500 Mediaevistik 33 . 2020 Strukturen, wie z.B. die Existenz einer presented on 5‒7 October 2017 at a confe- relativ freien Bauernschaft, die am öf- rence of three academic societies in Rot- fentlichen Geschehen aktiv teilzunehmen tenburg-Stuttgart. The theme is the tran- vermochte, und relativ schwache adlige sition of power in Upper Swabia to the Herrscherdynastien. Vercomer kommt Hohenstaufen after the extinction of the hier speziell das Verdienst zu, auch die Welf dynasty in the late twelfth century. moderne polnische historische Forschung The third great family of this region, the kompetent ausgewertet zu haben, aber Zähringer, died out in 1218 and is men- man fragt sich dann letztlich doch, inwie- tioned only twice in this book. The au- weit der Vergleich zwischen den einzel- thors give excellent examples of how the nen Ländern wirklich hilfreich sein mag, Welfs and other dynasties used inheritan- wenn die Abweichungen voneinander ce law, political imagery, and mystique, doch erheblich waren. advocacy, courts, church patronage, and Insgesamt also eine sehr beeindru- town foundations and politics to extend ckende komparatistische Studie, die die their power through regional nuclei of in- Grundlagen legt für viele weitere histo- fluence. riographische Untersuchungen, gerade The Welfs and Hohenstaufen are best weil sich Vercamer um den Vergleich known for the conflict of the Hohenstau- letztlich unterschiedlicher aber zeitgenös- fen emperor Frederick Barbarossa and sischer Herrschaftssysteme bemüht. Eine the Welf Henry the Lion over Bavaria and etwas sorgfältigere Aufbereitung des Ma- Saxony. The families were cousins, and nuskripts hätte geholfen, manche Fehler their relations in Swabia were generally bei Daten oder im Gebrauch der Tempora amiable. Except for the two concluding zu vermeiden. Global gesehen aber han- papers in the book, by Paul-Joachim Hei- delt es sich um eine ausgezeichnet struk- nig and Franz Quarthal, on the import- turierte und sehr solide argumentierte ance of Lower Swabia for the German Arbeit. Der Band schließt zwar mit einem Empire in the late Middle Ages and the Index der Personen und Orte, aber es wäre early modern period (pp. 249‒85), the doch extrem wichtig gewesen, wenn auch papers are restricted to events before the ein Sachindex erstellt worden wäre. fourteenth century or to later memories Albrecht Classen of events that had occurred then. The first four articles, by Mathias Becker, Thomas Zotz, Heinz Krieg, and Wolfgang Stürner (pp. 35‒90) deal with the repercussions Von den Welfen zu den Staufern. Der of the early death of Welf VII in impe- Tod Welfs VII. 1167 und die Grundle- rial service in Italy in 1167 and the sub- gung Oberschwabens im Mittelalter, sequent decision by his father and heir, ed. Thomas Zotz, Andreas Schmau- Duke Welf VI, to dispose of his family’s der, and Johannes Kuber. Gesell- property in Italy to Italian nobles and the schaft Oberschwaben, Forschungen zu lands in Swabia to Frederick Barbarossa. Landschaft, Geschichte und Kultur, 4. Most of the transfers had been made befo- Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2020, 304 pp., re Frederick’s death in 1190 and Welf’s in 5 maps, 58 plates, 2 genealogical tables. 1191. During the civil wars that followed These fourteen original papers (here the death of Emperor Henry VI in 1197, printed with editorial introduction) were the Swabian inheritance does not appear Mediaevistik 33 . 2020 501 to have been a major point of contention. and Andreas Schmander (pp. 137‒66) Although the period from Emperor Fre- concern the new rulers’ relations with derick II’s departure from Germany in the Swabian towns, emphasizing Mem- 1237 to the establishment of the Habs- mingen, Steingau, and Ravensburg. The burgs in Swabia in the 1270s witnessed Hohenstaufen were particularly generous endemic warfare, it was not over whether in granting urban status to simple settle- the once-Welf lands in Swabia had passed ments, creating a large number of imperial legitimately to the Hohenstaufen. None of cities (Reichsstädte) who owed imperial these authors argues that there was much taxes as the price of prestige. Welf-inspired resistance to the Hohen- The papers of Hans Ulrich Rudolf, Jo- staufen, but the book contains numerous hannes Waldschütz, and Franz Fuchs (pp. meticulously researched examples of how 183‒248) concern the Welf heritage in the circumstances peculiar to the late me- memory and iconography. The Welf in- dieval Empire provided if not stability, at terest at the abbey of Weingarten dates to least continuity at the local level. the tenth century. Royal attention lagged The next two groups of papers exami- during Frederick II’s campaigns but was ne the techniques of rule that enabled the revived by Rudolf of Habsburg in a forged Hohenstaufen to control Upper Swabia ef- charter of 1274. The new foundation listed fectively, even with their absences in Italy. Frederick Barbarossa, Henry VI, and Welf The German notion of Herrschaft invol- VI as “forebears” (p. 192) without distin- ved not only acquisition of land, but also ction. This example alone shows that few jurisdictional rights, lay lordship, good if any were still bothered by the transition relations with local elites, advocacy, and nearly a century after the transfer and that patronage over churches and monasteries. the transition had been smooth, probably Key to this was the rulers’ use of ministeri- because the Welfs had initiated it and the ales, “administrative knights” who served Hohenstaufen were already a known quan- powerful lords, both lay and ecclesiastical, tity through their possessions in Swabia. by ruling locally on their behalf in their These articles are superbly docu- absences. They also performed diplomatic mented, and the plates and maps are a and military services to their lords and significant enhancement. They provide gained gradual recognition as the lowest meticulous detail about events that are rank of the German nobility. The three often neglected in favor of the broader articles by Harald Derschka, Karel Hruza, perspective of questions involving the and Rolf Kiessling (pp. 91‒136, 167‒182) great dynasties as kings and emperors, give specific examples of how the Hohen- choosing instead to show how the tools staufen used Welf ministerials specifically of Herrschaft worked in practice. A con- those of Tanne, Waldburg, Winterrstetten, clusion that definitely emerges from this and Wallsee to facilitate the transition volume is that however much a replaced between dynasties. In 1191 all the mi- dynasty may have been regretted at the nisterials in the Welf portions of Swabia time, most persons in the ruling aris- were obviously partisans of their lords; tocracy simply “went with the flow.” but there is only one documented case of David Nicholas, open resistance to the Hohenstaufen (from Clemson University (Emeritus), 12178 1218, and he eventually capitulated to the Woodhollow Lane, Knoxville, TN 37932, new order). The papers of Nina Gallion USA; [email protected].