List of Houses
Copyright © V. Rozn 1999-2009
Comments and questions can be mailed to
the author
Last updated: Nov 5, 2008
Bentheim
The House of Bentheim descended from the
ancient noble family of Götterswick [4: tome III; p.342-343] [10:
Band IV; t.1-3] [9: 1919; p.115-117].
In 1421, Everwin / Eberwin of Götterswick
(+1454), inherited the Imperial immediate County of
Bentheim.
Everwin of Götterswick, Count of Bentheim,
acquired the Imperial immediate Lordship of Steinfurt through his marriage to
Mechtild of Steinfurt (+1420).
In 1495, the Roman Emperor elevated
Steinfurt to the rank of County.
Everwin III (+1562), Count of Bentheim &
Steinfurt, acquired the Imperial immediate County of Tecklenburg and the
Lordship of Rheda through his marriage to Anna of Tecklenburg (+1582).
Arnold III (+1606), Count of Bentheim,
Tecklenburg & Steinfurt, acquired the Imperial immediate County of the Lower
Limburg / Hohenlimburg and other possessions of the House of Neuenahr
through his marriage to Magdalena of Neuenahr (+1626).
Adolf (+1623) and Arnold-Jobst (+1643), the sons
of Count Arnold III and Magdalena of Neuenahr, divided the family possessions
and founded, respectively, the branches of Bentheim-Tecklenburg and
Bentheim-Steinfurt.
1. Bentheim-Tecklenburg
-1808]
By the division of the family possessions Count
Adolf (+1623), who founded the branch of Bentheim-Tecklenburg, received
Tecklenburg, the Lower Limburg and Rheda.
In 1699, the Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg ceded
some portions of Tecklenburg and of Rheda to the Count of
Solms-Braunfels.
In 1707, the Count of Solms-Braunfels ceded his
rights to the King of Prussia [1].
In 1729, by "the Accord of Tecklenburg" /
"Tecklenburger Vergleich" Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg sold his rights
in Tecklenburg to the King of Prussia. The Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg
retained Rheda and the Lower Limburg. The King of Prussia ceded his rights of
Territorial Supremacy over the County of the Lower Limburg.
In Aug 1806, with the abdication of the
Roman Emperor, the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire over the Count of
Bentheim-Tecklenburg's possessions ended.
In 1808, the Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg
lost his status of territorial ruler when the Grand Duchy of Berg
mediatized Rheda [12: Band 1; p.38, 40].
In 1817, the King of Prussia granted Count
Emil-Friedrich-Karl (+1837) and all of his descendents the title of Prince of
Bentheim-Tecklenburg.
Notes:
1. "That the county of Tecklenburg, after the
death of Count Conrad, came by his daughter and heiress Anna to the Counts of
Bentheim, and in the division of 1591 fell to Count Adolphus, has been related
above under the county of Bentheim. In this place we are only further to add
that the brothers and sisters of the said Count Conrad, and in particular his
sister Anna, who was married to Count Philip of Solms, laid claim to the
allodial county of Tecklenburg, and that her son Conrad, Count of Solms, in the
year 1577 commenced a suit with Bentheim on this account, which was succeeded by
an advantageous sentence of the chamber-indicatory in 1686 in favor of
Solms-Braunfels, by which three eighths of the county of Tecklenburg, and the
seigniory of Rheda, together with all the incomes thereof, which had been
enjoyed since the carrying on the process were adjudged to him; to the actual
possession of which three eighths he also arrived in the year 1698. In 1699 it
was stipulated between Johann Adolphus, Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg, and
William Maurice, Count of Solms and Tecklenburg, at Lengerich, that the latter
on account of the incomes of the county which had been adjudged to him from the
commencement of the process till the year 1698 would now have the whole citadel
of Tecklenburg, together with three fourths of the county of Tecklenburg, and
one fourth of the citadel and seigniory of Rheda, but that Bentheim-Tecklenburg
would retain one fourth of the county of Tecklenburg, and three fourths of the
citadel and seigniory of Rheda. This stipulation was confirmed, moreover, in the
same year by both parties at Braunfels, as also by the Emperor. But the only son
of the above-mentioned Count John Adolphus, by name Johann Augustus and to whom
the father, on account of his advanced age ceded the county in the year 1700,
dying in the following year 1701, and thus Frederick Maurice of
Bentheim-Hohen-Limburg and brother to Johann Adolphus, arriving to the
government of Tecklenburg and Rheda; the latter, who had nothing to do with the
above-mentioned stipulation, commenced the process a-new at the aulic-council of
the Empire; upon which Solms-Braunfels in 1707 disposed of its right to the King
of Prussia, who upon this took possession of the whole county" [14: volume IV;
p.463].
