Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire: Map & History
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Though initially an underdeveloped and economically modest territory, Brandenburg held electoral status within the Empire. Facing land division with Küstrin as recent as middle in the 16th century, it then quickly reunited and grew rapidly in importance after inheriting the Duchy of Prussia in 1618. Brandenburg came to play a pivotal role in both German and European history as the core of the Prussian kingdom.
Modern Countries Once Part of Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire
At its mapped extent, Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire covered territory in 18 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Switzerland1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Hungary1450–1458 CE · nearly all
- Czechia1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Austria1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Slovakia1450–1458 CE · nearly all
- Luxembourg1422–1449 CE · nearly all
- Slovenia1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Liechtenstein1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Germany1422–1458 CE · nearly all
- Netherlands1422–1458 CE · most
- Belgium1422–1458 CE · most
- Poland1422–1458 CE · a large part
- Serbia1450–1458 CE · a large part
- Croatia1450–1458 CE · a large part
- Romania1450–1458 CE · a large part
- Italy1422–1458 CE · a large part
- France1422–1458 CE · a small part
- Russia1422–1458 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire'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.
Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire in Depth
History
By the eighth century, Slavic Wends, such as the Sprewane and Hevelli (Havolane or Stodorans), started to move into the Brandenburg area. They intermarried with Saxons and Bohemians.
The Bishoprics of Brandenburg and Havelberg were established at the beginning of the tenth century (in 928 and 948, respectively). They were suffragan to the Archbishopric of Mainz; the Bishopric of Brandenburg reached to the Baltic Sea.
King Henry the Fowler started governing in the region in 928–929, allowing Emperor Otto I to establish the Northern March under Margrave Gero in 936 during the German Ostsiedlung.
Geography
The territory of the former margraviate, commonly known as the Mark Brandenburg, lies in present-day eastern Germany and western Poland. Geographically it encompassed the majority of the present-day German states of Brandenburg and Berlin, the Altmark (the northern third of Saxony-Anhalt), and the Neumark (now divided between Poland's Lubusz and West Pomeranian Voivodeships). Parts of the present-day federal state Brandenburg, such as Lower Lusatia and territory which had been Saxon until 1815, were not parts of the Mark. Colloquially but not accurately, the federal state Brandenburg is sometimes identified as the Mark or Mark Brandenburg.
The region was formed during the ice age, and characterized by moraines, glacial valleys, and numerous lakes.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Margraviate of Brandenburg (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire: Key Facts
| Capitals | Brandenburg an der Havel, Berlin |
|---|---|
| Official language | Low German |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 11 June 1157 |
| Dissolved | 1806 |
Succeeded by
- Province of Brandenburg
Facts from Wikidata Q148499 (CC0).
Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,213,036 km² in 1456 CE.
Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire exist?
The Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire is dated to 1422 CE – 1458 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire?
The capital of the Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire was Brandenburg an der Havel (1157–1417), Berlin (1417–1806).
How large was the Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 1456 AD the Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire covered about 1,213,036 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi