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Counts of Toggenburg

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County of Toggenburg
Grafschaft Toggenburg
1209–1436
Flag of Toggenburg
coat of arms
(until 1308)[1]
coat of arms (from 1228)[1] of Toggenburg
coat of arms
(from 1228)[1]
Territories held by the counts of Toggenburg
Territories held by the counts of Toggenburg
StatusCounty
CapitalLichtensteig
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• first mention
1209
1394
• Comital line extinct
1436
• Sold to the Abbot of St Gall
1468
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Kyburger House of Kyburg
Abbey of St. Gall Abbey of St Gallen
League of Ten Jurisdictions Zehngerichtebund
Zürich Zürich
County of Sargans Sargans

The counts of Toggenburg (Grafen von Toggenburg) ruled the Toggenburg region of today's canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and adjacent areas during the 13th to 15th centuries.

A baronial family of Toggenburg is mentioned in the 11th and 12th centuries, but their genealogical connection to the comital family is unclear. They are named for their ancestral seat, now known as Alt-Toggenburg, near Kirchberg, St. Gallen. The castle was built in the 10th or 11th century, and was destroyed in 1085 in a conflict with the Abbot of St. Gallen, later rebuilt and in 1226 given to St. Gallen Abbey by count Diethelm of Toggenburg.

The family is attested from the early 13th century, as Toccanburg, later Tochimburc. Diethelm I (possible mention 1176, died 1205 or 1207) was followed by Diethelm II (possible mention 1210, died c. 1230). Either of these was the beneficiary of the inheritance of a number of local noble families (among these Alt-Rapperswil) in c. 1200 and adopted the title of comes (count) from 1209. In 1187, one Werner of Toggenburg became abbot of Einsiedeln. The legend of a Saint Ida of Toggenburg is recorded in 1481, making her the wife of a count of Toggenburg, possibly either Diethelm, or one Heinrich. According to the legend, the husband defenestrated his innocent wife on suspicion of adultery. She survived and lived as an anchoress in Fischingen. Her veneration there is attested for 1410.

The early counts were in competition with St. Gallen Abbey, the bishops of Constance and the counts of Kyburg. The inheritance disputes motivated the donation of religious establishments in Bubikon, Rüti, Oberbollingen and Wurmsbach in the 1190s, and a fratricide by one Diethelm (fl. 1209–36) of his brother Rudolf in 1226.

On 23 April 1398 Count Donat von Toggenburg donated the church of Elsow as benefice for the new Allerheiligenaltar at the grave of the Toggenburg family, for the "salvation of the soul of his daughter Menta von Toggenburg" who had died shortly before.[2] Count Fridrich von Toggenburg, Herr zu Brettengow und Tafas donated to "his own and the salvation of his ancestors who were buried" (at the Rüti church) "and where he also expects to be buried," the church, rights and lands (Kirchwidem and Kirchensatz) in Wangen in der March to the Rüti Abbey, sealed by Fridrich and the knights Herman von Landenberg, Johans von Bonstetten from Ustra and Herman von der Hochenlandenberg on 21 January 1407.[3]

In 1436, the death of the last count, Frederick VII, Count of Toggenburg, led to the Old Zurich War over the succession. Friedrich VII was later buried in a chapel, the so-called Toggenburger Kapelle (capella nova in latere monasterii de novo construxit) given by his noble wife, Elisabeth Countess of Toggenburg, née von Mätsch.[4][5] Elisabeth spent her last days in the Rüti Abbey, writing on 20 June 1442 that she had retreated there (unser wesen gentzlich in dasselbe gotzhus got zuo dienende gezogen habe) and desired her tomb to be with her husband's.[6] On 11 June 1443 marauding troops of the Old Swiss Confederacy devastated the monastery and desecrated the bodies of the nobles, including Count Friedrich VII whom they held responsible for the war with Zürich. 14 members of the family were buried in the Toggenburg vault in the church of the Rüti Abbey.

