Pomerania-Barth
Encyclopedia
The Duchy of Pomerania-Barth was created from the western possessions on the mainland of the former Principality of Rügen. While the authotrity of the Duke extended in the west to Recknitz
and in the south to Trebel
, the duke's actual possessions were concentrated in the region of today's Barth and nearby areas. Other areas belonged to the Neuenkamp monastery and the Hanseatic city of Stralsund
.
, the last Prince of Rügen
, Wizla's nephew, Duke Wartislaw IV
, was enfeoffed with the Principality of Rügen by the Danish king, in accordance with the contract of inheritace of 1321. Wartislaw, however, died in 1326 and left three underage sons. Then Duke Henry II
of Mecklenburg occupied the Rügen territories of Barth, Grimsby
and Loitz
, claiming he was the legal heir. This led to the First Rügen War of Succession. The war ended with the Peace of Brudersdorf of 27 June 1328, in which Mecklenburg renounced its claims on Rügen, but retained Barth, Grimsby and Tribsees as security. When the sons of Wartislav IV found themselves unable to pay off the pledged land after 12 years, the Second Rügen War of Succession began, which ended in 1354 with the Peace of Stralsund, in which Barth was awarded to Pomerania-Wolgast.
After the death of son Wartislaws IV's son Barnim IV, Duke of Pomerania
in 1365, Pomerania-Barth was divided in 1372 under the Treaty of Anklam
. The Eastern part, between the rivers Swine and Leba
, was called Pomerania-Stolp and was initially ruled by Duke Bogislaw V
and the Western duchies of Pomerania-Barth, initially ruled by Duke Wartislaw VI
and Pomerania-Wolgast, ruled by Duke Bogislaw VI
.
In 1396, Bogislav VI died and Wartislaw VI inherited his part of Pomerania. He moved his residence to Wolgast, and therefore his part of Pomerania was known as Pomerania-Wolgast. After his death, his sons ruled Pomerania-Wolgast jointly.
In 1415, Pomerania-Wolgast was again split, with Pomerania-Barth being given to Duke Barnim VIII
, who also inherted Rügen from his childless brother Swantibor IV in 1440. In 1451, Barnim VIII himself also died childless, and Pomerania-Barth was once again reunited with Pomerania-Wolgast, under Wartislaw IX
.
Wartislaw IX died in 1457 and Pomerania-Wolgast was once again divided. Wartislaw X
ruled Pomerania-Barth until 1478. This was the last time Barth served as the capital for a fragment of the Duchy of Pomerania, although later Dukes occasionally visited the city.
From 1569 to 1605 it was the residence of Duke Bogislaw XIII
, who was not a ruling duke. I the division treaty of Jasenitz, he had been awarded the district of Barth and the secularized monastery of Neuenkamp. When he became a ruling Duke in Stettin in 1603, he initially kept these possessions, but in 1605, he gave them to his cousin Philip Julius
, who he renamed Neuenkamp to Francis Castle, in honor of his father-in-law Duke Francis of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After Philip Julius's death in 1625, Barth Castle served as Wittum
for his widow, Agnes of Brandenburg
, until she remarried with Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg
in 1628.
In 1638, during the Thirty Years' War
, Barth Castle and all other ducal possessions were impounded by the Swedish crown, who handed them to the military and the civil service. Barth Castle was given to Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson.
Recknitz
The Recknitz is a river in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northeastern Germany. The Recknitz's glacial valley stretches as far south as the heights at Glasewitz near Güstrow. The river has no definite source, but rather builds up from streams and drainage ditches...
and in the south to Trebel
Trebel
Trebel is a municipality in the district Lüchow-Dannenberg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, the duke's actual possessions were concentrated in the region of today's Barth and nearby areas. Other areas belonged to the Neuenkamp monastery and the Hanseatic city of Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
.
History
After the death in 1325 of Wizlaw III, Prince of RügenWizlaw III, Prince of Rügen
Wizlaw III was the last Slavic ruler of the Danish Principality of Rugia.He is often identified with the author of the Minnesinger Wizlaw of the Jenaer Liederhandschrift....
, the last Prince of Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
, Wizla's nephew, Duke Wartislaw IV
Wartislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania
Wartislaw IV was Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast from 1309 until his death. He was the only son of Duke Bogislaw IV of Pomerania and his wife Margareta, a daughter of Prince Wizlaw II of Rugia...
, was enfeoffed with the Principality of Rügen by the Danish king, in accordance with the contract of inheritace of 1321. Wartislaw, however, died in 1326 and left three underage sons. Then Duke Henry II
Henry II of Mecklenburg
Henry II, Duke of Mecklenburg, nicknamed the Lion was regent of Mecklenburg from 1287 to 1298, co-regent from 1298 to 1302 and alone again from 1302 to 1329.- Life :...
of Mecklenburg occupied the Rügen territories of Barth, Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
and Loitz
Loitz
Loitz is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Peene, 10 km northeast of Demmin, and 22 km southwest of Greifswald.-External links:*...
