County of Württemberg

County of Württemberg Grafschaft Württemberg
State of the Holy Roman Empire
← 1083–1495 →
Coat of arms
Division of Württemberg by the Treaty of Nürtingen
Capital	Stuttgart
Language(s)	Swabian German
Religion	Roman Catholic
Government	Principality
Count
- ca 1089–1122     (first count)	Conrad I
- 1457–96     (last count)	Eberhard V
Historical era	Middle Ages
- County founded     by Conrad I	before 1081 1083
- Treaty of Nürtingen     divides county	1442
- Treaty of Münsingen     reunites county	1482
- Raised to duchy	1495

The County of Württemberg were a historical county with Stuttgart as its capital, formed by the territory of the House of Württemberg in the 11th century and then raised to Duchy in 1495.

History

In 12th century, House of Württemberg officialy acquired the county. With House of Hohenstaufen reign over Duchy of Swabia ended in 1250, territorial expansion conditions were developed. Ulrich I marriage in 1251 installed, the capital in Stuttgart. Ulrich III achieved further enlargements. In the victorious battle of Württemberg for Doffingen Count Eberhard II was on 23 August 1388 the power of the Swabian League cities break. Outstanding during the reign of Count Eberhard III. (Eberhard the Mild) (1392–1417) was the acquisition by the county of Montbeliard the vows for the later Count Eberhard IV on the 13th with Henriette of Montbéliard November 1397th

On 25 January 1442, Treaty of Nürtingen was signed between Ulrich V and his brother Ludwig I. This split Württemberg into two parts. Stuttgart's part went to Ulrich V and included (among others) the cities of Bad Cannstatt, Göppingen, Marbach am Neckar, Neuffen, Nürtingen, Schorndorf and Waiblingen. Bad Urach's part went to Ludwig I and included (among others) the cities of Balingen, Calw, Herrenberg, Münsingen, Tuttlingen and Tübingen. The County of Montbéliard, after the death of the mother of the two counts, Henriette on 1444, added to Bad Urach's part.

With the agreement of 14 Münsinger December 1482 and the Treaty of 2 Esslinger September 1492 succeeded the Count of Württemberg-Urach and later Duke Eberhard the Bearded, remove the split Württemberg again. The childless Eberhard became the sole ruler of the reunited country. The successor was the reigning Count of Württemberg-Stuttgart Eberhard VI. determined that the country should govern together but with a committee of twelve from the so-called respectability, the representatives of the noble and non-noble estates in the country.