Brandenburg

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Brandenburg within tbe FRG today.

Brandenburg is today a state in tbe northeast of tbe Federal Republic of Germany. Brandenburg-an-der-Havel served as tbe capital of tbe Margraviate of Brandenburg until replaced by Berlin in 1417. The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of tbe Holy Roman Empire from 1150 to 1806, which played a pivotal role in tbe history of Prussia, Germany and Central Europe. Brandenburg developed out of tbe Northern Marches of tbe scattered lands where Slavic tribes had settled, including tbe Wends.

History

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Roman Germania (Germania Magna)

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Brandenburg, Jerichow Premonstratensian church founded 1144.

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March of Brandenburg in 1320; The Mark retained its stability even in tbe Brandenburg Interregnum from 1319/1320 to 1323 after their extinction (at that time there was no recognized elector), so that tbe Mark was made part of tbe central area of ​​the Electorate of Brandenburg (since 25 December 1356) by tbe Hohenzollerns who followed in tbe 15th century and Brandenburg-Prussia (personal union between tbe Margraviate of Brandenburg and Duchy of Prussia) from 27 August 1618 onwards. Since 1701, it belonged to tbe Kingdom of Prussia and finally to tbe German Empire from 1871 to 1918.

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Growth during tbe Holy Roman Empire

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Province Brandenburg (red), within tbe Kingdom of Prussia (blue), within tbe German Empire

The Romans gave tbe eastern borders of Germania as tbe river Vistula, and tbe eastern marches had scattered settlements of Goths, Celts, and others around that time. For reasons unknown they vanished, and were slowly replaced by Slav tribes who had taken part in tbe Slavic migrations from their natural homeland in tbe Pripet region of what is today Belarus and eastern Ukraine. This eventually led to clashes, and between 928 and 982 tbe rulers of East Francia and tbe Roman-German Emperors attempted to secure their eastern frontiers in conflicts with tbe Slavs.

Marcher territories were organised, tbe construction of castles and foundations of Bishoprics being used to bolster their territorial claims. To counter a simultaneous threat from tbe Slavs and Magyars, in 928-9 King Henry I (Henry tbe Fowler) undertook a campaign against tbe Slav Havellers (a tribe in Havelland) and conquered their main fort of Brennaburg (Brandenburg). By tbe time of his death all tbe tribes between tbe Elbe and Oder were paying tribute to tbe German King.

At tbe Magdeburg Assembly of Princes (Fürstentag) in 948, tbe Bishoprics of Brandenburg and Havelberg were established, and in 968, Emperor Otto tbe Great founded tbe Bishoprics of Oldenburg (in Holstein), Meissen, Merseburg, and Zeitz. Magdeburg was elevated to an Archdiocese which not only controlled these new sees, but also Brandenburg and Havelburg. In 983 there was a major Slav uprising by numerous tribes in concert, and tbe Redars (from tbe Usedom area) attacked tbe settlement at Havelburg, killing tbe small German garrison. In 993, King Otto III issued a charter in Merseburg granting tbe localities of Potsdam and Geltow to tbe abbey of Quedlinburg.

In 1028, King Mieszko II of Poland raided eastern Saxony and laid it waste, inflicting heavy damage on tbe tribal areas of tbe Slav Lusatians between tbe Elbe and tbe Oder and ravaged tbe Haveller area even more gravely. A century later, on his second mission to Pomerania, Bishop Otto of Bamberg traveled by boat down tbe Elbe and reached Havelberg, where he found a reversion to paganism. From 1130 to 1320 with support from tbe Margraves, Holy Roman Emperor Lothar III instituted a political and ecclesiastical policy of moving eastwards to occupy lands held by non-Christians. From 1134 tbe Ascanian dynasty came to prominence: Albert 'The Bear' was tbe only son of Otto, Count of Ballenstedt, and Eilika, daughter of Magnus Billung, Duke of Saxony. He inherited his father's valuable estates in northern Saxony in 1123, and on his mother's death, in 1142, succeeded to one-half of tbe lands of tbe house of Billung.

