Fürstenberg (Westphalian noble family)

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Family coat of arms of those von Fürstenberg

Fürstenberg is the name of a Rhenish-Westphalian noble family . It takes its name from the state castle of Fürstenberg in the Electorate of Cologne in Ense -Höingen in the Soest district and is first mentioned in a document in 1295 with Hermannus de Vorstenberg . The family is not related to the Fürstenberg family in southern Germany .

history

middle Ages

The safe line of trunks begins with Wilhelm von Vorstenberg (mentioned 1319–1349), Richter and Burgmann zu Werl . They were related to the Lords of Binolen, who appeared around 1200 . In the 13th and 14th centuries the family members were followers of the Electors of Cologne and also of the Counts of the Mark . From the 14th century onwards, they mainly served the electors and secured the border with the County of Mark . As such, they provided castle men for the castles of their sovereigns, for example at the eponymous Fürstenberg castle or in Werl.

Waterlappe Castle near Fürstenberg (presumed condition before 1680), copperplate engraving by Ms. Wlh. v. Schorlemer (19th century)

In addition to the connection with the rest of the lower nobility, there were also points of contact with the urban bourgeoisie. Since the 14th century, numerous town houses or noble residences of the family have been known not only in the Duchy of Westphalia, but also in Dortmund , Soest , Osnabrück and even in Cologne and Mainz .

During the feuds of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Fürstenberg family rose to become a wealthy and important family with possessions on the Ruhr and Hellweg . Their headquarters was the Castle Waterlappe in the north of the Fürstenberg. In the 14th century the family concentrated mainly on Castle Waterlappe, but in the 15th and 16th centuries they developed different lines. The Höllinghofen and Neheim lines were created in the first half of the 15th century . The Büderich - Hörde line split off from the Höllinghofen line , from which the Kurland line in Meddum (Medumu, Daugavpils district ) originated. The Stirpe line emerged from the Waterlappe line in the 16th century . Other lines of the 16th century were those in Geldern , Neheim-Neufürstenberg and the Neheim- Senden line emerging from the Neheim line . Many of the lines died out. Of the family branches in Westphalia, the one in Waterlappe still existed in the 17th century.

The marriage circles in the late Middle Ages mainly included the knight nobility in the Duchy of Westphalia and the neighboring areas. There are also patrician families from Soest, Dortmund and Osnabrück. The descendants of the former canon Gotthard von Fürstenberg were strongly associated with leading urban families from rather smaller towns. A marriage connection between two lines of the family can only be proven once.

The property focused in the late Middle Ages in the area of the Duchy of Westphalia including the county of Mark fallen Soest . The family also owned properties in the rest of the County of Mark. The lines in Geldern, Senden and Werne lived further away. Most of the properties outside the core area came to the family through marriage. It was different with the purchase of estates and vineyards on the Rhine, including near Mainz, since the 16th century.

Swedish barons coat of arms (1731) of the Pomeranian Fürstenbergs in the church Groß Bünzow

The family has belonged to the nobility since the Middle Ages . Numerous subsequent sons and daughters entered the clergy. This was usually accompanied by a university education for those who aspired to a higher ecclesiastical office. Canon Hermann von Fürstenberg, for example, studied in Bologna around 1497 . The family often worked in the Himmelpforten monastery , where Ursula von Fürstenberg was abbess around 1514, in the Oelinghausen monastery , in the Paradies monastery , in the Siegburg monastery ( Johann von Fürstenberg was abbot in 1516 ) and in the Scheda monastery . Margarete von Fürstenberg was abbess in Welver monastery around 1542 and Cordula von Fürstenberg in Geseke monastery around 1560 . In addition, a number of secular clergy emerged from the family. It was not until 1471 that the first members of the family, Friedrich von Fürstenberg in Hildesheim, became canons.

Even in the late Middle Ages, the Fürstenbergers mainly served the archbishops of Cologne as rulers in the Duchy of Westphalia. Some of them were free judges at the Oberfreistuhl in Arnsberg in the 15th century . Members of the Richter family were also at other courts. Wennemar von Fürstenberg was bailiff in Arnsberg around 1371/72. Members of the family appeared early on as lenders for their princely masters. Wennemar von Fürstenberg († 1387) owed the archbishops of Cologne 700 guilders. Gotthard von Fürstenberg granted a loan of 5000 guilders in 1445. For this he received the castle and town of Neheim as pledge. This pledge stayed with the family for 120 years. As a result, the Fürstenbergers were there bailiff or Drost with residence in Drostenhof . The family has also provided the Drost in the Werl office since the late 15th century. With the establishment of the estates, the Fürstenbergs also had a significant influence on the state parliament . Some members of the family were involved in the first hereditary land association in 1437 to limit the power of the sovereign.

