Steel castle

The Stahlburg family lived in the 12th and early 13th centuries. Although only fragmentary information is available about the members of this family, these show the influence they exerted on the situation and development of the city of Stolberg (Rhld.) .

Reinardus von Stalburg is a suitor, the name of a landowner at the time who lived at the beginning of the 12th century. He named himself as a gentleman after the castle , after which the town of Stolberg was subsequently named. Everwinus von Stalburck, Reginardus von Stahlburk and Wilehelmus von Stalburch were his sons, also free. With a time gap, data are again available on Wilhelm Herr zu Stahlburg and his wife Lutgarde. Successors are not specifically named. The genealogical connection to Johann von Stolberg is doubtful, as a family connection to this noble family has not been proven.

Reinardus von Stalburg

Reinardus von Stalburg's name appears as the signatory of a document dated September 30, 1118. Here he seals as a suitor . Historians see this as an indication that he is probably already the owner of land on the Vicht , a creek flowing through the Stolberg Valley. In the deed he sold foreign lands, his name proves the existence of the Stolberg Castle , the seat of the family. Because noblemen named themselves after their place of residence. Thus, a castle complex in Stolberg must be assumed by the 11th century at the latest.

Reinardus von Stalburg's seal can be found on the founding document of the St. Georgs-Stift . In this document, Count Gerhard IV von Wassenberg announced that he would continue to build the collegiate church that had begun and that he would equip it with a number of cemeteries, hereditary farms and tithe farms. In addition to Reinardus von Stalburg, Bishop Otbert von Lüttich , the provost Lambertus von Lüttich, as well as the Free Engelbert von Bugenheim, Gerhard von Berg, Goswin von Süstern and Herbert von Melin sealed the certificate. The choice of witnesses for this donation indicates the important position of Reinardus von Stalburg.

From Reinardus von Stalburg his three sons Reginardus, Everwinus and Wilehelmus from, depending on the changing spelling, descend from Stahlburch / Stalburk / Stalburck. They are named as brothers in documents from 1146 and 1166.

Everwinus from Stalburck

Everwinus von Stalburck was one of the noblemen of Stalburg and, like his father, was one of the first documented owners of the Stalburg estate, later called Stolberg. Additional biographical data on Everwinus von Stalburck have not been preserved.

Everwinus von Stalburck is mentioned in two documents. A document comes from the year 1146. Here the free person , the landowner, who thereby set him apart from the peasant or bourgeoisie, is named as a witness. In the certificate he confirms the privileges, goods and freedoms of the Maria Laach monastery through Arnold I of Cologne . In addition to his seal, the certificate contains that of Count Wilhelm I von Jülich and that of Walter von Kessel, Burkard von Wiede and Otto von Are . The selection of witnesses documents the important position that Everwinus von Stahlburck held at the time. This was one of the most respected noblemen.

In a second document dated February 4, 1154, Everwinus is mentioned as a free knight in the service of Count Dietrich von Are und Meer.

Everwinus von Stalburch, mentioned as a canon in four documents from the years 1182 to 1189 of the St. Gereon Abbey in Cologne , is probably the son of Everwinus von Stalburck.

Reginardus of Stalburk

Reginardus von Stahlburk was also one of the noblemen of Stahlburk, a son of Reinardus von Stalburg.

Few documents exist about Reginardus von Stalburk. Documents from the years 1146 and 1166 only prove the relationship to his brothers Everwinus von Stalburck and Wilehelmus von Stalburch. The document of February 4, 1154, already listing Everwinus von Stahlburck, also lists Reginardus von Stalburk as a free knight in the service of the Count of Are and Meeren.

Wilehelmus of Stalburch

Wilehelmus is a son of Reinardus von Stalburg and was one of the noblemen, making him a potential master of the Stalburg estate.

Wilehelmus is mentioned in a document dated September 17, 1156. This was issued by Emperor Barbarossa at the Reichstag in Regensburg. Here the emperor paid tribute to the late Archbishop Arnold II , who had crowned him in Aachen in 1152. Barbarossa took the sister and brother of the late bishop under his special protection. At the same time he also took over some of the deceased's goods, including two estates that had previously belonged to Willehelmo de Stalburch and Willehelmo de Vregence (Wilhelm von Frenz). With the mention of Wilehelmus von Stalburch, Stolberg is probably mentioned once in an imperial charter.

Historians assume that Wilehelmus von Stalburch may have been the only nobleman who was able to inherit his Stolberg legacy, as his brothers made a living as knights in the service of the Counts of Are and Meer.

Wilhelm von Sthalburg

Wilhelm von Sthalburg was married to Lutgarde. Their names appear in a document from 1237. Presumably they were related to the Cologne canon Wilhelm von Stolberg. However, due to the time lag, these could only have been grandsons of Wilehelmus von Stalburch. In this document, Wilhelm testifies to have received 200 Cologne marks from the Duke of Limburg. For this he takes the fiefdom and pledged some goods near Vaals . Historians assume that the Cologne canon was not allowed to inherit due to his status and that Wilhelm von Sthalburg and Ludgarde therefore took over the property. There are indications from a document from 1304 that Wilhelm did not die without a male heir, so the name has been preserved. However, the certificate does not give a detailed name, but only speaks of a Winrich.

Johann von Stolberg

There are no other reliable references to the genealogy of the noble family. Yearbooks from the St. Gereons monastery in Cologne speak of a Johann von Stolberg who acted there as a trustee until 1319 or 1329. However, there is no evidence of his ancestry. According to a document, he must have died on June 30, 1329 at the latest.

Due to the lack of other documents about this noble family, it must be assumed that it will have expired by this point in time at the latest.

literature

Christian Altena: The building history of Stolberg Castle from the 11th to the 19th century . Master's thesis RWTH Aachen 2012
Franz Willems: Stolberg lords of the castle and their descendants in old documents of Rhenish history 1118 - 1364 . Stolberg City Library 1955
Ralf G. Jahn (Ed.): Genealogy of the bailiffs, counts and dukes of Geldern. in: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland . Historical Association for Geldern and the Surrounding Area, Geldern 2001, p. 32
Helmut Schreiber: Stolberger Burgherren and Burgfrauen 1118 - 1909. Contributions to the Stolberg history, volume 25. Burg Verlag Gastinger 2001, ISBN 3-926830-16-6