List of counts

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House of Toggenburg

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Ruler Born Reign Ruling part Consort Death Notes
Diethelm I ? fl.1044[7] Lordship of Toggenburg Unknown
at least two children 		? First documented lord of Toggenburg,[7] probably the founder of the family.
Berthold ?
Son of Diethelm I 		fl.1044[7] Lordship of Toggenburg Unknown ? Probably brothers, confirm the same document as their father.[7] It's not known if he succeeded him, or if the succession went through his brother Ulrich.
Ulrich ?
Son of Diethelm I 		Unknown ?
Fulknand ?
Son of Ulrich or Fulknand 		? – 1081 Lordship of Toggenburg Unknown 1081[8] Probably brothers, it's not known which one succeeded the previous count. It's probable, however, that these belonged to the next generation. There's also an unnamed Toggenburg belonging to Fulknand and Diethelm II's generation, who married a woman named Irmgard (died in January of known year).[9]
Diethelm II ?
Son of Ulrich or Fulknand 		1081 – 1102? Lordship of Toggenburg Unknown After 14 July 1102[10]
Diethelm III ?
Son of Diethelm II 		c.1102 – c.1146 Lordship of Toggenburg Unknown c.1146[11] Has a known sister, Kunigunde, who married a nobleman from the Stühlingen family.[11]
Diethelm IV ?
Son of Diethelm III 		c.1146 – 1176? Lordship of Toggenburg Ita of Thierstein[12] (Saint Ida of Toggenburg?)
(d. 19 August 1200/1226?)
one child 		c.1176[13]
Diethelm V c.1140
Son of Diethelm IV (and Ita?) 		c.1176 – 1207[14] Lordship of Toggenburg Ita?[15] (of Kirchberg?) (Saint Ida of Toggenburg?)
one/two children 		4 January 1205 or 5 January 1207[16]
aged ar. 64–67		 Gave an important donation to Ritterhaus Bubikon c.1192. He was buried there and is also represented there in a fresco with his family.
Diethelm I the Elder c.1160
First son of Diethelm V (and Ita of Kirchberg?) 		c. 1207–1209[14] Lordship of Toggenburg Guta of Rapperswil[17] (Saint Ida of Toggenburg?)
(1170-24 November 1227 or after 1227)
before or c. 1209
three children 		1230
aged ar. 69–70 		Probably ruled jointly. Diethelm was numbered VI as lord. In 1209 the brothers were raised to counts. After Frederick's assassination, Diethelm rule alone.
1209–1230[14] County of Toggenburg
Frederick I c.1160
Second son of Diethelm V (and Ita?) 		c. 1207–1209[14] Lordship of Toggenburg Unmarried c.1217[18]
aged ar. 53–54
1209–1217[14] County of Toggenburg
Diethelm II the Younger 1209
Son of Diethelm I and Guta of Rapperswil 		1230 – 25 January 1235[14] County of Toggenburg Gertrude of Neuchâtel
c.1220 or January 1221
nine children 		25 January 1235[19]
aged 25–26
Frederick II c.1220
Son of Diethelm II and Gertrude of Neuchâtel 		25 January 1235 – 28 April 1284[14] County of Toggenburg Unmarried 28 April 1284
aged ar. 63–64 		Frederick, Diethelm and Kraft ruled jointly as sons of Diethelm II. After Kraft's death, he was replaced in the co-rulership with the former's two eldest sons, Diethelm and Kraft II.
