Amt Stotel

Amt Vieland

Börde Beverstedt

Stotel was the site of a castle as early as the 12th century. It served as the seat of a county until 1350, at which time the noble line died out and the county was sold to the Archbishopric of Bremen, where it became an Amt. Hetthorn and Holte were both noble Gerichte, but were governed as part of Amt Stotel. Their Gericht status is indicated by the [*] notation.

 

Geestendorf (now part of Bremerhaven) was also settled in the 12th century as part of the County of Lesum. When it was acquired by the Archbishopric of Bremen, it became the seat of Amtsvogtei Vieland. The Ämter of Stotel and Vieland were combined into Amt Stotel-Vieland in 1779.

 

Beverstedt dates from the 13th century and became a hereditary noble Gericht in the 14th century, eventually becoming the largest such Gericht in the Archbishopric of Bremen. A much smaller noble Gericht run by the same family was established in Altluneberg. Another small noble Gericht was established further east in Poggemühlen. I refer to the three Gerichte collectively as Börde Beverstedt, although some sources exclude Altluneberg and Poggemühlen from the Börde.