Die Grafschaft Limburg vom 13. bis zum 19. Jahrhundert

On current maps, the County of Limburg, which was dissolved in 1808, is no longer recognizable; its territory has merged into the present-day cities of Hagen, Iserlohn, and Schwerte. Its origins date back to the 13th century and delve deep into the dynastic history of the southwestern Westphalian region. Various divisions of inheritance in the counties of Mark and Berg, as well as the disputes following the death of the Archbishop of Cologne in 1225, created the conditions for the establishment of this small lordship, which remained vassal to the Duchy of Berg until 1669, after which it became immediately subject to the Empire. The governance of Limburg is represented by the Counts of Isenberg and their successors, the Princes of Bentheim-Tecklenburg. A separate chapter is dedicated to Hohenlimburg Castle, as well as to the estates, the Reformation, the dissolution of the lordship, and its successors in the 19th century. This clearly illustrates the position of the county as part of the 'third' Westphalia - that is, as one of those small lordships that existed alongside the ecclesiastical and Brandenburg-Prussian territories in the 18th century. An appendix of sources and numerous illustrations complement the concise presentation.