Kraft I the Minstrel 1228
Son of Diethelm II and Gertrude of Neuchâtel 		25 January 1235 – 15 July 1249/54[14] Elisabeth of Bussnang
(d. after 13 January 1277)[20]
three children 		15 July 1249 or 1254[21]
aged ar. 21–26
Diethelm III c.1220
Son of Diethelm II and Gertrude of Neuchâtel 		25 January 1235 – 4 September 1248[14] Elisabeth
c.1247 (before October)
no children 		4 September 1248
aged ar. 27–28
Diethelm IV c.1240?
Son of Kraft I and Elisabeth of Bussnang 		1249 – 1282/3[14] Unmarried After 23 April 1282[22] or 1283
aged ar. 41–42
Kraft II c.1240?
Son of Kraft I and Elisabeth of Bussnang 		1249 – 1261[14] Unmarried 1261
aged ar. 20–21
Frederick III 1244?
Son of Kraft I and Elisabeth of Bussnang 		28 April 1284 – 1305/9[14] County of Toggenburg Clementia of Werdenberg
(1246-28 February 1282)[23]
five children 		7 December 1305 or 17 January 1309[24]
aged ar. 59–65
Kraft III c.1280?
Son of Frederick III and Clementia of Werdenberg 		1305/9 – 7 March 1339[14] County of Toggenburg Unmarried 7 March 1339[25]
aged ar. 58–59 		Children of Frederick III, ruled jointly.
Frederick IV the Younger[26] c.1280
Son of Frederick III and Clementia of Werdenberg 		1305/9 – 15 November 1315[14] Ida of Frohburg-Homberg
(d.19 March 1316/28[27])
five children 		15 November 1315[28][29]
Morgarten
aged ar. 34–35
Diethelm V c. 1300?
Son of Frederick IV and Ida of Frohburg-Homberg 		15 November 1315 – 21 September 1337[14] County of Toggenburg Adelaide of Griesenberg
(d.1371)
two children 		21 September 1337
Grinau
aged ar. 36–37 		Children of Frederick IV, ruled jointly[28] and with their uncle Kraft III until the latter's death in 1339[30]
Frederick V [31] c.1300?
Son of Frederick IV and Ida of Frohburg-Homberg 		15 November 1315 – 5 February 1364[14] Kunigunde of Vaz
(1308 - February 1364)[32]
23 April 1337
ten children 		5 February 1364[33]
aged ar. 63–64
Frederick VI 1349
First son of Frederick V and Kunigunde of Vaz 		5 February 1364 – January/May 1375[14] County of Toggenburg Unmarried 22 January/28 May 1375
aged 25–26 		Sons of Frederick V, ruled jointly.
Diethelm VI [34] 1353
Second son of Frederick V and Kunigunde of Vaz 		5 February 1364 – 27 December 1385[14] Katharina of Werdenberg-Heiligenberg
(1355-30 June 1395)[35]
three children 		27 December 1385
aged 31–32
Donat [2][14][36] 1358
Third son of Frederick V and Kunigunde of Vaz 		5 February 1364 – 7 November 1400[14] Agnes of Habsburg-Laufenburg
(1387-1425)[37]
two children 		7 November 1400[38]
aged 41–42
Frederick VII c. 1380
Son of Diethelm VI and Katharina of Werdenberg-Heiligenberg 		7 November 1400 – 30 April 1436[14] County of Toggenburg c.1410/30
three children 		30 April 1436[39]
Feldkirch
aged 55–56 		After his death, and with no surviving children, he left his wife as his heir.
Elisabeth of Mätsch c.1370
Daughter of Ulrich IV, Lord of Mätsch and Agnes of Kirchberg 		30 April 1436 – 24 November 1446 County of Toggenburg 24 November 1446[14]
aged 75–76 		Widow and heiress of Frederick VII.

