Eberhard III (16 May 1417), nicknamed the Mild (), was
Count of Württemberg
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
from 1392 until his death in 1417.
Life
Eberhard was born in 1364, probably in
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
, to and , daughter of Emperor
Louis IV. Ulrich, who was expected to inherit the County from his father,
Eberhard II, was killed at the during Württemberg's struggle with the
Swabian League of Cities
The Swabian League of Cities () was a Municipal association, political and military alliance formed in 1376, initially of 14 Swabian Free imperial city, imperial cities under the leadership of Free Imperial City of Ulm, Ulm that lasted until 1 ...
. Consequently, Eberhard succeeded upon his grandfather's death on 15 March 1392.
Eberhard's reign was noted by a peace-preserving policy of alliances with the neighboring principalities and imperial towns. Examples are an alliances with 14 Upper-Swabian towns, concluded 27 August 1395 and the
Marbachs alliance in 1405. An important military success was the victory against the ''Schlegel-Gesellschaft'' in 1395 near
Heimsheim.
Eberhard's most significant and long-lasting territorial acquisition was the
County of Montbéliard
The Princely County of Montbéliard (; ), was a prince, princely Graf, county of the Holy Roman Empire seated in the city of Montbéliard in the present-day Franche-Comté region of France. From 1444 onwards it was held by the House of Württembe ...
in present-day
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté (, ; ; Frainc-Comtou dialect, Frainc-Comtou: ''Fraintche-Comtè''; ; also ; ; all ) is a cultural and Provinces of France, historical region of eastern France. It is composed of the modern departments of France, departments of Doub ...
. On 13 November 1397, he concluded a marriage contract for his son
Eberhard IV and
Henriette, Countess of Montbéliard
Henriette (1387 – 14 February 1444) was Sovereign Countess of Montbéliard from 1397 until 1444.
She was the daughter of Henry of Orbe (died 1396), and the heiress of her grandfather, Stephen of Montfaucon, Stephen, Count of Montbéliard. Her gr ...
, granddaughter of
Stephen of Montfaucon. Eberhard ruled Montbéliard until 1409, when he delegated authority to his son.
Eberhard died in
Göppingen
Göppingen (; or ) is a town in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. It is the capital of the Goeppingen (district), district Göppingen. Göppingen is home to the toy company Märklin, and it is the birthplace ...
on 16 May 1417 and was buried in the
Stiftskirche of Stuttgart.
Marriages and children
In 1380, Eberhard married his first wife,
Antonia Visconti, daughter of
Bernabò Visconti
Bernabò or Barnabò Visconti (1323 – 19 December 1385) was an Italian soldier and statesman who was Lord of Milan. Along with his brothers Matteo and Galeazzo II, he inherited the lordship of Milan from his uncle Giovanni. Later in 1355, he ...
, in
Urach. Her dowry, agreed upon at Milan on 1 July 1380, was 70,000
guilders
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' (" gold penny"). This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Rom ...
, which included expensive garments, musical instruments, and books. They had three children together, including Eberhard IV, who succeeded his father as count.
Antonia died in 1405, and Eberhard subsequently married Elisabeth of Nuremberg (died 1429), daughter of
John III, Burgrave of Nuremberg, on 29 March 1406. Their marriage produced one daughter,
Elisabeth, who later married Count John IV of Werdenberg.
See also
*
History of Baden-Württemberg
The history of Baden-Württemberg covers the area included in the historical state of Baden, the former Prussian Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, and Württemberg, part of the region of Swabia since the 9th century.
In the 1st century ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Further reading
*
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eberhard 03 of Wurttemberg
1360s births
1417 deaths
14th-century counts of Württemberg
15th-century counts of Württemberg
Burials at Stiftskirche, Stuttgart