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Principality of Birkenfeld
The Principality of Birkenfeld (German: Fürstentum Birkenfeld), known after 1919 as the Region of Birkenfeld (German: Landesteil Birkenfeld), was an exclave of the Grand Duchy and then the Free State of Oldenburg from 1817 until 1937, when it was incorporated into Prussia. It was located in the Nahe region on the left bank of the Rhine river and its capital was Birkenfeld. The government was led by a Government-President (Regierungspräsident) who was appointed by the government of Oldenburg.
The area of the Principality of Birkenfeld was composed from the territory that had previously belonged to the Sarre department of the First French Empire. The French had annexed the territory from seven different sovereigns:
Oldenburg divided the Principality into three Ämter ("court districts"), which were divided in turn into Bürgermeistereien ("Mayoralties"), each containing around a dozen settlements:
Most of this territory is now in Birkenfeld district of Rhineland-Palatinate; the southernmost portion is now in Sankt Wendel district of Saarland.
During negotiations at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Kingdom of Prussia agreed that, in view of its territorial gains in the Saar region, it would hand over an area of the former Sarre department of France with 69,000 inhabitants as compensation to Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Oldenburg, Hesse-Homburg, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and the Counts of Pappenheim. Oldenburg's compensation was most of the canton of Birkenfeld, the whole of the canton of Herrstein, and portions of the cantons of Wadern, Hermeskeil, Sankt Wendel, Baumholder, and Rhaunen. These territories were then united into the Principality of Birkenfeld. Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld received neighbouring territories, including the rest of the canton of Birkenfeld, which became the Principality of Lichtenberg, while Hesse-Homburg received the Lordship of Meisenheim, and other means were found to compensate Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Pappenheim. Oldenburg was thereby compensated for the loss of the Elsfleth Weser toll.
The decision to give the area to Oldenburg was made by the Territorial Commission of the European Great Powers in Frankfurt, after the major division of territory had been decided in Vienna. Peter of Holstein-Gottorp, regent of Oldenburg, had originally expected a substantial territorial grant on the North Sea coast with 160,000 inhabitants and was so infuriated at the allocation of the tiny, distant territory that he refused the grand ducal status awarded to Oldenburg at Vienna and planned to refuse the territory. Only after the territorial division was finalised in 1816, was the regent convinced by his civil service to send the legation secretary Ludwig Starklof to evaluate the region.
Finally, on 16 April 1817, Oldenburg took possession of the region, which was named the "Principality of Birkenfeld." The seat of government and the official residence were in Birkenfeld, which was near the centre of the territory. Government was entrusted to a college of five jurists. The area was divided into three court districts (Ämter): Birkenfeld, Nohfelden and Oberstein. Each of these was to be managed by an Amtmann and an Amt-assessor. These court districts were divided into mayoralties (Bürgermeistereien), modelled on the abolished French administrative districts. The inhabitants had no parliamentary representation until 1848, when the Provinzialrat was created as a parliament. Even then, it had only an advisory function.
In the neighbouring Principality of Lichtenberg, there were popular revolts in 1832 during the Hambach Festival, which led to Prussian troops being dispatched to deal with the rebels, especially in Sankt Wendel. As a result, the Saxe-Coburg rulers of Lichtenberg lost all popular support among the people and therefore sold the principality and its unruly population to Prussia.
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Principality of Birkenfeld AI simulator
(@Principality of Birkenfeld_simulator)
Principality of Birkenfeld
The Principality of Birkenfeld (German: Fürstentum Birkenfeld), known after 1919 as the Region of Birkenfeld (German: Landesteil Birkenfeld), was an exclave of the Grand Duchy and then the Free State of Oldenburg from 1817 until 1937, when it was incorporated into Prussia. It was located in the Nahe region on the left bank of the Rhine river and its capital was Birkenfeld. The government was led by a Government-President (Regierungspräsident) who was appointed by the government of Oldenburg.
The area of the Principality of Birkenfeld was composed from the territory that had previously belonged to the Sarre department of the First French Empire. The French had annexed the territory from seven different sovereigns:
Oldenburg divided the Principality into three Ämter ("court districts"), which were divided in turn into Bürgermeistereien ("Mayoralties"), each containing around a dozen settlements:
Most of this territory is now in Birkenfeld district of Rhineland-Palatinate; the southernmost portion is now in Sankt Wendel district of Saarland.
During negotiations at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Kingdom of Prussia agreed that, in view of its territorial gains in the Saar region, it would hand over an area of the former Sarre department of France with 69,000 inhabitants as compensation to Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Oldenburg, Hesse-Homburg, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and the Counts of Pappenheim. Oldenburg's compensation was most of the canton of Birkenfeld, the whole of the canton of Herrstein, and portions of the cantons of Wadern, Hermeskeil, Sankt Wendel, Baumholder, and Rhaunen. These territories were then united into the Principality of Birkenfeld. Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld received neighbouring territories, including the rest of the canton of Birkenfeld, which became the Principality of Lichtenberg, while Hesse-Homburg received the Lordship of Meisenheim, and other means were found to compensate Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Pappenheim. Oldenburg was thereby compensated for the loss of the Elsfleth Weser toll.
The decision to give the area to Oldenburg was made by the Territorial Commission of the European Great Powers in Frankfurt, after the major division of territory had been decided in Vienna. Peter of Holstein-Gottorp, regent of Oldenburg, had originally expected a substantial territorial grant on the North Sea coast with 160,000 inhabitants and was so infuriated at the allocation of the tiny, distant territory that he refused the grand ducal status awarded to Oldenburg at Vienna and planned to refuse the territory. Only after the territorial division was finalised in 1816, was the regent convinced by his civil service to send the legation secretary Ludwig Starklof to evaluate the region.
Finally, on 16 April 1817, Oldenburg took possession of the region, which was named the "Principality of Birkenfeld." The seat of government and the official residence were in Birkenfeld, which was near the centre of the territory. Government was entrusted to a college of five jurists. The area was divided into three court districts (Ämter): Birkenfeld, Nohfelden and Oberstein. Each of these was to be managed by an Amtmann and an Amt-assessor. These court districts were divided into mayoralties (Bürgermeistereien), modelled on the abolished French administrative districts. The inhabitants had no parliamentary representation until 1848, when the Provinzialrat was created as a parliament. Even then, it had only an advisory function.
In the neighbouring Principality of Lichtenberg, there were popular revolts in 1832 during the Hambach Festival, which led to Prussian troops being dispatched to deal with the rebels, especially in Sankt Wendel. As a result, the Saxe-Coburg rulers of Lichtenberg lost all popular support among the people and therefore sold the principality and its unruly population to Prussia.