The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg) Ansbach ( or ) was a
principality
A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...
in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
centered on the
Franconia
Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
n city of
Ansbach
Ansbach ( , ; ) is a city in the Germany, German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk, administrative region of Mittelfranken, Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränk ...
. The ruling
Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as
margrave
Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...
s, as their ancestors were margraves (so the principality was a margraviate but not a
march
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 2 ...
).
History
The principality was established following the death of
Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg, on 21 January 1398. By agreement, his lands were partitioned between his two sons, a process that took more than two years. The younger son,
Frederick VI, received Ansbach and the elder,
John III, received
Bayreuth
Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
. After John III's death on 11 June 1420, the two principalities were reunited under Frederick VI, who had become
Elector Frederick I of
Brandenburg
Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...
in 1415.
On 21 September 1440, almost three years after Frederick's death his territories were divided between his sons;
John received the
principality of Bayreuth (Brandenburg-Kulmbach),
Frederick received Brandenburg, and
Albert received Ansbach. Thereafter Ansbach was held by
cadet branches of the
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, Prince-elector, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern Castle, Hohenzollern, Margraviate of Bran ...
, and its rulers were commonly called Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
On 2 December 1791, the reigning Prince and Margrave of Ansbach,
Charles Alexander, who had also succeeded to Bayreuth, sold the sovereignty of his principalities to King
Frederick William II of Prussia. The Margrave was middle-aged and childless, and Frederick William was his kinsman as the head of the House of Hohenzollern. The Margrave moved to England with his English second wife. Ansbach was formally annexed on 28 January 1792.
Princes and Margraves of Ansbach
* 1398:
Frederick VI, Burgrave of Nuremberg (from 1415 also
Elector of Brandenburg)
* 1440:
Albert Achilles (from 1470 also Elector of Brandenburg)
* 1486:
Frederick I
* 1515:
George ''the Pious''
* 1543:
George Frederick I
* 1603:
Joachim Ernst
* 1625:
Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
* 1634:
Albert II
* 1667:
John Frederick
* 1686:
Christian Albrecht
* 1692:
George Frederick II ''the Younger''
* 1703:
William Frederick (before 1686–1723)
* 1723:
Charles William Frederick (1712–1757)
* 1757:
Charles Alexander (to 1791)
See also
*
*
Wolf of Ansbach
External links
The Ansbach-Bayreuth Army in Americaat Exulanten.com
on WorldStatesmen.org
*
*
on ''Tacitus Historical Atlas''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ansbach
1398 establishments in Europe
1390s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire
1792 disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire
Franconian Circle
Former states and territories of Bavaria
History of Ansbach
Lists of princes
Lists of nobility of the Holy Roman Empire
Principalities of the Holy Roman Empire