The key to the Splügen and Septimer roads at the meeting of the Mera valley and the Val San Giacomo, a commune by its own tradition from 1030 and with consuls documented in 1157.
Its baptismal font is dated 1156. See County of Chiavenna for the valley.
Who holds it
- Title
- The commune of Chiavenna under its consuls; overlord the duke of Swabia
- Confidence
- low
Lord in 1200
The commune's consuls, under the duke of Swabia (Philip) by the ruling of Ulm (1157); the bishop of Chur claims it (since 1194) and the bishop of Como keeps old rights.
How things stand that morning
Self-governing under a distant Swabian overlord.
Charter
Ruling of Ulm (1157): an imperial fief of the duchy of Swabia. Privileges from Frederick I (not itemised in the sources read).
Council
Consuls of the commune (1157); Johannes de Clera mediated for the commune in 1168 and 1193.
Trade and crafts
Transit trade and tolls on the Splügen and Septimer roads; soapstone vessels [general knowledge].
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Wikipedia (de) and HLS.
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.
- 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
- Chronicle of Hainaut, Gislebert of Mons (about 1195 to 1196). Ends in 1195, so it has no 1200 entries, but it is the indispensable background for Flanders and Hainaut: the career of Count Baldwin V of Hainaut (VIII of Flanders), his union of the two counties, the settlement with Philip over Artois, the rights, castles, fiefs and vassals of Hainaut listed by a man who ran its chancery, and the youth of Baldwin IX, who held both counties in 1200. Read online
8 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.