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Geography:Its location is in the district of Sigmaringen, 25 km north of Lake Constance and south of the Danube valley and therefore on the continental divide between the watersheds of the... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1220. |
 RavensburgRavensburg Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1278. |
| Reutlingen Reutlingen Reutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district of Reutlingen. As of April 2008, it has a population of 109,828.... |
Imperial City | From about 1240. |
| Roggenburg Roggenburg Abbey Roggenburg Abbey is a Premonstratensian canonry in Roggenburg near Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, in operation between 1126 and 1802, and again from its re-foundation in 1986. Since 1992 it has been an independent priory of Windberg Abbey in Lower Bavaria... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1126, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1482. |
| Rot an der Rot Rot an der Rot Abbey Rot an der Rot Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastery in Rot an der Rot in Upper Swabia, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was the first Premonstratensian monastery in the whole of Swabia... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1126, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1376. |
| Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels Königsegg-Rothenfels was a German state in far southwestern Bavaria, Germany, located north of Austria and west of Baden-Württemberg. It was created as a partition of the Barony of Königsegg in 1622, and was raised to a County seven years later... |
County | Territory around Immenstadt Immenstadt Immenstadt im Allgäu is a town in the Upper Allgäu, far southern region of Bavaria, Germany, in the German Alps.-External links:*... held by the Counts of Montfort since 1332, acquired by Königsegg Königsegg Königsegg was a German statelet of southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Königsegg emerged in 1192 as a Lordship, and was raised to a Barony in 1470... in 1565. |
| Rottenmünster | Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1224, Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1237. |
 RottweilRottweil Rottweil is a town in the south west of Germany and is the oldest town in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.Located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb hills, Rottweil has about 25,000 inhabitants... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Sigismund of Luxembourg Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411... in 1434, associate of the Swiss Confederacy Old Swiss Confederacy The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland.... 1519–1689. |
| Salem Salem Abbey Salem Abbey , also known as Salmansweiler and in Latin as Salomonis Villa, was a very prominent Cistercian monastery in Salem in the district of Bodensee about ten miles from Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Abbey:The abbey was founded in 1136 by Gunthram of Adelsreute Salem Abbey (Kloster or... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 1134, Reichsfreiheit granted by Conrad III of Hohenstaufen Conrad III of Germany Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:... in 1142. |
| Schussenried Schussenried Abbey Schussenried Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastery in Bad Schussenried, Upper Swabia, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.- History :... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established by Rot an der Rot Abbey Rot an der Rot Abbey Rot an der Rot Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastery in Rot an der Rot in Upper Swabia, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was the first Premonstratensian monastery in the whole of Swabia... in 1183, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1440. |
 Schwäbisch GmündSchwäbisch Gmünd Schwäbisch Gmünd is a town in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 62,000, the town is the second largest in the Ostalbkreis and the whole region of East Württemberg after Aalen... |
Imperial City | Since about 1250. |
 Schwäbisch HallSchwäbisch Hall Schwäbisch Hall is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and capital of the district of Schwäbisch Hall. The town is located in the valley of the river Kocher in the north-eastern part of Baden-Württemberg.... |
Imperial City | Since 1280. |
| Sickingen | Lordship | Territory in the Kraichgau Kraichgau The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Odenwald and the Neckar to the North, the Black Forest to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt, and the... , held by the successors of Imperial Knight Imperial Knight The Free Imperial Knights, or the Knights of the Empire was an organisation of free nobles of the Holy Roman Empire, whose direct overlord was the Emperor, remnants of the medieval free nobility and the ministeriales... Franz von Sickingen Franz von Sickingen Franz von Sickingen was a German knight, one of the most notable figures of the first period of the Reformation.-Biography:He was born at Ebernburg near Bad Kreuznach... , Freiherr Freiherr The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname... en from 1606, Imperial counts from 1790. |
