Schönau (noble family)

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Family coat of arms of those of Schönau

Schönau , also Schoenau , is the name of an old Alsatian noble family with the same ancestral home on the Rhine, east of Schlettstadt , which settled in the 14th century in the southern Black Forest and there the lines Schönau-Wehr, Schönau-Zell, Schönau-Schwörstadt and Schönau- Oeschgen reasoned. The Schönau-Wehr line still exists today.

The family must not be confused with other noble families of the same name who came from other areas and also had different coats of arms .

history

origin

The von Schönau family originally came from Schœnau near Schlettstadt in Alsace and belonged to the Lower Alsatian nobility. There was the Motte Schœnau, the oldest and name-giving ancestral seat of the gentlemen of Schönau. By marrying the lords of Stein zu Altenstein (near Häg-Ehrsberg ), the Schönauer came to the Habsburg fiefdom of the Wehr rulership .

After Kneschke , a Heynes von Schoenau (also Hyrus ) is mentioned as early as 1165 and Babus and Evradus Schönau are said to have been councilors to Duke Heinrich von Meranien in 1209. The family was first mentioned in a document in 1214 with Heinricus de Sconowe as a knight and citizen of Kolmar . The line of the family begins with him . When transferring the castle and town Liebeneck at Würm to the Lords of Weissenstein by Margrave Rudolf I of Baden in 1263 the "Cunrado & Sibottone de Schonowe" Brothers is mentioned among the witnesses. In a sales document from the minstrel Walther von Klingen from 1269, Cunrat von Schönowe is mentioned again . Otto Hupp places Heinrich von Schönowe , who is mentioned in documents between 1320 and 1368, at the beginning of the uninterrupted trunk series.

The Schönau in Alsace

The Lords of Schönau were originally ministerials to the Bishop of Strasbourg . At an early age, however, they also entered into family relationships with leading patrician families in the old imperial city of Strasbourg. As truchess of the Strasbourg bishop, they held an influential court office, which confirms the position of their names in the ranks of witnesses.

Before the end of the 13th century, members of the family joined other up-and-coming Alsatian rulers and families. The lending from the property of the Lords of Rappoltstein became important . The property could be steadily expanded and was mainly between Strasbourg and Rufach during the 13th century . It mainly consisted of episcopal Strasbourg fiefdoms but also of allodial goods .

Also in the Markgräflerland, in Schliengen , the Lords of Schönau, who at that time still belonged to the knighthood, made property claims, as emerges from a legal dispute between them and the Lords of Neuenfels from 1331. The knight Günter von Schönau claimed half of the village and the jurisdiction.

The Alsatian possessions were finally lost with the French Revolution . As a result, the goods in the Fricktal were also lost, which fell to the canton of Aargau in 1803 and thus became part of the Swiss Confederation . The Schoenau rule lost its foundations. It was only after difficult negotiations that tithes , land interest and other rights were gradually bought back .

Power development in the southern Black Forest

Grave slab of Commander Caspar Fidelis von Schönau-Wehr (born 1700, † 1774), in the former convent church in Valletta, Malta

Rudolf I von Schönau, known as Hürus , was married to Margareta vom Stein, heir daughter of Heinrich vom Stein , who with his tribal comrades from Wieladingen , as ministerialis ecclesie Seconiensis , held the monastic office of Säckingen in the Fricktal and in the rule of Wehr. Stein Castle, after which this family was named, was about 10 kilometers above Zell in the side valley of the Angenbach. Thus, in the middle of the 14th century, the inheritance of the Lords of Stein passed to the Lords of Schönau. Favored by the Habsburgs and the Säckingen monastery , the Lords of Schönau developed into one of the leading and wealthiest powers in the southern Black Forest. A document from August 1353 mentions Rudolf von Schönau, called Hürus , who, on behalf of Thuringian Brandis and his brother Wölfelin, paid Johann der Malterer in Friborg for a loan of 300 silver marks, which he granted the Lords of Brandis, a payment of 100 marks Brought silver plus 10 silver marks.

