Ludwig (Arnsberg)

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Ludwig († May 2, 1313 ) was Count von Arnsberg and initially ruled as his father's co-regent, later he ruled alone from 1282 to 1313.

Family and origin

Ludwig was the son of Count Gottfried III. von Arnsberg and the Adelheid von Blieskastel, daughter and co-heir of Count Heinrich. He himself married Pironette von Jülich, a daughter of Count Wilhelm IV von Jülich. With this Ludwig had thirteen children. Of these, Wilhelm became Ludwig's successor. The remaining sons entered the clergy. The son Gottfried became bishop of Osnabrück . Later he also claimed the office of bishop in the diocese of Bremen . Walram became canon in Aachen , canon in Utrecht and provost of the Meschede monastery . Gerhard was a canon at St. Gereon in Cologne . Friedrich became abbot in Steinfeld monastery and later a canon in Wedinghausen monastery . Johann was canon in Paderborn and canon at St. Gereon in Cologne. Richarda's first marriage to Johann II, Prince of Mecklenburg in Gardebusch, and her second marriage to Wilhelm Graf von Dale. Peronette became canoness in St. Cäcilien in Cologne. Rixeta became abbess of St. Ursula in Cologne. Katharina married Dietrich II von Bilstein. Adelheid was married to Philip II of Viaden. Mechthild was a nun in the Oelinghausen monastery . Loretta was a canon in Villich .

Live and act

The transfer of the earl dignity cannot be clearly dated. It is clear that Ludwig was co-regent for a few years while his father was still alive. In foreign politics, Ludwig tended to rely on compromises. Therefore, despite considerable conflicts with the Archbishops of Cologne, in particular with Siegfried von Westerburg , there were no armed conflicts. A court of arbitration was set up in the dispute over the control of the Wickede Gogerichts , to which the Counts of Arnsberg and the Cologne residents made a claim. This apparently served to appease, to make the Count an ally in the Limburg Hereditary War against Brabant in 1280. In this context the Archbishop promised the Count protection from the Count of the Mark . In addition, the archbishop promised to provide some of Ludwig's sons and brothers with church benefices . Despite this alliance, Ludwig does not seem to have participated in the warlike actions of the bishop.

Despite the unity demonstrated, certain tensions persisted. In 1293, Ludwig found himself in a feud with the Cologne occupation in Hovestadt . The fact that the archbishop himself married the later Count Wilhelm to Beatrix von Rietberg in 1296 speaks for the nonetheless lasting agreement . In the case of the dispute over Wickede, the delay in the proceedings meant that Ludwig did not come to a decision, which is why Ludwig complained to the new Archbishop of Cologne, Wigbold von Holte , that the Erzstuhl was still illegally claiming the court for itself. It is not entirely clear to what extent an intervention in this matter with King Albrecht was successful. There were other complaints. For example, Cologne has illegally fortified the village of Werl , once the headquarters of the count's family, and which is still in the area of ​​the county. The Archbishops of Cologne had built a new castle on the Fürstenberg directly on the border of the county. Above all, however, the Cologne residents had built the towns of Warstein , Belecke and Kallenhardt within a forest area that the Count had received as a fief from the Emperor . Overall, Count Ludwig was clearly on the defensive against the expansive Archbishops of Cologne.

Not least because of this, he concentrated on the internal development and the creation of a coherent domain. Thus remote properties were exchanged for those within the borders. His sister Mathilde (Mechthild), who with the count's son Heinrich III. Waldeck was engaged, which received Wewelsburg as a dowry . The count's house experienced a significant increase in ownership through Elisabeth Holte, an heiress to the noble lords of Arnsberg , who returned all goods previously given as fief to Count Ludwig. From another descendant of this sex he received half of the Free County of Velmede and later also the Free County of Stockum . Ludwig acquired the patronage rights over the parish of Hüsten from the Scheda monastery . The village of Wenholthausen , which was owned by the Lords of Ardey , he bought back for the county. In addition, the villages of Sundern , Hagen and Langscheid were created through clearing , some of which were declared freedoms. The fact that these did not receive full city rights was due to the negative attitude of the Archbishop of Cologne in his capacity as Duke of Westphalia.

After almost forty years of reign, Count Ludwig died on May 2, 1313.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Genealogical table in: Michael Gosmann: The Counts of Arnsberg and their county. On the way to sovereignty (1180–1371). In: Harm Klueting (Ed.): The Duchy of Westphalia: The Electorate of Cologne Westphalia from the beginnings of Cologne rule in southern Westphalia to secularization in 1803. Münster 2009, p. 173

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