Swenzones
Encyclopedia
The collective name Swenzones , refers in historical literature to a Pomeranian noble family which at the transition from the Middle Ages to modern times made in the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp
and Pomerelia
from 1269 to 1357 a remarkable career under various political powers struggling for predominance at the South coast of the Baltic Sea
. In Pomerelia, the Swenzones were transiently the mightiest family after the dukes. In the Lands of Sławno and Słupsk , the region in Farther Pomerania
between river Unieść at the hill Gollenberg in the West and the river Łeba in the East, the border to Pomeralia, they ruled de facto autonomously under various dynasties until finally the sons of Wartislaw IV of Pomerania-Wolgast of the House of Pomerania
made use of their rights as legal sovereigns of the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp and limited their power considerably. The family of the Swenzones is named by historians after the oldest of three brothers, Swenzo. The three brothers had started their careers in governmental administration as high ranking civil servants. During the struggle of Bohemian, German and Polish dynasties for political control of the region they advanced to minor sovereigns (domini terrae, German: Landesherren) in the Lands of Sławno and Słupsk .
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Lands of Schlawe and Stolp
The Lands of Schlawe and Stolp are a historical region in Pomerania, centered around the towns of Sławno and Słupsk in Farther Pomerania...
and Pomerelia
Pomerelia
Pomerelia is a historical region in northern Poland. Pomerelia lay in eastern Pomerania: on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and west of the Vistula and its delta. The area centered on the city of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula...
from 1269 to 1357 a remarkable career under various political powers struggling for predominance at the South coast of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. In Pomerelia, the Swenzones were transiently the mightiest family after the dukes. In the Lands of Sławno and Słupsk , the region in Farther Pomerania
Farther Pomerania
Farther Pomerania, Further Pomerania, Transpomerania or Eastern Pomerania , which before the German-Polish border shift of 1945 comprised the eastern part of the Duchy, later Province of Pomerania, roughly stretching from the Oder River in the West to Pomerelia in the East...
between river Unieść at the hill Gollenberg in the West and the river Łeba in the East, the border to Pomeralia, they ruled de facto autonomously under various dynasties until finally the sons of Wartislaw IV of Pomerania-Wolgast of the House of Pomerania
House of Pomerania
The House of Griffins or House of Pomerania, , also known as House of Greifen; House of Gryf, was a dynasty of Royal dukes that ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637, after their power was temporarily derivated to Prussian Royal House...
made use of their rights as legal sovereigns of the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp and limited their power considerably. The family of the Swenzones is named by historians after the oldest of three brothers, Swenzo. The three brothers had started their careers in governmental administration as high ranking civil servants. During the struggle of Bohemian, German and Polish dynasties for political control of the region they advanced to minor sovereigns (domini terrae, German: Landesherren) in the Lands of Sławno and Słupsk .
Ancestry
- Swenzo, palatinePalatineA palatine or palatinus is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times...
and vogtVogtA Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of PomereliaPomereliaPomerelia is a historical region in northern Poland. Pomerelia lay in eastern Pomerania: on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and west of the Vistula and its delta. The area centered on the city of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula...
- Peter I of NeuenburgNoweNowe is a town in Świecie County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,270 inhabitants ....
' onMouseout='HidePop("21347")' href="/topics/Pomerelia">PomereliaPomereliaPomerelia is a historical region in northern Poland. Pomerelia lay in eastern Pomerania: on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and west of the Vistula and its delta. The area centered on the city of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula...
, Lord of Neuenburg- Peter II of Neuenburg, Lord of Tuchel
- John I (Jasco or Jesco) of Schlawe , Lord of Neuenburg, since 1308 Lord of Schlawe
- Peter III of Schlawe
- Lawrence (Lorenz) III of Schlawe
- Lawrence (Lorenz) I of Rügenwalde , Lord of Neuenburg, since 1308 Lord of Rügenwalde
- John (Jasco) II of Rügenwalde
- Nathalie (Nathalina)
- Peter I of Neuenburg
- Lawrence (Lorenz), castellanCastellanA castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of Stolp- Swenzo junior (Swenska)
- Lawrence (Lorenz) II
- Casimir (Kasimir) of Tuchel
- Swenzo junior (Swenska)
Coat of arms
The escutcheon of the Swenzones consisted of a griffin the lower half of the body of which is replaced by a sturgeon's tail, a type of arms known in heraldry as a fish griffin (German: Fischgreif). The fish griffin apperas also in the escutcheons of the town of Rügenwalde and of the German family v. PuttkamerPuttkamer
The family von Puttkamer belongs to a widely extended German noble family whose earliest ancestor is first recorded between 1257 and 1260. While some of its branches have the title of Graf , others are entitled to the lesser Freiherr...
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