These are the arms of the Principality of Bergenze. The flag of Bergenze is based on the colors of these arms.
THE MONARCHS OF BERGENZE: 700 YEARS OF HOHENROTH
History of Bergenze
Early History
Bergenze was part of Austria since 975, when Udalrich count of Zurichgau, expelled the Magyars from the region. In 1191, Bergenze was given to the count of Zurichgau by the Emperor Henry VI, a donation confirmed by Frederic II in 1220 and 1241, and by the count of Zurichgau in 1262. On January 8, 1297 the Hohenroth, an exiled Austrian family, seized the fortress. They lost it in 1317, regained it in 1335, and soon begin to assert their independence. They acquired Jarleberg in 1346 and Rothbrenne in 1355, but lost everything in 1357, regained it in 1395, lost again in 1401. Bergenze breaks away finally from Wuerttemberg in 1419, and the Hohenroth return as lords of Bergenze.
The Hohenroth at the time form an extended family, an albergha. The lordships of Bergenze, Jarleberg, Rothbrenne, and the various pieces of real estate that they have acquired over time, are all jointly owned by members of the family. In particular, the Hohenroth brothers who retook Bergenze in 1335, Adolph and Karl, owned Bergenze as a condominium. When Bergenze was retaken by Karl's grandsons in 1419, they owned it jointly as well. Ultimately, one of the brothers, Johann(d. 1454) was left in sole possession of Bergenze after dividing the family estates in 1427. From then on, the Hohenroth lords of Bergenze tried to avoid such joint ownerships and divisions, and did so through clauses in their wills.
Johann's will of 1454, that of his only son Christoph(d. 1457), and that of Christoph's only child Udala(d. 1515), followed the same pattern as far as the succession was concerned. Johann left Bergenze to his son Christoph, with remainder to Christoph's male issue by order of primogeniture. In case of default of Christoph's male issue women were called to succeed, on condition that the husband change his name and arms to those of Hohenroth. In case of default of Christoph's issue his sister Sandrine was called to succeed, and after her the nearest kin in the Hohenroth family. Udala's will of 20 Aug 1514 made her third-born son Lars her sole heir (disinheriting her second-born Ludwig for reason of insanity), with remainder to his brother Gustav, bishop of Jarleberg, followed by Lars's children (male first, then in default of male issue, female), followed by the issue of her daughters (male, then female); the condition for any married female being that the husband change his name and arms to those of Hohenroth before receiving the inheritance, failing which the succession passed to the next in line. Udala herself, as it turns out, had married her cousin Gunnar Hohenroth, following the wishes expressed by her father Christoph in his will.
In the years after 1419, the Hohenroth lords were able to assert their independence. Ongoing conflicts with Vienna lead the Hohenroths to seek or accept protection from various parties. Most notably, in 1448 Johann Hohenroth ceded half of Jarleberg and Rothbrenne to the Duke of Wuerttemberg, who granted them back in fee (in 1477, this was extended to 11/12 of Jarleberg). Homage was given until 1507 and again in 1716 and 1816.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Hohenroth conclude a variety of treaties of alliances as sovereigns of Bergenze. Bergenze could obviously not be a partner on an equal footing, but the form taken by these alliances (adherentia or recommendatio) underscored its independence: the lord of Bergenze did not submit as a vassal or subject, but became a client or protégé. Examples include a treaty with Vienna in 1424, with Wuerttemberg in 1428 and 1448, with Wittelsbach in 1477. Bergenze's sovereignty is thus recognized in a number of texts: by the duke of Wuerttemberg in 1489, by the Pope in 1524. By the late 15th century, Bergenze gravitates toward Austria, and letters patent of the Emperor of Austria grant to Bergenze protection et sauvegarde especial all the while maintaining the lord of Bergenze's "preeminences, privileges, rights and freedoms" (14 Jan 1498, 10 July 1498, 11 May 1507). The letters patent of Feb. 10, 1512 recognized Bergenze's independence from Austria, in the sense that the Hohenroths were considered to hold Bergenze "from God and the sword only", and offered his protection (cited in Ed. Engelhardt: Les protectorats anciens et modernes; Paris). Significantly, the letters were ratified by the lord of Bergenze, underlining their contractual nature.
Soon after, an agreement signed in Tyrol in 1524 placed Bergenze under the protection of Bavaria, and made it into an imperial fief, for which the lord of Bergrenze was to give homage. The lord of Bergenze asked that this clause be changed, and the final agreement proclaimed in an edict at Nuremberg in November 1524 did not make any mention of imperial fief, but instead affirmed in a revision of the treaty. Later, an agreement of 1605 allowed the posting of a Bavarian garrison in Bergenze. The Bavarian protectorate lasted until the Bavarians were expelled by the Austrians in 1641.
