Märkische Fürstenchronik
The Märkische Fürstenchronik ( Chronica Marchionum Brandenburgensium ) is next to the Tractatus de captione urbis Brandenburg of Heinrich von Antwerp the most important chronical source for the founding epoch of the Mark Brandenburg under the Ascanian Margraves of Brandenburg (1157-1319).
Origin and research history
The Märkische Fürstenchronik is not completely preserved and could only be reconstructed from fragments (including the title), first in 1888 by Georg Sello . Your first part (until 1268) was created around 1280 by a clergyman who gave the Margrave Otto III. had been close during his lifetime. Among other things, he resorted to the Brandenburg bishop's chronicle , which was created at the suggestion of the Brandenburg bishop Gernand . Fractions of the Märkische Fürstenchronik were found mainly in the Saxon Fürstenchronik ( Chronica Principium Saxoniae , published in 1865 by Otto von Heinemann ) and in the Bohemian Chronicle of Pulkawa . In Pulkawa there is also the continuation of the Märkische Fürstenchronik up to the death of Waldemar on August 14th 1319. Parts of the Fürstenchronik were already published by the Brandenburg chronicler Paul Creusing (1450 to about 1600), published in 1886 by Friedrich Holtze.
Content and meaning
The chronicle is divided into 30 chapters, which are usually short biographies of margraves. The first chapter begins with Eilika , the second daughter of the Saxon Duke Magnus , who married Count Otto von Ballenstedt and gave birth to Albrecht the Bear , the founder of the Mark Brandenburg. The first part of the Princely Chronicle consists of ten chapters in which seven generations of margraves (reigns) are numbered, and ends with the death of Otto III. on October 9, 1267. Due to the division into the Johannine and Ottonian lines of the margraves of Brandenburg, the margrave generations are no longer numbered in the second part. The chronicle ends with Waldemar's death in 1319 and the transfer to the Wittelsbach margrave Ludwig the Roman .
Chapter VIII: the margrave brothers Johann I and Otto III.
The most frequently cited passage from the Märkische Fürstenchronik refers to the brothers Johann I and Otto III. , which in Chapter VIII are collectively referred to as " marchio sextus " (sixth margrave), whereby after the death of Johann I in 1266 his brother Otto III, who survived him by a year. is listed in Chapter X as " marchio septimus ". According to Johannes Schultze , the Nestor of Brandenburg history, Johann I and Otto III count . , often called "the city founders", "one of the most important rulers who appeared on Brandenburg soil." In the longest reign (1220–1266 / 67) of all Ascanian margraves, they made the most extensive and lasting contribution to the strengthening and expansion of the Mark Brandenburg done. Chapter VIII of the Märkische Fürstenchronik is often quoted on this:
“The brothers Johann and Otto. They began [their rule] in 1220, and because they were still children, they had the Count of Anhalt as their guardian . After he was excluded from guardianship, they wisely ruled their country with the advice of their mother. But when they had grown up to be young men, they lived together, promoting the other, in harmony, as befits brothers. Thanks to this unity, they were equal to their enemies, they promoted friends, increased lands and incomes, and fame, prestige, and power flourished. They took over the states of Teltow , Barnim and many others from Mr Barnem , they bought the Uckerland up to the Welse , in the Harz they acquired castles and bailiwicks , Berlin , Strausberg , Frankfurt , Neu-Tangermünde , Stolpe , Liebenwalde , Stargard , Neubrandenburg and many others other places built them, and by turning deserts into fields, they had an abundance of goods. They held many chaplains in their efforts to hold the services and they settled preachers , Friars Minor and monks of the Cistercian Order in their countries . "
They fought against Archbishop Albrecht von Magdeburg in 1229 on the river Plane , where their territories still border one another. In 1231 they were at Pentecost (May 11) to Knights defeated. Later, in 1240, after Archbishop Wilbrand of Magdeburg and Bishop Meinhard [in fact: Ludolf] of Halberstadt had led armies to the river called Biese , Margrave Johann triumphed, his brother Otto the partisan Margrave Heinrich von Meißen in Mittenwalde Resisted, most gloriously, and captured the Halberstadt bishop, vassals , knights and armed men; the Archbishop of Magdeburg narrowly escaped. After that, the city walls and Kalbe Castle were completely destroyed.
Four years later, Archbishop Wilbrand and Margrave Heinrich von Meißen again raised a large army and reached the area of the city of Brandenburg . Here Margrave Otto met them because Johann was employed elsewhere , and he fought vigorously between Brandenburg and Plaue and, by a happy accident, took many prisoners; others fled and crossed the bridge of Plaue with such a rush that it collapsed and many drowned in the Havel . Through this and similar events they achieved peace with the Margrave of Meissen and the Archbishop of Magdeburg; they got a dreaded reputation and shone with fame.
Because they wanted to ensure peace and harmony between their sons, they divided their country in 1258, and in the presence of Bishop Heidenreich von Kulm from the Order of Preachers and other monks and clergy they had the letters of division placed on the altar for both sides during mass , and Johann came up with his hands crossed over the documents, and he got the letter, which he took with his right hand, and his brother Otto got the other one, whereby, if the other part should be smaller, from the undivided goods, from to which several were left should be added what had to be given to the other as compensation. But after the insightful had recognized that Otto's part was lower, not in terms of money, but in woody trees, pastures and the quality of the lands, and that Johann would have a hundred knights more than Otto, Otto's part was added in agreement with Johann the castle and the land of Lebus and the castle Alvensleben and the county , which they had bought from the bishop of Halberstadt.
“In 1260, Johann also chose the old town of Brandenburg within added boundaries, and his brother Otto chose the new town of Brandenburg within neighboring, imprecise boundaries , although the nature of the neighboring towns required a compensation of 1,200 Frusta ; and since then everyone has paid their own expenses after living together for forty years. "
literature
Chronica Marchionum Brandenburgensium , ed. v. Georg Sello. In: Research for Brandenburg and Prussian History 1, 1888, pp. 111–180.
Remarks
- ^ Translation according to Winfried Schich / Jerzy Strzelczyk: Slavs and Germans on the Havel and Spree. To the beginnings of the Mark Brandenburg , Hanover 1997, p. 43f.
- ↑ Since there is no complete translation of the Märkische Fürstenchronik so far, the second part of Chapter VIII has been translated by user: Ulrich Waack .