House of Arnstein

Arnstein
CountrySaxony-Anhalt, Germany
Founded12th century
FounderWalter I, Count of Arnstein
Final rulerLuitgard, Countess of Arnstein (main line)
Wichmann, Count of Lindow-Ruppin (Lindow-Ruppin line)
August Louis, Count of Barby-Mühlingen (Barby-Mühlingen line)
TitlesCount
EstateBurg Arnstein
Deposition1296/1332 (main line)
1524 (Lindow-Ruppin line)
1659 (Barby-Mühlingen line)
Cadet branchesLindow-Ruppin line
Barby-Mühlingen line
The map of the County of Lindow-Ruppin in 1400
The map of the County of Barby, Geographia Blaviana in 1659

The House of Arnstein was an ancient German noble family from the Saxony-Anhalt region. Different lines of the family ruled the County of Arnstein, the County of Ruppin and the County of Barby-Mühlingen.

History

The Lords (or Counts) of Arnstein descended from the Swabian von Steusslingen family; their first known member was Walter of Steusslingen (died 1056). Walter was the father of Adalbero, who was in turn father of Werner, Bishop of Münster, and also of Walter I, the first lord of Arnstein in Saxony. Their family name was originally spelled Arnstedt, but were later called Arnstein, this last name possibly deriving from the castle they owned, or the land they ruled.

Arnstein Castle and land

In 1135 they moved to Saxony and built their first known residence: Arnstein Castle, near Aschersleben on the Eastern Harz river. The use of the title Count of Arnstein goes back to the end of the 12th century. In 1289, Walter von Arnstein was burgrave of Freckleben.

The Arnstein dynasty owned land in Mühlingen, in the County of Mansfeld, in the Archbishopric of Magdeburg and in Quedlinburg Abbey (of which they were sub-bailiffs). The Counts of Mühlingen and probably also the Counts of Falkenstein are said to have descended from the family.

Feudal divisions of Arnstein

In 1196, the three children of Walter III (1150–1196) and his wife Gertrude of Ballenstedt (granddaughter of Albert the Bear) divided their patrimony:

This line was the last to be extinct. After the death of August Louis in 1659, the family's main possessions were inherited by Saxe-Weissenfels and Anhalt-Zerbst.

Coats of arms

The coat of arms of the main line of the family shows a silver, gold-armored eagle in black or red.

Rulers of Arnstein and its successor states

House of Arnstein

Partitions of Arnstein under Arnstein rule

Partitions of Arnstein under Arnstein rule

      

Lordship of
Lindow-Ruppin
(1196–1524)
Lordship of
Arnstein
(1107–1296)
Lordship of
Barby-Mühlingen
(1196–1497)
Raised to:
County of
Barby-Mühlingen
(1497–1659)
Annexed to
Falkenstein
Annexed to
Brandenburg
Annexed to
Saxe-Weissenfels
and Anhalt

References

  1. ↑ Walter v. Steusslingen?, ww-person.com
  2. ↑ Adelbero von Steusslingen, our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com
  3. ↑ Heine, 1900.
  4. ↑ It is worth noting that the Arnstedt is today part of the town of Arnstein.
  5. ↑ Burg Arnstein
  6. ↑ "Siebmachers Wappenbuch - Welt der Wappen". 2023-03-29.
  7. ↑ "Die Grafschaft Ruppin in historischer, statistischer und geographischer Hinsicht : Ein Beitrag zur Kunde der Mark Brandenburg". 1799.
  8. ↑ Die Geschichte der Grafschaft Barby.
  9. ↑ Die Grafschaft Barby.
  10. ↑ Die Grafschaft Barby mit ihren Teilen auf Weißenfels 1745
  11. ↑ Martin Dieterich (1725). Historische Nachricht Von denen Grafen zu Lindow und Ruppin. Frankfurt (Oder): Rüdiger. p. 36.
  12. 1 2 Despite ascending a year later than his cousin Burchard IV, Burchard III was older than him, and that's possibly the reason why he is numbered lower.
  13. ↑ Burchard III. Graf von Lindow-Ruppin (1284-1311)
  14. ↑ Geschichte der Grafschaft Mühlingen mit Barby.
  15. 1 2 Albert VI from Lindow-Ruppin is counted lower, despite being younger and having succeeded in his lordship later than Albert VII from Barby-Muhlingen. This could point to an earlier co-rulership of Albert VI and his brothers with their father.
  16. ↑ Martin Dieterich (1725). Historische Nachricht Von denen Grafen zu Lindow und Ruppin. Frankfurt (Oder): Rüdiger. p. 68.
  17. ↑ Martin Dieterich (1725). Historische Nachricht Von denen Grafen zu Lindow und Ruppin Aus bewehrten Uhrkunden und Geschicht-Schreibern gesammlet, Und nebst einem Anhang von denen Inspectoribus und Predigern, welche in der Haupt-Stadt Neuen-Ruppin, seit der Reformation das Lehr-Amt geführet haben. Jmgleichen einigen andern Gelehrten, welche aus selbiger Grafschafft bürtig gewesen, oder daselbst eine Zeitlang in Bedienung gestanden. Frankfurt (Oder ): Rüdiger. p. 82.
  18. ↑ Some sources place Gunther VI as brother of John II and Burkhard IV
  19. 1 2 John IV is presented here first than John III exclusively because he reigned under his father. Note that he started his reign in the same year as John III did in Lindow-Ruppin.
  20. ↑ Martin Dieterich (1725). Historische Nachricht Von denen Grafen zu Lindow und Ruppin Aus bewehrten Uhrkunden und Geschicht-Schreibern gesammlet, Und nebst einem Anhang von denen Inspectoribus und Predigern, welche in der Haupt-Stadt Neuen-Ruppin, seit der Reformation das Lehr-Amt geführet haben. Jmgleichen einigen andern Gelehrten, welche aus selbiger Grafschafft bürtig gewesen, oder daselbst eine Zeitlang in Bedienung gestanden. Frankfurt (Oder ): Rüdiger. p. 125.
  21. ↑ Martin Dieterich (1725). Historische Nachricht Von denen Grafen zu Lindow und Ruppin Aus bewehrten Uhrkunden und Geschicht-Schreibern gesammlet, Und nebst einem Anhang von denen Inspectoribus und Predigern, welche in der Haupt-Stadt Neuen-Ruppin, seit der Reformation das Lehr-Amt geführet haben. Jmgleichen einigen andern Gelehrten, welche aus selbiger Grafschafft bürtig gewesen, oder daselbst eine Zeitlang in Bedienung gestanden. Frankfurt (Oder ): Rüdiger. p. 130.

Literature

Specific sources

General sources