European Kingdoms

Alemanni / Swabia

The Suebi, a Germanic people, were situated around the Baltic Sea, east of the Elbe, during the beginning of the Roman empire (AD 98). Their name (Suevi - Suebi - Sweben) was probably also appended to what became Sweden. While the main host of the Suebi emigrated to Spain, the Lombards and Alemanni, both part of the Suebian confederation of tribes, remained behind. The area that later became the duchy of Swabia was settled during the collapse of the Roman empire by the Alemanni.

233

The Alemanni make the first of their invasions of the Roman empire.

258

The Alemanni break into the Roman empire in strength, causing widespread damage. With extraordinary effectiveness the penetrate right down into Italy where they are at last halted by Gallienus, who defeats them in battle at Milan.

fl 368

Rando

Sacked Roman Moguntiacum.

368

The forces of the Alemanni chief, Rando, sack the Roman city of Moguntiacum (Metz, or Mainz).

? - 372

Fraomar

Sent to Britannia by Rome.

372

In an act of imperial favour, an Alamannic king, Fraomar, is sent to Britannia as a military tribune to command a Roman unit of Alemanni cavalry which is already stationed on the island, as recorded by Ammianus.

fl 378

Priarius

Alemanni leader.

378

Priarius is defeated at Argentorate (modern Strasbourg) by the Frankish leader, Mallobaudes, and the Roman army of Gaul.

407 - 409

The bulk of the Suevi cross the Rhine at Moguntiacum (Mainz) in 407 in association with the Vandals & Alans, but the Alemanni remain behind.

The Roman town of Moguntiacum (Mainz), whose gates are shown here, was a frequent target of Alemanni attacks, although it was the Mosan Franks who eventually conquered it

496 - 505

The Franks conquer the Alemanni at the Battle of Tolbiac, although the victory is a narrow one. By 505, the Alemanni have been absorbed into the Frankish kingdom.

768

The death of the Frankish king, Pepin III sees his domains divided between his two sons, with Charlemagne gaining parts of Aquitaine, plus Neustria, Austrasia, and the Germanic dependencies which include the Alemanni, and Carloman gaining the remainder: Soissons, the Massif Central, the Languedoc, the rest of Aquitaine, Provence, Burgundy, southern Austrasia, Alsace and Alemannia.

Dukes of Swabia
AD 888 - 1313

Swabia emerged as a stem duchy from the fragmentation of the Eastern Frankish kingdom when the Holy Roman Empire was formally secured by German rulers. It was situated in the western centre of modern Germany in the Baden-Württemberg region.

c.915

Erchanger

917 - 926

Burkhard I

926 - 948

Herman I

948 - 954

Ludolph

Died 957.

954 - 973

Burkhard II

973 - 982

Otto I

982 - 997

Conrad I

997 - 1003

Herman II

1003 - 1012

Herman III

1012 - 1015

Ernest I of Babenberg

1015 - 1030

Ernest II

1030 - 1038

Herman IV

1038 - 1045

Henry I

Henry III of HRE & Franconia (1039-1056).

1045 - 1048

Otto II

1048 - 1057

Otto III of Franconia

1057 - 1080

Rudolph

Rival for HRE (1077-1080).

1080 - 1105

Frederick I Hohenstaufen

1105 - 1147

Frederick II

1147 - 1152

Frederick III Barbarossa

Frederick II of HRE (1152-1190).

1152 - 1167

Frederick IV

1167 - 1191

Frederick V

1192 - 1208

Conrad II

1192 - 1208

Philip

Rival for HRE (1198-1208).

1208 - 1212

Otto IV Welf of Brunswick

HRE (1198-1212). d.1218.

1212 - 1216

Frederick VI

Frederick II of HRE (1212-1250).

1216 - 1235

Henry II

1235 - 1254

Conrad III

Conrad IV of HRE (1250-1254).

1242

Henry II

1254 - 1268

Conradin

c.1267

Part of the territory is given over to the newly formed county of Vaduz.

1289 - 1290

Rudolf of Habsburg

HRE (1273-1291).

1290 - 1313

John Parricide

1313

East Francia, or Germany, is at a point of collapse by this time, and Swabia breaks up. The remainder of its territory goes to the already established county of Württemberg and margraviate of Baden.