In 1363, his son of the same name, Rudolf II von Schönau, tried to further expand his dominance in the Black Forest by redeeming part of a pledge over the lucrative customs at Hauenstein and the rule of Wehr. This plan failed, however, because Duke Rudolf IV first handed over the Pfandbrief to the Margraves of Sausenberg-Rötteln and suggested " 42 pfunt gels " on the sentence on customs at Hauenstein and the rule of Wehr. In the same year, Rudolf von Schönau managed to expand his power in the southern Black Forest. Walther Fasolt supported Otto von Hachberg for "Hürus" von Schönau and managed to have his fiefdom in Niederdossenbach be lent to Rudolf von Schönau.

His plan to take over the rule of Wehr succeeded in 1365. Duke Rudolf von Habsburg now allowed him to redeem the rule of Wehr for 1,800 guilders from the Margraves of Rötteln. In addition, he was able to acquire various rights in Hasel from Otto von Hachberg for 220  Florentine gold gulden and to redeem the rights of his nephew in Schweigmatt and the village of Gerspach from Peterman von Roggenbach (probably Rickenbach).

In Duke Leopold III. von Habsburg (Austria) seems to have found a friend in Rudolf von Schönau's plans to expand his power in the southern Black Forest. On February 3, 1379, Rudolf von Schönau succeeded in bringing the strategically important rule Hauenstein under his rule for 3520 guilders by releasing the pledge over this rule. Duke Leopold also liked a war horse , which he bought from Rudolf von Schönau for 200 guilders and had the purchase price added to the pledge amount of the Hauenstein rule . In this way, the Lords von Schönau gave further loans to the House of Habsburg in 1379 (400 guilders) and 1382 (1000 guilders).

Coat of arms in the battle chapel Sempach

A sudden end to the expansion of Rudolf von Schönau's rule came with the battle of Sempach , in the course of which Rudolf von Schönau, his son Hans and his brother Walther von Schönau were killed . In December 1386, Edelknecht Walther von Schönau, probably the son of the aforementioned, who was also known as Hürus, acted as guarantor for a loan from Countess Elisabeth von Neuchâtel , Count Konrad von Freiburg (Landgrave in Breisgau) and Margrave Rudolf III. from Hachberg-Sausenberg . Another indication that the Schönau house was very wealthy in the 14th century. After that, however, financial difficulties arose. Anna von Klingenberg , the widow of Rudolf von Schönau, had to sell the liens over the rule Hauenstein to the Basel citizen Jakob Zibol in 1397 due to financial difficulties . However, this meant that the financial requirements could only be covered for a short time and so in 1400 they had to buy a number of other goods, including the Nüw Stein (Neuenstein) fortress with the villages of Gerispach (Gerspach), Slechbach (Schlechtbach), Sweyggmatt (Schweigmatt), Kürem (Kürnberg ), Reippach (Raitbach), the mill in Hasel, the farm called Sattellege, the farms Blumberg, Eychenbrunnen (abandoned place near Glashütten, Schopfheim), Steinegg (Steinighof) and the stone pit in Kürnberg for 2000 gold guilders to Rudolf III. from Hachberg-Sausenberg sell.

In a debt deed of King Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, dated November 1, 1539 for 4000  florins (rh.) On a loan that Hans Othmar von Schönau granted him, he was named “Captain of the four forest cities on the Rhine and Vogt zu Laufenburg " designated. The sum was used to replace the pledge, "according to Hans Wolff von Habsberg on the same main team and vogtey." On April 6, 1544, Emperor Charles V gave Johann Caspar von Schönau the privilege of sealing with red wax ( freedom from red wax ) in Speyer. . In 1558 the women's monastery Säckingen and Melchior von Schönau got into a dispute over the castle interest of the two castles at Laufenburg . It is then reported that Emperor Ferdinand von Habsburg-Austria set up his night's quarters with Junker Ludwig von Schönau during his visit to Rheinfelden on January 9, 1563.

In 1608, through a contract with Archduke Maximilian, the Lords of Schönau succeeded in converting the rule of Wehr, which until then only belonged to them as a pledge, as well as their own rule of Schwörstadt into an Austrian fiefdom.

A document dated May 31, 1683 names "Frantz Josephs, Freyherren von und zue Schönauw" as the forest bailiff. The following are named as further judges: “Baschlin Eckherth vonn Buoch, the advocate; Urban Trönlin from Panholz, Hans Martin Gamp from Wihlen, Hans Martin Teuber from Dogeren, Andres Scheffer from Birckhingen, Hans Geörg Dörfflinger from Espach. "

At times, the gentlemen of Schönau also owned the pledge for the small town of Stetten near Lörrach. However, the Säckingen women's monastery redeemed the pledge in 1712. The current coat of arms of Stetten still reminds of the times of Schönau's rule.

