Landgraviate of Hesse

Landgraviate of Hesse Landgrafschaft Hessen(German)
1264–1567
Flag Coat of arms
Landgraviate of Hesse (blue), about 1400
Status	State of theHoly Roman Empire
Capital	Marburg,Gudensberg, Kassel(from 1277)
Religion	Catholicism,Reformed
Government	Feudal monarchy
Landgrave
• 1264–1308	Henry Ithe Child
• 1509–1567	Philip Ithe Magnanimous
Historical era	Middle Ages,Reformation
• Partitioned from Duchy of Thuringia	1264
• Raised to Principality	1292
• Partitioned in twain	1458–1487
• Reformation	1526
• Partitioned in four	1567
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Thuringia Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt Hesse-Marburg Hesse-Rheinfels

TheLandgraviate of Hesse(German:Landgrafschaft Hessen) was aprincipalityof theHoly Roman Empire.It existed as a single entity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided among the sons ofPhilip I, Landgrave of Hesse.

History

In the early Middle Ages the territory ofHessengau,named after the GermanicChattitribes, formed the northern part of the German stem duchy ofFranconia,along with the adjacentLahngau.Upon the extinction of the ducalConradines,theseRhenish Franconiancounties were gradually acquired byLandgraveLouis I of Thuringiaand his successors.

After theWar of the Thuringian Successionupon the death of LandgraveHenry Raspein 1247, his niece DuchessSophia of Brabantsecured the Hessian possessions for her minor sonHenry the Child.In 1264 he became the first Landgrave of Hesse and the founder of theHouse of Hesse.The remaining Thuringian landgraviate fell to theWettin'sHenry III, Margrave of Meissen.Henry I of Hesse was raised to the status ofprinceby KingAdolf of Germanyin 1292.

From 1308 to 1311, and again from 1458, the landgraviate was divided intoUpper HesseandLower Hesse.Hesse was re-unified under LandgraveWilliam IIin 1500. The Landgraviate rose to primary importance under his sonPhilip I,also called Philip the Magnanimous, who embracedProtestantismfollowing the 1526Synod of Hombergand then took steps to create a protective alliance of Protestant princes and powers against theCatholicemperorCharles V.When Philip I died in 1567, Hesse was divided between his sons from his first marriage, which decisively enfeebled its importance.

The new Hessian territories were:

• Hesse-Kassel(or Hesse-Cassel, theElectorate of Hessefrom 1803, which was eventually incorporated into thePrussianprovince ofHesse-Nassauin 1866) toWilliam IV;
• Hesse-Marburg(whose line became extinct in 1604, and was then incorporated into Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt) toLouis IV;
• Hesse-Rheinfels(whose line became extinct in 1583, and was then incorporated into Hesse-Kassel) toPhilip II;
• theLandgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt(known as theGrand Duchy of Hessefrom 1806 and thePeople's State of Hessefrom 1918) toGeorge I

The Hessian territories were not re-united until the formation ofGreater Hesse(though withoutRhenish Hesse) as part ofAllied-occupied Germanyin 1945.

See also

• Rulers of Hesse

External links

• Map of the Landgraviate of Hesse under Philip I the Magnanimous