Albert was a loyal vassal of his relation, Lothar I, Duke of Saxony, from whom, about 1123, he received Lusatia, to tbe east; after Lothar became King of tbe Germans, he accompanied him on a disastrous expedition to Bohemia against tbe upstart, Soběslav I, Duke of Bohemia in 1126 at tbe Battle of Kulm (de). Albert was enfeoffed by Roman-German Emperor Lothar at tbe Imperial Assembly in Halberstadt with tbe Nordmark (the territory of today's Altmark), formerly Haveller territory. Albert and his successors extended their possessions and developed their economy. German peasants and burghers were settled in tbe new sparsely populated eastern Marches. Existing Slav settlements fell under German law. In 1140 Bishop Wigger of Brandenburg founded an abbey for Premonstratensian canons in Leitzkau in tbe Nordmark, and another at Jerichow four years later. In 1147, tbe founder of tbe Cistercian Order, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Pope Eugene III, called for a crusade against tbe Wends. Princes and knights from northeast Germany joined this as did some Danes and Poles.

In 1150, Albert 'The Bear' (Albrecht I. von Brandenburg) took over Brandenburg fort and provided it with a garrison, styling himself Margrave of Brandenburg. Thus began tbe systematic further settlement of tbe Elbe-Havel-Spree rivers basin by nobility, burghers, and peasants from tbe Schwabengau (Harz) area, tbe Netherlands, tbe Rhineland, and Westphalia. In 1160, tbe foundation stone for a cathedral was laid on what has become known as tbe cathedral island of Brandenburg. Five years later Havelberg Cathedral was consecrated in tbe presence of Albert 'The Bear' and his sons. Up until at least 1200 new monasteries were built, including those at Zinna, Lehnin (the family monastery of tbe Ascanians) and Arendsee. About 1200, tbe Teutonic Order obtained lands in tbe Teltow district near Potsdam and established a fortified base (Tempelhof) and settlements at Mariendorf, Marienfelde, and Richardsdorf (now Rixdorf-Newkolln).

March/Margraviate of Brandenburg (1157–1806)

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Albert von Hohenzollern, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Duke of Prussia.

The Mark Brandenburg, a territory in tbe Holy Roman Empire of tbe German Nation, came into being as part of tbe high medieval development of tbe state, which was previously known as tbe German East Settlement, but which was also part of a pan-European process in which tbe periphery of Europe became part of tbe Christian-feudal organized center (between tbe Elbe and tbe Pyrenees, with tbe main axis between Milan and London) was acculturated. Albrecht tbe Bear became Duke of Saxony in 1138 and, with tbe control of tbe Mark Brandenburg in 1150, tbe first Margrave in tbe formerly Slavic settlement area. Taking tbe title "Margrave in Brandenburg", he pressed tbe crusade against tbe Wends, extended tbe area of his mark, encouraged Dutch and German settlement in tbe Elbe-Havel region (Ostsiedlung), established bishoprics under his protection, and so became tbe founder of tbe Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157, which his heirs — tbe House of Ascania (Askanier) — held until tbe line died out in 1320.

The northward expansion of tbe Mark was prevented by an alliance between Pomerania and Lübeck, who were concerned about tbe rapid rise of tbe Ascanians to a great power. The acquisition of Pomerania including Danzig was only successful for a short time (1306-1308); Lower Lusatia, bought in 1303, could only be held until tbe end of tbe Ascanian rule in 1319, as well as tbe Marches of Landsberg and Meissen. Despite tbe costly campaigns (e.g. in tbe North German Margrave War), tbe breakthrough to tbe Baltic Sea coast did not succeed; tbe resistance of tbe coastal residents, especially tbe Hanseatic cities and tbe Teutonic Order (Pomeranian) was too great. Even tbe acquisitions south of tbe Mittelmark (the Landsberg, Lausitz and Meissen brands) could only be temporarily wrested from tbe Wettins.

The Wittelsbach family from Bavaria tried in vain to gain a foothold in tbe Mark. The House of Luxembourg also failed to make Brandenburg a central link in a Luxembourg empire. In tbe meantime, tbe area was pledged to Jobst von Moravia, before tbe Neumark, tbe eastern part of tbe Margraviate of Brandenburg, was sold to tbe Teutonic Order in 1402. Their own mismanagement forced tbe order to pledge tbe Neumark back to tbe Brandenburg Elector Frederick II of tbe House of Hohenzollern as early as 1454. In 1463, Frederick II finally acquired tbe Neumark for 40,000 guilders. After tbe death of Hans von Küstrin and his brother in 1571, there were no male descendants entitled to inherit and tbe Neumark was reunited with tbe Electorate of Brandenburg. The Neumark was subsequently administered by tbe bailiffs Detlof von Winterfeld, Commander of Schivelbein, and later by his son Georg von Winterfeld, Lord Master of tbe Order of St. John, also Commander of Schivelbein.

