County (Duchy) of Arenberg
Grafschaft (Herzogtum) Arenberg (German)
1549–1810
Flag of Arenberg
Flag
Coat of arms of Arenberg
Coat of arms
The Duchy of Arenberg in 1807 after the Napoleonic relocation
The Duchy of Arenberg in 1807 after the Napoleonic relocation
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire, then
State of the Confederation of the Rhine
CapitalAremberg
Common languagesMoselle Franconian
GovernmentPrincipality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
Early modern period
• County established
c. 1117
• Gained Reichsfreiheit
1549
• Raised to Princely county
1576
• Joined Council of Princes
1580
• Raised to Duchy
1645
 
1806
• Mediatized to Hanover
    and Prussia
1810
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Prince-Bishopric of Münster
Electorate of Hanover
Kingdom of Prussia
First French Empire
Grand Duchy of Berg

Arenberg, also spelled as Aremberg or Ahremberg, is a former county, principality and finally duchy that was located in what is now Germany. The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian noble family.

History

First mentioned in the 12th century, it was named after the village of Aremberg in the Ahr Hills, located in today's Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.

1549–1645

Aremberg was originally a county. It became a state of the Holy Roman Empire (reichsunmittelbar) in 1549, was raised to a princely county in 1576, then became a duchy in 1645.

1789

The territorial possessions of the Dukes of Arenberg varied through the ages. Around 1789, the duchy was located in the Eifel region on the west side of the Rhine and contained, amongst others, Aremberg, Schleiden and Kerpen.

However, although the duchy itself was in Germany, from the 15th century onward, the principal lands of the Dukes of Arenberg have been in what is now Belgium.

The pre-Napoleonic duchy had an area of 413 km2 and a population of 14,800. It belonged to the Electoral Rhenish Circle and was bordered by the duchy of Jülich, the Archbishopric of Cologne, the Archbishopric of Trier, and the county of Blankenheim.

1798

After the French occupation of the west bank of the Rhine around 1798 (see Treaty of Campo Formio and Treaty of Lunéville), the Duke of Arenberg received in 1803 new lands: the county of Vest Recklinghausen, the county of Meppen, and later the lordship of Dülmen.

1810

Arenberg joined Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine, although that did not prevent it from being mediatised in 1810, with France annexing Dülmen and Meppen, and the duchy of Berg annexing Recklinghausen.

1814

After Napoleon's defeat in 1814 and the dissolution of the Confederation of the Rhine, the former Arenberg territories were divided between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Kingdom of Hanover. In both Prussia and Hanover, the dukes became local peers subordinate to the king.

1826

In 1826, the Arenberg territory in Hanover was named the duchy of Arenberg-Meppen, and it had an area of 2,195 km2 and a population of 56,700. The county of Recklinghausen, in Prussia, had an area of 780 km2 and a population of 64,700.

The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian aristocratic family. The immediate family members of the dukes are called by the nominal title of Prince of Arenberg. The ducal family descends agnatically from the House of Ligne.

The Forest of Arenberg is located in northeastern France, and it is famous for its cobbled roads used in the classic road cycle race Paris–Roubaix. Its areas saw extensive mining in the past.

Counts, Princely Counts and Dukes

Counts of Arenberg (1117–1576)

  • Franko (1117–1129)
  • Henry I (1129–1187)
  • Eberhard I (1188–1202)
  • Eberhard II (1202–1229)
  • Henry II (1220–1250)
  • Gerard (1252–1260)
  • John I (1260–1279)
  • Mathilde (1282–1299)
  • Eberhard III (Count of Marck) (1282–1308)
  • Engelbert (1308–1328)
  • Eberhard IV (1328–1387)
  • Eberhard V (1387–1454)

Partition into Arenberg and Rochefort

  • John II (1454–1480)
  • Eberhard VI (1480–1496)
  • Eberhard VII (1496–1531)
  • Robert I (1531–1541)
  • Robert II (?–1536)
  • Robert III (1541–1544)
  • Margaret (1544–1576)
  • John III (1547–1568)
  • Charles (1568–1576)

Princely Counts of Arenberg (1576–1645)

Dukes of Arenberg (1645–1810)

Mediatised 1810

See also

References

    Sources

    • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aremberg" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 452. This has a detailed account of the inheritance of the noble titles from the 13th century onward.
    • Map of Luxembourg and the Duchy of Arenberg in 1789

    50°51′48″N 4°41′00″E / 50.8633°N 4.6832°E / 50.8633; 4.6832

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