Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

10. FRANCONIA.* 1.1

FRANCONIA or FRANKENLAND, is bounded on the East with the Vpper Palatinate, and part of Voitland; on the West with the Confederates of Wederaw, and part of the Rhene; on the north with Hassia, and Thuringia, and on the south with the Palatinate of the Rhene, and some part of Schwaben, so called from the French, Franci, or Francones, in whose possession it was, when they were first known unto the Romans; the Residence of their Dukes or Princes in this noble Province, appropriating the name unto it. Called also Francia Orientalis, to difference it from the Realm of France, which lay more towards the West.

The Country on the out-parts overgrown wholly in a manner with woods and forrests, and environed almost with Mountains, parts of the old Hercinian Wolds; is within, pleasant, plain, and fruitfull; sufficiently plentifull both of corn and wines, but abundantly well stored with Rape, and Licoras, and yeilding good pasture for Cattell: so that we may compare it to a fine piece of Cloth, wrought about with a course list; or an excellent fine piece of Lawn, with a canvasse Selvage.

Chief Rivers of it, are 1 The Main, or Moenus, which running thorow the midst of it, is re∣ceived into the Rhene below Frankfort: 2 The Sala, whence the adjoyning French had the name of Salii; and Conrade, Emperour of the Germans, the surname of Salicus. 3 Radiantis; 4 Sinna; 5 Tu∣bero; 6 Aestus, &c.

The People of it are ingenious, patient of labour, strong of body, and very industrious, not suf∣fering any to be idle that can earn his living of what sort soever. The off-spring of the ancient French, who having over-mastered Gaul, and the parts adjoyning, left here the seminary of their strength, and a stock of their antient Princes: Marcomir, brother of Pharamond the first King of the French, governing in these parts as Duke, and leaving the estate and title unto his posterity. The catalogue of which Princes, take in order thus:

The PRINCES of the FRANKES, and DUKES of FRANCONIA, of the old FRENCH Race.

• A. Ch.
• 326 1 Genebaldus, the son of Dagobert, descended from the old Regal stock of the Sicambri, united with other Dutch nations about 60 or 70 yeers before in the name of Frankes, ha∣ving subdued those parts which lay towards the River Moenus: became the first Prince of the Eastern Frankes, or Lord of Francia Orientalis.
• 356 2 Dagobert, the sonne of Genebaldus, who added the District of Triers unto his Estates.
• 377 3 Clodovaeus, or Ludovicus, the sonne of Dagobert.
• 398 4 Marcomir, the sonne of Clodovaeus, who extended his Dominion Eastwards towards Bavaria and Bohemia.
• 402 5 Pharamund, or Waramund, the sonne of Marcomir, the first of this line which took unto himself the title of King of the French: on the assuming whereof, (aiming at mat∣ters of more importance) he left Franconia or East-France, with the Title of Duke to his brother Marcomir.
• 419 6 Marcomir, the brother of Pharamund.
• 423 7 Prunmesser, by some called Priamus, the son of Marcomir.
• 435 8 Genebaldus II. the son of Prunmesser.
• 455 9 Sunno, the son of Genebald the second.
• 478 10 Clodomirus, or Luitomarus, the son of Sunno.
• 515 11 Hygobaldus, the son of Clodomir, who became a Christian, and added Wormes and Mentz unto his Estates.
• 541 12 Helenus, by some called Hermericus, a Christian also, who passing over the Rhene, sub∣dued that tract bordering betwixt Triers and Lorrain, which the Dutch call We∣sterich.
• 571 13 Gotofridus, the son of Helenus, a Christian also, but not able to perswade his people to the same belief.
• 595 14 Genebaldus III. the son of Gotofrede.
• 615 15 Clodomir II. the son of Genebald the third.
• 638 16 Heribert, the Nephew of Clodomir the second.
• 668 17 Clodovaeus, or Clovis II. the Cousin-german of Heribert.
• 680 18 Gosbertus, the son of Clovis the second.
• 706 19 Gosbertus II. the son of Gosbert the first.
• 720 20 Hetavus, the son of Gosbert the second, the last Duke of Franconia of this line. Who dying

