County of Tecklenburg
Territory of the Holy Roman Empire
The former county of Tecklenburg was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire. She lay in the Westphalian circle Empire and was 330 km ².
History
To Tecklenburg castle in the southwest of Osnabrück built Ekbert I and the following counts of Tecklenburg an extensive territory between the rivers Hunte and Ems. Until 1173 the Earl had the advocacy of the Diocese of Münster. Between 1180 and 1236 they were also in possession of the bailiwick of the Diocese of Osnabrück. During this time the county was next to the competing Ravensberg the strongest power in this room. In the conflicts for power at the imperial level in the 12th and 13th centuries were the followers of Lothar von Tecklenburg Süpplingenburg and the Guelphs. Simon I acquired in 1189 the rule Ibbenbüren.
After the extinction of the Counts of Tecklenburg 1262 the county came to the Counts of Bentheim. Between 1328 and 1562 it belonged to the Counts of Schwerin. This was in 1365 to acquire the rule Rheda. But you lost 1400, the northern parts of the county with the offices Cloppenburg, Friesoythe and Bevergern to the Bishopric of Münster.
Konrad von Tecklenburg -Schwerin was the first ruler in the Westphalian room who introduced the Reformation. He joined the Smalcald League. After his defeat, he had in 1548 Lingen, Ibbenbueren, Brochterbeck, distance and Mettingen cede to the Emperor Charles V. and the County of Lingen was born. The village of shell remained with the County of Tecklenburg.
By bypassing the hereditary claims of the House of Solms- Braunfels, the county came Tecklenburg 1557 Arnold II ( IV ) of Bentheim -Tecklenburg. His son Adolf founded in 1606 a special line Tecklenburg. In 1588, the Count introduced the Reformed confession.
As a result of a judgment of the Imperial Supreme Court, the County of Tecklenburg in 1696 fell to the House of Solms. Count Wilhelm Moritz von Solms- Braunfels sold Tecklenburg in 1707 to Prussia. In Berlin compared the Count House of Bentheim -Tecklenburg 1729 against Prussia renounced all claims.
The area came in 1808 to the Grand Duchy of Berg, before it fell to France in 1811 and 1813 to Prussia. The area of the county belonged to the Prussian province of Westphalia in 1815, in 1816 the district of Tecklenburg was created from parts of the previous County, which existed until 1975.
Coat of arms
The root of Arms of the Counts of Tecklenburg shows in three silver (2:1) red Seeblätter. On the helmet has a silver wing with three leaves.