Rudolf IV, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg
Margrave Rudolf IV of Hachberg - Sausenberg (* 1426/27 at the Castle Rötteln, † April 12, 1487 ibid ) was the son of Margrave William of Hachberg - Sausenberg and Elisabeth of Montfort- Bregenz.
After the abdication of his father ( 1441 ) in favor of his still under-age sons, Rudolf IV and Hugo initially took Count John of Freiburg- Neuchâtel as guardian of the government. Since 1441 Rudolf held the title of Margrave of Hachberg - Sausenberg and since 1447 those of Count of Neuenburg am See.
The family
Rudolf married Margaretha of Vienne, which brought the Sainte Croix Castle and other property in Burgundy into the marriage. Known are his son Philip of Hachberg - Sausenberg and his daughter Catherine.
The construction
Rudolf IV built the castles Rötteln ( Lower Gate in the outer ward ) and New stone. From 1479 to 1482 he had set up the burned city church of Schopfheim again. Also in the monastery church of Weitenau and the churches of Egringen Rötteln and there are traces of its construction.
The expansion of the country's domination
On September 8, 1444, Count John of Freiburg- Neuchâtel his nephew Rudolf IV and Hugo von Hachberg - Sausenberg his rule Badenweiler Castle New stone. The dominions Rötteln, Hachberg - Sausenberg and Badenweiler now formed the so-called Markgraeflerland, a nearly closed territory south of Freiburg and north of Basel.
Johann (Hans) of Freiburg had six children, but all died in infancy and his wife Marie of Chalon. A donation to the 1441 ruling Margrave Wilhelm was not an option, since its bankruptcy was already emerging and it was the goal of keeping together the family seat.
1447 transferred Count John of Freiburg- Neuchâtel Neuchâtel his county with the castle on Rudolf. After the death of John ( February 19, 1458 ) inherited Rudolf other dominions in the Franche-Comté
The Diplomat
Rudolf accompanied 1451/52 the German king Frederick III. on his train to Rome for the imperial coronation. 1454 paid him Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy to visit from Rötteln Castle. 1458 he was appointed to the council and chamberlain at the court of the Duke of Burgundy, and was as marquis de Rothelin a well-known figure. Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy in 1467 appointed him governor of Luxembourg; 1468 he mediated in the dispute between Duke Sigismund of Austria and the Confederates.
Attempt to secure the dominions of Baden
Rudolf was aware that his position as feudal lord of the German Empire on the one hand and its Burgundian interests on the other hand were able to bring him into a dangerous situation. To get the Baden dominions of his family, he therefore entered into negotiations with Margrave Karl I and his son on Albrecht of the Baden main line. Shortly before his death, Rudolf took also a son Christopher of Baden, Philip, to his court. The negotiations came to no conclusion but were later resumed by Rudolf's son Philipp Christoph von Baden and 1490 brought to a conclusion.