| Söflingen Söflingen Abbey Söflingen Abbey was a nunnery of the Order of Poor Ladies, also known as the Poor Clares, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, or the Second Order of St. Francis. It was situated in the village of Söflingen, now part of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 1258 by the Counts of Dillingen, gained Reichsfreiheit against Ulm Ulm Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and... in 1773. |
| St George in Isny St. George's Abbey, Isny St. George's Abbey, Isny in Isny im Allgäu in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is a former Benedictine abbey founded in 1096 and secularised in 1802.-History:... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1096, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1781. |
 StadionStadion (state) Stadion was a statelet of the Holy Roman Empire, located around Thannhausen in the present-day Bavarian administrative region of Swabia, Germany.... |
County | Reached Reichfreiheit in 1705 by purchasing the Lordship of Thannhausen Thannhausen Thannhausen is a town in the district of Günzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Mindel, southeast of Günzburg, and west of Augsburg.... (not to be confused with Tannhausen Tannhausen Tannhausen is a municipality in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, in Ostalbkreis district.Tannhausen is located approx. east of Ellwangen at the edge of the Nördlinger Ries in Swabian Wuerttemberg close to the border of the franconian part of Bavaria, where the administrative districts of... ), split into Stadion-Thannhausen Stadion-Thannhausen Stadion-Thannhausen was a County located in and around Thannhausen in western Bavaria, Germany. Stadion-Thannhausen was a partition of Stadion, and was mediatised to Bavaria in 1806.-Counts of Stadion-Thannhausen:* Hugo Philip... and Stadion-Warthausen Stadion-Warthausen Stadion-Warthausen was a County located in around Warthausen in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Stadion-Warthausen was a partition of Stadion County, and was mediatised to Austria and Württemberg in 1806.-Counts of Stadion-Warthausen:... in 1741. |
 Staufen |
Lordship | Held by the Freiherren von Staufen (not related to the House of Hohenstaufen), extinct in 1602, then part 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... , acquired by St Blaise's Abbey in 1738. |
| Stühlingen Stühlingen Stühlingen is a town in the Waldshut district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the border with Switzerland, with a border crossing to the village of Oberwiesen in Schleitheim municipality, 15 km northwest of Schaffhausen town.... |
Landgraviate | Held by the Counts of Lupfen Talheim, Tuttlingen Talheim is a town in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.... since 1251, extinct in 1582, acquired by Pappenheim Pappenheim (state) Pappenheim was a German statelet in western Bavaria, Germany, located on the Altmühl river between Treuchtlingen and Solnhofen, and south of Weißenburg. Pappenheim originated as a Lordship around 1030, and was raised to a county in 1628. Pappenheim was partitioned twice: between itself, Aletzheim,... , to Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen was a County of mediæval Germany, located in the territorial Landgraviate of Stühlingen. It emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Blomberg in 1614... in 1639. |
 TeckDuke of Teck Duke of Teck was, in medieval times, a title borne by the head of a principality named Teck in the Holy Roman Empire, centered around Teck castle in Germany. That territory was held by a branch line of the Zähringen dynasty from 1187 to 1439, known historically as the first House of Teck... |
Duchy Duchy A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era... |
Former branch of the House of Zähringen, extinct in 1439, ducal title granted to Eberhard I of Württemberg Eberhard I, Duke of Württemberg Eberhard I of Württemberg . From 1459 till 1495 he was Count Eberhard V. From July 1495 he was the first Duke of Württemberg. He is also known as Eberhard im Bart .... by Maximilian I Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky... in 1495. |
| Tettnang Tettnang Tettnang is a town in the Bodensee district in southern Baden-Württemberg in a region of Germany known as Swabia.It lies 7 kilometers from Lake Constance. The region produces significant quantities of hops, an ingredient of beer, and ships them to breweries throughout the world.-History:Tettinang... |
Lordship | Held by the Counts of Monfort, fell to 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... in 1780. |
| Thannhausen Lords of Thannhausen von Thannhausen is an old and still existing German aristocratic family with the rank of Freiherr . Their residence is in the municipality of Tannhausen .... |