• without issue male, anno 740. bequeathed it at his death to Pepin, who afterwards was King of France, Father of Charles the great; according to a former contract made between those Princes: and Charles no sooner had it in his possession, but he bestowed the greatest part of it on Burchard the first Bishop of Wurtzburg, anno 752. made Bishop of that City by Boniface, Arch-bishop of Mentz. (the first Apostle of this People) but a yeer before. The Bishops of Wurtzburg by this grant were possessed hereof, as long as any of the house of Charls the Great did possesse the Empire. But his posterity failing in the person of Conrade, anno 910. Otho the first (who next but one succeeded Conrade) invested Conrade, husband to Luitgardis his daughter, with this Country, giving him withall the title of Duke of Francony. Four Princes of this house possessed it: that is to say, this Conrade surnamed Salicus, and after him three Henries, father, son and nephew, successively enjoying the Imperiall dignity, by the name of Henry the third, fourth, and fift. This Henry, the last Prince of the male line of Conrade, dying without issue, Franconia fell to Frederick Barbarossa, Duke of Schwaben, as next heir to Henry by the Lady Agnes his Sister, married to Frederick the Antient Duke of Schwaben, the grand-father of Barbarossa: But that house being also extinct in the person of Conradine, anno 1268. and no one heir pretending to the rights thereof; the Bishops of Wurtzburg challenged it on the former grant: content to let some great ones have a part of the spoil, that he and his successours might enjoy the rest. By means whereof it came to be divided betwixt the Bishops of Wurtzburg, Bamberg, Mentz, the Electour Palatine of the Rhene, (for antiently the Palatinate and the Bishoprick of Mentz were but parts of Franken∣land) the Marquesse of Onolsbach, the Earls of Swartzenberg, Henneberg, and Hohenloe, and as many of the Free or Imperiall Cities, as are seated in it. Thus every one did gather sticks when the great Oak fell: the title of Duke of Francony remaining not∣withstanding to the Bishops of Wurtzburg.

1. WVRTZBVRB, the Metropolis of Franconia, the seat and residence of the Bishop who is Titulary Duke hereof, is situate on the Mein, or Moenus, in a pleasant plain environed with Meadowes, gar∣dens, and fruitfull mountains; and very well fenced with walls, trenches, bulwarks, and other Arts of modern fortification: well peopled, and for the most part handsomely and neatly built. Passing over the Bridge built of free stone on many large and spacious Arches, you come unto a fair and pompous (though ancient) Castle; the ordinary dwelling of the Bishop: and yet so strong that the many vain attempts of the Boores and Citizens, apt to pick quarrells with their Prince, made it thought impregnable; to which the situation of it on the top of an hill, added some advantage, but it proved ••erwise when besieged by the King of Sweden, anno 1631. who after a short, but stout resistance, took it by assault. Other townes of most note which belong to the Bishops of Wurtzburg, are 2 Forchein, where it is said that Pontius Pilate was born. 3 Gemand, at the meeting of the Meine, and the Sal, or Sala; 4 Chronac; 5 Staphelstein; 6 Hockstad, of which little memorable.

