One of the families of unfree royal knights who run the king's land round Nuremberg, with lands on the edge of the Sebald forest and along the Regnitz, the Bibert and the Zenn.
Lupold II is at Philip's side: on 5 February 1200 he witnesses a charter Philip issues at Würzburg. The family's castle at Gründlach is built only in the 13th century.
Who he is
- Name
- Lupold (II) of Gründlach
- Title
- Royal ministerialis (Reichsministeriale) of the Nuremberg country
- Since
- not pinned (his father Herdegen I died in 1191)
- Born
- 1158
- Family
- Royal ministeriales named from Gründlach north of Nuremberg, first seen about 1140. Lupold I (born 1089, died 1172) served Conrad III and Barbarossa; Herdegen I (born 1114, died 1191) was called 'imperial cupbearer Herdegen of Nuremberg' by Henry VI before Naples on 30 May 1191. Kinsman Eberhard of Gründlach 'of Berg' (1189-1246). Lupold II dies in 1216.
- Confidence
- high
de.wikipedia Gründlach (Adelsgeschlecht).
Overlord
The king.
What it holds
- Lands at Gründlach on the edge of the Sebald forest, and along the Regnitz, the Bibert and the Zenn (extent in 1200 not pinned)
- Service in the king's land of Nuremberg
How it was acquired
Royal service fiefs.
Allies and rivals
The burgrave and the other royal ministeriales; Bamberg, whose bishop the family will back in 1248.
How things stand that morning
STAUFEN, firm: with Philip at Würzburg on 5 February 1200, five weeks into the year.
Wealth
Service fiefs and forest lands.
Military
The family's knights; no castle at Gründlach yet.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 5 February 1200Lupold witnesses King Philip's charter issued at Würzburg.Depends on: Philip coming to Würzburg early in 1200 Stopped by: a change in Philip's movements
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Dated witness of 5 February 1200; family dates from the article.
On the map: Approximate; the family's lands were scattered service fiefs.
Primary sources for Staufen
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Marbach (compiled to 1238, the section on 1198 to 1210 written in the early 13th century). Alsatian annals on the Staufen side of the Upper Rhine. Read online
- Annals of Reiner of Saint James, Liège, Reiner of Liège (1197 to 1230, kept year by year). Contemporary annals kept inside Liège. Read online
- Chronicle of Burchard of Ursberg, Burchard of Ursberg (about 1229 to 1230, reworked by Conrad of Lichtenau). Written a generation later by a fierce partisan of the Staufen and a critic of Innocent III. Read online
- Chronicle of Otto of St Blasien, Otto of St Blasien (about 1209 to 1210). A Swabian continuation of Otto of Freising written from the Staufen side. Read online
- Chronicle of Reinhardsbrunn; Chronicle of St Peter's, Erfurt (Erfurt chronicle in the 13th century; Reinhardsbrunn compilation about 1340 to 1349 from older annals). The two Thuringian chronicles. Read online
- Chronicle of the Slavs, by Arnold of Lübeck, Arnold of Lübeck (about 1209 to 1210). Arnold continues Helmold and writes from Lübeck, close to Danish, Welf and Baltic affairs. Read online
- Royal Chronicle of Cologne (in stages from about 1175 to about 1250; the section on 1198 to 1220 written soon after the events). The fullest German narrative of the throne war from the Welf and Cologne side. Read online
- Annals of Jarloch (Gerlach), abbot of Milevsko, Jarloch of Milevsko (about 1200 to 1220). The last Bohemian narrative before 1200, continuing Vincentius of Prague. Read online
23 more in the sources library for The Rhineland, the Low Countries and the Swiss Lands.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.