Baden

BADEN

Coat of Arms Grand Duchy of Baden

Map of Baden, 1790

Area: 5,821 square miles
Pop. (1905): 2 Million

Titles: Grand Duke of Baden, Duke of Zähringen, Landgrave of Nellenburg, etc, Overlord & Hereditary Lord[Ober- und Erbherr] in the Baar & of Stühlingen, Heiligenberg, Hausen, Möskirch, Hohenhöwen, Wildenstein & Waldsberg, Mosbach & Dürn, Bischofsheim, Hardheim & Lauda, the Klettgau, Krautheim, Wertheim, Neudenau & Billigheim, Count of Salem, Petershausen & Hanau

Territorial Development & Dynastic History

• 1112: Margraviate
• 1190: Partitioned into Baden-Baden and Baden-Hachberg
• 1219: Margraves of Baden acquired Pforzheim by inheritance
  
• 1362: HRE Margrave
• 1387: Received a part of the County of Eberstein
• 1500: To Swabian Circle
• 1535: Partitioned into Upper Margraviate of Baden (Baden-Baden) and Lower Margraviate of Baden (Baden-Durlach)
• 1582: HRE Council of Princes
• 1771: Baden-Baden line extinct; Baden reunited
• 1803: Electorate
• 1806: Grand Duchy
• 1806: Joined Confederation of the Rhine
• 1871: Joined the German Empire

"The Margraves of Baden belonged to the Zahringen family, the founder of which was Berchtold, Landgrave of Breisgau, who flourished about the middle of the 11th century.  Berchtold's third son, Hermann, acquired Baden by marriage, and his grandson, Hermann the Second, fixed his residence at Baden, and assumed the title of Margrave.  The reigning house of Baden descends from Berchtold, the charcoal-burner, who married the daughter of the Landgrave of Breisgau.  This Berchtold had probably discovered a silver mine in the Black Forest, which he worked secretly and successfully, until, having accumulated vast wealth, he was enabled to restore the conquered Landgrave to his throne;  when he was rewarded by the hand of the prince's daughter, and the title of Count of Zahringen, together with a grant of the territory, extending from the mountain range, called the Kaisersthul, to the Rhine.  One the death of Berchtold the Fifth, last Duke of Zahringen in the direct line, his territories became the inheritance of the younger branch, descended from Hermann the Second, Margrave of Baden.  (Ellerton, p. 265)

Rulers of Baden

Rulers of Baden

Margraves of Baden
fl. c. 962: Berthold, Count in Breisgau

ZAHRINGEN
1061-1073: Berthold the Bearded (Duke of Carinthia, Mgv. of Verona)

  Hermann I 
(c1040-1074)

"There is now no longer any doubt, that the territory that became later the patrimony of the Margraves was originally an heritage of the counts of Calw, and that the Margrave Hermann I of Verona, married Judith, daughter of one of the branches of the Calw family, who brought him, as her dower, the possessions of Baden and Backnang and their successor was their son Hermann II."  (Coghlan, p. 9)

""Hermann I...married Judith, daughter of Adelbert, count of Calw...who brought him as her marriage portion the county of Uffgau, which now forms part of Baden.  He retired towards the end of his life to the abbey of Cluny, and died there the 25th of April, 1074."  (James, p. 482)

""...Herman I, assumed the title of Margrave of Hochbeg in Breisgau, and was succeeded by his son Herman II, who was the first to call himself Margrave of Baden...."  (Coin Collector's Journal, Vol. 4-5, p. 11)

  Hermann II

Margrave of Baden 1112
"Hermann II...possessed himself of Breisgau, took first (at the diet of Basle, February, 1130) the title of Margrave of Baden, and was therefore the immediate founder of that illustrious house.  He obtained also from the emperor, the title of duke of Verona, borne by many of his ancestors."  (James, p. 482)

The new domination of Baden comprised, besides the two castles and the baths, the north.west portion of the ancient territory, with which Dagobert had endowed the convent of Weissenbourg, and which passed in the thirteenth century for the principality of Baden. Herrmann II. was then Lord of Baden, Dominus, Prince of the Empire, Comes Brisgorse, and possessed also of his title of Marchio of Verona. The Margravate of Baden did not then exist, for in 1100 he appears in the dignity of 'Lintberg,' and not till twelve years later in that of 'Baden,' so that it seems that he had not till then resided there. He only resided here now and then..."  (Coghlan, p. 10)

Hermann III
Hermann the Great

(d.1160)

Margrave of Baden, 1130-1160

Margrave of Verona, 1151

"In 1154 Margrave Hermann III of Baden accompanied Frederick Barbarossa upon his first Italian expedition during which he was restored to the Veronese march, and the title of 'margrave of Verona again persisted for a while, at least in chancery usage."  (Arnold, p. 124)

1160-1190: Hermann IV

"...Herrmann IV. was the first Margrave, and from A.d. 1160 he made it his habitual residence...."  (Coghlan, p. 10)

Partitioned between Baden-Baden and Baden-Hachberg.