Coat of arms of those von Fürstenberg in the Baltic heraldic book, 1882

A large number of family members came to Livonia as Teutonic Knights . From the second half of the 15th century, a number of knights of the order came from the Höllighofen-Büderich-Hörde line in particular. The Landmeister of Livonia, Johann Wilhelm von Fürstenberg, came from a Neheim line . He was captured by Russia in 1560 through betrayal, but did not recognize the rule of Ivan the Terrible and died in Moscow in 1568 . After the end of the order, members of the family developed into secular landowners and formed new lines.

Early modern age

Main features of family policy

Friedrich von Fürstenberg (1510–1567), (* around 1510/11 at Castle Waterlappe; † 1567), Councilor and Drost of Cologne
Kaspar von Fürstenberg (1545–1618), Lord of Waterlappe, acquirer of Schnellenberg Castle , Electorate of Cologne Drost of Bilstein , Fredeburg and Waldenburg , Elector of Mainz bailiff of Fritzlar and Naumburg , since 1613 Landdrost of the Duchy of Westphalia
Schnellenberg Castle , Sauerland
Statue of Dietrich von Fürstenberg above the portal of the Akademia Theodoriana he founded (today's Gymnasium Theodorianum )

The Fürstenberg family adapted to the changes in modern times in a remarkable way. Since around the 16th century, almost all male family members received a good, mostly academic, education. This tradition only ended at the end of the 18th century. The training recommended the members of the family for demanding tasks in the service of the sovereigns or the church.

In his will of 1564, Friedrich von Fürstenberg sketched family policy for the centuries to come. The indivisibility of property was established in the will. This should be inherited. The other male sons were provided with church mortgages. In 1660, the will became the model for a newly established family entailment commission . This was the second in all of Westphalia. After that, the inheritance did not automatically pass to the eldest son. Rather, the testator had the right to designate an heir. Disputes were resolved by an informal family council made up of the most respected family members.

In addition to church service, the military and court service played no role. The daughters, unless they were married or entered a pen, were compensated. Of 29 male Fürstenbergers, from the time of Frederick to the end of the Holy Roman Empire, 23 had spiritual positions, mostly as canons. They were mainly represented in the cathedral chapters of Paderborn, Hildesheim and Münster, but also in Mainz and Salzburg . The family's reliance on monasteries and monasteries for supplies increased their support for Catholicism.

The family was extremely successful with their dedication to service in the church on the one hand and their ties to the Duchy of Westphalia on the other. Only three family members were elected clerical rulers ( Dietrich , Ferdinand , Franz Egon ). With others, this failed only because of the political situation ( Wilhelm , Johann Gottfried ). Another two Fürstenbergers rose to leading ministerial positions in a spiritual state ( Franz , Friedrich Christian ). Also two were representatives of the Elector in the Duchy of Westphalia ( Kaspar , Friedrich ) as Landdrosten . Six family members became provost of the cathedral .

The concentration on the ecclesiastical service made it necessary to keep the foundation. The cathedral chapters demanded an ancestral test that had to have at least 16 noble ancestors. Marriage was therefore only an option in the circle of this nobility . Last but not least, this narrowing of the marriage circles led to the fact that the various lines that still existed in the 16th and 17th centuries, except for those of the Fürstenberg-Herdringen, died out. It was not until the 19th century that sidelines were formed again.

development

Friedrich laid the actual foundation stone for the family's gain in importance . He acquired the pledge of the offices of Bilstein and Waldenburg. His son Kaspar added the pledge from the Fredeburg office. These offices remained in the family's possession for generations. In addition, there was the hereditary bailiwick over the monasteries Grafschaft and Ewig as well as the Oberkirchen court. Overall, the Fürstenbergs controlled about a quarter of the entire Duchy of Westphalia. In 1594 Kaspar acquired Schnellenberg Castle , which became the headquarters until it was relocated to Herdringen Castle , acquired in 1618 ; both are still owned by the family today.

Friedrich's sons Kaspar and Dietrich von Fürstenberg were in the 16./17. They were decisive opponents of the Reformation in the 19th century and helped to keep the Duchy of Westphalia and the Diocese of Paderborn Catholic. Both were at least partly responsible for witch trials in their sphere of influence. The sisters Ottilia and Anna were successively abbesses in the Oelinghausen monastery . Ottilia was also abbess at the Heerse Abbey .

