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Herford Abbey

May 03, 2024

Herford Abbey (German: Frauenstift Herford) was the oldest women's religious house in the Duchy of Saxony. It was founded as a house of secular canonesses in 789, initially in Müdehorst (near the modern Bielefeld) by a nobleman called Waltger, who moved it in about 800 onto the lands of his estate Herivurth (later Oldenhervorde) which stood at the crossing of a number of important roads and fords over the Aa and the Werre. The present city of Herford grew up on this site around the abbey.

Imperial Abbey of Herford
Reichsfrauenstift Herford
1147–1802
Coat of arms
Former Herford Abbey church, now Herford Minster
StatusImperial Abbey
Common languagesWest Low German
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Dedicated as Imperial abbey
    under Louis the Pious

832
• Herford gained city rights
973 1147
• Both abbey and city gained
    Imperial immediacy

1147
• City joined Hanseatic Lg.
1342
• City's immediacy confirmed
1631
• City annexed by
    Mgvt Brandenburg

1652
1802
• Annexed by Cty Ravensberg
25 February 1803
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Today part ofGermany

History edit

9th–12th centuries edit

 
Plan of the Abbey (1808)

The abbey was dedicated in 832 and was elevated to the status of a Reichsabtei ("Imperial abbey") under Emperor Louis the Pious (d. 840). In ecclesiastical matters it was answerable directly to the Pope and was endowed with a third of the estates originally intended for Corvey Abbey.

In 860, at the instigation of the abbess Haduwy (Hedwig), the bones of Saint Pusinna, later the patron saint of Herford, were brought from her hermitage at Binson ("vicus bausionensis" near Châlons-en-Champagne, Corbie). The presence of these relics in the abbey increased its importance and its dedication was changed in due course to Saints Mary and Pusinna.

In the time of the abbess Matilda I her granddaughter Matilda, later Saint Matilda, was brought up here. In 909, through the negotiations of her grandmother, she was married to Henry, Duke of Saxony and later King Henry I of Germany.[1]

Between 919 and 924 Herford was destroyed by Hungarians but was rebuilt by 927.

Reichsunmittelbarkeit edit

In 1147 the abbey, which by this time had almost 850 estates and farms, was granted Imperial immediacy (German: Reichsunmittelbarkeit). This made it an independent territory within the Holy Roman Empire (although admittedly a very small one, comprising part of the area of the present city of Herford) which lasted until 1803. The abbesses became Imperial princesses (German: Reichsfürstinnen) and sat in the Reichstag in the College of Prelates of the Rhine. The territory belonged to the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle.

 
Territory of Herford Abbey (circled in purple) on a late 18th century map

The first Vögte seem to have been the Billunger, and after they died out, Henry the Lion, who appointed the Counts of Schwalenberg as under-Vögte. From 1180, after the fall of Henry the Lion, they exercised the same function for the Archbishopric of Cologne and the Duchy of Westphalia. By 1261 the office seems to have passed to the Counts of Sternberg and in 1382 to the Counts of Jülich-Berg.

In the vicinity of the abbey there grew up the town of Herford, which had acquired municipal rights by 1170/1180 and later, as the Reichsstadt Herford, acquired Reichsunmittelbarkeit in its own right.

By the end of the 15th century, "Sancta Herfordia" ("Holy Herford"), as it became known, had some 37 churches, chapels, monasteries and other religious houses, and hospitals. Its spiritual life was thus comparable to that of a great centre such as Cologne.

Reformation edit

In 1533, during the Reformation, Herford Abbey became Lutheran, under the Electors of Brandenburg. From 1649 for over a century the abbesses were all Calvinist but that did not alter the Lutheran character of the principality.

Dissolution edit

In 1802 the abbey was dissolved in the course of secularisation under the terms of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss and on 25 February 1803 was annexed to the County of Ravensberg, which belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1804 it was turned into a collegiate foundation for men, and in 1810 finally suppressed.

The former abbey church remains in use as Herford Minster (Herforder Münster).

