Leyenian Germany

The Leyen family dates from the 12th century, but it operated primarily as administrators of lordships under the sovereignty of other countries. Over time, three branches of the family emerged with administrative rights over well-defined geographic territory (as opposed to castles)—Saffig, Adendorf, and Nickenich. In the 17th century, some of the lordships administered by each branch became sufficiently autonomous to qualify as countries for purposes of this website. The Lordships of Saffig and Adendorf were among those and since they were ruled by members of the corresponding family, I simply use the lordship name for the country. When the name of the lordship and its governing line are different, however, I use the form “Lordship of [place name] (in pers. union w/[line name]” for the fully-specified country name and “[place name]-[line name]” for the simplified name.

 

In the following list of countries in Leyenian Germany, countries and dates outside the chronological scope of the database are shown in italics. Entities under Leyenian administration prior to falling under Leyenian sovereignty are shown in gray.

 

Lineage-based Leyenian entities
  • Lordship of Leyen-Gondorf (1395-1420)
    • Lordship of Leyen-Hartelstein (1420-1479)
    • Lordship of Leyen-Saffig (1420-1539-1703)
      • Lordship/Barony of Leyen-Saffig-Adendorf/Hohengeroldseck (1539-1711)
      • Lordship of Leyen-Saffig-Nickenich (1611-1714)
  • County of Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1711-1806)

 

Countries acquired by lineage-based Leyenian entities
  • Lordship of Saffig (1629-1794)
    • Electorate of Cologne (adm. Leyen-Saffig) (1481-1629)
    • self-governing (1629-1703)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Adendorf (1703-1705) 
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1794)
  • Lordship of Nievern (1629-1806)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Saffig (1629-1703)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Adendorf (1703-1705) 
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1806)
  • Lordship of Leiningen auf den Hunsrück (1614-1794)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Nickenich (1642-1714) 
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1714-1794)
  • Lordship of Adendorf (1659-1794)
    • Duchy of Jülich sovereignty (adm. Leyen-Saffig) (1520-1539)
    • Duchy of Jülich (adm. Leyen-Adendorf) (1539-1659)
    • self-governing (1659-1705)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1794)
  • Lordship of Burrweiler & Wernersberg (1659-1794)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Adendorf (1659-1705)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1794)
  • Lordship of Blieskastel (1660-1794)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Adendorf (1660-1705)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1794)
  • Lordship/County of Hohengeroldseck (1697-1806)
    • in personal union with Leyen-Adendorf (1697-1705)
    • self-governing (1705-1806)

 

The following are non-countries that I need to keep track of so that I can place them in a quasi-country within the nation they belong to.

  • Lordship of Otterbach-Sambach (1656-1794)
    • Bishopric of Speyer sovereignty 
      • adm. Leyen-Adendorf (1656-1705)
      • adm. Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1711)
    • subdivision of Blieskastel (1711-1794)
  • Lordship of Münchweiler am Glan
    • Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken sovereignty 
      • adm. Leyen-Saffig (1468-1703)
      • adm. Leyen-Adendorf (1703-1705)
      • adm. Leyen-Hohengeroldseck (1705-1711)
    • subdivision of Blieskastel (1711-1794)
  • Lordship of Oberkirchen
    • subdivision of Blieskastel (1781-1794)
    • adm. Leiningen-Heidesheim (1781-1783)