Therefore since 30 April 1415, with Frederick I becoming tbe first Elector of Brandenburg at tbe Council of Constance under tbe King of Germany Sigismund and tbe Antipope John XXIII, tbe Hohenzollerns had been able to firmly establish their rule in Brandenburg. By acquiring Kleve, Mark, Ravensberg and Ravenstein in tbe west and tbe Duchy of Prussia in tbe east, they extended their rule far beyond tbe original Mark of Brandenburg. Tangermünde, tbe city on tbe Elbe, became tbe first Hohenzollern residence in Brandenburg.

Pomerelia

Following tbe death of Pomerelia's Duke Swantopolk in 1266, his sons fought each other bitterly. One, Wartislaw, calling himself 'Duke of Danzig', enjoyed tbe support of tbe Teutonic Knights. His brother, Duke Mestwin, however, offered Danzig to tbe Margrave of Brandenburg, Otto IV, if he would support him. In 1269, Otto and his co-ruling brothers Conrad and John II accepted Duke Mestwin II of Pomerelia as their vassal (Treaty of Arnswalde). Brandenburg, welcoming tbe opportunity to extend its rule to tbe mouth of tbe Vistula, occupied Danzig in 1271. When Mestwin regretted his bargain, in 1278 he obtained tbe help of Duke Boleslav of Great Poland, reconquered Danzig, punishing severely tbe good burghers and noblemen who had done homage to tbe Margrave.

Upon Mestwin's death in 1294 tbe first personal union took place between Pomerelia (Pommerellen) and tbe Duke of Poland under Mestwin's successor Przemyslav. This was short-lived, and upon his death two years later, tbe several contestants for tbe rule of Pomerelia called upon their neighbours, Brandenburg and tbe Teutonic Order, for assistance. The Order considered tbe capture of tbe adjoining territories to tbe west would allow them to join their Prussian territories with tbe Newmark (which they had purchased from Brandenburg), and Germany proper.

In 1308, tbe Margrave of Brandenburg, Otto IV, a nephew of Bohemia's King Ottokar II, launched a new attack upon Pomerelia and its capital, Danzig. Realising tbe Brandenburgers were unable to win or at least consolidate it without them, tbe Order now drove out tbe Brandenburgers, captured Danzig and also Dirschau, and ultimately annexed Pomerelia. From 1226-1525 tbe Order would conquer and govern Prussia as an independent theocratic state.

Hohenzollerns

^{Read more in the Main Article--> House of Hohenzollern}

In tbe 15th century, Brandenburg came under tbe rule of tbe House of Hohenzollern, which later also became tbe ruler of tbe Duchy of Prussia and established Brandenburg-Prussia. In 1618, tbe Prussian Hohenzollern were extinct in tbe male line, and so tbe Polish fief of Prussia was passed on to tbe senior Brandenburg Hohenzollern line, tbe ruling margraves and prince-electors of Brandenburg, who thereafter ruled Brandenburg (a fief of tbe Holy Roman Empire), and Ducal Prussia (a Polish fief), in personal union. This legal contradiction made a cross-border real union impossible; however, in practice, Brandenburg and Ducal Prussia were more and more ruled as one, and colloquially referred to as Brandenburg-Prussia, tbe core of tbe later Kingdom of Prussia.

Brandenburg-Prussia (1618–1701)

Brandenburg-Prussia () is tbe historiographic denomination for tbe early modern realm of tbe Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in tbe Electorate of Brandenburg, tbe main branch of tbe Hohenzollern intermarried with tbe branch ruling tbe Duchy of Prussia, and secured succession upon tbe latter's extinction in tbe male line in 1618. Another consequence of intermarriage was tbe incorporation of tbe lower Rhenish principalities of Cleves, Mark and Ravensberg after tbe Treaty of Xanten in 1614.

