Count of Gleichenstein

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Counts of Gleichenstein or Counts of Gleichen called von Gleichenstein were a single branch of the old Thuringian noble family of those von Gleichen , who were temporarily resident in Eichsfeld through their possessions .

History of the Counts in Eichsfeld

With Count Erwin I (1040–1116), the family of counts von Gleichen was appointed as counts in Eichsfeldgau for the first time . Count Ernst I von Tonna (1116–1152) was enfeoffed by Kurmainz with goods in Eichsfeld in 1140 and was burgrave on the Harburg (1139 and 1148), where he also lived. After his death, the inheritance passed to his second son Ernst II (1152–1170). The Counts of Gleichen had acquired numerous possessions in the area of ​​today's Obereichsfeld, temporarily administered the Gerode monastery (Erwin II and Ernst II together around 1154) and founded the Reifenstein monastery (Ernst II 1162). In 1165 the Harburg and Burg Rusteberg becamedestroyed in disputes between the Archbishops of Mainz and the Thuringian Landgraves and Ernst was beheaded in 1170.

From the 12th century they owned the castles Velsecke (as the predecessor of Gleichenstein Castle ), Scharfenstein and Birkenstein with all accessories and rights. The new Reifenstein Castle above the Reifenstein Monastery was probably also the residence of the count family. In this sphere of influence they were also the burgraves of the imperial city of Mühlhausen and its surroundings (1238 "Ernestus die gracia prefectus in Mulhausen"). In 1201 Ernst III. already mentioned as Count of Velsecke ("Ernestus comes de Velsecke"), named after Velsecke Castle, which was built around 1180.

After Ernst III. Having died in 1230, his nephew Heinrich I inherited the Eichsfeld possessions and initially called himself von Velsecke . Among other things, he made various donations to the Reifenstein Monastery. In 1234, after a dispute with the Thuringian Landgrave Heinrich Raspe, Velsecke Castle was destroyed. The castle was rebuilt around 1240 and Heinrich called himself von Gleichenstein for the first time . 1257 presumably his son Albrecht II took over the inheritance. His other sons also called themselves “von Gleichenstein”, but no longer lived on the Eichsfeld (1273 “Nos Albertus et Ernestus fratres atque Comites gratia de Glichenstein”). In 1280 he sold the village of Effelder to the Zella monastery and in 1281 transferred the patronage rights over Wehnde to the Teistungenburg monastery .

In 1283 Albrecht III. von Gleichen was the guardian of Albert's son Heinrich and also called himself "von Gleichenstein". He gave the patronage rights over Helmsdorf to the knights of Lazarus zu Breitenbich . Henry IV finally inherited many possessions, but also a large debt burden. Therefore, in 1294 he sold all of Eichsfeld's properties (Gleichenstein, Scharfenstein and Birkenstein) with all rights to Archbishop Gerhard von Mainz.

The Counts of Gleichenstein are not related to the barons (Gleichauf) von Gleichenstein in Baden and the nobles of Gleichenstein.

Timetable

Below is a timeline of the Counts of Tonna / Gleichen in Eichsfeld (the order of the family members may vary depending on the source, the year information may be unsecured and should be viewed with reservation):

  • 1104–1116 Count Erwin I (probably Gaugraf in Eichsfeld )
  • 1116–1152 Count Ernst I von Tonna (Vogt of the Monastery of Gerode 1143, Burgrave of Harburg 1139–1148)
  • 1152–1170 Count Ernst II at Harburg Castle (1154), founder of the Reifenstein Monastery (1162), beheaded (1170) and Count Erwin II von Tonna / Gleichen (Vogt von Gerode 1154)
  • 1191 Guda, widow of Count Ernst von Tonna (II), transfers the towns of Hermanneshagen and Berengershagen to the Reifenstein monastery
  • 1193-1230 Ernst III. von Gleichen (1196) and Velsecke (1200), Vogt zu Reifenstein (1201)
  • 1230–1257 Heinrich I von Velsecke (1234) and Gleichenstein (1246) attacked Rusteberg Castle in 1238
  • 1283–1292 Albrecht III. von Gleichen / Gleichenstein (as guardian for Heinrich IV.)
  • (1283) -1294 Heinrich IV. Von Gleichen / Gleichenstein

