Holstein-Rendsburg

County of Holstein-Rendsburg
Grafschaft Holstein-Rendsburg
1290–1459
Holstein-Rendsburg and neighbouring territories around 1400
Holstein-Rendsburg and neighbouring territories around 1400
Statusimperial county
Governmentmonarchy
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
1290
• Disestablished
1459
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Holstein-Itzehoe
Duchy of Holstein

Holstein-Rendsburg is the name of a county that existed from 1290 to 1459, ruled by a line of the Schauenburg family.

Rise and fall of the county

The Schauenburgs had ruled in Holstein since 1110/1111. In 1290, when Count Gerhard I of Holstein-Itzehoe died, his portion of Holstein was divided into 3 parts. From this emerged the counties of Holstein-Plön, Holstein-Pinneberg and Holstein-Rendsburg.

The below-mentioned counts ruled the territory until the last Count of Holstein-Rendsburg, Adolphus VIII, died in 1459. The Schauenburgs had almost died out; only the line of Holstein-Pinneberg still existed, but their count, Otto II of Schaumburg was not able to secure his inheritance.

Instead, in 1460, King Christian I of Denmark, a nephew of Adolphus VIII, who had helped him succeed to the Danish throne, was named as the new lord over the Duchy of Schleswig and County of Holstein.

Holstein
Holstein-Kiel
(1261–1390)
Holstein-Itzehoe
(1261–1300)
Holstein-Segeberg
(1273-1308)
Holstein-Plön
(1300–1390)
Holstein-Rendsburg
(1300–1459)
Holstein-Pinneberg
(1300–1640)
Duchy of
Holstein
(from 1474)
Imperial County of Rantzau
(1650–1726)


Counts of Holstein-Rendsburg

The following counts ruled over Holstein-Rendsburg or Holstein:

  • 1290–1304 Henry I (1258 – 1304)
  • 1304–1340 Gerhard III the Great (ca. 1293 – 1340), Duke of Schleswig
  • 1340–1382 Henry II, nicknamed Iron Henry (1317 – 1384?)
  • 1382–1397 Nicholas, aka Claus of Holstein (ca. 1321 – 1397)
  • 1397–1403 Albert II (d. 1403)
  • 1403–1404 Gerhard VI (d. 1404)
  • 1404–1421 Henry III (d. 1421)
  • 1421–1427 Henry IV (1397 – 1427)
  • 1427–1433 Gerhard VII (1404 – 1433), Duke of Schleswig
  • 1427–1459 Adolphus VIII (1401 – 1459), Duke of Schleswig