Abbesses edit

  • Theodrada, Tetta (838 – after 840)
  • Addila (before 844 – after 853)
  • Hedwig (before 858 – after 888)
  • Matilda I (before 908 – after 911; Immedinger)
  • Imma (before 973 – after 995; Billunger)
  • Godesdiu (before 1002 – after 1040; Billunger)
  • Swanhild (before 1051–1076)
  • Gertrud I (before 1138 – after 1139)
  • Jutta (Jutta of Arnsberg; before 1146 – after 1162)
  • Ludgard I (before 1163 – after 1170)
  • Eilika (c. 1212)
  • Gertrud II (Gertrud of Lippe; before 1217 – after 1233)
  • Ida (before 1238 – after 1264)
  • Pinnosa (before 1265 – after 1276)
  • Mechthild II (Mechtild of Waldeck; before 1277 – after 1288)
  • Irmgard (Irmgard of Wittgenstein; before 1290–1323)
  • Lutgard II (Lutgard of Bicken; 1324–1360)
  • Heilwig (Heilwig of Bentheim; 1361)
  • Elisabeth I (Elisabeth of Berg; 1361–1374)
  • Hillegund (Hillegund of Oetgenbach; 1374–1409)
  • Mechthild III (Mechtild of Waldeck; 1409–1442)
  • Margaret I (Margaret of Gleichen; 1443–1475)
    • Jakobe of Neuenahr, rival abbess 1476–1479
  • Anna I (Anna of Hunolstein; 1476–1494)
  • Bonizet (Bonizet of Limburg-Stirum; 1494–1524)
  • Anna II (Anna of Limburg; 1524–1565)
  • Margaret II (Margaret of Lippe; 1565–1578)
  • Felicitas I (Felicitas of Eberstein; 1578–1586)
  • Magdalene I (Magdalene of Lippe; 1586–1604)
  • Felicitas II (Felicitas of Eberstein; 1604–1621)
  • Magdalene II (Magdalene of Lippe; 1621–1640)
  • Sidonia (Sidonia of Oldenburg; 1640–1649)
    • Maria Clara Theresa of Wartenberg, rival abbess 1629–1631
  • Elisabeth II (Elisabeth Luise Juliana of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken; 1649–1667)
  • Elisabeth III (Elisabeth of the Electorate of the Palatinate; 1667–1680)
  • Elisabeth IV (Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau; 1680–1686)
  • Elisabeth V (Elisabeth of Hesse-Cassel; 1686–1688)
  • Charlotte Sophia (Charlotte Sophia of Courland; 1688–1728)
  • Johanna Charlotte (Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau; 1729–1750)
  • Sophia (Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp; 1750–1764)
  • Frederica Charlotte (Frederica Charlotte of Brandenburg-Schwedt; 1764–1802; d. 1808)

Notes edit

  1. ^ In 936, in memory of her late husband, Matilda founded another house of secular canonesses, the famous Quedlinburg Abbey.

References edit

  • A. Cohausz: Ein Jahrtausend geistliches Damenstift Herford. In: Herforder Jahrbuch I. 1960
  • Herforder Geschichtsquellen. 1968
  • R. Pape: Waltger und die Gründung Herfords. 1988
  • R. Pape: Herford zur Kaiserzeit. 1989
  • R. Pape: Sancta Herfordia. Geschichte Herfords von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart. 1989
  • T. Helmert-Corvey (Hg.): 1200 Jahre Herford. 1989
  • H. Bei der Wieden: Die Äbtissinnen der Reichsabtei Herford in der Neuzeit. In: Historisches Jahrbuch für den Kreis Herford 2000. 1999
  • H. Bei der Wieden: Die Herkunft der Äbtissinnen der Reichsabtei Herford vom Ende des 13. bis zur Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts. In: Historisches Jahrbuch für den Kreis Herford 2002/2003. 2002

