Konrad zu Castell

Konrad Graf und Herr zu Castell (also Conrad ; * July 10, 1519 in Castell ; † July 8, 1577 at Schloss Schmiedelfeld ) was ruler of the Grafschaft Castell from 1546 to 1577 . He shared the rule with his brothers Heinrich IV and Georg II.

The county before Konrad

At the beginning of the 16th century, the Grafschaft Castell found itself in a precarious situation: the great rulers of the area, namely the Prince Diocese of Würzburg and the Margraviate of Ansbach , increasingly narrowed the county’s territory. Friedrich VI. had to cede his half of the important city of Volkach to the bishop and the county lost access to the important river Main.

Another development was the emergence of the Lutheran faith, which, coming from central Germany, spread even further in Franconia . One of the immediate consequences of the religious upheavals was the German Peasants' War of 1525, in which the disadvantaged strata of the population united and violently attacked their landlords. The uprising was put down, but the county was still affected.

Life

Konrad was in 1519 as the first child of Count Wolfgang I. born. He grew up with the brothers Heinrich and Georg, with whom he should also share control of the county. At first the young count embarked on a spiritual career and established himself as cathedral capitular in Würzburg, Bamberg and Speyer. After his father's death in 1546, however, he renounced the spiritual benefices and began to rule the county.

His first official act was to sell the old castle in Wiesentheid to Valentin Fuchs von Bimbach in 1547 . At the same time, Konrad also worked in other people in the area. In the years 1566 to 1568 he is handed down as head captain on the Plassenburg . In 1568 he became governor of Waldsassen Abbey . Before that, in 1548 and 1557, he took part in the Diets of Augsburg and Regensburg. Count Konrad zu Castell died in 1577.

Marriage and offspring

Count Konrad married Margravine Elisabeth von Baden-Durlach on August 1, 1543 in Pforzheim. With her he had two daughters, both of whom could not act as rulers of the county.

• Martha (born May 2, 1544 in Castell; † August 28, 1607)
• Eva (April 12, 1546 - April 23, 1570)

literature

• Wilhelm Engel: House u. Reign of Castell in Franconian history . In: Society for Franconian History (ed.): Castell. Contributions to the culture and history of home and dominion. New Year's Sheets XXIV . Würzburg 1952. pp. 1-19.
• Otto Meyer: The Castell house. State and class rule over the centuries . In: Otto Meyer, Hellmut Kunstmann (ed.): Castell. State rule - castles - status lordship . Castell 1979. pp. 9-53.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Meyer, Otto: The Castell House . P. 22 f.
2. ↑ Engel, Wilhelm: Haus u. Reign of Castell . P. 7.

predecessor	Office	successor
George I. Johann Friedrich V. Wolfgang I.	Count of Castell 1546–1577	Gottfried Wolfgang II.