Königssondergau
Encyclopedia
The Königssondergau was a Frankish
gau (district) which existed in the area north of the confluence of the Rhine and Main rivers in Germany
, from Frankish times until the end of the 12th century. Often mistakenly equated with the Rheingau
, the Gau was based around the former Roman
administrative district of Civitas Mattiacorum. The name Kunigessuntera is documented the first time in 819
. A main court (fiscus) with senior officials were present in Wiesbaden
; sub-courts existed in Biebrich
and Mosbach (now part of Biebrich).
The Gau probably had already been created by the beginning of the reign of Charlemagne
(after 771) as the private property of the Frankish king and his heirs. This was the former Alemannic Rheingau divided into three sections - the Königssondergau was now between the Lower Rheingau (which retained the name "Rheingau") and the Upper Rheingau region south of the lower Main.
The Königssondergau originally covered the area bordering on Kemel (now a constituent community of Heidenrod
) and Bärstadt (now a constituent community of Schlangenbad
) in the west, starting at Walluf
, and extending east to Eppstein
and Hofheim
, with the Kriftel
as eastern border. In the north, the Taunus
and the former Roman Limes
formed the border. The southern boundary was the Rhine. The Gau was adjacent in the west to the Lower Rheingau, in the northwest to Niddagau, in the east to the Maingau, and in the southeast to the Upper Rheingau.
The administration of the Königssondergau lay in the hands of the gau counts, whose royal court (curtis) stood near today's Hessian
Parliament in Wiesbaden. The tower house
, built in the 9th and 10th centuries, was expanded in the Middle Ages into a castle.
The income from the Königssondergau belonged to the Frankish king who used it to finance his court. Parts of the gau areas, villages and castles were given as fiefdoms to reward followers. Over time parts were also given to the Archdiocese of Mainz
(e.g. Oestrich, Geisenheim
, Rüdesheim am Rhein and Lorch in the Veronese donation of 983 by Emperor Otto II
) or sold to other owners. Emperor Otto III
donated Biebrich and Mosbach in 991 the Selz monastery in Alsace
. Gifts and awards were also given to feudal nobles and counts, and by the 12th Century the House of Nassau
held count rights in and around Wiesbaden. Count Henry II of Nassau
, 1198–1251, won Wiesbaden and the Königssondergau as imperial fiefdom in 1214. Also, the Lords of Eppstein
penetrated by exploiting bailiwick rights, purchase and inheritance in the Königssondergau, where they became opponents of the Counts of Nassau.
50°04′N 8°15′E
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
gau (district) which existed in the area north of the confluence of the Rhine and Main rivers in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, from Frankish times until the end of the 12th century. Often mistakenly equated with the Rheingau
Rheingau
The Rheingau is the hill country on the north side of the Rhine River between Wiesbaden and Lorch near Frankfurt, reaching from the western Taunus to the Rhine. It lies in the state of Hesse and is part of the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis administrative district...
, the Gau was based around the former Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
administrative district of Civitas Mattiacorum. The name Kunigessuntera is documented the first time in 819
819
Year 819 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Abbasid capital is moved back to Baghdad .- Europe :...
. A main court (fiscus) with senior officials were present in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
; sub-courts existed in Biebrich
Wiesbaden-Biebrich
Biebrich is a borough of the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. With over 36,000 inhabitants, it is the most-populated of Wiesbaden's boroughs. It is located south of the city center on the Rhine River, opposite the Mainz borough of Mombach...
and Mosbach (now part of Biebrich).
The Gau probably had already been created by the beginning of the reign of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
(after 771) as the private property of the Frankish king and his heirs. This was the former Alemannic Rheingau divided into three sections - the Königssondergau was now between the Lower Rheingau (which retained the name "Rheingau") and the Upper Rheingau region south of the lower Main.
The Königssondergau originally covered the area bordering on Kemel (now a constituent community of Heidenrod
Heidenrod
Heidenrod is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. The municipal administration is found in the community’s biggest centre, in Laufenselden.-Location:...
) and Bärstadt (now a constituent community of Schlangenbad
Schlangenbad
Schlangenbad is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Location :The community, which is a health resort , lies above sea level in a sheltered location on a valley slope on the southern slope of the Taunus from Wiesbaden, from Eltville...
) in the west, starting at Walluf
Walluf
Walluf is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. With 5,581 residents in its 6.74 square kilometer area, it is the most densely populated community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis.- Location :...
, and extending east to Eppstein
Eppstein
Eppstein is a town in the Main-Taunus-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany.-Geographical situation:Eppstein lies west of Frankfurt am Main, around 12 km north east of the state capital Wiesbaden, and is at the edge of the Taunus mountains....
and Hofheim
Hofheim
Hofheim may refer to one of these cities in Germany:*Hofheim, Hesse *Hofheim, Bavaria *Hofheim im Ried...
, with the Kriftel
Kriftel
Kriftel is a municipality in the Main-Taunus district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated 16 km west of Frankfurt .It has about 10,000 inhabitants....
as eastern border. In the north, the Taunus
Taunus
The Taunus is a low mountain range in Hesse, Germany that composes part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is bounded by the river valleys of Rhine, Main and Lahn. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the mountains are continued by the Hunsrück...
and the former Roman Limes
Limes
A limes was a border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. It marked the boundaries of the Roman Empire.The Latin noun limes had a number of different meanings: a path or balk delimiting fields, a boundary line or marker, any road or path, any channel, such as a stream channel, or any...
formed the border. The southern boundary was the Rhine. The Gau was adjacent in the west to the Lower Rheingau, in the northwest to Niddagau, in the east to the Maingau, and in the southeast to the Upper Rheingau.
The administration of the Königssondergau lay in the hands of the gau counts, whose royal court (curtis) stood near today's Hessian
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...
Parliament in Wiesbaden. The tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, built in the 9th and 10th centuries, was expanded in the Middle Ages into a castle.
The income from the Königssondergau belonged to the Frankish king who used it to finance his court. Parts of the gau areas, villages and castles were given as fiefdoms to reward followers. Over time parts were also given to the Archdiocese of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
(e.g. Oestrich, Geisenheim
Geisenheim
Geisenheim is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hessen, Germany, and is known as Weinstadt , Schulstadt , Domstadt and Lindenstadt ....
, Rüdesheim am Rhein and Lorch in the Veronese donation of 983 by Emperor Otto II
Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto II , called the Red, was the third ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty, the son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.-Early years and co-ruler with Otto I:...
) or sold to other owners. Emperor Otto III
Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
donated Biebrich and Mosbach in 991 the Selz monastery in 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...
. Gifts and awards were also given to feudal nobles and counts, and by the 12th Century the House of Nassau
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
held count rights in and around Wiesbaden. Count Henry II of Nassau
Henry II of Nassau
Henry II the Rich was Count of Nassau between 1198 and 1247. Among his descendants are the present-day rulers of both Luxembourg and the Netherlands.-Biography:...
, 1198–1251, won Wiesbaden and the Königssondergau as imperial fiefdom in 1214. Also, the Lords of Eppstein
Lords of Eppstein
The Lords of Eppstein were a family of German nobility in the Middle Ages. From the 12th century they ruled extensive territories in the Rhine Main area from their castle in Eppstein, northwest of Frankfurt, Germany.-History:...
penetrated by exploiting bailiwick rights, purchase and inheritance in the Königssondergau, where they became opponents of the Counts of Nassau.
External links
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