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

Rieneck

The counts of Rieneck hold the Spessart east of Aschaffenburg from their castle and town on the Sinn (expanded into a town by Count Ludwig I in 1168).

They are the hereditary burgraves and high advocates of Mainz (offices that are mostly honour by now; they will lose them in 1221) and advocates of the collegiate church at Aschaffenburg. They backed the Staufen expansion in Franconia. On the lower Main they are pressing against the see of Würzburg, and Conrad of Querfurt is answering by building Karlstadt.

Who he is

Name
Gerhard (III) of Rieneck
Title
Count of Rieneck; hereditary burgrave and high advocate (Hochvogt) of the church of Mainz; advocate of St Peter and Alexander at Aschaffenburg
Since
Late 12th century, when the house of Loon (Looz) divided its lands: Louis (II) took Loon, Gerhard the Rieneck part
Born
not pinned
Family
A branch of the counts of Loon (Looz) in the Liège country; Ludwig of Loon first styled himself count of Rieneck in 1156-57. About 1200 Gerhard marries Kunigunde of Zimmern, heiress of Lauda on the Tauber (whether before or after 1 January 1200 is not pinned).
Confidence
medium

de.wikipedia Rieneck (Adelsgeschlecht); Konrad von Querfurt (Karlstadt).

Overlord

The king; the archbishop of Mainz for the burgraviate and advocacy.

What it holds

  • Rieneck castle and town on the Sinn
  • Lands in the eastern Spessart and the Sinn valley
  • The burgraviate and high advocacy of Mainz (largely honorary)
  • The advocacy of St Peter and Alexander at Aschaffenburg
  • Probably the Scherenburg at Gemünden (theirs by 1243 at the latest; earlier holding not pinned)

How it was acquired

Rieneck came to the Loon counts in the mid 12th century; the Rieneck share was split off from Loon in the late 12th century.

Allies and rivals

Kin: the counts of Loon. Rival: the bishop of Würzburg (Karlstadt). Neighbours: Mainz at Aschaffenburg (mre), Wertheim to the south, Fulda and Hanau lands to the north.

How things stand that morning

Gerhard holds Rieneck. Which king he backs is not pinned for that winter; the family is recorded as supporting the Staufen in Franconia until 1208, so Staufen is the presumption.

Wealth

The Spessart forest and its iron and timber, the Sinn and Main valleys, the Mainz fees.

Military

Rieneck castle, the Spessart castles; vassals. No figures survive.

Threats

  • Würzburg's new town of Karlstadt
  • The archbishops of Mainz, with whom the house will quarrel from the early 13th century

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. around 1200 (not pinned)Conrad of Querfurt founds Karlstadt against Rieneck; Gerhard's marriage to the Lauda heiress brings the Tauber lordship of Lauda to the house.Depends on: the bishop's means; the marriage being made Stopped by: the bishop's fall; a rival match for the heiress

Places of note

  • Rieneck castle: Seat of the counts
  • Scherenburg, Gemünden: Castle at the Saale and Sinn mouths; Rieneck's by 1243

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: The house's outline is clear; Gerhard's dated acts in 1199-1200 were not found.

On the map: The Spessart lands of the house in 1200 are not pinned; Lohr, later a Rieneck town, is not drawn.

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. Rieneck (Adelsgeschlecht), de.wikipedia
  2. Gemünden am Main, de.wikipedia
  3. Konrad von Querfurt († 1202), de.wikipedia

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