References

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  1. ^ a b The house of Toggenburg used two coats of arms. The older one, used throughout the 13th century but falling out of use after 1308, shows a lion and an eagle party per pale. This is the coat of arms shown in the donor portrait of Bubikon Commandery, dated 1192. The younger coat of arms shows a hound with a wolf collar. This is the coat of arms shown in Codex Manesse, and is used by the bailiwick and reeves of Toggenburg after the extinction of the comital line.
  2. ^ a b "C II 16, Nr. 215 Graf Donat von Toggenburg, Herr zu Brettengow und Tavas, hat den Kirchensatz von Elsow dem Abt und Konvent des Prämonstr... (1398.04.23)" (in German). Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  3. ^ "C II 12, Nr. 277 Graf Fridrich von Toggenburg, Herr zu Brettengow und Tafas, schenkt zum eigenen Seelenheil und dem seiner Vorfahren dem ... (1407.01.21)" (in German). Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  4. ^ "Summarium Amt S, Band 1, Seite 10" (in German). Klosterarchiv Einsiedeln. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  5. ^ "A 142.4, Nr. 9 Stiftung einer Messe am Altar einer Kapelle des Klosters Rüti durch Gräfin Elisabeth von Toggenburg, 1439.09.05 (Dokument)" (in German). Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  6. ^ "C II 12, Nr. 407 Gräfin Elizabeth von Toggemburg geborene von Maetsch, Witwe, - deren [im Jahr 1436] verstorbener Mann Graf Ffriedrich vo... (1442.06.20)" (in German). Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  7. ^ a b c d Urkundenbuch Zürich, Band I (1888), 233, p. 125.
  8. ^ Casuum Sancti Galli Cont. II, Cap. 7, MGH SS II, p. 158.
  9. ^ Wyss, Ex Libro Vitæ Einsidlensi [Liber Heremi] (1885), p. 345.
  10. ^ Quellen zur Schweizer Geschichte (Basel, 1881), Band III, 39, p. 65.
  11. ^ a b Württembergisches Urkundenbuch II, CCCXXIII, p. 38.
  12. ^ Cod Giessensis Nr. 176, fol. 234, included as Genealogiæ Comitum et Marchionum sæc XII et XIII, in MGH SS XXIV, p. 78.
  13. ^ Regesta Episcoporum Constantiensium, Band I (Innsbruck, 1895), 1038, p. 116.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Toggenburg (S.G.) in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  15. ^ Cod Giessensis Nr. 176, fol. 234, included as Genealogiæ Comitum et Marchionum sæc XII et XIII, in MGH SS XXIV, p. 78.
  16. ^ Urkundenbuch Zürich, Band I (1888), p. 235.
  17. ^ Sankt-Gallen Urkundenbuch, Teil III, 842, p. 58.
  18. ^ Urkundenbuch Zürich, Band I (1888), 383, p. 269.
  19. ^ Sankt-Gallen Urkundenbuch, Teil III, 871, p. 85.
  20. ^ Pupikofer, J. A. (1828) Geschichte des Thurgaus, Erste Hälfte (Zürich), Urkunden, 12, p. 20.
  21. ^ Bern Urkunden, Band I, p. 464.
  22. ^ Herrgott (1737), Vol. III, DCV, p. 504
  23. ^ Clementia von Montfort
  24. ^ Still living in 1303, according to Urkundenbuch Landschaft Basel (1881), Vol. 1, no. 158.
  25. ^ MGH, Necrologia Germaniæ, Band I, p. 558.
  26. ^ Friedrich IV, Graf von Toggenburg
  27. ^ MGH, Necrologia Germaniæ, Band I, p. 540.
  28. ^ a b Frederick IV was dead by 1319, according to Sankt-Gallen Urkundenbuch, Teil III, 1251, p. 412.
  29. ^ Scherrer, G. (1874) Kleine Toggenburger Chroniken (St. Gallen), p. 2.
  30. ^ Sankt-Gallen Urkundenbuch, Teil III, 1251, p. 412.
  31. ^ Friedrich V, Graf von Toggenburg
  32. ^ Kunigunde von Vaz
  33. ^ Last charter dated 22 March 1363. Date of death proposed at Cur-Rätiens Urkunden, Band III (1858), 107, p. 166.
  34. ^ Diethelm VI, Graf von Toggenburg
  35. ^ Katharina von Werdenberg-Heilingenberg
  36. ^ Donat von Toggenburg
  37. ^ Agnes von Habsburg-Laufenburg
  38. ^ MGH, Necrologia Germaniæ, Band I, p. 453.
  39. ^ By 28 September of that year, he was already dead, according to Bergmann, J. ‘Urkunden der vier vorarlbergischen Herrschaftern und der Grafen von Montfort’, Archiv für Kunde österreichischen Geschichts-Quellen, Band I (Vienna, 1848) (“Bergmann ‘Grafen von Montfort’ (1848)”), Heft IV, LXIX, p. 25.
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