Landgraviate of Leuchtenberg

Territory in the Holy Roman Empire
Landgraviate of Leuchtenberg
coat of arms
map
Form of rule	Princely Landgrave
Ruler / government	Landgrave
Today's region / s	DE-BY
Reichskreis	Bavarian
Capitals / residences	Leuchtenberg , Pfreimd
Dynasties	1196–1646 Landgrave von Leuchtenberg , Wittelsbacher until its dissolution in 1808
Denomination / Religions	Roman Catholic , briefly Protestant
Language / n	German
surface	250 km²
Residents	6,500
Incorporated into	Kingdom of Bavaria

Leuchtenberg, with the main town of Pfreimd and previously based in Leuchtenberg, was a small county in the northern Upper Palatinate Forest , about 30 km east of Amberg and the Principality of Sulzbach . It consisted of the four offices of Leuchtenberg, Pfreimd, Wernberg and Missbrunn with a total area of ​​about 250 km².

history

Leuchtenberg Castle

Leuchtenburger Pfennig with Jew hat , year 1528, silver, embossed on one side

The Fürstete Landgraviate Leuchtenberg was in the northern part of the Gau and had a seat in the Imperial Council . The territory had a population of 6,500 and an area of ​​about 4 square miles . The Leuchtenbergers held the title of landgrave from 1196 until they went out in 1646 . The noble family was elevated to the rank of count in 1158, in 1196 they became landgraves and since the 15th century they became imperial princes .

In 1646, after Landgrave Maximilian Adam's death, the area passed to his relative, Duke Albrecht VI. of Bavaria , who thus became the Landgrave of Leuchtenberg. However, he described himself as the Duke of (Bavaria) Leuchtenberg . In 1650 he exchanged the imperial county of Haag for Leuchtenberg from his brother Elector Maximilian I. Leuchtenberg received his nephew Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus , who was Duke of Bavaria-Leuchtenberg from 1650 to 1705. With his death, Leuchtenberg came to the Bavarian Elector Max Emanuel . In 1706 the imperial ban was imposed on him , therefore Leopold Mathias Sigismund von Lamberg was enfeoffed with Leuchtenberg in 1708. After his death in 1711 he was succeeded by his father Franz Joseph I von Lamberg . When he died in 1712, the Landgraviate fell to his brother Franz Anton von Lamberg and, after the Peace of Rastatt in 1714, to Bavaria. The respective Bavarian ruler then led, among other things, the title of Landgrave von Leuchtenberg . In 1808 the landgraviate was dissolved and became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria .

In 1817 Eugène de Beauharnais received from the Bavarian King Maximilian I Joseph the title of Duke of Leuchtenberg proposed by Maximilian von Montgelas , but without any territorial ownership there. His property was the newly formed principality of Eichstätt .

Leuchtenberg Castle

The ruins of the Leuchtenberg castle are now located in Leuchtenberg . The first castle was built in 10/11. Erected in the 16th century, and a new building followed around 1300. The building is used today for the annual Leuchtenberg Castle Festival .

literature

• Georg Brunner: History of Leuchtenberg and the former Landgraves of Leuchtenberg, mostly compiled from previously unknown documents and acts , Amberg 1863.
• Treatise on the history of the Landgraviate of Leuchtenberg, from the earliest times to the death of Langrafen Johann von Leuchtenberg. 1531. , Berlin and Leipzig 1778.
• Christoph Maier: History of the Landgraves and Dukes of Leuchtenberg , Munich 1841.

Web links

• Leuchtenberg in history and legend
• Map around 1450 with the Landgraviate of Leuchtenberg

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Mean value from map (265 km²) and 4 square meters ~ 230 km²
2. ↑ Herder's Conversations Lexicon (1855)
3. ^ History of Leuchtenberg