Rupert IV of Nassau, (died after 1 January 1239),Dek (1970). was

Count 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: ...

of Nassau. He later became a Knight of the

Teutonic Order The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...

Life

Rupert IV was the second son of Count Walram I of NassauVorsterman van Oyen (1882). and a certain Kunigunde, possibly a daughter of a count of

Sponheim Sponheim is a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach in Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany. History Sponheim was the capital of the County of Sponheim. Sponheim Abbey There was a Benedictine abbey which was founded in 1101 by Steph ...

or a daughter of Poppo II, Count of

Ziegenhain Ziegenhain is a municipality in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the n ...

. Rupert is mentioned for the first time in a charter dated 20 March 1198, together with his mother and his brother

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

. This mention means that he and his brother were of age at that time, that is to say, they had reached the age of 12. Rupert is mentioned as count of Nassau between 1198 and 1230. He reigned with his brother Henry. Rupert's father had received the ''Königshof''

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...

from Emperor

Frederick I Frederick I or Friedrich I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I ...

in reward for his support of the emperor in the conflicts of 1170–1180.Reuling. The Nassau possessions in this area were expanded around 1214 when Rupert's brother Henry received the Imperial Vogtship ('' Reichsvogtei'') over Wiesbaden and the surrounding ''

Königssondergau The Königssondergau (German for "King's Special District") was a Frankish '' gau'' (district) which existed in the area north of the confluence of the Rhine and Main rivers in Germany, from Frankish times until the end of the 12th century. Oft ...

'', which he held as

fief A fief (; ) 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 overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

doms. About the year 1200, Rupert, together with his brother Henry, began building Sonnenberg Castle on a spur of Spitzkippel peak in the

Taunus The Taunus () is a mountain range in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, located north west of Frankfurt and north of Wiesbaden. The tallest peak in the range is '' Großer Feldberg'' at 878 m; other notable peaks are '' Kleiner Feldberg' ...

above Wiesbaden. This was intended for protection against the Archbishop of

Mainz Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...

and its vassals, the

Lords of Eppstein The Lords of Eppstein () were a family of German nobility in the Middle Ages. From the 12th century they ruled extensive territories in the Rhine Main area from their castle in Eppstein, northwest of Frankfurt, Germany. History Between 1180 and 1 ...

, who held the lands bordering Wiesbaden. However, the

cathedral chapter According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...

of St. Martin's Cathedral in

claimed Sonnenberg as their own. To settle the dispute, Nassau paid 30 Marks to the cathedral chapter in 1221 to acquire the land of Sonnenberg Castle. They were also forced to recognize the sovereignty of the Archbishops of Mainz over Sonnenberg, taking the castle as a fief of Mainz. Template - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order

Template - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order

Rupert is mentioned as a Knight of the

in 1230. Rupert died after January 1, 1239, and bequeathed his legacy to the Order. This would eventually lead to conflict between the

House of Nassau The House of Nassau is the name of a European aristocratic dynasty. The name originated with a lordship associated with Nassau Castle, which is located in what is now Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With t ...

and the Order.Thiele (1994), Table 307, quoted a
Robert IV
Genealogies of the Middle Ages. Retrieved on 2009-01-31.

Marriage and children

Rupert married before 11 December 1215 to Gertrud (died ca. 1222), possibly a daughter of the Count of Cleeberg. From this marriage no children are known.

Sources

* * *

References

External links

Die territoriale Entwicklung Nassaus
by Ulrich Reuling. . Retrieved on 2009-01-26.

Retrieved on 2009-01-31. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rupert 04, Count of Nassau Counts of Nassau 12th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire 13th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 13th-century deaths