Duchy of Holstein: Map & History
The Duchy of Holstein was the northernmost state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the present German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
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The Duchy of Holstein was the northernmost state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the present German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It originated when King Christian I of Denmark had his County of Holstein-Rendsburg elevated to a duchy by Emperor Frederick III in 1474. Members of the Danish House of Oldenburg ruled Holstein – jointly with the Duchy of Schleswig – for its entire existence.
Modern Countries Once Part of Duchy of Holstein
At its mapped extent, Duchy of Holstein covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Duchy of Holstein's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Duchy of Holstein in Depth
History
The northern border of Holstein along the Eider River had already formed the northern border of the Carolingian Empire, after Emperor Charlemagne upon the Saxon Wars reached an agreement with King Hemming of Denmark in 811. The lands of Schleswig beyond the river remained a fief of the Danish Crown, while Holstein became an integral part of East Francia, the Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.
Adolf VIII, the last Count of Holstein-Rendsburg and Duke of Schleswig had died without heirs in 1459. As Schleswig had been a Danish fief, it had to fall back to King Christian I of Denmark, who, himself a nephew of Adolf, also sought to enter into possession of Holstein.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Duchy of Holstein (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Duchy of Holstein Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Duchy of Holstein appears, with the other states of the time.
Duchy of Holstein Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 20,119 km² in 1850 CE.
Duchy of Holstein: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Duchy of Holstein exist?
Duchy of Holstein is dated to 1848 CE – 1852 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of Duchy of Holstein?
The capital of Duchy of Holstein was Glückstadt.
How large was Duchy of Holstein at its peak?
At its peak in 1850 Duchy of Holstein covered about 20,119 km².
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