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Dr.
Walter v. Hueck The main tasks of the genealogist are to maintain the Ritterschaft's register of families, to support families in the preparation of the publication of their genealogy in the Genealogical Handbook of German Nobility (Genealogisches Handbuch des deutschen Adels), and to research and the update genealogies of extinguished families. The Matrikel (registers) of the Estlaendische Ritterschaft The Matrikel (register) of the Estlaendische Ritterschaft Following his conquest of the regions of Harrien and Wierland in northern Estonia in the summer of 1219, King Waldemar II of Denmark handed out land as fiefs to his vassals for these to be administered and protected against foreign powers. The Liber Census Daniae of 1241 lists 114 vassals in Harrien and Wierland, most of whom originating from northern parts of Germany. These united to form the Harrisch-Wierische Ritterschaft. In autumn 1346 King Waldemar IV sold his 'Duchy of Estonia' to the German Teutonic Order, which already ruled over the region of Jerwen in southern Estonia. The Western Estonian region of Wiek, on the other hand, belonged to the Bishopric of Oesel. After the collapse of the rule of the Teutonic Order, the Harrisch-Wierische Ritterschaft and the Order's vassals in Jerwen swore allegiance to King Erik XIV of Sweden who confirmed their privileges. The Wiek followed in summer 1584 when King Johann III united the four regions of Harrien, Wierland, Jerwen and Wiek into one duchy. Since this date, the Estlaendische Ritterschaft has existed as one entity. Originally, every person with an estate established as a fief belonged to the Ritterschaft. When the Swedish kings began to hand out estates to mercenary leaders who did not belong to the nobility, and wealthy burgers of Reval and Narval to invest in country estates, the Ritterschaft felt the need to set itself apart from these by creating a Matrikel (register). Such registers already existed in Curland since 1620 and in Sweden since 1625. However, despite the approval for the establishment of a Matrikel of the Estlaendische Ritterschaft, issued by Queen Christina of Sweden 1648, it was never implemented as she and her successors ennobled most of these mercenary leaders and burgers. Only when Peter the Great confirmed the privileges of the Estlaendische Ritterschaft in 1710 after his conquest of Estonia, was the establishment of a register reconsidered. Preparations for this were started in 1729 and inscriptions took place from 1745. Since then 308 families have been registered. Of these, the following 179 remain in existence:
Every legitimately born male descendant of a noble father and his spouse is entered into the Matrikel, not however bearers of the title through adoption or other legal transfer of name. The following information is included: Name, christian name(s), place and date of birth, confession (where not Lutheran), profession, academic title, job title or rank, place and date of marriage, divorce and death as appropriate. For spouses additionally: christian name and profession of the father, christian and maiden name of mother. The genealogist would like to stress that this form of record does not affect current rules on names under public law. It simply states the person's status as belonging to the historic nobility from a genealogical perspective in accordance with long-standing principles of nobility law now enshrined in private law. In order to maintain a complete and up-to-date genealogical picture of a family, it is important that all the information referred to above is passed on to the genealogist. This will also assist preparations for the publication of the Genealogical Handbook of German Nobility (Geneaologisches Handbuch des deutschen Adels). We therefore ask you to provide the genealogist with all of the mentioned family and person related data. Please also send him copies of family announcements, or better of the relevant certificates. In addition we request copies of newsletters of family associations, published family histories, family trees etc. for the genealogist's archives. Dr. Walter v. Hueck - e-mail: Genealoge-Estland "at" baltische-ritterschaften.de Publications in the Genealogical Handbook of German Nobility (Genealogisches Handbuch des deutschen Adels) Families are invited to participate actively in the preparation of the manuscripts of their genealogy. Please help your genealogist with his voluntary work and get in touch with: Dr. Walter v. Hueck - e-mail: Genealoge-Estland "at" baltische-ritterschaften.de |
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