Lordship | Reichsfrei territory around Tannhausen Tannhausen Tannhausen is a municipality in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, in Ostalbkreis district.Tannhausen is located approx. east of Ellwangen at the edge of the Nördlinger Ries in Swabian Wuerttemberg close to the border of the franconian part of Bavaria, where the administrative districts of... (not to be confused with Thannhausen Thannhausen Thannhausen is a town in the district of Günzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Mindel, southeast of Günzburg, and west of Augsburg.... ). |
| Tengen Tengen, Germany Tengen is a town in the district of Konstanz, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated near the border with Switzerland, 14 km north of Schaffhausen.... |
County | Held by the Mainau Mainau Mainau is an island in Lake Constance . It is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices... commandery of the Teutonic Order Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order... since 1488. |
| Überlingen Überlingen Überlingen is a city on the northern shore of Lake Constance . After the city of Friedrichshafen, it is the second largest city in the Bodenseekreis , and a central point for the outlying communities... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit confirmed about 1400. |
 UlmUlm Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and... |
Imperial City | Gained Reichsfreiheit in the 12th century. |
 UrsbergUrsberg Abbey Ursberg Abbey is a former Premonstratensian monastery, now a convent of the Franciscan St. Joseph's Congregation, situated in the small village of Ursberg in the district of Günzburg, Bavaria.-History:... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established about 1128, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1143. |
| Waldburg-Sonnenburg Waldburg-Sonnenburg Waldburg-Sonnenburg was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Sonnenburg, Tyrol. Waldburg-Sonnenburg was a partition of Waldburg and was annexed by the Archduchy of Austria in 1511.... |
Archstewardship Seneschal A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli... |
Territory around Nüziders Nüziders Nüziders is a municipality in the district of Bludenz in Vorarlberg, Austria. It was capital of the historical which is referred to in the formal style of the Emperor of Austria.-References:... , lordship held by the Truchsess of Waldburg Waldburg Waldburg is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Most notably is the medieval castle that sits atop the large hill in the town... since 1455, Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick III of Habsburg 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... in 1463, line extinct in 1511. |
| Waldburg-Trauchburg Waldburg-Trauchburg Waldburg-Trauchburg was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Waldburg-Trauchburg was a partition of Waldburg and was partitioned several times, before being annexed by the County of Waldburg-Zeil in 1772.... |
Archstewardship | Territory around Trauchburg castle near Isny, held by Waldburg since 1306, Imperial county from 1628, extinct in 1772. |
| Waldburg-Scheer Waldburg-Scheer Waldburg-Scheer was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Waldburg-Scheer was a partition of Waldburg-Trauchburg, to which it was restored in 1764.- Counts of Waldburg-Scheer :* Joseph William Eusebius, 1717–56... |
Archstewardship | Former County of Friedberg around Scheer Scheer, Germany Scheer is a town in the district of Sigmaringen, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the Danube, 6 km east of Sigmaringen.... castle, held by Waldburg-Sonnenburg since 1454, inherited by Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1511, to Thurn und Taxis Thurn und Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :... in 1785. |
| Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil was a partition of Waldburg and was repartitioned in 1589, to create Waldburg-Waldburg, Waldburg-Wolfegg and Waldburg-Zeil.... |
Archstewardship | Territory around Zeil castle near Leutkirch Leutkirch im Allgäu Leutkirch im Allgäu is a city in south-eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in the western, Württembergish part of the Allgäu region. It belongs to the administrative region of Tübingen.... , held by Waldburg since 1337, acquired Wolfegg Wolfegg Wolfegg is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Overview:It is the site of Wolfegg Castle, the home of the Princes of Waldburg-Wolfegg, longtime owners of the only known copy of the Waldseemüller map. The map remained at the castle until 2001 when the... and Waldsee Bad Waldsee Bad Waldsee is a town in Upper Swabia in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in Oberschwaben. It is situated 20 km south of Biberach an der Riß, and 20 km northeast of Ravensburg. The town is known for its historic old city with many landmarks and large... from Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1508, partitioned in 1589. |
| Waldburg-Wolfegg Waldburg-Wolfegg Waldburg-Wolfegg was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Waldburg-Wolfegg was a partition of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil and was repartitioned in 1667, creating Waldburg-Waldsee, which annexed Waldburg-Wolfegg in 1798.... |
Archstewardship | Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil from 1589, Imperial county from 1628, again partitioned in 1667, extinct in 1798. |