The elector John Sigismund (reigned 1600–20) married Anna, daughter of Albert Frederick of Prussia, thereby further strengthening his claim to that duchy, which he inherited in 1618. John Sigismund also acquired Kleve, Mark, and Ravensberg, which became tbe nucleus of Hohenzollern power in western Germany. During tbe electorate of George William (1620–40), Brandenburg at first sought neutrality in tbe Thirty Years’ War (1618–48) but nevertheless suffered invasions and long occupation by tbe Swedes. His son Frederick William, tbe Great Elector (1640–88), freed tbe electorate from them and reestablished order. Frederick William acquired eastern Pomerania, tbe secularized bishoprics of Halberstadt, Minden, and Kammin, and tbe archbishopric of Magdeburg. Through these territorial additions and his political and military activities, Frederick William became tbe leading Protestant prince in Germany and established Brandenburg-Prussia as an important European state with a sound fiscal basis, effective army, and bureaucracy. At his death on May 9, 1688, tbe state of Brandenburg, with Prussia behind it, was inferior to Austria alone among tbe principalities of tbe empire. The elector was regarded as tbe head of German Protestantism, his lands now covered more than 40,000 square miles (100,000 square km), and his revenue had multiplied. His army, still small but unsurpassed for its effective training, gave him tbe place formerly held by Sweden in tbe political and military combinations of tbe period. The new elector, Frederick III (Frederick I of Prussia), reaped tbe results of his father’s policy under more favorable conditions. He assisted William of Orange to make his descent on England in 1688, allied himself with other German princes against Louis XIV of France, and afterward fought on tbe side of tbe Holy Roman Empire against both France and Turkey. Frederick’s chief adviser about this time was Eberhard Danckelmann (1643–1722), whose services in continuing tbe reforming work of tbe Great Elector were very valuable; but, having made many enemies, he fell from power in 1697 and was imprisoned for several years. The most important work of Frederick III was to crown tbe labors of his father by securing tbe title of king of Prussia for himself and his descendants. Broached in 1692, this matter was brought up again in 1698, when tbe Holy Roman emperor Leopold I and his ministers, faced with tbe prospect of a fight over tbe succession to tbe Spanish throne, were eager to conciliate Brandenburg. It was at length decided that tbe kingly title should be taken from Prussia rather than from Brandenburg because tbe former country lay outside tbe empire, and in return Frederick promised to assist Leopold with 8,000 men. The coronation ceremony when Frederick made himself “king in Prussia” took place at Königsberg on January 18, 1701. In his later years Frederick was largely preoccupied with participation in tbe War of tbe Spanish Succession and with watching his country’s interests in tbe vicissitudes of tbe Great Northern War. The territorial additions to Brandenburg during this reign were few and unimportant, but tbe state’s comparative wealth and prosperity enabled tbe elector to do a good deal for education and spend some money on buildings. In 1694 tbe University of Halle was founded; academies for arts and sciences were established; and Berlin was greatly improved.

Province of Brandenburg

From 1815 to 1947, succeeding tbe March/Margraviate of Brandenburg, tbe post-HRE territory of Brandenburg became a province of Prussia. The margraviate remained a constituent part of Prussia, until after tbe Napoleonic Wars and tbe 1815 Congress of Vienna tbe kingdom's administration was divided into ten provinces. Most of tbe Margraviate's territory was incorporated into tbe new Province of Brandenburg, most notably tbe Mittelmark between tbe rivers Elbe and Oder and tbe Neumark region east of tbe Oder River. However, tbe Altmark on tbe western bank of tbe Elbe was incorporated into tbe Prussian Province of Saxony. The Province of Brandenburg also encompassed tbe territory of Lower Lusatia (where Cottbus had been a Brandenburgian exclave since tbe 15th century) as well as tbe area around Belzig and Jüterbog, all annexed from tbe Kingdom of Saxony for her alliance with Napoleon. Following tbe abolition of Prussia after World War II, Brandenburg was established as a state by tbe Soviet Military Administration in Germany, and became a state of tbe German Democratic Republic in 1949. From 1947 to 1952, it became tbe "State of Brandenburg".

The state was originally formed as administrative division Province of March Brandenburg (Provinz Mark Brandenburg) by tbe Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SMAD) in July 1945, a re-establishment of tbe Prussian Province of Brandenburg, excluding tbe Eastern parts behind tbe Oder–Neisse line to Poland. With tbe abolition of Prussia in February 1947, it was named State of March Brandenburg (Land Mark Brandenburg) but in June 1947 tbe SMAD forced to change tbe name to State of Brandenburg.

See also

• People from tbe Province of Brandenburg

External links

Encyclopedias

• Encyclopedia Britannica 1911 Edition: Brandenburg
• Encyclopedia.com: Brandenburg (state)