Hassegau
Encyclopedia
The Hassegau was an early medieval shire (Gau) in the Eastphalia
region of the Duchy of Saxony
. It was located in the corner between the Saale
(to the east), Unstrut
(to the south), and Wipper
(to the north) rivers; its most important town was Merseburg
. In present-day borders, it is in the southeastern part of Saxony-Anhalt
.
The Hassegau is bordered by the following shires (from the north, clockwise): Schwabengau
, Nudici (Slavic), Chutizi (Slavic), Weitaha (Slavic), Engilin, Friesenfeld. The Friesenfeld is considered a distinct shire by some sources, but in other sources it is considered part of the Hassegau. The meaning of the name Hassegau is unclear; but it may be derived from Hesse
, since several nearby shires have names that are clearly derived from other distant Germanic tribes (Schwabengau, Friesenfeld, Engilin). Possibly, these names signify the tribes that colonized the areas.
In the 10th century, the County Palatine of Saxony was founded in parts of the Hassegau. In 968, the Bishopric of Merseburg
was founded, which had as temporal property inside the Hassegau only the town of Merseburg itself. In the northern part of the shire, the County of Mansfeld established itself in the 11th century. By the year 1200, the shire had completely disintegrated, and apart from the mentioned states, parts of it belonged to the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
, the Lordship of Querfurt, and the Margraviate of Landsberg
.
Counts of the Hassegau included members of the houses of Wettin and Mansfeld, among others.
Eastphalia
Eastphalia is a historical region in northern Germany, encompassing the eastern part of the historic Duchy of Saxony, between the Elbe, Leine, Saale and Unstrut rivers. Today, it covers the southeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony and the western part of Saxony-Anhalt.-Etymology:The name...
region of the Duchy of Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
. It was located in the corner between the Saale
Saale
The Saale, also known as the Saxon Saale and Thuringian Saale , is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale in Lower Saxony, a tributary of the Leine.-Course:The Saale...
(to the east), Unstrut
Unstrut
The Unstrut is a river in Germany and a left tributary of the Saale. It originates in northern Thuringia near Dingelstädt and its catchment area is the whole of the Thuringian Basin...
(to the south), and Wipper
Wipper (Saale)
The Wipper is a river in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, left tributary of the Saale and has a length of 85 km. The name is coming from the old German word "Uipparaha" which means "singing, springing river".-River course:...
(to the north) rivers; its most important town was Merseburg
Merseburg
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
. In present-day borders, it is in the southeastern part of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
.
The Hassegau is bordered by the following shires (from the north, clockwise): Schwabengau
Schwabengau
The Schwabengau was an early medieval shire in the Eastphalia region of the Duchy of Saxony. It is located in present-day Saxony-Anhalt....
, Nudici (Slavic), Chutizi (Slavic), Weitaha (Slavic), Engilin, Friesenfeld. The Friesenfeld is considered a distinct shire by some sources, but in other sources it is considered part of the Hassegau. The meaning of the name Hassegau is unclear; but it may be derived from Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, since several nearby shires have names that are clearly derived from other distant Germanic tribes (Schwabengau, Friesenfeld, Engilin). Possibly, these names signify the tribes that colonized the areas.
In the 10th century, the County Palatine of Saxony was founded in parts of the Hassegau. In 968, the Bishopric of Merseburg
Bishopric of Merseburg
The Bishopric of Merseburg was a episcopal see on the eastern border of the mediæval Duchy of Saxony with its centre in Merseburg, where Merseburg Cathedral was constructed...
was founded, which had as temporal property inside the Hassegau only the town of Merseburg itself. In the northern part of the shire, the County of Mansfeld established itself in the 11th century. By the year 1200, the shire had completely disintegrated, and apart from the mentioned states, parts of it belonged to the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
Archbishopric of Magdeburg
The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese and Prince-Bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River....
, the Lordship of Querfurt, and the Margraviate of Landsberg
Margraviate of Landsberg
The Margraviate of Landsberg was a march of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 12th to the 14th century. It was named after Landsberg Castle in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
.
Counts of the Hassegau included members of the houses of Wettin and Mansfeld, among others.