In the next generation, the main heir was Friedrich von Fürstenberg . This was Landdrost of the Duchy of Westphalia and thus deputy of the Cologne Elector in this area. His brother Johann Gottfried was canon and president of the Electoral Mainz Council.

The family owner became Friedrich in the next generation . He was a Westphalian councilor and diplomat from the Electorate of Cologne. His brother Caspar Dietrich was both an engraver and a painter, but also an alchemist and colonel on horseback. Johann Adolf was canon, diplomat and the builder of Adolfsburg near Oberhundem , which he bequeathed to his nephew Ferdinand. Franz Wilhelm was the Landkomtur of the Teutonic Order Ballei Westphalia and builder of the Order Coming Mülheim ad Möhne . Wilhelm was envoy, papal secret chamberlain, provost of the cathedral in Munster and cathedral dean in Salzburg.

One of the most important representatives of the family was Ferdinand von Fürstenberg . The prince-bishop of Paderborn and later also Münster is considered to be a representative of Baroque Catholicism and significantly promoted the arts and education in Catholic Westphalia. In contrast to Dietrich von Fürstenberg, he is considered a Prince of Peace with excellent international contacts that reached to Rome and Paris.

The Fürstenbergs also played an important role in Westphalia in the 18th century. Franz-Wilhelm (1729-1810) was the leading, enlightening-minded politician (minister) of the Duchy of Münster and his brother Franz-Egon (1737-1835) was the last prince-bishop of Paderborn and Hildesheim.

Since the beginning of its history, the family has also been active in the commercial sector, for example in the coal and steel sector. Christian Franz Dietrich was particularly committed in this area. He operated several hammer mills, owned mines and founded paint manufacturing companies. Since the end of the 18th century, the family concentrated more on the agricultural and forestry sectors.

19th and 20th centuries

For the last time, Clemens Lothar von Fürstenberg (1725–1791) was able to combine ownership of the house in one hand. After his death, the inheritance was divided. Friedrich-Leopold (1766-1835) continued the main line and got the Westphalian and right bank goods. He could proliferate (through the purchase of goods, especially after the secularization, possession monastery County , Kloster Oelinghausen and Schloss Hugenpoet ). His brother Theodor (1772-1828) was the founder of the Rhenish family branch based in Stammheim near Cologne . This also included the possessions on the Rhine, including the Sevenum rule. The third brother Clemens got the property on the Maas (with Obsinnich Castle in Remersdaal ). After he died without an heir, the goods fell to the Stammheim line.

After the death of Friedrich Leopold, his property was divided again. Count Franz Egon (1818–1902) continued the main line in Herdringen. In addition there were a number of goods and the justice in the Sauerland. He was also the builder of Herdringen Castle, built between 1844 and 1853 by the Cologne cathedral builder Ernst Friedrich Zwirner . Clemens (1791–1844) received the glory Horst and two other goods. He became the founder of the Fürstenberg- Borbeck line . Theodor (1797–1879) was the founder of the Fürstenberg- Heiligenhoven line . Johann Friedrich (1799–1746) founded the Fürstenberg- Körtlinghausen line . Other branches such as the Fürstenberg- Gimborn line later emerged from this line . Franz Friedrich (1802–1860) was the founder of the Fürstenberg- Eggeringhausen line . Adolph (1805–1880) founded the Fürstenberg- Lörsfeld line and Joseph (1810–1880) founded the Fürstenberg- Muffendorf line .

Also in the 20th century the family brought important churchmen, u. a. the Cardinal Maximilian Freiherr v. Fürstenberg (1904–1988) or the Vice President of the German Association of the Sovereign Knights and Hospital Order of Malta and former Ambassador Peter Freiherr von Fürstenberg .

Nobility title

The family received the imperial baron status in Vienna on April 26, 1660 for several family members.

Andreas von Fürstenberg , who came from one of the Baltic lines, received the Swedish baron on June 14, 1731. Since his sons remained unmarried, this line died out in the male line as early as 1761; the property came to the von Kirchbach family through his daughter Magdalene Euphemia (1710–1778) .

Line Herdringen : Prussian count conditions as Graf von Furstenberg cooker rings , the Fideikommiss bound -owned Herdringen ( primogeniture ), on 16 January 1843 for Franz Egon Freiherr von Furstenberg on Herdringen , member of the Prussian House of Lords and Erbtruchsess the Duchy of Westphalia .

Stammheim line : Prussian count as Count von Fürstenberg-Stammheim , tied to the Stammheim estate (Primogenitur), on October 15, 1840 for the royal Prussian chamberlain Franz Egon Freiherr von Fürstenberg auf Stammheim. This line died out in 1925.