, claiming he was the legal heir. This led to the First Rügen War of Succession. The war ended with the Peace of Brudersdorf of 27 June 1328, in which Mecklenburg renounced its claims on Rügen, but retained Barth, Grimsby and Tribsees as security. When the sons of Wartislav IV found themselves unable to pay off the pledged land after 12 years, the Second Rügen War of Succession began, which ended in 1354 with the Peace of Stralsund, in which Barth was awarded to Pomerania-Wolgast.
After the death of son Wartislaws IV's son Barnim IV, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim IV, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim IV of Pomerania was a Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast-Rügen.He was the second son of Duke Wartislaw of Pomerania-Wolgast and the brother of Bogislaw V and Wartislaw V....
in 1365, Pomerania-Barth was divided in 1372 under the Treaty of Anklam
Anklam
Anklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...
. The Eastern part, between the rivers Swine and Leba
Leba
Łeba is a town in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland. It is located in the Middle Pomeranian region , near Łebsko Lake and the mouth of the river Łeba on the coast of the Baltic Sea.-History:...
, was called Pomerania-Stolp and was initially ruled by Duke Bogislaw V
Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw V was a Duke of Pomerania.Eldest son of Duke Wartislaw IV and Elisabeth of Silesia, Bogislaw had two brothers, Barnim IV and Wartislaw V. The brothers were joint rulers from their father's death in 1326. They allied with King Casimir III of Poland, whose daughter Elisabeth married...
and the Western duchies of Pomerania-Barth, initially ruled by Duke Wartislaw VI
Wartislaw VI, Duke of Pomerania
Wartislaw VI of Pomarania was the eldest son of the Duke Barnim IV of Pomerania-Wolgast-Rügen....
and Pomerania-Wolgast, ruled by Duke Bogislaw VI
Bogislaw VI, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw VI, Duke of Pomerania was duke of Pomerania-Wolgast.In 1365, after the death of his father, Bogislaw IV, he ruled Pomerania jointly with his brother Wartislaw VI. As they were both minors, they stood under the guardianship of their uncle Bogislaw V, who died in 1374...
.
In 1396, Bogislav VI died and Wartislaw VI inherited his part of Pomerania. He moved his residence to Wolgast, and therefore his part of Pomerania was known as Pomerania-Wolgast. After his death, his sons ruled Pomerania-Wolgast jointly.
In 1415, Pomerania-Wolgast was again split, with Pomerania-Barth being given to Duke Barnim VIII
Barnim VIII, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim VIII, Duke of Pomerania was Duke of Pomerania -Wolgast-Barth.Barnim VIII was the son of Duke Wartislaw VIII of Pomerania-Wolgast...
, who also inherted Rügen from his childless brother Swantibor IV in 1440. In 1451, Barnim VIII himself also died childless, and Pomerania-Barth was once again reunited with Pomerania-Wolgast, under Wartislaw IX
Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania
Duke Wartislaw IX of Pomerania-Wolgast was the eldest son of the Duke Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania and Veronica of Hohenzollern. He reigned from 1417 until his death in 1457 and he married to Sophia of Saxe-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg in 1420...
.
Wartislaw IX died in 1457 and Pomerania-Wolgast was once again divided. Wartislaw X
Wartislaw X, Duke of Pomerania
Duke Wartislaw X of Pomerania was the second son of Duke Wartislaw IX of Pomerania and his wife, Sophia of Saxe-Lauenburg....
ruled Pomerania-Barth until 1478. This was the last time Barth served as the capital for a fragment of the Duchy of Pomerania, although later Dukes occasionally visited the city.
From 1569 to 1605 it was the residence of Duke Bogislaw XIII
Bogislaw XIII, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw XIII of Pomerania , son of Philip I and Maria of Saxony, was a princes of Stettin and Wolgast, and a member of the Griffins ....
, who was not a ruling duke. I the division treaty of Jasenitz, he had been awarded the district of Barth and the secularized monastery of Neuenkamp. When he became a ruling Duke in Stettin in 1603, he initially kept these possessions, but in 1605, he gave them to his cousin Philip Julius
Philipp Julius, Duke of Pomerania
Philipp Julius was duke of Pomerania in the Teilherzogtum Pomerania-Wolgast from 1592 to 1625.-Early life:...
, who he renamed Neuenkamp to Francis Castle, in honor of his father-in-law Duke Francis of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After Philip Julius's death in 1625, Barth Castle served as Wittum
Wittum
Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...
for his widow, Agnes of Brandenburg
Agnes of Brandenburg (1584-1629)
Agnes of Brandenburg was an Princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage successively Duchess of Pomerania and of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
, until she remarried with Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg
Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg
Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg was a prince of Saxe-Lauenburg and a general during the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
in 1628.
In 1638, during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Barth Castle and all other ducal possessions were impounded by the Swedish crown, who handed them to the military and the civil service. Barth Castle was given to Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson.
See also
- List of Pomeranian duchies and dukes