Arenberg

Former duchy in Europe

County (Duchy) of Arenberg Grafschaft (Herzogtum) Arenberg (German)
1549–1810
Flag Coat of arms
Mediatized to Hanover     and Prussia		1810
Preceded by Succeeded by Prince-Bishopric of Münster Electorate of Hanover Kingdom of Prussia First French Empire Grand Duchy of Berg

Arenberg, also spelled as Aremberg or Ahremberg, is a former

First mentioned in the 12th century, it was named after the village of Aremberg in the Ahr Hills, located in today's Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.

1549–1645

Aremberg was originally a

The territorial possessions of the Dukes of Arenberg varied through the ages. Around 1789, the duchy was located in the Eifel region on the west side of the Rhine and contained, amongst others, Aremberg, Schleiden and Kerpen.

However, although the duchy itself was in Germany, from the 15th century onward, the principal lands of the Dukes of Arenberg have been in what is now Belgium.

The pre-Napoleonic duchy had an area of 413 km² and a population of 14,800. It belonged to the Electoral Rhenish Circle and was bordered by the duchy of Jülich, the Archbishopric of Cologne, the Archbishopric of Trier, and the county of Blankenheim.

1798

After the French occupation of the west bank of the

Arenberg joined Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine, although that did not prevent it from being mediatised in 1810, with France annexing Dülmen and Meppen, and the duchy of Berg annexing Recklinghausen.

1814

After Napoleon's defeat in 1814 and the dissolution of the Confederation of the Rhine, the former Arenberg territories were divided between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Kingdom of Hanover. In both Prussia and Hanover, the dukes became local peers subordinate to the king.

1826

In 1826, the Arenberg territory in Hanover was named the duchy of Arenberg-Meppen, and it had an area of 2,195 km² and a population of 56,700. The county of Recklinghausen, in Prussia, had an area of 780 km² and a population of 64,700.

The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian aristocratic family. The immediate family members of the dukes are called by the nominal title of Prince of Arenberg. The ducal family descends

The Forest of Arenberg is located in northeastern France, and it is famous for its cobbled roads used in the classic road cycle race Paris–Roubaix. Its areas saw extensive mining in the past.

Counts, Princely Counts and Dukes

Counts of Arenberg (1117–1576)

Princely Counts of Arenberg (1576–1645)

Dukes of Arenberg (1645–1810)

See also

• Arenberg-Nordkirchen
• Arenberg Research-Park

References

Sources

• Official site of the House of Arenberg
• The dukes of Arenberg
• Meyers Konversationslexikon

External links

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aremberg" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 452. This has a detailed account of the inheritance of the noble titles from the 13th century onward.
• Map of Luxembourg and the Duchy of Arenberg in 1789

50°51′48″N 4°41′00″E / 50.8633°N 4.6832°E / 50.8633; 4.6832