Zähringen

The family of the Zähringen was a dynasty of powerful dukes in the south-west of the Germany and the west of the Suisse of 11th at the beginning of the 13th century. Nowadays they in particular remained known to have founded several modern cities, such as Freiburg (in 1157) and Bern (in 1191). The Zähringen last is death 1218.

History

The origin of the family is not ensured, but is probablemant at Zähringen, close to Freiburg-in-Brisgau. The most former ancestor whom one can allot to him one is named Bezelin of Villingen , which was count of the Thurgau into 991. Other titles were acquired by itself or his/her son Berthold I, which became as of 1061 count of the Brisgau, of Thurgau and the Ortenau. In this year Berthold I obtained the title of duke of Carinthie like compensation for the duchy for Souabe, which had been promised to him initially. Carinthie remained only one title, because it could never be essential on it.

Because it took party, during the Querelle of the Nominations, for the antiroi Rodolphe de Rheinfelden, Henri IV of the Holy roman Empire raised it of all its functions in 1077. Berthold I died shortly after. His/her son junior Berthold II succeeded and reconquered most of the lost territory to him. The other wire of Berthold I, Hermann, formed as for him the line junior which became the Maison of Bade thereafter. The marriage of Berthold II with Agnes de Rheinfelden, girl of Rodolphe, paid to him into 1090 great possessions in Duché of Burgundy (the western part of the current Suisse) in heritage. In 1092 the antisalic opposition elects it antiduc of Souabe vis-a-vis Frederic I of Souabe.

In 1152, the elder line was still subdivided in two branches: one which kept the name of Zähringen, the other which formed the branch of the counts de Teck.

The first died out in 1218 with Bertold V of Zähringen, the second in 1439. Consequently, only the line junior continued to exist. The dukes of Zähringen had the counties of Zähringen, Rheinfelden, Brisgau (forming the south of the Bade-Wurtemberg), the Burgundy Cisjurane, the Thurgovie, the Canton of Zurich, the Canton of Soleure, the Canton of Bern, Geneva and the Valais.

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