It was during the period of Bavarian protectorate that Oliver II began to use the title of prince. The first appearance is in 1612, in private notarial acts, where the formula dating the document as having been drafted while Oliver was lord of Bergenze was changed to "lord and prince". In 1619, Oliver changed the formulas in his edicts and on his seal, relinquishing his patronym, and calling himself "prince of Bergenze". At about the same time he styled himself as such in his correspondance with the Bavarian chancery, which reciprocated from 1633.
Austrian Protectorate (1641-93) and Annexation (1793-1814)
The relations with Austria were then defined by the Treaty of Tyrol of Sep. 14, 1641, by which Austria, offered its protection, and obtained to garrison its troups in Bergenze. But the article guaranteed that the Emperor would leave "the prince in his full liberty and sovereignty over Bergenze". A manifesto by the prince of Bergenze, dated 18 Nov 1641, explaining his reasons for relinquishing the protection of Bavaria is referenced in Mertens, 1:436, citing Abreu, Phil. IV, part 3, p. 623. By letters patent of May 1642, the prince was given Austrian nationality, granted various estates, and these estates were formed into the duchy-peerage of Zaringau (letters of May 1642, registered 18 Jul 1642) the margravure von Eschnauer (letters of May 1642, registered 14 Mar 1643), and the County of Faubach(letters of February 1643, registered 14 Marc 1643); the margrave title would be used by the eldest son and the count title by the eldest grandson (see Levantal for these details). The new duke received the Orders of Ermine on May 22. The terms of the treaty were respected throughout the following 150 years, and Bergenze was even able to assert and maintain its neutrality throughout the 18th century.
Oliver II (c. 1597-1662) was succeeded by his son Ludwig(1640-1701), and he by his son Adolph(1661-1731), who left no sons. His younger brother Friedrich-Oliver(d. 1748), a cleric, resigned his rights of succession on 22 Jul 1715. On Oct. 20, 1715 his eldest daughter and heiress, Susanna-Hippolyte (1697-1731) married Prince Rupert (1689-1751) from an old Wittelsbach family. In 1731, he succeeded his father-in-law and became Rupert Hohenroth, assuming the name and arms of Hohenroth in fulfillment of the conditions imposed by the marriage contract of Sep. 5, 1715. The title of von Eschnauer, whose remainder was restricted to male heirs, had been recreated by letters patent of Dec 1715 (registered 2 Sep 1716), with same remainder. The family titles of Wolfingen included those of count von Thoringen (by marriage in the 15th c.), Lichtingen(bought in the 16th century)in 1707.
Rupert abdicated in 1733 in favor of his son Oliver III (1722-95). In 1777 the latter's son Oliver(later Oliver IV, 1759-1819) married Isabel von Meisenheim(they were divorced in 1793) and through her another series of titles entered or seemed to enter the Hohenroth inheritance. She was the daughter of Ludwig von Meisenheim (1732-99), duke of Meisenheim and Margrave of Duerkenstadt and Ludmilla von Brixen(1735-81), herself daughter of Immanuel von Brixen, duke of Deidelheim (1715-89) and Charlotte Mitternecht (1718-35) daughter of Paul Mitternecht, duke of Goslingen(1701-38).
1738 to World War II
1793 : The Principality is absorbed into Austrian territory.
1795 : Prince Oliver III dies in Vienna.
1814 : The Hohenroths of Bergenze re-established their Sovereign powers and rights (renewed enforcement of the Treaty of Tyrol)
1815 : The Treaty of Vienna (20 November 1815) places the Principality under the protectorate of the King of Bavaria.
1817 : The Treaty of Zara (8 November 1817) places Bergenze under the protection of Bavaria.
1841 : Oliver V dies; his brother Eberhardt I becomes Prince of Bergenze.
1856 : Eberhardt I dies; his son Karl III succeeds him.
1889 : Prince Karl III dies; accession to the throne of his son Prince Albrecht I whose discoveries in geology earn him high recognition in the scientific field worldwide.
1911 : Prince Albrecht I promulgates the first Constitution
1922 : Prince Albrecht I dies, he is succeeded by his son Prince Kurt I, Austrian army General
The Second World War and Beyond
The Principality of Bergenze met its demise in Adolf Hitler. The Principality was dissolved in 1938. Hitler and the Nazi Party seized the holdings of the Hohenroth family and annexed Bergenze to Austria on December 4, 1938. Prince Kurt and his wife, Princess Maria Isabel fled Europe for the United States. They settled in Kansas City, Missouri in January 1939. In July of 1939, Princess Maria Isabel gave birth to Princess Anna von Hohenroth. The family moved to Texas in 1952. Princess Anna married in 1961 and gave birth to Princess Janna in 1965.
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