The first count of Leiningen about whom anything definite is known was a certain Emich II (d. before 1138). He (and perhaps his father Emich I) built Leiningen Castle, which is now known as "Old Leiningen Castle" (German: Burg Altleiningen), around 1100 to 1110. Nearby Höningen Abbey was built around 1120 as the family's burial place.
This family became extinct in the male line when Count Frederick I died about 1220. Frederick I's sister, Liutgarde, married Simon II, Count of Saarbrücken. One of Liutgarde's sons, also named Frederick, inherited the lands of the counts of Leiningen, and he took their arms and their name as Frederick II (d. 1237). He became known as a Minnesinger, and one of his songs was included in the Codex Manesse. Before 1212, he built himself a new castle called Hardenburg, about 10 kilometers south of Altleiningen. This was outside the county of Leiningen on the territory of Limburg Abbey, of which his uncle was the overlord (Vogt), which caused some trouble.
His eldest son, Simon (c. 1204–1234), married Gertrude, heiress of the County of Dagsburg, bringing that property into the family. They had no children and Simon's two brothers inherited the county of Leiningen together: Frederick III (d. 1287) also inherited Dagsburg and Emich IV (d. c. 1276) Landeck Castle; he founded the town of Landau, but the Landeck branch extinguished with his grandson in 1290. Frederick III, who disliked sharing Leiningen castle with his brother, had a new castle built in 1238–41 about 5 kilometres northeast of Leiningen, called Neuleiningen Castle ("New Leiningen"). Frederick III's son, Frederick IV (d. 1316), had two sons, who divided the county into Leiningen-Dagsburg and Leiningen-Hardenburg.
Note that different sources use different sequence numbers for some of the Counts. For consistency across sources, dates of birth and death are useful.
Emich I was Count of Leiningen in 1127,[1] but it is unclear when he died, or his relation to the other counts.
Emich II is attested as Count of Leiningen in documents from 1143[2] to 1179[3]
His son, Friedrich I had taken over the county by 1189[4]
Emich III is attested as Count of Leiningen in documents from 1193[5] through 1208,[6] though it is unclear his relationship to the previous Counts
Friedrich I, cousin of Emich III, was recorded as junior count under Emich in 1205,[citation needed] and as count in his own right from 1210[7] to 1217.[8] A document from 1220 refers to his widow.[9]
Saarbrücken Line
Simon II, Count of Saarbrücken married Liutgarde, the heiress of Leiningen whose descent from the original counts of Leiningen is unclear[citation needed]
Their son, Friedrich II (d. 1237) inherited the County of Leiningen
His son, Simon (c. 1204 – 16 Mar 1234) married Gertrude, heiress of the County of Dagsburg, bringing that property into the family.
Friedrich III, son of Friedrich II, (d. 1287) was attested as count in documents from 1239 and 1249, and married Adelheid of Kyburg
Their son, Friedrich IV (d. 1316), whose sons divided the County into Leiningen-Dagsburg and Leiningen-Hartenburg.
Emich IV, brother of Friedrich III (d. c. 1276) ruled a portion of the lands at Leiningen-Landeck
His son, Emich V (d. 1289), Count of Leiningen-Landeck had no heir.[citation needed]
Emich XIV, Count of Leiningen-Hardenburg (6 Feb 1649 – 12 Dec 1684) married Charlotte Sophie of Baden-Durlach, daughter of Margrave Charles Magnus of Baden-Durlach
Johann Friedrich, Count of Leiningen-Hardenburg (18 Mar 1661 – 9 Feb 1722) married Katharina of Baden-Durlach, daughter of Frederick VII, Margrave of Baden-Durlach
Friedrich Magnus, Count of Leiningen-Hardenburg (27 Mar 1703 – 28 Oct 1756)
^Simon, J. (1865) Die Geschichte des reichständischen Hauses Ysenburg und Büdingen, Band III Das Ysenburg und Büdingensche Urkundenbuch (Frankfurt) ("Isenburg Urkundenbuch"), III, p. 4.
^Stumpf, K. F. (ed.) (1863) Urkunden zur Geschichte des Erzbisthums Mainz im zwölften Jahrhundert (Acta Maguntina Seculi XII) (Innsbruck) ("Mainz Urkunden 12th Century"), 24, p. 27.
^Brinckmeier (1890), Vol. I, p. 20, quoting charter "im Besitz des Germanischen Museums".
^MGH Diplomata, Tome X, Pars IV, D F I, 993, p. 282.
^Brinckmeier (1890), Vol. I, p. 22, citing Fahne, A. (1866) Geschichte der Grafen zu Salm-Reifferscheidt, Band. I, 2 Abth. p. 48
^Würdtwein, S. A. (1788) Nova Subsidia Diplomatica (Heidelberg), Vol. X, LXXXIX, p. 246
^Stillfried, R. M. von (1843) Monumenta Zollerana, Quellensammlung zur Geschichte des erlauchten Hauses der Grafen von Zollern und Burggrafen von Nürnberg, Erster Theil (Halle) ("Monumenta Zollerana (1843))", XVII, p. 31
^Otterberg, 18 and 19, pp. 16-17
^Brinckmeier (1890), Vol. I, pp. 20 and 41, citing Kremer, J. M. (1779) Origines Nassoicae, Vol. II, p. 261
^ a b c d e Ersch-Gruber:Leiningen.
References
Toussaint, Ingo (1982). Die Grafen von Leiningen. Sigmaringen: Jan Thorbecke Verlag. ISBN 3-7995-7017-9.
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leiningen". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 399. This work in turn cites:
Brinckmeier (1890–1891). Genealogische Geschichte des Hauses Leiningen. Brunswick.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
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