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von Massenbach



Origins


There are papers at URL: http://www.lad-bw.de/ TITLE: Staatliche Archivverwaltung Baden-Wurttemberg According to tradition the family GEMMINGEN (surviving as a separately named family to the present day) have been Frankish Chiefs, "Lords of the Tribe of Twins", since time immemorial. They were part of the nation of Franks, Tribe of Franconians, who settled on the west bank of the Rhine after having conquered there the Sicambri who in turn had been conquered by the Scythians driven by the Goths from the mouth of the Danube. In the Lorsch Abbey records for the years A.D. 711 (tempo Charles Martel, King of Austrasia), 805 and 827 (tempo Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor), part of the GEMMINGEN family are referred to as "de MASSENBACH", so named after the river and surrounding lands of Massenbach (Old German : Masseinbach, Maccenbach, Wasserbach [i.e. Waterbrook], since 1945 in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg in the Federal Republic of Germany. Three hundred years later abbey records at Hirsau (north of Calw in the Black Forrest) [Cod. Hirs. fol.50a] during the rule of Abbot Volmar (1123-56) and Abbot Mangold (1156-65) came therefore to refer to "Warmund de Gemmingen" as "Liber Baro de Massenbach", the many honours & dignities subsequently conferred on members of the family a recognition of a time immemorial noble status. Records of direct descent begin one hundred and fifty years later with "Heinrich I. (de) Gemmingen de Massenbach", "Liber Baro de Massenbach". Until the middle of the 15th century the family would seem to have been centred in and around Massenbach and in the service of the Wittelsbach family - whose origins were similar - a relationship that would continue well into the 20th century. About 1465, however, "Bertold IX. von Massenbach (ca.1446-1523)" Bertold VI. von Massenbach (ca.1438-ca.1480)" migrated to East Prussia, there obtained numerous properties in the gift of the Order of the Teutonic Knights, including Stuttehnen in family possession for the next 350 years. It is Bertold IX's son, namely "Bertold X. von Massenbach", 1st of Stuttehnen, who is the Founding Ancestor of the two lines of the Family which continue to define the Family to the present day - the various so-called "North German Lines" and the various so-called "South German Lines". From Bertold X.'s eldest son "Georg IV. von Massenbach (ante/ca.1525-1597)" descend the Family's "North German Lines" here named the FAMILY "von MASSENBACH, formerly of East Prussia". Within two generations severing their link to their ancestral estates, they preferred residence outside the juristriction of the Holy Roman Empire, hence became disqualified from inheriting the use of the family's title which Bertold X.'s brother "Wilhelm IV. von Massenbach", 1st Baron Massenbach in the H.R. Empire, in 1555 had recognised by Charles V., H.R. Emperor. Not until the middle of the 19th century would they too be so recognised. From Bertold X.'s younger son "Wilhelm V. von Massenbach", 4th Baron Massenbach in the H.R. Empire, etc. descend the two so-called "South German Lines" of the Massenbach family :- From Wilhelm V.'s elder son "Georg V. von Massenbach", 5th (6th) Baron Massenbach in the H.R. Empire, etc. the FAMILY "von und zu MASSENBACH", i.e. of Massenbach" (still in possession by that branch of the family). From his younger son "Hans VI. von Massenbach", 5th (6th) Baron Massenbach in the H.R. Empire, etc., the FAMILY"GEMMINGEN von MASSENBACH". From these Families derive various other Massenbach Families. Listed below are Family Members common to all lines and branches of the Massenbach Family, i.e. up to the time of "Bertold X.", 1st of Stuttehnen from whom the whole Massenbach Family takes its descent. Thereafter they will be found under a relevant branch of the Massenbach Family as listed above.

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