Conrad I, Burgrave of Nuremberg
Encyclopedia
Conrad I of Nuremberg was a Burgrave
of Nuremberg
of the House of Hohenzollern
. He was the younger son of Frederick I of Nuremberg and Sofie of Raabs. His title as Count of Zollern was Conrad III, but Conrad I as Burgrave of Nuremberg.
), the first Nuremberg Burgrave of the Hohenzollern, and Sofie von Raabs. As a count of Zollern he is enumerated as Conrad III. After the death of his father around 1204 the rank of burgrave passed first to Conrad's younger brother, Frederick II
. However, in 1218 (or possibly 1214) the house's possessions were divided again and Conrad then received the possessions in Franconia
with the title of burgrave.
In this period he strengthened his power and supported the House of Hohenstaufen
in the fight between Guelphs and Ghibellines
for the royal crown. Emperor Frederick II
wished to develop Nuremberg to a dependable base, and therefore in 1219 bestowed a great charter of freedom upon the castle market. While Conrad took over the military protection of the town as a Burgrave, the citizens were able to attain an increasing autonomy in their internal affairs. Conrad also supported the emperor when he was banished. The death of Frederick II in 1250 was a heavy blow to the Hohenzollerns, because they now lacked their major support against the other German nobility.
Between 1237 and 1239 Conrad was an administrator of the duchy of Austria
together with the Counts of Henneberg
and of Andechs
, although for political reasons he often opposed these families. Among other territories, he acquired the Rangau with Ansbach
, significant parts of the Pegnitz
valley and gained control over the most important trade routes to Nuremberg. He successfully fought against the marauding knights and warded off the nobility.
Burgrave
A burgrave is literally the count of a castle or fortified town. The English form is derived through the French from the German Burggraf and Dutch burg- or burch-graeve .* The title is originally equivalent to that of castellan or châtelain, meaning keeper of a castle and/or fortified town...
of Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
. He was the younger son of Frederick I of Nuremberg and Sofie of Raabs. His title as Count of Zollern was Conrad III, but Conrad I as Burgrave of Nuremberg.
Life
Conrad was the son of Burgrave Frederick I (originally Count Frederick I of ZollernZollern
Zollern, from 1218 Hohenzollern, was a county of the Holy Roman Empire. Its ruling dynasty was the House of Hohenzollern, a Swabian noble family first mentioned in 1061. They named their estates after Hohenzollern Castle at the Swabian Alb; its capital was Hechingen...
), the first Nuremberg Burgrave of the Hohenzollern, and Sofie von Raabs. As a count of Zollern he is enumerated as Conrad III. After the death of his father around 1204 the rank of burgrave passed first to Conrad's younger brother, Frederick II
Frederick IV, Count of Zollern
Count Frederick IV of Zollern , also known as Burgrave Frederick II of Nuremberg, was Burgrave of Nuremburg from 1204 to 1218 and Count of Zollern from 1218 until his death.- Life :...
. However, in 1218 (or possibly 1214) the house's possessions were divided again and Conrad then received the possessions in Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
with the title of burgrave.
In this period he strengthened his power and supported the House of Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
in the fight between Guelphs and Ghibellines
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
for the royal crown. Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
wished to develop Nuremberg to a dependable base, and therefore in 1219 bestowed a great charter of freedom upon the castle market. While Conrad took over the military protection of the town as a Burgrave, the citizens were able to attain an increasing autonomy in their internal affairs. Conrad also supported the emperor when he was banished. The death of Frederick II in 1250 was a heavy blow to the Hohenzollerns, because they now lacked their major support against the other German nobility.
Between 1237 and 1239 Conrad was an administrator of the duchy of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
together with the Counts of Henneberg
Henneberg
Henneberg may refer to:*the House of Henneberg, German nobility*County of Henneberg, a mediæval state in the Holy Roman Empire*Henneberg, Thuringia, a municipality in Thuringia, Germany*Mary Jane Henneberg, b. 1973, TV reporter...
and of Andechs
Andechs
The Benedictine abbey of Andechs is a place of pilgrimage on a hill east of the Ammersee in the Landkreis of Starnberg in Germany, in the municipality Andechs. Andechs Abbey is famed for its flamboyant Baroque church and its brewery...
, although for political reasons he often opposed these families. Among other territories, he acquired the Rangau with Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
, significant parts of the Pegnitz
Pegnitz River
The Pegnitz is a small river in Franconia in the German federal state of Bavaria. The Pegnitz has its source in the city of the same name at an altitude of and meets the Rednitz at northwest of Fürth...
valley and gained control over the most important trade routes to Nuremberg. He successfully fought against the marauding knights and warded off the nobility.
Family and children
The exact name of his wife is not known. She may possibly have been Adelheid of Frontenhausen or the daughter of Frederick II, Count of Leiningen and Saarbrücken. He had the following children:- Frederick III of Nuremberg (c. 1220–14 August 1297, CadolzburgCadolzburgCadolzburg is a municipality in the district of Fürth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 11 km west of Fürth.In the year 2007 Cadolzburg celebrated its 850th anniversary.- Notable persons :* Albert III, Elector of Brandenburg...
). - Conrad II of Nuremberg (d. 1314).
- Adelheid (d. 1304), married before 8 July 1241 to Count Rapoto III. of Ortenburg, Pfalzgraf of Bavaria.
- Sophie (d. after 16 June 1276), married to Marquard of Arnsberg-Heydeck.