Burgrave

The Burggraf (Latin praefectus, castellanus or burggravius ​​) is an agency of the feudal system of the Middle Ages. The dominion of a viscount was called Castle County (lat. prefectura ). Belonging to the lower nobility landsässigen viscount took over the official title sometimes as part of their name.

The term Burggraf may include very different aspects. Could Burggrafen either the king, a bishop or a sovereigns are answerable, which they perceived administrative, military and / or jurisdictional responsibilities. This ranges from viscount, who had actually occupied only the military command of a castle and to worry about their maintenance and backup, up to viscount who could extend their rule over a larger territory.

The first Viscount in the German Reich is mentioned for Regensburg. Arnold of St. Emmeram calls in the first half of the 11th century a certain Burchard as prefectus ratisbonensis. The foundation of the castle county was 953-972, maybe the year 960/61. According to Burchard, the viscount for about 980 came from the family of Babonen. After they died shortly before 1200, the castle county came to Duke Ludwig I of Bavaria. The character of the castle county has long been controversial. New research has revealed that it was a city-county in the castle county of Regensburg. The castle county was therefore not subordinate to or incorporated into the county in the western Donaugau but an independent county, whose owner Count's rights ( jurisdiction, military administration, administration) exerted on their own. Others, such as the Viscount of Rheineck even managed to become rich immediately and obtain the kingdom Counts similar position.

There were - especially in southern and eastern Germany - 11th to 12th century numerous Viscount - arise from the older post of (castle ) reeve - the only military commander of an empire or Bishop's Castle, a royal or episcopal city and thus were the Parent Burgmannen.

From the middle of the 12th century created King Conrad III. a new quality of Viscount during the German eastward expansion. They were guards and administrators of extensive royal estate in the vicinity of the major kingdom castles such as Meissen, Altenburg and Leisnig and got here also the judge. They performed well even on as colonizers and thus created their own dominions. With the rise of the Wettin dynasty in the Margraviate of Meissen, Saxony later, they disappeared in this part of the empire over the next 200 years. Only the viscount of Meissen were able to keep to 1572, at least as Titularburggrafen. The viscount of Meissen from the house of Plauen ä.L. 1426 were even ennobled by the Emperor and had their own voice in the Reichstag.

Like the other offices of the Lehnsstaats was also the Viscount soon hereditary, then also used for sovereign Burgvögte, and sometimes was even a pure title.

The castle county was also the starting point of noble territorial politics are, as is particularly clearly observed at the Viscount of Nuremberg or the castle county Friedberg.

Particularly well known are the ( Episcopal ) Viscount of Mainz, Magdeburg and Würzburg, the viscount of Dohna, the viscount of Staufeneck and the Hohenzollern Castle Counts of Nuremberg and my Heringer viscount of Meissen, the administrators and judges, but the military only in the castle had command.

The the Office awarding authority could the German emperor or a spiritual principality as the Bishopric of Würzburg, the first Burggrafenamt awarded to the Counts of Henneberg, or the monastery of St. Cassius in Bonn, the Burggrafenamt for the Drachenfels ( Seven Mountains) awarded in the Electorate of Cologne.

Sometimes the office from the beginning was designed hereditary ( Drachenfels ), usually it later became hereditary (Nuremberg) or it was also withdrawn ( as in the case of the diocese of Würzburg, this his worldly security 1230 even took over ).

An example of the development of the Burggrafenamt is the development of the castle Count of Tyrol, to which the whole country dominant Counts of Tyrol, which at that time the core area in South Tyrol is called from the bailiffs for the bishops of Trent and Brixen today Burggrafenamt.

In Austria, the term Burggraf was used until the end of the Middle Ages. In parallel also the equally significant expression captain of the castle was used, which is available today.

The only former noble family in Germany, which bears the official title Burggraf yet as part of their name even today are the Dohna ( nobility ).