External links edit

  •   Media related to Herford Abbey at Wikimedia Commons

52°06′47″N 8°40′13″E / 52.113056°N 8.670278°E / 52.113056; 8.670278

May 03, 2024
herford, abbey, german, frauenstift, herford, oldest, women, religious, house, duchy, saxony, founded, house, secular, canonesses, initially, müdehorst, near, modern, bielefeld, nobleman, called, waltger, moved, about, onto, lands, estate, herivurth, later, ol. Herford Abbey German Frauenstift Herford was the oldest women s religious house in the Duchy of Saxony It was founded as a house of secular canonesses in 789 initially in Mudehorst near the modern Bielefeld by a nobleman called Waltger who moved it in about 800 onto the lands of his estate Herivurth later Oldenhervorde which stood at the crossing of a number of important roads and fords over the Aa and the Werre The present city of Herford grew up on this site around the abbey Imperial Abbey of HerfordReichsfrauenstift Herford1147 1802Coat of armsFormer Herford Abbey church now Herford MinsterStatusImperial AbbeyCommon languagesWest Low GermanHistorical eraMiddle Ages Dedicated as Imperial abbey under Louis the Pious832 Herford gained city rights973 1147 Both abbey and city gained Imperial immediacy1147 City joined Hanseatic Lg 1342 City s immediacy confirmed1631 City annexed by Mgvt Brandenburg1652 Secularised1802 Annexed by Cty Ravensberg25 February 1803Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Saxony County of RavensbergToday part ofGermany Contents 1 History 1 1 9th 12th centuries 1 2 Reichsunmittelbarkeit 1 3 Reformation 1 4 Dissolution 2 Abbesses 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit9th 12th centuries edit nbsp Plan of the Abbey 1808 The abbey was dedicated in 832 and was elevated to the status of a Reichsabtei Imperial abbey under Emperor Louis the Pious d 840 In ecclesiastical matters it was answerable directly to the Pope and was endowed with a third of the estates originally intended for Corvey Abbey In 860 at the instigation of the abbess Haduwy Hedwig the bones of Saint Pusinna later the patron saint of Herford were brought from her hermitage at Binson vicus bausionensis near Chalons en Champagne Corbie The presence of these relics in the abbey increased its importance and its dedication was changed in due course to Saints Mary and Pusinna In the time of the abbess Matilda I her granddaughter Matilda later Saint Matilda was brought up here In 909 through the negotiations of her grandmother she was married to Henry Duke of Saxony and later King Henry I of Germany 1 Between 919 and 924 Herford was destroyed by Hungarians but was rebuilt by 927 Reichsunmittelbarkeit edit In 1147 the abbey which by this time had almost 850 estates and farms was granted Imperial immediacy German Reichsunmittelbarkeit This made it an independent territory within the Holy Roman Empire although admittedly a very small one comprising part of the area of the present city of Herford which lasted until 1803 The abbesses became Imperial princesses German Reichsfurstinnen and sat in the Reichstag in the College of Prelates of the Rhine The territory belonged to the Lower Rhenish Westphalian Circle nbsp Territory of Herford Abbey circled in purple on a late 18th century map The first Vogte seem to have been the Billunger and after they died out Henry the Lion who appointed the Counts of Schwalenberg as under Vogte From 1180 after the fall of Henry the Lion they exercised the same function for the Archbishopric of Cologne and the Duchy of Westphalia By 1261 the office seems to have passed to the Counts of Sternberg and in 1382 to the Counts of Julich Berg In the vicinity of the abbey there grew up the town of Herford which had acquired municipal rights by 1170 1180 and later as the Reichsstadt Herford acquired Reichsunmittelbarkeit in its own right By the end of the 15th century Sancta Herfordia Holy Herford as it became known had some 37 churches