The office of forest bailiff over the county of Hauenstein often went to the Lords of Schönau. Over the centuries the following people have been in the office of forest bailiff from the Schönau family:

  • 1383–1386 Rudolf von Schönau
  • 1632–1641 Marx Jakob von Schönau
  • 1641–1666 Johann Dietrich von Schönau
  • 1668–1683 Franz Joseph von Schönau
  • 1729–1755 Franz Anton von Schönau

Status surveys

Johann Dietrich von und zu Schönau auf Zell im Wiesental, administrator of the Waldvogtei Hauenstein, together with his cousins, the brothers Johann Ludwig, canon in Basel, and Johann Friedrich von und zu Schönau auf Wehr, as well as their cousin Franz Reinhard von und zu Schönau on Schwoerstadt on May 2, 1668 to Laxenburg in the realm baron with the salutation Honor levied.

A French recognition of the baronate for the entire family took place on August 6, 1773 at Compiègne .

Offices and membership in orders of knights and imperial knighthood

Around 1350 the Lords of Schönau were given the office of the prince Abbey of Säckingen, which they held until 1803. At the end of the 15th century, they were given the office of hereditary office in the Principality of Basel .

It is known that three members of the family were members of the Teutonic Order , six members of the family were members of the Order of Malta . Fidelis Joseph von Schönau-Wehr († 1783) was Commander in the Order of Malta. The grave slab of Commander Caspar Fidelis von Schönau-Wehr (born 1700, † 1774) can be found in the former convent church in La Valletta in Malta.

In 1752 the barons von und zu Schönau were members of the imperial knighthood in the knightly canton of Hegau-Allgäu-Bodensee of the Swabian knightly circle because of the possession or partial ownership of Wehr and Zell . They were enrolled in the knightly district of Lower Alsace because of Saasenheim . In addition, they belonged to the knighthood of the Upper Austrian knights in Breisgau .

Lines

Schoenau-Laufenburg

The captain of the four forest cities and Vogt zu Laufenburg Johann Otmar von Schönau married Margarethe Truchseß von Rheinfelden. He founded the Laufenburg line in the middle of the 16th century. It went out in the male line in 1633 with the death of Johann Baptist von Schönau, who survived two of his sons. Through the marriage of Maria Johanna Franziska von Schönau with Johann Nikolaus Freiherr von Grandmont, Grandmonts became the successors of Schönau.

Distribution of inheritance from 1628

In 1628 the family split into the four branches to Wehr, Zell, Schwörstadt and Oeschgen, of which only the line to Schönau-Wehr could reach the present day. The four brothers and barons Otto Rudolph, Heinrich Hürus, Max Jacob and Hans Hürus von Schönau divided the family property among themselves. Otto Rudolph was the founder of the line to Oeschingen, which expired in 1799. Heinrich Hürus founded the line to Schwörstadt, which went out in 1811, Max Jacob the line to Zell, which died out in 1845, and Hans Hürus was the founder of the line to Wehr.

Schönau weir

Significant members of the family emerged from this line, mainly in Baden service. Joseph Anton Xaver Freiherr von Schönau (1773–1839), son of Franz Anton Fidel Freiherr von Schönau from his marriage to Sophie von Baden zu Zell, became chamberlain for the Grand Duke of Baden. He married Josepha Freiin von Gemmingen-Hagenschieß (1783-1840) on October 9, 1803 and was able to continue the line. Her eldest son Adolph Freiherr von Schönau, Lord of Wehr, Stein, Ober- and Niederschwörstadt, Niederdossenbach, Oeschgen and Weilbach, married Countess Thecla von Thurn-Valsassina in 1832. From the marriage came among others Baron Roderich von Schönau, who became a lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoon Regiment in the Grand Duke of Baden. His uncle, Rudolph Freiherr von Schönau (1809–1880), was a Chamberlain and Hofjägermeister of the Grand Duke of Baden. In 1846 he married Sophie Gulat von Wellenburg (1826–1896), President of Department III of the Badischer Frauenverein .

