– NASSAU –

(continued)

Relationship with the Ezzonen: From 1059 to 1081 a Count Rupert appears sporadically on the lower Rhine and in the diocese of Utrecht. On one occasion a Rupert heads the lay witnesses in a deed for Deutz of estates in the region of Siegen. The interest of the Laurenburgs in lower Rhenish affairs is reflected in their function of standard bearer to the archbishops of Cologne, first documented in 1184. This office undoubtedly passed to them by inheritance from the Ezzoner Liudolf († 1031).

Count Rupert first appears in 1059 in the company of Liudolf’s daughter Adelheid and her husband Gottschalk, count of Zutphen. Inherited right to Zutphen county passed via Liudolf’s wife Mathilde, daughter of Otto of Hammerstein and Irmingard of Verdun. Rupert and his wife Irmintrud proceeded to dispose unlawfully of Frisian estates around this time. Evidently Irmintrud is another daughter of Liudolf; she inherits her name from Otto of Hammerstein’s mother, and she shares in the Frisian inheritance passing via Otto’s wife.

These relationships and the moment of Rupert’s first appearance might indicate the manner in which comital jurisdiction was inherited. In 1057 (or 1059) the Luxembourg duke Frederick of Lower Lorraine rebelled against the regency and forfeited some of his counties, including Upper Lahngau, an inheritance from Otto of Hammerstein. Haiger may already have been held separately by one of Duke Frederick’s brothers who joined in this revolt. In any event, this was an ideal moment for installing Rupert as count.

The possibility of a somewhat earlier inheritance must nevertheles be conceded. From about 945 forward, what had been a large Konradiner sphere in Ripuaria passed entirely under the Ezzonen. The last observable transfer is that of Avelgau, which was held by the Konradiner Godfrey († 975) and passed to the Ezzonen at latest with the death of Godfrey’s brother-in-law Heribert in 992. The Siegerland lay immediately east of Avelgau and might also have passed under the Ezzonen at that time. In this case, passage of the comital title to Laurenburg ancestors would be datable to 1053-5, when the Ezzoner duke Konrad of Bavaria, last of his line, rebelled, sought to murder the emperor, and was deposed and killed.

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