After this trip into the history of the Hohenstaufen period, which however lightens the historical background of our document, back again to Werner von Vogtsberg and to his family, the Reeves of Straßberg. For a long time it was accepted a relationship between the Reeves of Weida and the Reeves of Strassberg in the male family line. This was a misapprehension, but you can prove that a Jutta of Strassberg was married around 1238-1267 with a Weida, 'Vogt -reeve-' Heinrich of Plauen, therefrom however down more. First we want to be occupied with the title 'Vogt -reeve-' of those 'von Strassberg'.
The Strassberg are a family of 'Ministerialen -servants, which lived like knights-', which were coming from Egerland. Their title 'Vogt -reeve-' is still somewhat unclear, but in all probability it can be attributed to a 'Vogtei -bailiwick-' concerning estates of the Waldsassen church.
The 'reichsunmittelbare -owing fealty only/directly to the Emperor-' Cistercian monastery Waldsassen nearby Marktredwitz was founded 1133 on former land of the Empire. Since 1147 it was with free election of the reeves under royal protection and at the latest to 1214 'reichsunmittelbar -owing fealty only/directly to the Emperor-'. The monastery could increase its estates by clearing and donations rapidly.
Also the Strassberg donated extensive estates to the monastery Waldsassen, e.g. the estates at the Kulmberge near Oberlosa close to Ölsnitz. The reason might have lain in the fact that they had their hereditary funeral in Waldsassen. What however includes such a 'Kirchenvogtei -bailiwick of a church-'?
Such a monastry constituted with its demesne, similar e.g. a secular sovereignty, a so-called immunity district, i.e. it wielded sovereignty rights, officials of the king wasn't allowed to intervene here. To these sovereignty rights belonged the low jurisdiction, the police power and today one would say the public administration. Some of these churchly immunity districts - dioceses - acquired later even the high jurisdiction = power over life and death. As landlord and feoffee the monastery had to carry out also the obligation for military service, i.e. it had a certain number of armed men to make available and to lead.
Dioceses and monasteries are considered however as unable to administer their secular affairs autonomous. Its had to engage a 'Vogt -reeve- = advocatus means bailiff, patron, protector', you could say a manager, who has to provide the secular affairs of the church and in this way won a position as mediator between the Crown and the church.
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Apart from the tasks listed above there were still some others, e.g. procuration before a court, if it concerned cases of public law or the high jurisdiction, for which were responsible either a 'Reichsvogt -reeve of the Empire-', a landgrave or a country judge. This meaning representative /defender has the German word Advokat this very day. In addition the 'Vogt -reeve-' was responsible for the execution of larger legal transactions, like the acquisition or abandonment of property. Also we don't may forget the protective function of the 'Vogt -reeve-'. He had to protect militarily the area of the monastery, if there was a feud with the neighbours.
Frequently the noble founders of the monastery secured themselves the right to be the 'Vogt -reeve-'. One spoke then of a 'Stiftsvogtei -bailiwick founded by a nobleman-'. The reason for such donations was based in the own salvation and in the salvation of the family. In addition one received in this way an institute for supplying for unmarried family
members. Thus e.g. the Jutta von Weida neé 'von Strassberg', mentioned above, donated the nunnery Kronschwitz. The 'Vogtei -bailiwick-' was administrated by the Weida, which by the way administrated some other 'Klostervogteien -bailiwicks of monasteries-'.
On 23. April 1302 the older 'Vogt -reeve-' of Plauen donated his 3!!! daughters, residing in the nunnery Kronschwitz, with 4 Mark yearly whole life interest , coming from the the mill in Strassberg, with the clause that after the death of the daughters the interest is to come to the nunnery. This does not only illuminate the function of such a monastery, but it is
interesting also in connection with our document. The 4 Marks mill interest illustrate also the 2 Marks of silver for the 3 estates in Ölsnitz.
After 24 June 1329 the 'Vögte -reeves-' of Weida did not need to take refuge no longer to this churchly institute of patronization and supply. On this day Emperor Ludwig confirmed the 'Reichsvogtei -bailiwick of the Empire-' and all territorial rights of the 'Vögte -reeves-'. It was quasi the acknowledgment of their affiliation to the aristocracy. The daughters did not need no longer behind dull/musty monastery walls, but became according to the rank wives of aristocrats. Approximately starting from this time the Weida did also without the title 'Vogt -reeve-' and called themselves in the documents 'Herr -sir, lord-'. The advancement from the 'Ministerialität -rank as servant, which lived like knights-' into the aristocracy was carried out.
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The first Strassberg, which can be proven documentaryly, are the brothers Eckehard and Heinrich. You can find them in the entourage of Emperor Heinrich VI. to Nuremberg. Heinrich is 1209 as “advocatus” present at the establishment of the monastery Mildenfurt. He documents 1214 and 1215 as witness in the entourage of Emperor Friedrich II. in Halle and Eger in affairs of the monasteries Altenburg and Waldsassen. All other Strassberg descends probably from that Heinrich. The following children can be proven documentary.
Reinbot, documents 1232 bis 1266
Erkenbert,documents 1236 bis 1267
Eberhard, documents 1232 bis 1248, calls himself 'von Vogtsberg'
Jutta, has 1238 underage children and dies 1268
Kunigunde ?, documents 1264
Emiche ?, documents 1264
Reinbot von Strassberg left 1264 money and grain interest to Tirpersdorf and Kloschwitz for cheap price to the nuns Kunigunde and Emiche to Kronschwitz. I beg your pardon, if I translate wrongly some law expressions from the German Middle Age. But it is really very difficult. I'm teacher for math, not for history, though history is my passion, sorry math too. If you don't understand anything, please ask me by email. I will try to explain what I mean.