Schönau-Oeschgen

Board at the entrance to the Oeschgen church

In the deed of ransom from the Hauensteiners from serfdom of February 21, 1741, a Baron Franz Otto von Schönau-Oeschgen appears as the Grand Master of the Fridolinsstift in Säckingen. The deed begins as follows: "The abbess Maria Josefa zu Säckingen with her chapter" From women and men ", then Baron Franz Otto von Schönau, Mr. zu Oeschgen, Wegenstetten, Rippolingen and Obersäkingen, as the donor Grosmaier ..."

Baron von Schönau (1975)

Wilhelm Freiherr von Schauenburg auf Schwörstadt and Wieladingen, great nephew and since 1935 adoptive son of the Grand Duke of Baden Chamberlain Hermann Freiherr von Schönau auf Schwörstadt and Wieladingen, received on September 5, 1975 in Marburg an der Lahn a nobility law non-objection as Freiherr von Schönau by decision of the committee for Nobility law issues of the German aristocratic associations . The coat of arms is identical to the ancestral coat of arms of the Alsatian nobility.

coat of arms

Blazon of the family coat of arms : divided by black and gold, covered with three rings (2: 1) in alternating colors.

Two swan necks, the right one red, the left one silver, with black beaks and red tongues as a crest ornament on a pot helmet. The helmet covers are silver on the outside and red on the inside.

The coat of arms has been used by the municipality of Oeschgen in Switzerland since 1930, with the express permission of Wernher Freiherr von Schönau-Wehr since 1976 .

Castles and palaces of the Lords of Schönau

  • Schoenau Castle Bad Säckingen

  • Bärenfels Castle

  • Laufenburg Castle

  • Schenkenberg ruins

Well-known namesake

  • Maria Ursula von Schönau (1632–1691), wife of Franz Werner Kirchhofer (1633–1690), known from Scheffel's epic poem Der Trompeter von Säckingen (there as "Margaretha")
  • Johann Franz von Schönau-Zell , 1651–1656 Bishop of Basel
  • Caspar Fidelis von Schönau-Wehr (1700–1774), Komtur von Lage and Herford , lived mainly on the island of Malta
  • Fidelis Joseph von Schönau-Wehr (1733–1783), Commander of the Order of Malta in Hasselt and the double coming from Weißenburg-Bruchsal
  • Gunhild von Schönau-Wehr (1891–1981), painter

literature

Web links

Commons : Schönau (noble family)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Gerhard Köbler : Historical Lexicon of the German Lands. The German territories from the Middle Ages to the present. 7th, completely revised edition. CH Beck, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-54986-1 , p. 636.
  2. ^ A b New General German Adels Lexicon Volume 8, Pages 278–279.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels , Adelslexikon Volume XIII, Volume 128 of the complete series, pages 29-30
  4. ↑ Schöpflin: Historia Zaringo Badensis, Vol. 5, p. 243
  5. ^ Aegidius Tschudi : Chronicon Helveticum , Volume I., p. 173
  6. ↑ Otto Hupp : Munich Calendar 1928. Page 31
  7. ↑ a b c d wehr.de ( Memento of the original from January 11, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 2.9 MB) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.wehr.de
  8. ↑ ZGORh, Vol. 15, p. 461
  9. ↑ ZGORh. Vol. 6, p. 372 - footnote
  10. ↑ ZGORh. Vol. 1, p. 200
  11. ↑ Fontes rerum Bernensium: Berns Geschichtsquellen, Volume 8
  12. ↑ ZGORh. Vol. 6, p. 372 - footnote
  13. ↑ Regesten the Margrave of Baden and Hachberg Vol. 1, Certificate number H670
  14. ↑ Regesta of the Margraves of Baden and Hachberg, vol. 1, documents number h672
  15. ↑ History sheets from Switzerland - Josef Eutych Kopp, p. 166.
  16. ↑ Regesten the Margrave of Baden and Hachberg, Vol. 1, certificate number h681
  17. ↑ ZGORh, Volume 10
  18. ↑ Regesten the Margrave of Baden and Hachberg, Vol. 1, Urk. No. H749
  19. ↑ ZGORh, vol. 18, p. 99f
  20. ↑ ZGORh, Vol. 16 NF, p. M42 / 43
  21. ↑ ZGORh, Vol. 16 NF, 1901, p. M30
  22. ↑ ZGORh, Vol. 16 NF, p. M43
  23. ^ Documents from the Laufenburg City Archives, p. 199
  24. ^ Hermann Brommer: Adel an Ober- und Hochrhein, pp. 301–321