But to return unto the Bishop as chief Lord of all; he is called in the refined Latine of these times, Herbipolitanus, but commonly Wurtziburgensis; differing in sound, but not in sense: For Wurtz∣burg is no other then a town of Worts, situate amongst plants and gardens, as before is said; and Her∣bipolis, made up out of severall languages, doth signifie no more then a City of Herbs. By whom the Episcopall See was here first erected, and how the Bishops hereof came to be intituled unto their Estates, hath been shewn already. The manner how the new Bishop is admitted, and the old in∣terred, may be worth our knowledge. On the decease of the former Bishop, the Lord Elect attended with a great train of horse is to make his entrance. Assoone as coming within the Gates, he alights off his horse, and putteth off his robes, and being attired in a poor and despicable habit, begirt about with a rope, bare-headed also, & bare-footed, he is conducted by the Earls of Henneberg, Custel, Wortheim, and Reineck, to S. Saviours Church, being his Cathedrall. The Dean and Canons there meeting him, ask him what he would have: to which he modestly replyeth, that though unworthy, he is come to discharge the office unto which he is called. Then the Dean thus, I admit thee in the name of this whole Chapter, committing to thy care this Church of Saint Saviours, and the Dukedome thereunto belonging, in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost. Which done, he putteth on his Episcopall habi. ••yeth Masse, and from thence passeth to his Castle, where he gives entertainment to all the Company. The living Bishop thus invested, proceed we next unto the buriall of the dead, whose body being embow∣elled, is kept in the Chappell of the Castle, his heart preserved in a vessell of glasse. The next day he is carried to the Monastery of Saint James, holding a Crozier Staffe in his right hand, and a sword in his left; buried with which the next day after, in the Church of S. Saviour. As for the Revenues of the Bishop, they must needs be great; the Bishop hereof, in the time of Charles the fift, compounding for his peace with Albert, Marquesse of Brandenbourg, at the price of 220000 Crownes in ready mo∣ney, and entring into bond to pay all his debts, which amounted to 350000 Crownes in ready mo∣ney, and entring into bond to pay all his debts, which amounted to 350000 Crowns more: by which we may partly guess at the richnesse of his Exchequer, and partly at the greatness of his Intrado.

2. The second great Lord of Franconie is the Bishop of BAMBERG, a City seated on the Mein, not far from Wurtzburg: the little River Regnite falling there into it; supposed by Mercator to be the Granionarium of Ptolemy, and to have took this new name from the hill Baba (so called from Baba,

daughter of Otho Duke of Saxon, and w••••e of A••bert 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Earl hereof) upon which it is situate: the right name being Babemberg (remember that B••g in Dutch signifieth an Hill) and contractedly Bamberg. A City delectably seated amongst mountaines and pleasant gardens, and in a soil ex∣ceeding fruitfull of all necessaries, and yeelding Liquorice in great plenty: the birth-place of Joachimus Camerarius, one of the great lights of Germany, and a See Episcopall, the Bishop of which is exempt from the power of his Metropolitan, subject immediately to the Pope, and Lord of many fair towns and territories in this Countrey; but much diminished since the time of Charles the fift; the Bishop thereof then being, giving to Marquesse Albert above mentioned for a cessation from arms, anno 1530. no lesse then 60 of his Lordships (most of which fall unto the share of the Marquesse of Onaldsbach) besides the tutelage or Guardianship of his Wards and Clients. Of those which are remaining in the hands of the Bishops, the principall are 1 Gragingliac, 2 Schleistat.

3. The third great Lord to be considered is the Marquesse of Onaldsbach or Ansbach, who is Ma∣ster of no small part of this Countrey; but his Estate (as those of the other German Princes) con∣fused and intermixt with his neighbours. His chief Townes, 1 Onaldsbach or Ansbach, the usuall residence of these Marquesses, and the birth-place of most of their children. 2 Hailbrun, on the edge of Wirtenberg; walled in about in the yeare 1085. and honoured with some publick Schools there founded by Marquesse George Frederick, anno 1582. 3 Pleinfelt, not far from Nuremberg. Such places as they hold in Voiteland, we shall meet with them there.

These Marquesses are of the puissant family of Brandenbourg, by whom this fair estate was wrested from the Female heirs of Wolframius, the last Lord hereof: the first who did enjoy this Estate and Title being Marquesse George Frederick the sonne of Albert Marquesse and Elector of Brandenbourg called the Achilles of Germany; the Father of Albert the first Duke of Prussia, and of George, the first Mar∣quesse of Jagendorf; and Grandfather of that Marquesse Albert, who in the dayes of Charles the Fift so harassed this Countrey. But his male-issue by Casimir his eldest sonne failing in that Albert, anno 1557. it returned to the Electorall house, and by Sigismund, a late Electour was given to Joachim Ernestus, one of his younger brethren; who by the Princes of the Vnion for defence of the Palatinate was made chief Commander of their Forces, anno 1620. A charge in which it was sup∣posed that he carryed himself neither so faithfully nor so valiantly, as he should have done, being much condemned for suffering Spinola with his Army to passe by unfought with, when hee had all advantages that could be wished for, to impede his march: the greatest part of the Palatinate being lost immediately upon that neglect: and by degrees the rest of the Vnited Provinces, either taken off from their engagement, or ruined for adhering to it with too great a constancie. To him succeeded his son Christian now possessed hereof.

