Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe

Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe

Seal of Gerhard I, which he used from 1254 to 1287
Spouse(s) Elizabeth of Mecklenburg
Adelaide of Montferrat
Noble family House of Schauenburg
Father Adolf IV of Holstein
Mother Heilwig of Lippe
Born 1232
Died 21 December 1290(1290-12-21)

Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe (1232 21 December 1290) was the only count of Holstein-Itzehoe.

Life

He was the second son of Count Adolf IV of Holstein and Heilwig of Lippe.

When his father retired to a monastery in 1238, he ruled the Holstein jointly with his elder brother John I, initially under the guardianship of their uncle the Duke Abel of Schleswig. When they came of age, the brothers took up government and continue their joint rule. In 1255, they concluded a trade agreement with Lübeck.

When their father died in 1261, John and Gerhard divided Holstein. Gerhard took Holstein-Itzehoe, consisting of the districts of Stormarn, Plön and Schaumburg, with his residence in Itzehoe. John received Holstein-Kiel, consisting of the districts Kiel, Wagria and East Holstein, with his seat in Kiel. John later won Rendsburg back from Denmark and traded it with Gerhard for Segeberg.

Gerhard founded several villages, in order to develop Holstein and control the area. He also developed the County's administration. He fought ward with the Archdiocese of Bremen, th City of Lübeck and the landed genry in his county. In 1262, he won the Battle of the Loh Moor. In 1263, John died and Gerhard became regent of Kiel and Segeberg for John's sons.

Gerhard I died in 1290. After his death, his sons subdivided Holstein-itzehoe into Holstein-Plön, Holstein-Pinneberg and Holstein-Rendsburg.

Seal

The inscription on his seal reads: S(IGILLUM)* GERARDI*COMITIS*HOLTSATIE*ET*DE*SCOWENB(O)RCH ("Seal of Count Gerhard of Holstein and Schauenburg").

Marriages and issue

He married around 1250 with Elizabeth (d. c.1280), a daughter of John I of Mecklenburg and had the following children with her:

Around 1280, he married Adelaide (Alessia; c.1237 1285), the widow of Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and a daughter of Marquess Boniface II of Monferrat (c.1203 1253). This marriage remained childless.

Ancestors

References

External links

Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe
Born: 1232 Died: 21 December 1290
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Adolph IV
Count of Holstein
1238–1261
with his brother John I (1238–1261)
Partition of Holstein
Count of Schaumburg
1238–1290
with his brother John I (1238–1261)
Succeeded by
Adolph VI
as Count of Schaumburg and
Count of Holstein-Pinneberg
New title
Partitioned from Holstein
Count of Holstein-Itzehoe
1261–1290
Succeeded by
Gerhard II
as Count of Holstein-Plön
Succeeded by
Henry I
as Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
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