Friday, June 12, 2009

Burg Stahleck



My Images of Burg Stahleck on Imagekind
Stahleck 1
Stahleck 2
Stahleck 3


Burg Stahleck dates from at least 1135 AD, and is situated near Bacharach in the Rhineland-Palatinate. Its name derives from the Middle High German word for steel.
It was established as customs castle by the Archbishopric of Cologne. At one time, it belonged to Konrad, brother of Frederick Barbarossa. In 1214, it passed to Louis the Bavarian of the Wittelbach dynasty, thus giving the Wittelsbachs two strategic locations on the Rhine. In 1349, Emperor Charles IV married Countess Anna at the castle. It was damaged during the Thirty Years' War, but was restored by Palatine Count Karl Ludwig in 1666. In 1828 it was purchased by Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia for his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria. It was restored between 1925 and 1927. The last part of the restoration occurred in 1967 when the dungeon was completed.

Legend states that Palatinate Count Hermann inhabited Burg Stahleck. He wished to increase his land holdings at the expense of the Archbishops of Mainz and Treves. Adalbert of Monstereil, Bishop of Treves and Metz, gathered troops to fight Hermnann. Although his forces were not as plentiful as Hermann’s, Adalbert spurred his men by stating that a crucifix given to the bishop by the Archangel Michael would make them successful. The archbishop’s men forced Herman's troops to flee. Hermann then renounced his feud with Adalbert, and directed his attention to seizing the lands of Arnold of Solnhofen, Bishop of Mainz. Arnold dismissed Hermann as a petty count, and Hermann vowed revenge. Hermann was aware of the hatred the citizens of Mainz held toward Arnold, and claimed to take up their cause. Arnold hired two villains who put the Hermann to death. The citizens of Mainz seized the bishop's palace and turned Arnold out. When he tried to retake his property, he was killed in the Abbey of Jacobsberg.

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