# Lords of Eppstein

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German noble family (c. 1185–1535)

The coat of arms of the Lords of Eppstein

The **Lords of Eppstein** ([German](/source/German_language): ***Herren von Eppstein***) were a family of German nobility in the Middle Ages.[1] From the 12th century they ruled extensive territories in the Rhine Main area from their [castle](/source/Castle) in [Eppstein](/source/Eppstein), northwest of Frankfurt, Germany.

## History

Between 1180 and 1190, the [Archbishop of Mainz](/source/Archbishop_of_Mainz) [enfeoffed](/source/Fiefdom) Eppstein Castle, along with neighboring district courts and villages to Gerhard III of [Hainhausen](/source/Hainhausen).[2] Gerhard changed his name to Eppstein and already having control of the present-day [district of Offenbach](/source/Offenbach_(district)), became the first in the line which was soon to become one of the most influential families in the Rhine Main area.

The castle of the Eppsteins by [Matthäus Merian](/source/Matth%C3%A4us_Merian) in 1646

Four of the seven [Archbishops of Mainz and Electoral Princes](/source/Archbishopric_of_Mainz) in the 13th century were of the house of Eppstein.[1] They raised the Electorate to considerable power and played a significant role in the politics of the [Holy Roman Empire](/source/Holy_Roman_Empire). In the struggle between the Emperor and the Pope, Archbishop [Siegfried III](/source/Siegfried_III_(archbishop_of_Mainz)) took sides with the anti-[Staufer](/source/Staufer) group which played an important part in the beginnings of German federalism. The secular Eppsteiners, by purchase, marriage and enfeoffment, acquired extensive territories and rights from the [Middle Rhine](/source/Middle_Rhine) to the [Vogelsberg](/source/Vogelsberg_Mountains) hills and from the [Lahn](/source/Lahn) River to the [Odenwald](/source/Odenwald).

The realm of the Lords of Eppstein was divided in 1433 between brothers Gottfried VII (Eppstein-Münzenberg) and Eberhard II (Eppstein-Königstein). The last of these branches became extinct in 1535 and Eppstein was passed mostly to the [Landgraves of Hesse](/source/Rulers_of_Hesse) and the [Ecclesiastical Principality of Mainz](/source/Electorate_of_Mainz).

## See also

- [Bad Homburg vor der Höhe](/source/Bad_Homburg_vor_der_H%C3%B6he)

## Further reading

- Walter Pietsch: *Die Entwicklung des Territoriums der Herren von Eppstein im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert, vornehmlich aufgrund ihrer Lehensverzeichnisse*. In: *HJL*. 12, 1962, S. 15–50.

- Regina Schäfer: *Die Herren von Eppstein. Herrschaftsausübung, Verwaltung und Besitz eines Hochadelsgeschlechts im Spätmittelalter*. Historische Kommission für Nassau, Wiesbaden 2000, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [3-930221-08-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/3-930221-08-X) (*Veröffentlichungen der Historischen Kommission für Nassau*. Band 68).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) Schick of Homburg, Louis (1859). [*Schick's Guide to Homburg and its environs. ... Second edition. Translated by F. Steinhäusser*](https://books.google.com/books?id=jqBYAAAAcAAJ). p. 151.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** SCHUDT, Georg (1865). [*New Guide to Homburg and its environs. Chiefly after the German of G. Schudt arranged by F. Kofler*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oNJZAAAAcAAJ). pp. 172–178.

Authority control databases International VIAF GND People Deutsche Biographie DDB

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