As for the other secular Princes which have any considerable estates in this Countrey, they are the Earls of Henneberg, Hohenloe, Rheineck, Castell, Wortheim, Horpach, and Swartzenbourg, together with the Lords of Lemburg, and Rheichisberg; all of them named so from the chiefe town of their Estates, and all those townes enriched with some suitable territorie. Of these the Earles of Henneberg, Rheineck, Castell, and Wortheim, are Homagers to the Bishop of Wurtzburg, and are to doe him service at his Inthronization: the Earldome of Rheineck being now united to that of Hanow, as was shewn before; and that of Henneberg most famous in that one of the Earles hereof was Father of that incredible increase of children (as many as there be dayes in the yeares) produced at one birth by the Lady Margaret his wife, sister of William Earle of Holland and King of the Romans. A Family of as great Antiquity as most in Germany, fetching their Pedegree as high as to Charles the Great, without help of the Heralds. But they of greatest power and parentage amongst them, are the Earls of SCHWARTZENBVRG, deriving themselves from one Witikindus, of the house of Saxony: who fighting for his Countrey against the French, anno 779. was taken prisoner, carried into France, and there baptized at the perswasion of Lewis the Godly, sonne of Charles the Great, Witikindus his sonne and successour, being baptized at the same time also by the name of Charles, was the first Earl of Swartzenburg, a Castle of his owne building on the edge of Turingia, anno 796. whose posterity doe still hold the same, but much improved in their Estates by marriages and other accrewments. A race of Princes which have yeelded many of great influence in the affairs of Germany: amongst them Gunther Earl of Schwartzenburg, elected Emperour of the Romans against Charles the fourth, by Rodolph Electour Palatine, Ericus Duke of Saxony, Ludovick Marquesse of Brandenburg, and Henry Archbishop of Mentz. By which last solemnly inaugurated at Aken (or Aquisgrane) anno 1349. But being unworthily poysoned by his Competitour, though he dyed not of it, yet he was made so weak and unfit for action, that he was forced to surrender his pretentions to his mortall enemy, receiving in compensation for his charges 22000 marks in silver, and some towns in Turingia.

Of the Imperiall Cities, which share amongst them the remainders of Frankenlandt, the principall are 1 Frankford on the Meine, so called from its situation on the River Meine, to difference it from Frankford in the Countrey of Brandenburg; Divided by the River into two parts, joined to∣gether by a bridge of stone, the lesser part, situate on the right hand shore of the River, being cal∣led Saxen-hausen, the greater part, properly called Frank-ford, seated on the other; both under one Magistrate, and both together making up a fair, rich, populous, and well traded town; of great both riches and repute, by reason of the famous Marts here held in the midst of Lent and September yearly; and the Election of the Emperour or King of the Romans as occasion is. The City of a round form, compassed with a double wall, beautified with some walkes without the town on the

bankes of the River amongst Vineyards, meadowes and sweet groves: called thus, as some say, from Francus the sonne of Marcomie, supposed to be the founder of it; or a Francorum vado, as the Ford of the Francks, before the building of the bridge. 2 Schweinfort, on the Meine also, in a fruitfull soil. 3 Rotenburg on the River Tuber. 4 Winsheim. Here is also the town of 5 Koburg, which belongeth to the house of Saxony, and gives title unto some of the younger Princes of it, called from hence Dukes of Saxen-koburg. And hereto may be added 6 the fair City of Nurenburg, con∣ceived by most to be within the Vpper Palatinate: but by the Emperor Maximilian made a member of the Circle of Franconie, in regard most of the Estates and possessions of it lie within this Countrey. Of which indeed they have so plentifull a share, that when Maurice Electour of Saxony, and his con∣federates had driven Charles the fift out of Germany, Marquesse Albert before mentioned (whose sword was his best Revenue) picking a quarrell with this City, burnt no lesse then an hundred Villages belonging to it, 70 Manours and Farmhouses appertaining to the wealthier Citizens, 3000 Acres of their Woods: and after all this havock made of their estate, compelled them to compound with him for 200000 Crownes in Money, and six peeces of Ordinance. But being the City it selfe seems rather to belong to the other Palatinate, wee shall there meet with it.