| Waldburg-Waldsee Waldburg-Waldsee Waldburg-Waldsee was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Bad Waldsee. Waldburg-Waldsee was a partition of Waldburg-Wolfegg... |
Archstewardship | Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg from 1667, inherited Waldburg-Wolfegg in 1798, raised to principality in 1803. |
| Waldburg-Zeil Waldburg-Zeil Waldburg-Zeil was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Zeil. Waldburg-Zeil was a partition of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil... |
Archstewardship | Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil from 1589, Imperial county from 1628, again partitoned in 1674, inherited Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1772, raised to principality in 1803. |
| Waldburg-Wurzach Waldburg-Wurzach Waldburg-Wurzach was a county located on the southeastern border of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Wurzach . Waldburg-Wurzach was a partition of Waldburg-Zeil... |
Archstewardship | Subdivision of Waldburg-Zeil from 1674, raised to principality in 1803. |
| Wangen Wangen im Allgäu Wangen im Allgäu is a historic city in southeast Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It lies north-east of Lake Constance in the Westallgäu. It is the second-largest city in the Ravensburg district and is a nexus for the surrounding communities... |
Imperial City | Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286. |
 WeilWeil der Stadt Weil der Stadt is a small town of about 19,000 inhabitants, located in the Stuttgart Region of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is about west of Stuttgart city center, and is often called "Gate to the Black Forest"... |
Imperial City | Since about 1275. |
 WeingartenWeingarten Abbey Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg .-First foundation:... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1056 by Duke Welf I Welf I, Duke of Bavaria Welf I was duke of Bavaria from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death. He was the first member of the Welf branch of the House of Este. In the Welf genealogy he is counted as Welf IV.-Life and reign:... of Bavaria, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1274. |
 WeißenauWeissenau Abbey - References : Binder, Helmut , 1995. 850 Jahre Prämonstratenserabtei Weissenau. 1145–1995. Sigmaringen: Thorbecke. ISBN 3-7995-0414-1 Eitel, Peter , 1983. Weissenau in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Festschrift zur 700-Jahrfeier der Übergabe der Heiligblutreliquie durch Rudolf von Habsburg an die... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1145, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1257. |
| Wettenhausen Wettenhausen Abbey Wettenhausen Abbey was formerly a monastery of the Augustinian Canons; today it is a Dominican convent. The abbey is in Wettenhausen in the municipality of Kammeltal in Bavaria.-Augustinians:... |
Prince-Provost Prince-Provost Prince-Provost is a rare title for a monastic superior with the ecclesiastical style of provost who is a Prince of the Church in the sense that he also ranks as a secular 'prince' , notably a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire, holding a direct vote in the Reichstag assembly coequal to an actual... ry |
Established in 1130. |
| Wiesensteig Wiesensteig Wiesensteig is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located on the river Fils, 16 km south of Göppingen.... |
Lordship | Held by the House of Helfenstein House of Helfenstein The House of Helfenstein was a German noble family during the High and Late Middle Ages. The family was named after the family castle, Castle Helfenstein, located above Geislingen an der Steige in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany... , partitioned between Fürstenberg Fürstenberg (state) Fürstenberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:... and the Duchy of Bavaria History of Bavaria The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of... in 1627. |
| Wimpfen Bad Wimpfen Bad Wimpfen is an historic spa town in the district of Heilbronn in the Baden-Württemberg region of southern Germany. It lies north of the city of Heilbronn, on the river Neckar.-Geography:... |
Imperial City | Since about 1300. |
 WürttembergWürttemberg Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia.... |
Duchy | County of Wirtemberg Burg Wirtemberg Wirtemberg Castle was the ancestral castle of the rulers of Württemberg on the Württemberg mountain, located 411 m above sea level in the current municipality of Rotenberg in Stuttgart, between Bad Cannstatt and Esslingen am Neckar... established in the 12th century, raised to duchy in 1495 by Maximilian I. |
 Zell am HarmersbachZell am Harmersbach Zell am Harmersbach is a small historic city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It lies in the Ortenaukreis, between the Black Forest and the Rhine.-History:... |
Imperial City | Since the 14th century. |
| Zwiefalten Zwiefalten Abbey - References :... |
Prince-Abbacy | Established in 1089, gained Reichsfreiheit from Württemberg in 1750. |
Sources
The list of states making up the Swabian Circle is based on that in the GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Wikipedia article Schwäbischer Reichskreis.