Duchy of Westphalia

Duchy of Westphalia Herzogtum Westfalen(German)
1102–1803
Coat of arms
The Duchy of Westphalia and other western German statesc. 1645
Status	Subordinate toElectorate of Cologne Stateof theHoly Roman Empire
Capital	Arnsberg
Government	Feudal monarchy
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	1102
• Annexed byHesse-Darmstadt	1803
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Saxony County of Lippe Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt

TheDuchy of Westphalia(German:Herzogtum Westfalen) was a historic territory in theHoly Roman Empire,which existed from 1102 to 1803. It was located in the greater region ofWestphalia,originally one of the three main regions in the Germanstem duchyofSaxonyand today part of thestateofNorth Rhine-Westphalia.The duchy was held by thearchbishop-electors of Cologneuntil itssecularizationin 1803.

Geography

The duchy roughly comprised the territory of the present-daydistrictsofOlpeandHochsauerland,as well as the adjacent areas of theSoestdistrict andMärkischer Kreis(MendenandBalve), from 1507 also the exclave ofVolkmarsen(a former property of theImperial Abbey of Corvey). The town ofSoestwas lost to theDuchy of Cleves-Markafter theSoest Feudin 1449.

The duchy bordered on the territory of theprince-bishops of Münsterbeyond theLipperiver in the north and on thePrince-Bishopric of Paderbornin the northeast; both ecclesiastical principalities also had emerged from the former Duchy of Saxony, while theLandgraviate of Hesse,the counties ofNassauandWaldeckin the southeast were part of the former stem duchy ofFranconia.The RhenishDuchy of Bergand the WestphalianCounty of Markin the west remained an obstacle to a land connection with the Cologne territory on theLower Rhineriver.

The Westphalian duchy formed the largest part of the Cologne electorate. Apart from the fertileHellweg Bördenorth of theHaarhill range, part of theWestphalian Lowland,the ducal lands primarily comprisedmountainousand densely forested areas, with some significant metal deposits and brine springs. TheHellwegsection connecting the towns ofWerl,ErwitteandGesekewas part of an important trade route fromAachentoGoslar.

History

Formerly part of the Saxon stem duchy along withAngriaandEastphalia,the Westphalian lands wereChristianizedby theCologne archbishopsat the behest of the Frankish rulerCharlemagneupon his conquests in theSaxon Wars.First parishes were established east of theRhenishestates around Soest, where the archbishops extended theirepiscopalterritory. Numerous monastery foundations, likeGrafschaft Abbeyin 1072 byAnno II of Cologne,stabilized the ecclesiastical rule.

Creation of the duchy (1102–1180)

In the fierceInvestiture Controversy,ArchbishopFrederick I of Colognein 1102 had occupied and seized half of the territory held by the Westphalian counts ofArnsberg,supporters of EmperorHenry IV.The other counties of the region could not resist the encroachment of the mighty Archbishopric, and soon after the counties ofWerl,Rüthenand Volmarstein (nearWetter) followed. The former counts of Werl created a new county known as Werl-Arnsberg, and managed to keep their smaller and smaller territory independent of the Archbishops until they finally sold in 1368. After the rebellious Saxon dukeHenry the Lionwas defeated in 1180, EmperorFrederick Barbarossapresented the Archbishop of Cologne,Philip of Heinsbergwith these territories and the southwest of the former Duchy of Saxony as the 'Duchy of Westphalia'.

Expansion (1180–1445)

Engelbert of Berg,archbishop of Cologne from 1220, began a campaign to force the nobility in Westphalia into submission and to extract from them the stewardship of the various scattered church lands. Engelbert managed to connect the lands of the duchy by anne xing the territory fromHellwegtoDiemel,and secured the south of theSauerlandatAttendornin 1222. Further controversy of its expansion eventually leads to Engelbert's death at the hands ofFrederick I of Isenbergin 1225. In 1260 by an agreement with the Dukes ofBrunswicktheWeser Riverbecame the official border of their spheres of influence. In 1277 the archbishops managed to defeat a large confederation of Westphalian and Lower Rhenish opponents, but further action in 1288 forced the archbishops to abandon intentions on much of the greater territory of Westphalia. The purchase and annexation of Werl-Arnsberg in 1368 united the territories of the north and south of the Sauerland.

ArchbishopFrederick von Saarwerdenbegan a hopeless campaign to maintain Colognian rights inMarck,and in 1392 was forced to abandon them. His successor,Dietrich II of Moerswitnessed the last attempts by Cologne to gain rulership in Westphalia by attempting to break the powerful positions ofClevesandMarck.The financial burden placed upon the knights and cities of the Duchy of Westphalia led them into union in 1437. Cologne made peace with Cleves in 1441: this ledSoest,the richest town of Westphalia, to refuse recognising Colognian supremacy in 1444 in theSoest Feud,that lasted until 1449. Soest had become a part of theDuchy of Cleves.Thereafter the town ofArnsbergbecame the administrative capital of Westphalia. Economically the loss of Soest had weakened the duchy. Especially as the surroundings of the town were very fertile and the grain was needed for the mountainous regions in the South. Peace with Marck was made in 1445 which witnessed territorial concessions from both sides.

Westphalia until the end of the Empire (1445–1806)

Arms of Westphalia (adopted in 1532)

After theSoest Feud,the city of Soest remained part of the Duchy of Cleves. Starting from 1463, the league of knights and cities in Westphalia began a long and bitter struggle against the archbishops. During the reign of ArchbishopHerman V of Wied(1515–1546), theReformationarrived in Westphalia. Eventually the Reformation was suppressed, but during the reign of ArchbishopGebhard Truchsess von Waldburg(1577–1583) the Reformation returned and he was forced to attend to Westphalia in 1582 where several knights and cities had adopted the new doctrine. The newly elected ArchbishopErnest of Bavaria(1583–1612) and his brotherFerdinand of Bavariamanaged to regain the duchy for the archbishopric at the beginning of theCologne Warin 1583, and Protestantism survived only on the border region ofWaldeckandHesse.The Duchy of Westphalia was again confirmed as integral territory of the archbishopric in 1590.

Like most other territories of Germany, Westphalia suffered during theThirty Years' War.In 1794 the archbishops relocated to Westphalia after the French had annexed the territories west of theRhine River.In thesecularisationof 1803 the Duchy of Westphalia became part ofHesse-Darmstadt.

After the Empire (1806–1815)

In 1807 theKingdom of Westphaliawas created although it did not include the Duchy and had its capital in Hesse atKassel.In 1815 theCongress of Viennaawarded the Duchy of Westphalia toPrussiain exchange for important lands west of the Rhine, and the Duchy was incorporated into theProvince of Westphaliathe same year.

Sources

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Westphalia".Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links

• Map of the Duchy of Westphalia in 1789