The Origins of the German Principalities, 1100-1350 : Essays by German Historians

The history of medieval Germany is still rarely studied in the English-speaking world. This collection of essays by distinguished German historians examines one of most important themes of German medieval history, the development of the local principalities. These became the dominant governmental institutions of the late medieval Reich , whose nominal monarchs needed to work with the princes if they were to possess any effective authority. Previous scholarship in English has tended to look at medieval Germany primarily in terms of the struggles and eventual decline of monarchical authority during the Salian and Staufen eras - in other words, at the "failure" of a centralised monarchy. Today, the federalised nature of late medieval and early modern Germany seems a more natural and understandable phenomenon than it did during previous eras when state-building appeared to be the natural and inevitable process of historical development, and any deviation from the path towards a centralised state seemed to be an aberration. In addition, by looking at the origins and consolidation of the principalities, the book also brings an English audience into contact with the modern German tradition of regional history ( Landesgeschichte ). These path-breaking essays open a vista into the richness and complexity of German medieval history. Section A: Introductory Essays -- A Political And Social Revolution: The Development Of The Territorial Principalities In Germany / Graham A. Loud -- The Growth Of Princely Authority: Themes And Problems / Jörg Rogge -- Section B: Forms And Structures Of Power -- Princely Lordship In The Reign Of Frederick Barbarossa: An Historiographical Analysis / Werner Hechberger -- Urban Lordships / Gabriel Zeilinger -- The Imperial Town: The Example Of Nuremberg / Carla Meyer-schlenkrich -- Forms And Structures Of Power: Ecclesiastical Lordship / Andreas Bihrer -- Foundations And Forms Of Princely Lordship: The Archbishopric Of Mainz / Joachim Schneider -- Eichstätt: Abbey, Diocese, Lordship / Helmut Flachenecker -- Strategies Of Power -- Marriage And Inheritance / Karl-heinz Spiess -- The Propaganda Of Power: Memoria, History, Patronage / Stefan Tebruck -- Violence, Feud, And Peacemaking / Christine Reinle -- The Geography Of Power -- Centres And Peripheries Of Power / Paul-joachim Heinig -- The Territorial Principalities In Lotharingia / Michel Margue And Michel Pauly -- The Rise Of The Wettins / André Thieme -- Saxony After 1180 / Arnd Reiatemeier -- Pomerania, Mecklenburg And The Baltic Frontier: Adaptation And Alliances / Oliver Uge -- Section E: The Consolidation, Expansion And Disruption Of Power -- The Zähringer In Swabia And Burgundy / Thomas Zotz -- A Success Story: Brandenburg In The Twelfth And Thirteenth Centuries / Lutz Partenheimer -- The Babenbergs: Frontier March To Principality / Christina Lutter -- Shaping A Dominion: Habsburg Beginnings / Martina Stercken -- Appendix: Selected Primary Sources. Edited By Graham A. Loud And Jochen Schenk. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of genealogical charts List of maps List of figures Preface List of contributors List of abbreviations Genealogical charts Maps SECTION A Introductory essays 1 A political and social revolution: the development of the territorial principalities in Germany 2 The growth of princely authority: themes and problems SECTION B Forms and structures of power 3 Princely lordship in the reign of Frederick Barbarossa: a historiographical analysis 4 Urban lordships 5 The imperial city: the example of Nuremberg 6 Forms and structures of power: ecclesiastical lordship 7 Foundations and forms of princely lordship: the archbishopric of Mainz 8 Eichstätt: abbey, diocese, lordship SECTION C Strategies of power 9 Marriage and inheritance 10 The propaganda of power: memoria , history, patronage 11 Violence, feud, and peacemaking SECTION D The geography of power 12 Centres and peripheries of power 13 The territorial principalities in Lotharingia 14 The rise of the Wettins 15 Saxony after 1180 16 Pomerania, Mecklenburg and the ‘Baltic frontier’: adaptation and alliances SECTION E The consolidation, expansion and disruption of power 17 The Zähringer in Swabia and Burgundy 18 A success story: Brandenburg in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries 19 The Babenbergs: from frontier march to principality 20 Shaping a dominion: Habsburg beginnings Appendix: selected primary sources (a) The Privilegium Minus 1156 (b) The Gelnhausen charter 1180 (c) The confederation with the ecclesiastical princes 1220 (d) The statute in favour of the princes 1230 (e) The Mainz land peace 1235 (f) The creation of the duchy of Brunswick 1235 Glossary Bibliographies Index Zusammenfassung: Section A: Introductory essays -- A political and social revolution: the development of the territorial principalities in Germany / Graham A. Loud -- The growth of princely authority: themes and problems / Jörg Rogge -- Section B: Forms and structures of power -- Princely lordship in the reign of Frederick Barbarossa: an historiographical analysis / Werner Hechberger -- Urban lordships / Gabriel Zeilinger -- The imperial town: the example of Nuremberg / Carla Meyer-Schlenkrich -- Forms and structures of power: ecclesiastical lordship / Andreas Bihrer -- Foundations and forms of princely lordship: the Archbishopric of Mainz / Joachim Schneider -- Eichstätt: Abbey, Diocese, Lordship / Helmut Flachenecker -- Strategies of power -- Marriage and inheritance / Karl-Heinz Spiess -- The propaganda of power: memoria, history, patronage / Stefan Tebruck -- Violence, feud, and peacemaking / Christine Reinle -- The geography of power -- Centres and peripheries of power / Paul-Joachim Heinig -- The territorial principalities in Lotharingia / Michel Margue and Michel Pauly -- The rise of the Wettins / André Thieme -- Saxony after 1180 / Arnd Reitemeier -- Pomerania, Mecklenburg and the "Baltic frontier": adaptation and alliances / Oliver Uge -- Section E: The consolidation, expansion and disruption of power -- The Zähringer in Swabia and Burgundy / Thomas Zotz -- A success story: Brandenburg in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries / Lutz Partenheimer -- The Babenbergs: frontier march to principality / Christina Lutter -- Shaping a dominion: Habsburg beginnings / Martina Stercken -- Appendix: Selected primary sources