Château de Herrenstein
Encyclopedia
The Château de Herrenstein is a ruined castle
in the commune
of Neuwiller-lès-Saverne
in the Bas-Rhin
département of France.
, Dossenheim
, Hattmatt
, Kleinwiesentau and Kugelberg, belonged to the Bishop of Metz who entrusted it to his advocatus
to protect the Neuviller Abbey (as the Grand-Geroldseck
and Petit-Geroldseck
castles protected the Marmoutier Abbey).
Though the site has probably been fortified since the 9th century, the present castle was built at the start of the 11th century, by the Counts of Eguisheim-Dabo
, then advocatus. Around 1005, Hugues d’Eguisheim sided with the Holy Roman Emperor
against the Bishop of Metz. His castle was ruined by the latter's troops. The castle was later rebuilt. Under the episcopate of Philippe de Florange (1261-1263), it was again ravaged, this time by Henri II de Lichtenberg and the Bishop of Strasbourg. From the end of the 13th century, the castle was ceded by the Bishop of Metz, to Lichtenberg. Guillaume de Diest captured the castle around 1396.
The castle's domains were bought bit by bit by the free town of Strasbourg
, which became dominant in 1480. The castle housed a garrison of six to twelve men. In the 16th century, it was modernised by Daniel Specklin
, architect of the town of Strasbourg, to make it a fortress capable of resisting early artillery. Herrenstein protected the seigneurie where Protestants sought refuge, Strasbourg having adopted the Protestant Reformation
.
During the French occupation of Alsace
by the troops of Louis XIV
, as part of his politique des réunions, Herrenstein was bought by Reinhold de Rosen (1604-1667), the king's lieutenant general, who modernised it and lived there. In 1676, the castle was nevertheless destroyed by the troops of Joseph de Montclar
.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Neuwiller-lès-Saverne
Neuwiller-lès-Saverne
Neuwiller-lès-Saverne is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
in the Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
département of France.
History
The seigneurie of Herrenstein, with the villages of DettwillerDettwiller
Dettwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Dossenheim
Dossenheim
Dossenheim is a municipality in the Rhein-Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.It is located on Bergstrasse and Bertha Benz Memorial Route.-Location:...
, Hattmatt
Hattmatt
Hattmatt is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The village is located a few kilometres to the northeast of Saverne on the departmental road RD6.-References:*...
, Kleinwiesentau and Kugelberg, belonged to the Bishop of Metz who entrusted it to his advocatus
Advocatus
An advocatus, or advocate, was generally a medieval term meaning "lawyer". The term was also used in continental Europe as the title of the lay lord charged with the protection and representation in secular matters of an abbey, known more fully as an advocatus ecclesiae.-Middle Ages:The office is...
to protect the Neuviller Abbey (as the Grand-Geroldseck
Château du Grand-Geroldseck
The Château du Grand-Geroldseck is a ruined medieval castle situated in the commune of Haegen in the Bas-Rhin département in Alsace, France...
and Petit-Geroldseck
Château du Petit-Geroldseck
Château du Petit-Geroldseck is a ruined château situated in the département of Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. It is dated to the 13th century....
castles protected the Marmoutier Abbey).
Though the site has probably been fortified since the 9th century, the present castle was built at the start of the 11th century, by the Counts of Eguisheim-Dabo
Dabo
Dabo is a Japanese rapper. He first appeared on the Japanese hip-hop scene in the 1990s, collaborating in a Shakkazombie song, "Tomo ni ikkou". Since 2002, he has released three albums: Hitman , Diamond , and The Force...
, then advocatus. Around 1005, Hugues d’Eguisheim sided with the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
against the Bishop of Metz. His castle was ruined by the latter's troops. The castle was later rebuilt. Under the episcopate of Philippe de Florange (1261-1263), it was again ravaged, this time by Henri II de Lichtenberg and the Bishop of Strasbourg. From the end of the 13th century, the castle was ceded by the Bishop of Metz, to Lichtenberg. Guillaume de Diest captured the castle around 1396.
The castle's domains were bought bit by bit by the free town of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, which became dominant in 1480. The castle housed a garrison of six to twelve men. In the 16th century, it was modernised by Daniel Specklin
Daniel Specklin
Daniel Specklin was an Alsatian fortress architect, engineer, and cartographer.He was born and died in Strasbourg.- Further reading :...
, architect of the town of Strasbourg, to make it a fortress capable of resisting early artillery. Herrenstein protected the seigneurie where Protestants sought refuge, Strasbourg having adopted the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
.
During the French occupation of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
by the troops of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, as part of his politique des réunions, Herrenstein was bought by Reinhold de Rosen (1604-1667), the king's lieutenant general, who modernised it and lived there. In 1676, the castle was nevertheless destroyed by the troops of Joseph de Montclar
Joseph de Montclar
Joseph de Pons-Guimera Baron de Montclar, ,French cavalry generalCommander in chief of the Alsace, he was an implacable executioner of the orders of Louis XIV and Louvois. In 1676 the king ordered the destruction of Haguenau, which he accomplished in January 1677...
.
External links
Sources
- D. Fischer; Notice historique sur l'ancien bailliage de Herrenstein, Revue d'Alsace, 1873.
- www.culture.gouv.fr