 

Margraves of Baden-Baden
 
Hermann V, Magrave of Baden-Baden, 1190-1242

Hermann VI, Magrave of Baden-Baden, 1242-1250. "Hermann VI...married Gertrude, granddaughter and heiress of Leopold the Glorious, duke of Austria and Styria.  Hermann took the titles of his wife, and received from William the Roman king, the investiture of them.  But he died shortly afterwards, and left his son, Frederic I, an infant of one year old." (James, p. 482)


Friedrich I (1249-1268), Margrave of Baden, 1250-1268, Duke of Austria 1250

Rudolf I, Margrave of Baden-Bade, 1250-1288.  "Rodolph I. soon found the castle of Baden to be small and inconvenient, and, in consequence, took up his abode at the old castle of Eberstein, which, some time before, had fallen by inheritance to his family, contained larger apartments, and was in a better state of defence...."  (Coghlan, p. 11)

Hesso, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1288-1297
Rudolf II, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1288-1295
Hermann VII the Awakener, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1288-1295
Rudolf III, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1288-1332
Rudolf Hesso, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1295-1335

Friedrich III (1327-1353), Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1348-1353
Rudolf VI the Tall, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1353-1372
Bernhard I, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1372-1431
Rudolf VII, Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1372-1391
Jakob I (1407-1453), Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1431-1453.  "...James I...who on account of his wisdom and justice had obtained the surname of Solomon.  The priovate feuds and robberies of those rude times found in him a most severe, yet judicious antagonist;  and peace reigned in his states...  He assisted the emperor Frederic III in his struggles against the Swiss, and was in 1446 one of the mediators for a peace...."  (James, p. 483)

 

1453-1458: Bernhard II (1428-1458)


1453-1475: Karl I

 

1475-1515: Christoph I

Partitioned between itself, Baden-Sponheim, and Baden-Durlach.
 

 

1515-1536: Bernhard III

Partitioned between itself and Baden-Rodemachern.

 

1536-1569: Philibert

 

1569-1588: Philipp II



 

1622-1677: Wilhelm

 

1677-1707: Ludwig Wilhelm

 

1707-1761: Ludwig Georg Simpert

 

1761-1771: August Georg Simpert

 

Baden-Durlach

 

1515-1553: Ernst

 

1553-1577: Karl II


Partitioned between Baden-Hachberg, Baden-Sausenberg, and itself.
 

1577-1604: Ernst Friedrich

1604-1622: Georg Friedrich of Saussenburg

1622-1659: Friedrich V

1659-1677: Friedrich VI

1677-1709: Friedrich VII Magnus

 

1709-1738: Karl III Wilhelm

 

Karl Friedrich
 1738-1811
Elector, 1803
Grand Duke, 1806
"...In 1771 Margrave Karl Friedrich of Baden-Durlach inherited the lands of his family's Catholic branch and thus added Baden-Baden to his domain... Under [Freiherr Sigismund von] Reitzenstein's leadership, Baden made the largest gains of any German state, adding the Austrian Breisgau, the principalities of Furstenberg, Leiningen and Lowenstein-Wertheim, the parts of the Palatinate and the bishopric of Strasburg that were east of the Rhine, the bishopric of Constance, he abbey of St. Balsien, and the cities of Offenburg, Gengenbach, and Zell. Now a grand duke, Karl Frederick ruled a string of territories stretching from Lake Constance to the Main...." (Sheehan, pp. 262-263)

"In 1771, the Margrave Charles-Augustus of Baden-Baden, died, and as he was the last of his race, the country fell, by inheritance, into tho hands of Charles Frederick of Baden-Durlach, a wise and noble prince, who did all in his power to raise his new possessions from the devastated condition in which he found them, and to spread throughout the country, civilisation, agriculture, and prosperity. But for a long time, he only experienced ingratitude ; for the widow of the last Margrave, Maria Victoria of Aremberg, who had established her residence at Baden, exerted all her efforts, in conjunction with the Jesuits and their partizans, to fanaticise the citizens against the Protestant prince." (Coghlan, p. 18)

 