List of the Rulers
Moritz-Kasimir II (1735-1805) [1768-1805]
Moritz-Kasimir III (1764-Apr 1806) [1805-1806]
Emil-Friedrich-Karl (1765-1837) [1806-1808]
Titles [1: Theil III;
p.936]
>-1808
Count of Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Steinfurt &
Limburg,
Lord of Rheda, Wevelinghoven, Hoya, Alpen,
Helpenstein,
Baron of Lennep,
Hereditary Advocate / Erbvogt of
Köln;
Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.31,
44]
The Imperial Circle of the Lower
Rhine-Westphalia:
- the Lower Limburg / Hohenlimburg / Limburg
an der Lenne;
Outside Imperial Circles:
- Rheda;
Territorial Acquisitions and Losses since
1789
- In 1806, the French army occupied
Hohenlimburg.
- In 1808, Hohenlimburg was mediatized by the
Grand Duchy of Berg.
2. Bentheim-Steinfurt
By the division of the family possessions Count
Arnold-Jobst (+1643), who founded the branch of Bentheim-Steinfurt, received
Bentheim and Steinfurt.
In 1643, Ernst-Wilhelm (+1693) and Philipp-Konrad
(+1668), the sons of Count Arnold-Jobst, divided the family possessions, and
founded, respectively, the branches of Bentheim-Steinfurt and Bentheim-Bentheim.
2.1. Bentheim-Steinfurt
-1806]
Count Ernst-Wilhelm (+1693), received Bentheim
and continued the direct branch of Bentheim-Steinfurt.
In 1693, Ernst (+1713), a son of Ernst-Wilhelm,
exchanged Bentheim for Steinfurt with his first cousin
Arnold-Moritz-Wilhelm.
In July 1806, the Count of
Bentheim-Steinfurt lost his status of Imperial immediate ruler when his
possessions were mediatized by the Confederation of the Rhine
Act.
In Jan 1817, the King of Prussia granted Count
Ludwig (+1817) and all of his descendents the title of Prince of Bentheim &
Steinfurt.
List of the Rulers
Ludwig (1756- Aug 1817) [1780-1806]
Titles [1: Theil III;
p.936]
>-1808
Count of Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Steinfurt &
Limburg,
Lord of Rheda, Wevelinghoven, Hoya, Alpen,
Helpenstein,
Baron of Lennep,
Hereditary Advocate / Erbvogt of
Köln;
Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789
[2: p.14] [1: Theil III; p.941]
The Imperial Circle of the Lower
Rhine-Westphalia:
- Bentheim-Steinfurt;
Voices in the Imperial Assembly in 1789
[1: Theil III; p.941] [2: p.44] [6: p.702]
Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Counts of Westphalia
=
- Bentheim-Steinfurt;
Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.14]
[6: p.702] [11: Heft II; p.146]
The Imperial Circle of the Lower
Rhine-Westphalia:
- Steinfurt;
Territorial Acquisitions and Losses since
1789
- In Feb 1803, the Count of Bentheim-Steinfurt
inherited the rights of the extinct branch of
Bentheim-Bentheim.
- In 1803, the French army occupied Bentheim that
was mortgaged to the Elector of Hanover (who was also King of Great
Britain).
In 1804, the Count of Bentheim-Steinfurt made a
bargain with the Government of France. He paid a fraction of the old debt of the
Count of Bentheim-Bentheim to Hanover and obtained the possession of the County
of Bentheim despite the protest of the Elector of Hanover [13: vol. LXVI (1804);
p.791].
2.2. Bentheim-Bentheim
+1803
Philipp-Konrad (+1668), a son of Count
Arnold-Jobst, received Steinfurt and founded the branch of Bentheim-Bentheim.