Since these two sisters transfer the interest to a chapel in the St. Johannis church of Plauen, because they wanted to be buried there, it suggested itself that they were Reinbot's sisters or close relatives. Kunigunde and Emiche were not the sole descendants of Strassberg, which in spite of the hereditary funeral in the nunnery Waldsassen were buried in St. Johannis in Plauen. Possibly Werner von Vogtsberg refers to his two aunts (?), if he donates "for his salvation and that of his ancestors" the estates in Ölsnitz to St. Johannis.
The brothers Reinbot, Erkenbert and Eberhard must have divided between 1232 and 1248 the Strassberg inheritance. Reinbot and Erkenbert remained in Strassberg, while Eberhard received the estates nearby Ölsnitz. Eberhard still documented 1232 as “von Strassberg” and 1248 as “von Vogtsberg”. Probably he had established already his new residence on the 'Berg des Vogtes -mountain of the reeve-', at that time east of Ölsnitz, today in the city, and called himself after it. Change of name by the Strassberg was not unusual, if they moved, as we will still see down. Probably Eberhard was only a stepbrother of Reinbot and Erkenbert. So it would be to be explained why after the extinction of the Strassberg line, the Vogt of Plauen inherited, as husband of that, frequently mentioned of me, Jutta of Strassberg, the estates of Strassberg and not the descendants of Eberhard. But let us concentrate now individually our attention to the three brothers.
Reinbot von Strassberg was married with a Demudis (= Demut). Two of his children are known by name, a daughter Ysintrudis (=Eisentraut) and a son Poppo. But when he died 1266/67, he had no beneficiary. Either his children were likewise already dead or they have entered into the clergy class e.g. as monk or nun, so that they had become unable to be feoffed. A third possibility consists of the fact that Reinbot has married a not coequal woman. Then Poppo could not inherit. A reference to this theory is the name Poppo, that is not used otherwise by the Strassberg and their descendants. Also Demudis, Ysintrudis and Poppo appear as the latter in a witness list, behind the Prior Heinrich of Plauen, the commander Dietrich von Rastenberg, the knight Markward of Mylau and the citizen from Plauen Ramung in the last document of Reinbot from 21 October 1265.
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Therein he confirms the legacy of a farmer/serf -serf means a semi-free peasant who works his lord's demesne and pays him
certain dues in return for the use of land, the possession (not
ownership) of which is heritable- in Oberlosa to the German House in Plauen. Likewise a reference to the assumption, that his marriage wasn't coequal. Against this theory it argues that Ysintrudis was the wife of the landgrave Friedrich von Leuchtenberg from Upper Palatinate.
Erkenbert von Strassberg had two sons Reinbot von Strassberg und Erkenbert von Lantecke (=Oberweischlitz) and at least one daughter Jutta. Also here we see again a change of the residence connected with a change of the name. One of the both brothers had still a son Jordanus. Because in the year 1298 is spoken, in a deed of donation of the 'Vögtin -wife of the reeve-' Kunigunde von Plauen to the monastery Kronschwitz, about the sister Jutta von Strassberg and her brotherson -nephew- Jordanus. The older Erkenbert documents 1267 for the last time and also his sons must before 1276 have deceased, since in this year the 'Vogt -reeve-' Heinrich von Plauen possessed the inheritance of Strassberg. Out of it one can conclude that both Jutta and Jordanus are become member of clergy and for this reason Jordanus has lost his right to inherit the fief.
Eberhard von Vogtsberg had probably two sons. An Erkenbert, he documents from 1276 to 1288, and our Werner von Vogtsberg, who has eternalized himself only in our document of 1281. Erkenbert again had three sons Eberhard, Ludwig and Heinrich and at least one
daughter. Because on 1. January 1302 the three brothers donate interest in Ölsnitz to the monastery Kronschwitz for their sister, which on this day enters into the monastery. Eberhard, Ludwig and Heinrich document until 1322 and always as feoffee of the Wettin. Afterwards the name 'von Vogtsberg' doesn't appear. However therewith the family was extinct in no case. In a document of 1317 is noted an Eberhard the Older, thus there must have been also a younger one.
1366 Hans von Raschau receipts a payment of the burgrave of Nuremberg concerning pay and 'Schadensgelder -payment for damages-' and seals with the seal of his father Eberhard von Vogtsberg. Whether Hans von Raschau was the son of the older or younger Eberhard, remains unsettled. Here you find again that a change of name is connected with the change of the residence. The Vogtsberg must have sold between 1320 and 1327 their castle Vogtsberg. In any case the castle was bought 1327 by the 'Vogt -reeve-' von Plauen from Otto von Bergau. Also the Raschau used nearly unmodified the coat of arms of Strassberg.
In the last two decades of the 14. century we find an Eberhard von Raschau together with his children and a Hans von Raschau on their estates in the village Raschau: Würschnitz, Burkhardtsgrün, Schönbrunn, Görnitz and Triebel. However they were now only simple men/feoffee of the Wettin. Of their nearly noble class as 'Reichsministeriale -royal/imperial servants, which lived like knights-' nothing more was remained. Settlements of estates, numerous monastery donations and the political surrounding field, i.e. the craving for power of the large ones, like the 'Vögte -reeves-' from Plauen, the burgraves from Nuremberg and the landgraves 'von Leuchtenberg' were the cause of the social descent. The family 'von Raschau' moved to Osterland (East Thuringia and West Saxony) about 1401 , where you can find this family until to the 19. century.
Beside the 'von Raschau' there must have been other descendants of Vogtsberg. Because in Egerland (Czech) a family 'von Kottenplan' sealed with the coats of arms of Vogtsberg.
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