chapels monasteries and other religious houses and hospitals Its spiritual life was thus comparable to that of a great centre such as Cologne Reformation edit In 1533 during the Reformation Herford Abbey became Lutheran under the Electors of Brandenburg From 1649 for over a century the abbesses were all Calvinist but that did not alter the Lutheran character of the principality Dissolution edit In 1802 the abbey was dissolved in the course of secularisation under the terms of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss and on 25 February 1803 was annexed to the County of Ravensberg which belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia In 1804 it was turned into a collegiate foundation for men and in 1810 finally suppressed The former abbey church remains in use as Herford Minster Herforder Munster Abbesses editTheodrada Tetta 838 after 840 Addila before 844 after 853 Hedwig before 858 after 888 Matilda I before 908 after 911 Immedinger Imma before 973 after 995 Billunger Godesdiu before 1002 after 1040 Billunger Swanhild before 1051 1076 Gertrud I before 1138 after 1139 Jutta Jutta of Arnsberg before 1146 after 1162 Ludgard I before 1163 after 1170 Eilika c 1212 Gertrud II Gertrud of Lippe before 1217 after 1233 Ida before 1238 after 1264 Pinnosa before 1265 after 1276 Mechthild II Mechtild of Waldeck before 1277 after 1288 Irmgard Irmgard of Wittgenstein before 1290 1323 Lutgard II Lutgard of Bicken 1324 1360 Heilwig Heilwig of Bentheim 1361 Elisabeth I Elisabeth of Berg 1361 1374 Hillegund Hillegund of Oetgenbach 1374 1409 Mechthild III Mechtild of Waldeck 1409 1442 Margaret of Brunswick Grubenhagen rival abbess 1442 1443 Margaret I Margaret of Gleichen 1443 1475 Jakobe of Neuenahr rival abbess 1476 1479 Anna I Anna of Hunolstein 1476 1494 Bonizet Bonizet of Limburg Stirum 1494 1524 Anna II Anna of Limburg 1524 1565 Margaret II Margaret of Lippe 1565 1578 Felicitas I Felicitas of Eberstein 1578 1586 Magdalene I Magdalene of Lippe 1586 1604 Felicitas II Felicitas of Eberstein 1604 1621 Magdalene II Magdalene of Lippe 1621 1640 Sidonia Sidonia of Oldenburg 1640 1649 Maria Clara Theresa of Wartenberg rival abbess 1629 1631 Elisabeth II Elisabeth Luise Juliana of the Palatinate Zweibrucken 1649 1667 Elisabeth III Elisabeth of the Electorate of the Palatinate 1667 1680 Elisabeth IV Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt Dessau 1680 1686 Elisabeth V Elisabeth of Hesse Cassel 1686 1688 Charlotte Sophia Charlotte Sophia of Courland 1688 1728 Johanna Charlotte Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt Dessau 1729 1750 Sophia Sophia of Schleswig Holstein Gottorp 1750 1764 Frederica Charlotte Frederica Charlotte of Brandenburg Schwedt 1764 1802 d 1808 Princess Christine Charlotte of Hesse Kassel 1766 1779 as coadjutor abbessNotes edit In 936 in memory of her late husband Matilda founded another house of secular canonesses the famous Quedlinburg Abbey References editA Cohausz Ein Jahrtausend geistliches Damenstift Herford In Herforder Jahrbuch I 1960 Herforder Geschichtsquellen 1968 R Pape Waltger und die Grundung Herfords 1988 R Pape Herford zur Kaiserzeit 1989 R Pape Sancta Herfordia Geschichte Herfords von den Anfangen bis zur Gegenwart 1989 T Helmert Corvey Hg 1200 Jahre Herford 1989 H Bei der Wieden Die Abtissinnen der Reichsabtei Herford in der Neuzeit In Historisches Jahrbuch fur den Kreis Herford 2000 1999 H Bei der Wieden Die Herkunft der Abtissinnen der Reichsabtei Herford vom Ende des 13 bis zur Mitte des 17 Jahrhunderts In Historisches Jahrbuch fur den Kreis Herford 2002 2003 2002External links edit nbsp Media related to Herford Abbey at Wikimedia Commons 52 06 47 N 8 40 13 E 52 113056 N 8 670278 E 52 113056 8 670278 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Herford Abbey amp oldid 1220358727 Abbesses, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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