Wormsgau

TheWormsgau(Latin:pagus wormatiensis) was a medievalcountyin theEast Frankish(German) stem duchy ofFranconia,comprising the surroundings of the city ofWormsand further territories on the left bank of theUpper Rhineriver. Together with the neighbouringNahegauandSpeyergau,it belonged to the centralRhenish Franconianpossessions of the ImperialSalian dynasty.

Wormsgau (Wormazfelt) in Rhenish Franconia, about 1000

Overview

The Wormsgau covered large parts of the present-dayRhenish HesseandPalatinateregions, originally stretching northwards just beforeCoblenzinLotharingia.The city ofMainzbelonged likewise to it as, to the start of the 9th century, alsoBoppard,which in reality c. 825 was already lost again. In the 10th century, the Wormsgau lost extended lands in the North, mostly to the benefit of the Nahegau, likeIngelheimin 937,Spiesheimin 960,Saulheimin 973 andFlonheimin 996, until theSelzriver defined the northern border. The losses could be partially compensated through expansion up the Rhine and to the West, especially in thePalatinate Forestrange.

Counts in Wormsgau

Robertians

1. Rupert I (Robert I)(722/757 attested, † before 764) 732duxinHaspengau,741/742comes palatinus(Count Palatine), ca. 750 Count inOberrhein-and Wormsgau, 757royalmissusinItaly,∞ ca. 730 Williswint († after 768) founded in the 12 July 764Abbey of Lorsch,heiress in the Upper Rhine and ofHahnheiminRheinhessen,heiress of Count Adalhelm
2. Robert II(Rutbert II o. Hruodbertus) (770 attested, † 12 July 807), his grandson, 795/807 Count in Worms- andOberrheingau,795 Lord toDienheim,∞ I Theoderata (Tiedrada) (766/777 attested, † before 789), ∞ II Isengarde, 789
3. Robert III(Rutpert III) († before 834) his son, 812/830 Count in Wormsgau, Count inOberrheingau,825imperialmissusinBishopric of Mainz,∞ ca. 808Wiltrud (Waldrada)ofOrléans,829/834 heiress of possessions in Orléans, daughter of Count Hadrian and of Waldrat from the House of theWidonen
4. Guntram,his son, Count in Wormsgau 815/837
5. Ruadbert (Robert), 817 Count inSaalgau,Oberrheingauand Wormsgau (frankishBabenberger)
6. Rutpert IV (Robert I der Starke)(X 15 September or 25 July 866 in theBattle of Brissarthe) brother of Guntram, 836-after 840 Count in Wormsgau, 852 Abbot of Saint-Martin-de-Marmoutier byTours,853Count of Tours,861/866nobilis Franciae(Franzien,Ile de France) andCount of Paris,∞ I NN, probably Agane, ∞ II start of 864 Adelaide (Aelis) ofTours(† after 866) daughter of CountHugo of Tours(Etichonen) and of Bava, widow ofConrad I,Count ofAargauandAuxerre,Count ofLinzgau(Welfen)
7. Walaho IV(Werner IV) († probably before 890),Salian dynasty(?), Count in Wormsgau after 840 ∞ Oda, daughter of Rutbert III
8. Megingoz I, 876, probably Count in Wormsgau (Wilhelminer), ∞ NN, probably a sister of Roberts des Starken

Salian dynasty

1. WernerV(† probably 920),Salier,Count inNahegau,Speyergauand Wormsgau ca. 890/910, ∞ NN from the House of the Konradiner

Konradiner

1. Konrad Kurzbold(† 30 June 948), 906/907 and 932 Count in Wormsgau, 910 Count inNiederlahngau,927 Count inAhrgau,Count inLobdengau,founded 910 the Abbey St. Georg inLimburg an der Lahn,where he was also buried

Salian dynasty

1. Konrad der Rote(† 955), son of Werner V, Count in Nahegau, Speyergau, Wormsgau andNiddagau,Count inFranconia,Duke ofLorraine,∞ ca. 947 Liutgard of Saxony (* 931, † 953) daughter of KingOtto I(Liudolfinger)
2. Otto „of Worms “(† 1004), his son, Count in Nahegau, Speyergau, Wormsgau,Elsenzgau,Kraichgau,Enzgau,PfinzgauandUfgau,Duke ofCarinthia

1. Heinrich „von Worms “(† 989/1000) his son, Count in Wormsgau, ∞ Adelheid († probably 1039/1046), sister of the Counts Adalbert and Gerhard (Matfriede)
2. Conrad II der Jüngere(* probably 1003, † 1039) his nephew, Count in Nahegau, Speyergau and Wormsgau, Duke of Carinthia (1036-1039)

Literature

• (in German)Geschichtlicher Atlas der Rheinlande, 7. Lieferung, IV9: Die mittelalterlichen Gaue, 2000, 1 Kartenblatt, 1 Beiheft, bearbeitet von Thomas Bauer,ISBN3-7927-1818-9