Stem Duchy - Older Stem Duchies

Older Stem Duchies

The older stem duchies were regions inhabited by Germanic tribes that were associated with the Frankish Kingdom. The duchies were more or less independent entities ruled by native rulers who had acquired the title of herzog (equivalent to "duke"). All of them came to an end during the rule of the early Carolingians. These older stem duchies were:

Alamannia (or Swabia)

The Alamanns came under Frankish supremacy around 539 and were ruled by various dukes until 746, when the Frankish mayor Carloman terminated the duchy in the Blood court at Cannstatt.

Bavaria

The Bavarians came under Frankish supremacy around 550 and were ruled by the Agilolfings until 788, when Charlemagne deposed the last Duke.

Saxony

The Saxons were loosely associated with the Merovingian Kingdom but practically remained independent until they were subdued by Charlemagne in the Saxon Wars (772–804).

Some tribes, such as the Frisians, never formed a stem duchy with cultural allegiance to any single duke.

Herzog is not related to Herz ('heart'), but is derived from German(ic) He(e)r ('army') and zog (ziehen) (English: 'to pull, drag', also in die Schlacht ziehen - "to go into battle"), a military leader. It may have originated from the Proto-Germanic title of Harjanaz, who were elected by their tribes to lead them into battle. Thus Herzog was a title borne by Germanic warriors who exercised military authority over a tribe by general acclaim among its members or warriors. especially in the stem duchies. During the medieval era, some of the most powerful vassals whose territories lay within the boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire took or were granted the title of Herzog by the Emperor. Several dynasties, such as the Habsburgs of Austria, Hohenzollerns of Prussia, Welfs of Hanover, Wettins of Saxony, Wittelsbachs of Bavaria and the House of Württemberg, held the Herzogswürde (dukedom) before becoming kings.