Representative of the Counts of Gleichenstein

Seal of Heinrich I von Velsecke / Gleichenstein from 1239
  • Heinrich I von Gleichenstein (1212–1257), the first with the name "von Gleichenstein" from 1246
  • Heinrich II. Von Gleichenstein (died 1261)
  • Albrecht II of Gleichenstein (1257–1283)
  • Hermann von Gleichenstein (d. 1317), 1287 canon in Mainz, provided services for the sale of the Eichsfeld to Kurmainz
  • Heinrich IV. Von Gleichenstein (died 1301/07) sells the Eichsfeld to Mainz

Today's tracks

Only a few original building traces and relics from the High Middle Ages point to the castles built in Eichsfeld by the Counts of Gleichen. After the castles Reifenstein and Birkenstein were abandoned, there are only minor traces of development such as ditches, ramparts and isolated brick and ceramic remains. The castles Gleichenstein and Scharfenstein were destroyed several times over the centuries and then rebuilt and rebuilt, so that only a few traces of the high medieval building fabric from the time of the counts have been preserved. In the course of renewed renovations from 2014 in the core of Scharfenstein Castle, the remains of two medieval keep and a curtain wall were found. The larger tower with a diameter of 10 meters and a wall thickness of 3.2 m was built with humpback ashlars and indicates a construction time at the end of the 12th century. This tower was destroyed in 1219. The second, smaller tower with a diameter of 7.80 meters and a wall thickness of 2.4 m was built from stone around 1250. This tower was probably destroyed in the turmoil of the Peasant War and then demolished and not rebuilt.

literature

  • The oldest counts of Gleichen on the Eichsfelde. In: Newspaper for the German Aristocracy, 3rd year 1842, No. 75–77
  • Hans Tümmler: The history of the Counts of Gleichen from their origins to the sale of the Eichsfeld approx. 1100–1294. Neustadt an der Orla 1929
  • Peter Bühner: Mühlhausen in Eichsfeld? The Counts of Gleichen as Burgraves of Mühlhausen. Eichsfeld yearbook 2007, Verlag Mecke Duderstadt, pages 5–20
  • Eduard Fritze: Gleichenstein Castle 1246–1996. Self-published waxedt 1996, pp. 8-15

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Roland Gräßler: The sad fate of Count Ernst II. In: Thüringer Allgemeine from August 19, 2012 (accessed on June 13, 2017)
  2. ↑ Polf Aulepp: The castles and old streets of the Düns (II). in Eichsfelder Heimathefte 25th year 1985, issue 2, page 145
  3. ↑ Peter Bühner: Mühlhausen in Eichsfeld? The Counts of Gleichen as Burgraves of Mühlhausen. Eichsfeld yearbook 2007, Verlag Mecke Duderstadt, pages 11
  4. ^ [1] History of the castle Gleichenstein.de
  5. ↑ Johann Wolf: Political history of the Eichsfeld with documents explained. Göttingen 1793, § 94, page 158
  6. ↑ RIplus Regg. EB Mainz 1,1 n. 380, in: Regesta Imperii Online, URI: [2] (accessed on June 14, 2017). Regest of the Archbishops of Mainz
  7. ↑ Johann Wolf: Political history of the Eichsfeld with documents explained. Göttingen 1793, § 96, pages 161-162
  8. ↑ Rolf Aulepp: Scharfenstein Castle is one of the most interesting castles in Eichsfeld. In: Eichsfelder Heimathefte (23) 1983, pages 52-68
  9. ↑ Udo Hopf: More than a keep at Scharfenstein Castle. In: Archeology in Germany vol. 32, 4 (2016) p. 55
  10. ↑ Construction work on Scharfenstein Castle on September 14, 2015

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