Rectorate of Burgundy
The Rectorate of Burgundy was a title created in 1127 for the Zähringer people , which - at least nominally - included the office of royal deputy in the Kingdom of Burgundy . When the Zähringers died out in 1218, the rectorate also disappeared.
Emergence
Since the German King Lothar III. after his election had problems asserting himself against his Staufer rivals, he urgently had to look for allies. That is why he supported Konrad von Zähringen in 1127 with his Burgundian inheritance claims against Rainald III. of Burgundy by describing him as the legitimate heir of Count Wilhelm II of Burgundy and on this occasion awarded him the title of Rector Burgundiae , that is to say a «head» or «ruler» of Burgundy.
definition
There was no precise definition of this office at the time; it can only be found in a contract between King Friedrich I Barbarossa and Berthold IV von Zähringen from 1152. In the absence of the king, the rector was supposed to be his immediate deputy in Burgundy and exercise regalia investiture in the dioceses of Lausanne , Geneva and Sion .
use
Even if one assumes that the dominion can be traced back to the former Kingdom of Burgundy, the title itself has no historical basis, but was created specifically for this occasion. Accordingly, contemporaries questioned him. It even disappeared quickly from the royal documents. Instead, the name "Duke of Burgundy" was often used for the Zähringian incumbents, although at that time there was no Burgundian duchy in the Holy Roman Empire (→ Duchy of Burgundy ). Apparently they wanted to express that the office gave a quasi-ducal position. Only the Berchthold IV and V from Zähringen used the self-designation Dux et Rector Burgundie (Duke and Rector of Burgundy) in their documents and seals until the 1180s . Nevertheless, the competencies went beyond those of an ordinary duke. It has been repeatedly documented that the Zähringer owned imperial territory or also documented it in the name of the emperor.
Dominion
The Zähringers themselves only succeeded in asserting themselves in the eastern part of Hochburgund, i.e. today's western Switzerland, which they won after the victory over Rainald III. controlled by Burgundy. After his death in 1148, the Zähringer tried to enforce their claims to the county of Burgundy (later called the Free County of Burgundy ) against his daughter Beatrix of Burgundy . They also claimed the remaining areas of the Kingdom of Burgundy, but were never able to gain influence here.
After the sudden death of the German king Konrad III. In 1152, his successor Friedrich I secured the support of Zähringer Berthold IV by confirming the title of Rector of Burgundy and contractually undertaking to help him subjugate Burgundy, for which he himself had a certain army strength within a year must muster. Obviously, Berthold did not see himself in a position to do this after all. Berthold's position in Burgundy was further weakened by Frederick's marriage to Beatrix of Burgundy, as he had to finally give up his claims to the county of Burgundy. The rector's office was thus limited to western Switzerland. As compensation, Berthold also received the regalia investiture in the dioceses of Lausanne, Geneva and Sion, which he was ultimately only able to perceive in Lausanne.
After the Zähringers died out, the Burgundy Rectorate remained conceptually alive in the two Landgraviates of Burgundy and Aarburgund in today's Canton of Bern until the 15th century.
literature
- Heinemann, Hartmut: The Zähringer and Burgundy in: The Zähringer. A tradition and its research (publications on the Zähringer exhibition 1) , published by the archive of the city of Freiburg i. Br., Sigmaringen 1986, pp. 59-74.
Web links
- Erwin Eugster: Zähringen, from. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .