Counts · Other imperial lands · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Isenburg

A Westerwald house that has split into several lines living side by side.

The old castle of Isenburg (built about 1100) stands in the Sayn valley; Braunsberg near Anhausen is being built (1179-1210) for Bruno I, who calls himself of Braunsberg from 1200; Gerlach IV holds Kobern on the Moselle and Rembold V Kempenich in the Eifel. The Isenburgers' later prizes, Grenzau (1213), Limburg (about 1219) and a share of Büdingen, all lie in the future.

Who he is

Name
Several co-heirs at once: Heinrich I (before 1155-1227) with Gerlach IV, lord of Kobern on the Moselle (about 1150-1220); Bruno I (about 1160 to before 1210), husband of Theodora of Wied, who built Braunsberg in 1198 and styles himself lord of Braunsberg from 1200; Rembold V, lord of Kempenich in the Eifel from 1197
Title
Lords (sometimes counts) of Isenburg
Since
various, 1167-1197
Born
see names
Family
Heinrich I's wife Irmgard is called 'of Büdingen' by de.wikipedia and 'of Cleeberg' (bringing the Mörlen-Peilstein inheritance) by the Residenzen handbook; marriage date not pinned; she is the root of the later Isenburg claims in the Wetterau. An earlier Gerlach married an Arnstein heiress, giving the house a share of the Arnstein inheritance after 1140; Bruno I's marriage to Theodora, daughter of Count Dietrich of Wied, will bring half of Wied to her sons in 1244; Rembold V married Hedwig of Wied-Kempenich.
Confidence
medium

de.wikipedia Isenburg (Adelsgeschlecht).

Overlord

Fiefs from Trier and Cologne are likely but not given in the sources reached; the Kobern and Kempenich lines hold land in the Trier and Eifel spheres.

What it holds

  • Isenburg castle in the Sayn valley (about 1100)
  • Braunsberg near Anhausen, built by Bruno in 1198 (de.wikipedia: 1179-1210)
  • Kobern on the Moselle (lower castle 1194): Gerlach IV's line (Moselle: mrw area)
  • Kempenich in the Eifel: Rembold V's line from 1197 (lrh or mrw area)
  • Old advocacies such as Hönningen on the Rhine (12th century)

How it was acquired

Founded by Rembold I and Gerlach I about 1100; the lines split in the late 12th century.

Allies and rivals

Married into Wied and Büdingen; neighbours of Sayn, Wied and the Trier lands round Montabaur.

How things stand that morning

Each line holds its own castles. The house's side in the throne war on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.

Wealth

Westerwald farms and forests, Moselle wine at Kobern.

Military

Isenburg, Braunsberg, Kobern and Kempenich castles.

Threats

  • Division among the lines
  • Pressure from Trier and Sayn

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.

  1. 1200Bruno I appears as lord of Braunsberg.Depends on: Braunsberg being habitable. Stopped by: Nothing likely.

Places of note

  • Isenburg castle: The old seat.
  • Braunsberg: Built 1179-1210.
  • Kobern: Gerlach IV's line (Moselle; not drawn here).

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: Names and dates come from a genealogical table; how the lines shared the Westerwald core in 1200 is not pinned.

On the map: Only the Westerwald core is drawn; the shares of the several lines are not distinguished.

Primary sources for Empire

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.

8 more in the sources library for The Rhineland, the Low Countries and the Swiss Lands.

Sources and studies

  1. Isenburg (Adelsgeschlecht), de.wikipedia
  2. Isenburg, Residenzen-Kommission handbook (Grafen und Herren)

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.