Once the castle of the Ezzonid counts palatine (Ezzo, Otto of Swabia died there in 1047), the Tomburg on its basalt hill near Rheinbach has belonged to the Cologne church since the mid-eleventh century and has been held as a fief by the counts of Cleves since about 1090; NDB calls it the ancestral seat of the house.
The lords of Müllenark became its castle lords only from 1230.
Who he is
- Name
- The count of Cleves (see Cleves); the castellans that winter are not pinned
- Title
- Holder of the Tomburg
- Since
- The counts held it as Cologne fief from about 1090
- Confidence
- medium
de.wikipedia Tomburg; NDB Kleve (the Tomberg ancestral seat)
Overlord
The archbishop of Cologne (confirmed as the see's in 1052 by Leo IX)
What it holds
- The Tomburg and its hill near Wormersdorf (Rheinbach)
How it was acquired
Cologne fief from about 1090.
Allies and rivals
Surrounded by Cologne and Are lands.
How things stand that morning
Held for the count of Cleves; no holder named for that period in the sources used.
Wealth
Small.
Military
A strong hill castle.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The tenure is known before and after; no name for 1200.
On the map: The castle district's bounds are unknown.
Primary sources for Cleves
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.
- 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
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.