Wittelsbach ownership Stahleck Castle

otto ii of bavaria , agnes of palatinate in 16th-century painting based on 15th-century original

in order secure possession of castle , overseership of bacharach, ludwig arranged marriage in 1222 between son otto , agnes. under otto (otto ii) in 1243, long-running conflict archbishopric of cologne settled, , received fürstenberg , stahlberg castles additional fiefs.

ludwig transferred primary residence heidelberg, on, stahleck used , overseen counts, called ritter (knight) von stahleck . 15th century on, administered bailiffs. however, although castle no longer administrative centre of palatinate, important gatherings of nobility continued take place there 15th century, including election of ludwig iv king of germany in may 1314 , wedding of emperor charles iv , anna, daughter of rudolf ii, count palatine, on 4 march 1349. in addition, castle used several times during 14th century pledge. in december 1314, cover costs of election, ludwig iv pledged 58,300 pounds of hellers john of luxembourg, king of bohemia, , uncle baldwin, electoral archbishop of triers. in july 1328, required surrender stahleck , stahlberg , braunshorn castles security fine payable countess loretta of sponheim. castle administered count wilhelm of katzenelnbogen regent until entire sum of 11,000 pounds had been paid. castle opened military use gerlach of nassau, archbishop of mainz, in 1346.

in 1353, palatinate divided , stahleck castle passed rupert younger, after incorporated fortifications around town of bacharach. in late 1400, rupert s son, named rupert, celebrated there election king of germany , rome after deposition of king wenceslaus of luxembourg. in 1408, rupert hosted banquet electors of holy roman empire, after stahleck gradually lost importance empire. in 1442 ludwig iv, count palatine, held reception , electoral banquet there king frederick of habsburg en route aachen crowned emperor, during 15th , 16th centuries castle sank insignificance.