The Lordship or Principality of Rostock (german: Herrschaft (Fürstentum) Rostock) was a

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

in the 13th and early 14th centuries. It arose from the

first partition of Mecklenburg During its history, the state of Mecklenburg has been repeatedly partitioned into various successor states ( lordships, duchies, grand duchies). Modern historians distinguish three main Partitions of Mecklenburg: First partition of Mecklenburg ...

after the death of Henry Borwin II in 1227.Karge, Wolf & Münch, Ernst & Schmied, Hartmut: ''Die Geschichte Mecklenburgs.'' Hinstorff Verlag, Rostock 1993, p29. It was named after the castle and settlement of

Rostock Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the state, c ...

and held the territories of

Kessin Kessin is a village and a former municipality in the district of Rostock, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. History Since 7 June 2009, it is part of the municipality Dummerstorf. Before this, it was within the Warnow-Ost Amt. A group of ...

Kröpelin Kröpelin is a town in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 9 km southwest of Bad Doberan, and 23 km west of Rostock Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (g ...

, Doberan,

Ribnitz Ribnitz-Damgarten () is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated on Lake Ribnitz (''Ribnitzer See''). Ribnitz-Damgarten is in the west of the district Vorpommern-Rügen. The border between the historical regions of Mecklenburg and P ...

, Marlow, Sülze and Tessin in the modern German ''Bundesland'' (Federal State) of

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...

. Later, in 1236

Gnoien Gnoien is a small town in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 40 km southeast of Rostock Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Unive ...

and

Kalen Kalen is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Kalen Ballage (born 1995), American football player *Kalen Damessi (born 1990), Togolese international footballer *Kalen DeBoer, American football coach and former player *Kalen Porter ( ...

were added to the lordship's territory. The first (prince) of Rostock was

Henry Borwin III Henry Borwin III, Lord of Rostock ( – 1 August 1278) was a member of the House of Mecklenburg. He ruled the Lordship of Rostock jointly with his brothers from 1226 to 1234, then ruled alone until his death. He was the second youngest son of ...

from the

House of Mecklenburg The House of Mecklenburg, also known as Nikloting, is a North German dynasty of Slavic origin that ruled until 1918 in the Mecklenburg region, being among the longest-ruling families of Europe. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909–2004), ...

(

Obodrites The Obotrites ( la, Obotriti, Abodritorum, Abodritos…) or Obodrites, also spelled Abodrites (german: Abodriten), were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory of modern Mecklenburg and Holstein in northern Germany ( ...

); the last was his grandson Nicholas I "{{lang, de, das Kind" (the child). After some unsuccessful attempts by two other Mecklenburgian lordships,

Werle {{Infobox country , native_name = ''Herrschaft Werle'' ( de) , conventional_long_name = Lordship of Werle , common_name = Werle , era = Middle Ages , status = Vassal , empire = ...

and

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...

, to take control of Rostock, Nicholas I, placed Rostock under the protection and overlordship of Eric VI, King of

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

. However, after a successful defence Denmark became Rostock's ''de facto'' owner. Already by 1311

Henry II, Lord of Mecklenburg Henry II, Lord of Mecklenburg, nicknamed ''the Lion'' (after 14 April 1266 – 21 January 1329 in Sternberg) was regent of Mecklenburg from 1287 to 1298, co-regent from 1298 to 1302 and ruled alone again from 1302 to 1329. Life He was the ...

sought to take the town of Rostock once more, and succeeded on 15 December 1312. In 1314 Nicholas of Rostock died disempowered and without a male heir. In 1312 the town of Rostock already saw Henry II as a representative of the Danish King. After a further war Henry II conquered Rostock and secured peace with the Danish King Christopher II on 21 May 1323. He received the Lordships of Rostock, Gnoien and Schwaan as hereditary

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...

s of Denmark and with that the Lordship of Rostock ceased to exist as an independent entity.

References

Rostock #Lordship Rostock #Lordship !