Ottonian Nassau Region

The House of Nassau split between the Ottonian and Walramian lines in 1255. The Ottonian lands were partitioned on multiple occasions, but were reunited on at least two—once in 1561 and again in 1743. I define the Ottonian region as the territory within the reunited Principality of Nassau-Orange in 1806, when it was dismantled. I also include the County of Holzappel-Schaumburg (which passed from Nassau hands into Ascanian hands prior to 1806), the village of Wasenbach (which was never Nassau territory, but was surrounded on three sides by Schaumburg), and the condominia of Burbach, Neunkirchen, Kirberg, and Löhnberg (in all of which Ottonian Nassau entities participated).

 

I start the data base at different times, depending on the original country:

• 1561 for all villages entirely in Ottonian lands when they were consolidated into a unified county;
• 1564 for all villages assigned to Nassau when the former County of Dietz was divided up with Trier;
• 1597 for villages entirely or partially in Leiningen-Westerburg, when the Schaumburg line inherited the county;
• 1605 for villages entirely or partially in Walmerian hands when they were consolidated into a unified county (Nassau-Saarbrücken).

I end the data base in 1806 when the Holy Roman Empire was terminated and all of the region except Siegen was assigned to the Duchy of Nassau—a Napoleonic client state. Siegen was absorbed by the Kingdom of Prussia.

 

Sources for the Ottonian Nassau region