In 1693, his son Arnold-Moritz-Wilhelm (+1701)
exchanged Steinfurt for Bentheim with his first cousin Ernst.
In 1753, Count Friedrich-Karl-Philip
mortgaged the County of Bentheim to the Elector of Hanover [13: vol. LXVI
(1804); p.791].
In 1803, with the death of
Friedrich-Karl-Philip, the Bentheim-Bentheim branch became
extinct.
List of the Rulers
Friedrich-Karl-Philipp (1725-1803) [1731-1753]
Titles [1: Theil III;
p.936]
>-1808
Count of Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Steinfurt &
Limburg,
Lord of Rheda, Wevelinghoven, Hoya, Alpen,
Helpenstein,
Baron of Lennep,
Hereditary Advocate / Erbvogt of
Köln;
Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789
[2: p.14] [1: Theil III; p.936-937]
The Imperial Circle of the Lower
Rhine-Westphalia:
- Bentheim-Bentheim (-);
Voices in the Imperial Assembly in 1789
[1: Theil III; p.936-937][2: p.44] [6: p.702]
Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Counts of Westphalia
=
- Bentheim-Bentheim;
Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.14]
[6: p.702]
The Imperial Circle of the Lower
Rhine-Westphalia:
- (mortgaged to Hanover)
Bentheim;
Bibliography.
1. Büsching, Anton Friedrich. Neue
Erdbeschreibung (Hamburg : Bohn, 1754-).
2. Lancizolle, Carl Wilhelm von Uebersicht
der deutschen Reichsstandschafts- und Territorial-Verhältnisse : vor dem
französischen Revolutionskriege, der seitdem eingetretenen
Veränderungen und der gegenwärtigen Bestandtheile des deutschen Bundes
und der Bundesstaaten (Berlin : Dümmler, 1830).
3. Berghaus, Heinrich. Deutschland seit
hundert Jahren. Geschichte der Gebiets-Eintheilung und der politischen
Verfassung des Vaterlandes (Leipzig : 1859-1862; 5 vols) < I.Abt. Bd. 1-2:
Deutschland vor hundert Jahren 1859/1860. 2. Abt. Bd. 1-3: Deutschland vor
fünfzig Jahren, 1861/1862 >.
4. Stokvis, Anthony Marinus Hendrik Johan.
Manuel d'histoire, de généalogie et de chronologie de tous les
états du globe, depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à
nos jours (Leiden : E.J. Brill, 1887-1893; 3 vols; Reprint. Amsterdam : B.M.
Israël, 1966).
5. Himly, Auguste. Histoire de la
formation territoriale des etats de l'Europe centrale (Paris : Hachette, 1876; 2
vols).
6. Wallner, Emil. Die kreissässigen
Reichsterritorien am Vorabend des Luneviller Friedens (Innsbruck : 1929)
[Mitteilungen des Instituts für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung /
MIÖG; Ergänzungsband 11].
7. Hölzle, Erwin. Der deutsche
Südwesten am Ende des alten Reiches (Stuttgart : Württembergischen
Statistischen Landesamt, 1938).
8. Frank, Karl Friedrich.
Standeserhebungen und Gnadenakte für das Deutsche Reich und die
österreichischen Erblande bis 1806 sowie kaiserlich österreichische
bis 1823. (Senftenegg : 1967–1974; 5 vols).
9. Almanach de Gotha (Gotha : Justus Perthes,
1763-1944).
10. Isenburg, Wilhelm Karl Prinz von;
Freytag von Loringhoven, Frank Baron; Schwennicke, Detlev.
Europäische Stammtafeln (1935-).
11. Hassel, Georg. Statistischer Umriss
der sämtlichen europäischen Staaten in Hinsicht ihrer
Größe, Bevölkerung, Kulturverhältnisse, Handlung, Finanz-
und Militärverfassung und ihrer aussereuropäischen Besitzungen
(Braunschweig : Vieweg, 1805).
12. Hans-Joachim, Böckenholt. Schloss
und Herrschaft Rheda (Harsewinkel-Marienfeld : 1979).
13. The Scots magazine and Edinburgh literary
miscellany (Edinburgh).
14. Büsching, Anton Friedrich;
Murdoch, Patrick. A new system of geography (London : A. Millar, 1762; 6
vols).