  Karl
(1786-1818)
Grand Duke of Baden, 1811-1818

1818-1830: Ludwig I

1830-1852: Leopold

1852-1856: Ludwig II

1856-1907: Friedrich I

1907-1918: Friedrich II

Baden-Rodemachern
 

Christoph II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern, 1536-1575

"Margrave Christopher II., of Baden, son of Margrave Bernard III., was born after his father's death, on the 26th Feb. 1537. In the division of territory with his brother, Margrave Philibert, in 1556, he received the lands of Baden in the duchy of Luxembourg, and became the founder of the separate line of Baden at Kodemachern. He took part with the army of Philip II. of Spain in the war with France, and fought at the battle of St. Quentin. In 1561 he made a journey to Sweden, and there was betrothed to Cecilia, daughter of Gustavus Wasa, and sister of King Eric XtV. Hereupon in the service of Sweden he took part in the war with Denmark in 1563, in command of a body of German horse. In November 1564 his marriage with the Princess Cecilia took place at Stockholm, with whom he thereupon departed to his possessions in the Netherlands, and took up his abode at Rodemachern. In the year 1565 he and his bride paid a visit to Queen Elizabeth in England; but he himself remained at her court only a short time, leaving his bride behind him alone in straitened circumstances. The latter, on the 17th Sept. 1565, gave birth to Prince Edward Fortunatus. To enable her to continue her expensive abode at the English Court, the Queen, on the 22nd Nov. 1565, granted the Margrave a pension of 2,000 French crowns of the sun, which was paid to him every year in quarterly payments out of the Treasury at Westminster. But this contribution was not sufficient for the Margravine's expenditure at Court. She contracted serious debts, and the Margrave accordingly came again to London in 1566 to take her away. The creditors, however, took notice of his object, and detained him as a prisoner. Only when the Queen gave security for him did he venture to depart. 

"Margrave Christopher died at Rodemachern on the 2nd August, 1575. Margravine Cecilia did not die till 1627."  (Gairdner & Stowe, p. 187)

Partitioned between Baden-Rodemachern and Baden-Rodenheim.

 

Eduard Fortunat
(1565-1600)
Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1588-1594
Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern, 1575
Wilhelm V of Bavaria, Regent, 1575
Married 1591
Maria von Eicken (1569-1636), daughter of Joost van Eycken, Governor of Breda

"...After his death, which took place nine years later, he was succeeded by his cousin, Edward Fortunatus, who drew many misfortunes on his country by persecuting the Protestants in a tyrannical manner. He held, during his reign, a sort of council at the Town Hall, on the 18th November, 1569, which was especially convoked by Pistorious of Fribourg. As might be naturally expected, it led to no result, beyond increasing the hatred of the two parties. Even his marriage with Mary of Eicken, daughter of the Governor of Breda, led to unhappy results, as this union was a misfortune, not only to those who contracted it, but also for the country. As it was a " mésalliance," his children were declared incapable of succeeding to the throne, and the country was occupied by George Frederick, of Baden-Durlach...."  ()

1596-1622: To Baden-Durlach
Partitioned between Baden-Baden and Baden-Rodemachern.
1622-1664: Hermann Fortunatus
1664-1666: Karl Wilhelm
To Baden-Baden

Heinrich I, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1190-1231

Heinrich II, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1231-1290

Heinrich III,Magrave of Baden-Hachberg,, 1290-1330

Rudolf I, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1290-1313

Friedrich II, Margrave of Baden-Eberstein, 1291-1333

Rudolf IV,  Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim, 1291-1348

Hermann VIII, Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim, 1291-1300

Heinrich, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1313-1318

Rudolf II, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1313-1352


Otto, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1313-1384

Heinrich IV, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1330-1369

Hermann IX, Margrave of Baden-Eberstein. 1333-1353

Rudolf V the Awakener, Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim, 1348-1361

Rudolf III, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1352-1428

Otto I, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1369-1386

Johann, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1386-1409

Hesso, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1386-1410

Otto II, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1410-1415

Wilhelm, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1428-1441

Hugo, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1441-1444
Rudolf IV, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1441-1487
Philipp (Prince of Orange 1478-82), Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1487-1503Philipp I, Margrave of Baden-Sponheim, 1515-1533 Philipp III, Margrave of Baden-Rodenheim, 1575-1620



Georg Friedrich, Margrave of Baden-Sausenberg, 1577-1604

Jakob II, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1577-1590

Ernst Jakob, Magrave of Baden-Hachberg, 1590-1591


 

References

Baden-Baden der Ultimative Stadfuhrer (Ger.)

Biographies