Description
Information about the family history and the coat of arms
Family history
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Family history Prince zu Bolanden
Family history Prince zu Bolanden
The Adel family of Bolanden It is one of the oldest Rhine-based families of the High Middle Ages. Its origins lie in present-day North Palatinate, where they have been used since the 11th century as Count of Bolanden The name derives from the homonymous village of Bolanden near Kirchheimbolanden, where the family’s main castle was also located.
The first known representative is Werner I. von Bolanden, who is mentioned as a witness in documents of the Archbishop of Mainz around 1100. The family belonged to the Imperial Ministerial Class, He thus stood at the service of the King and the Archdiocese of Mainz, but soon rose to the rank of archbishop. Countship status Their members had influence on the expansion of the ecclesiastical and secular ruling structure in the Palatinate and possessed numerous estates between Worms, Alzey and Mainz.
In the 12th century, especially Werner II of Bolanden an outstanding role: He was Burggraves of Trifels, the fortress where the German King kept the Imperial Treasury. Later he took over the administration of the Reichsburg Münzenberg and was a close associate of the Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. Thus, the Bolanden belonged to those families that were instrumental in the administration and safeguarding of the Sforza Empire.
In the 13th century, the family split into several lines, including the Count of Hohenfels and the Herrn von Falkenstein, These branches briefly acquired considerable power, but in the course of the territorial development of the Late Middle Ages they lost their political independence.
Coat of arms & Heraldry
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Family coat of arms of Prince zu Bolanden
Heraldic description: In gold, a red six-spoke wheel.
The golden Baroque shield features a red wheel with six spokes in the center. An elaborately crafted edge of golden beads surrounds the shield and emphasizes the clear red-gold color effect.
Above the shield is a closed steel helmet with a golden necklace and medallion. The helmet is richly draped in bright red and polished gold and is surrounded by flowing, decorative panels. As a helmet ornament, the red six-spoke wheel sits on a red cushion between two wide, expansive golden buffalo horns.