Belgian line : nobility naturalization as Baron de Furstenberg on April 18, 1887 for Clemens Freiherr von Fürstenberg . Belgian count as Comte de Furstenberg ( Primogenitur ) on January 3, 1964 for agricultural engineer Wenemar Freiherr von Fürstenberg .

Coat of arms of the von Fürstenberg and the extinct noblemen of Grafschaft - as well as the coat of arms of the Fürstenbergs after the coat of arms union with that of the Lords of Grafschaft with diploma from Leopold I from 1660

coat of arms

The family coat of arms shows two red bars in gold. On the helmet with its red and gold covers stand two golden pheasant feathers each covered with two red bars.

The crest fluctuated in the course of development. In the beginning there were two horns. These springs have been replaced by these springs since the 14th and especially the 15th century.

The baronial coat of arms from 1660 is divided into four parts: 1 and 4 the family coat of arms, 2 and 3 in gold two red posts (of the extinct noblemen of the county ). Two helmets with red and gold covers, on the right the trunk helmet, on the left two red (or gold) buffalo horns with peacock feathers at the mouths (from Grafschaft).

Lines and possessions

The Schnellenberg Castle, with Herdringen Castle, which was redesigned as the main residence in the 19th century, and Adolfsburg Castle, all located in the Sauerland, are part of the regular property.

From 1835, the Herdringer line grew into branches on the following properties:

family members

Dietrich von Fürstenberg (1546–1618), Prince-Bishop of Paderborn
Ferdinand Freiherr von Fürstenberg (1626–1683), Prince-Bishop of Paderborn and Münster
Franz Egon Freiherr von Fürstenberg (1737–1825), Prince-Bishop of Paderborn and Hildesheim

reception

See also

Individual evidence

Coat of arms of the Paderborn prince-bishop Ferdinand von Fürstenberg on the portal of the Busdorf Church in Paderborn (1667). The coat of arms of those of Fürstenberg alternates with the coat of arms of the Principality of Paderborn (photo 2008).
  1. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 8.
  2. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 9.
  3. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 4.
  4. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 18.
  5. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, pp. 20–24.
  6. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 25.
  7. ↑ cf. in particular: Horst Conrad: “Splendor familiae.” Generational discipline and family in the von Fürstenberg family. In: Südwestfalenarchiv, 6th year 2006, pp. 105–126.
  8. ↑ cf. Norbert Börste, Jörg Ernesti (ed.): Prince of Peace and Good Shepherd. Ferdinand von Fürstenberg - Prince-Bishop of Paderborn and Münster (= Paderborn Theological Studies; Volume 42). Schöningh, Paderborn 2004, ISBN 3-506-71319-1 .
  9. ^ Brief description of the Fürstenberg archive
  10. ^ Friedrich von Klocke: The origin of the Swedish and Pomeranian v. Furstenberg. In: Journal for Family Studies in Lower Saxony. 29 (1954), ISSN  0172-1852 , pp. 89-95.
  11. ↑ Fürstenberg's story. Volume 2, The history of the sex from 1400 to 1600. Münster 1971, p. 9.

literature

  • Michael Gosmann (ed.): Fürstenberger sketches. Stroll through 700 years of Westphalian family and state history. Arnsberg 1995.
  • Friedrich v. Klocke (arr.): Fürstenberg's story. 1. Vol., The history of the family von Fürstenberg up to around 1400. 2. Edition. Munster 1971.
  • Friedrich v. Klocke, Gerhard Theuerkauf: Fürstenberg history. 2nd volume, The history of the von Fürstenberg family from 1400 to around 1600. Münster 1971.
  • Helmut Lahrkamp, ​​Helmut Richtering u. a. (Arrangement): Fürstenberg's story. 3rd vol., The history of the von Fürstenberg family in the 17th century. Munster 1971.
  • Norbert Andernach, Friedrich Keinemann a. a. (Arrangement): Fürstenberg's story. 4th vol., The history of the von Fürstenberg family in the 18th century. Munster 1979.
  • Genealogical manual of the nobility . Baronial houses. Volume XV, Volume 69 of the complete series. C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 1989, pp. 135-177.
  • Genealogical manual of the nobility. Nobility Lexicon . Volume III, Volume 61 of the complete series. C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 1975, p. 420.
  • Horst Conrad: “Splendor familiae.” Generational discipline and family in the von Fürstenberg family. In: Südwestfalenarchiv. 6th vol., 2006, pp. 105-126.
  • Erich Trunz:  Fürstenberg, from. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 5, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1961, ISBN 3-428-00186-9 , p. 696 ( digitized version ).

Web links

Commons : Fürstenberg (Adelsfamilie Westfalen)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files