Amongst these Prelates, Princes and Imperiall Cities is the great Dukedome of Franconia, at this time divided; the title still remaining in the Bishop of Wurtzburg, and some part of the Countrey: but both the Countrey and the title of Duke of Francony, not long since otherwise disposed of. For the Swedes having taken Wurtzburg anno 1631. as before is said, together with the City of Bamberg, and all the Towns and Territories appertaining to them, conferred them upon Bernard Duke of Saxon-Weymer, with the style and title of Duke of Franconia. Inaugurated therein in the Cathedrall Church of Wurtzburg, July 19. 1633. the Nobility and Gentry of the Countrey doing homage to him, and all the Magistrates and Officers of the severall Cities taking the oaths of Allegiance: the new Duke also making Oath, that he would carefully maintain them in their rights and Priviledges. In the solemnities of which day, the first great Gun discharged in the way of triumph, broke in the going off without any hurt done but the wounding of one souldier onely. An omen that all this solemn Act would prove but a Pageant, and break in pieces at the first giving fire unto it. And so accordingly it did: the victory at Norlingen, which followed not long after this, putting the Bi∣shops once more into their possessions, and leaving nothing to the new Duke but an hungry title. And therefore leaving both the old and new Titular Dukes, wee will here adde the Catalogue of those who were Dukes indeed, and had together with the title the full possession of the Countrey.

DVKES of FRANCONIA of the DVTCH or GERMAN RACE.

• 974 1 Conradus surnamed Salicus, created Duke of Franconia by Otho the first, whose daughter Luitgardis he had marryed: after the death of Henry the second, elected Emperour by the name of Conrade the second, anno 1025.
• 1040 2 Henry the sonne of Conrade, Duke of Franconia, and Emperour by the name of Henry the third.
• 1056 3 Henry II. of Franconia, and IV. of the Empire.
• 1106 4 Henry III. of Franconia, and the V. of the Empire.
• 1125 5 Frederick (surnamed) Barbarossa Duke of Schwaben, Nephew of Frederick the Antient, Duke of Swevia, and of Agnes his wife, the sister and next heir of Henry; succeeded in the Empire after the death of Conrade the third his Uncle, anno 1153.
• 1190 6 Frederick the second sonne of Barbarossa II. Duke of Franconia and Schwaben.
• 7 Conrade II. brother of Frederick the second, succeeded in both Estates.
• 8 Philip the younger brother of Conrade, succeeded in both Dukedomes after his decease; and on the death of Henry the sixt his eldest brother, was elected Emperour, anno 1198.
• 1207 9 Frederick III. of Franconia, and the V. of Suevia, sonne of the Emperour Henry the sixt, whom hee succeeded in the Kingdome of Naples, and Sicil, anno 1202. and on the death of Otho the fourth, anno 1212. was elected Emperour, of that name the second.
• 1250 10 Conrade III. of Franconie, the II. of Schwaben, and the IV. of the Empire, the son of Frederick the third, whom he succeeded in al his Titles and Estates.
• 1254 11 Conradine sonne of Conrade the third, Duke of Franconia and Schwaben; dispossessed of his Kingdomes of Naples and Sicil by Manfred, the Base Brother of his Father; and finally beheaded by Charles of Anjou, who succeeded Manfred in those Kingdomes, anno 1268. After whose death this royall house being quite extinguished; the Bishops of Wurtz∣burg did again resume the title of Dukes of Franconia; content to let some of the greater Lords and Prelates which lived neer unto him, to share in the possession of it, as before was noted.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Franconi••▪