From Feudal Lords to District Administrators

Ruling from Afar: Pledging Sovereignty

By the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, respectively, the Dukes of Jülich-Kleve-Berg, who resided in the Lower Rhine region, had pledged their County of Ravensberg to local nobles. However, discontent with this arrangement grew, as the feudal lords frequently exceeded their authority to a drastic degree. Consequently, the dukes gradually terminated the pledge agreements. The pledgeholders were replaced by officials and other civil servants in the service of the sovereign. They were required to adhere to ducal rules and regulations. Gradually, a separate administrative apparatus developed for the County of Ravensberg. Four administrative districts—known as “Ämter”—emerged, centered around the four provincial castles: Limberg in the north, Vlotho in the east, Sparrenberg in the center and south, and Ravensberg in the west.

The local rulers are keeping an eye on things

From time to time, ducal advisors traveled from Düsseldorf to distant Ravensberg to inspect the situation there. In 1535, Duke Johann (1490–1539)—who went down in history as “the Peaceful”—personally visited his county to see that all was in order. And he wanted to know exactly what rights and possessions he actually held. For no one had a precise overview of the sovereign’s powers and privileges. For more than two decades, his officials conducted research, interviewed subjects, and spoke with local officials. In the end, they had filled thousands of sheets of paper—and presented the duke with an important document: the “Ravensberg Urbar” of 1556. It contains records of all the farming communities and subjects belonging to the County of Ravensberg. The Urbar thus marks a turning point in history, when the sovereigns, residing in distant Düsseldorf, turned their attention more closely to their County of Ravensberg and sought to penetrate and document every part of their territory. At the same time, this development signals a profound transformation of the system of rule, as officials replaced the feudal lords.

From lords of the manor to bailiffs

The Cradle of the Ravensberg Region

Master Adolf

A 16th-century master mason recounts...

In the 1550s, officials sent by the sovereign traveled throughout the county. Among other things, they were interested in the condition of the sovereign’s castles. Their assessment was, in part, scathing: the once-mighty fortresses were in poor condition. Narrated by Mark Ortmann.