Rottenmünster Abbey: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox former country

|event_end = [[German Mediatisation|Secularised]] to [[Duchy_of_WürttembergDuchy of Württemberg|Württemberg]]

In 1221, a branch of a sister community was formed at Hochmauern, south of Rottweil, thus founding the future monastery. On 9 May 1224, [[Pope Honorius III]] inducted the monastery into the General Chapter of the Cistercians. The Abbot of [[Salem_AbbeySalem Abbey|Salem]], Eberhard von Rohrdorf, appointed the first Abbess, Williburgis. In 1237, [[Emperor Frederick II]] raised Rottenmünster to [[imperial immediacy]] and commended the protection of the monastery to the [[Free_imperial_cityFree imperial city|imperial city]] of Rottweil. Through donations and dowries, the monastery collected land between the [[Black Forest]] and [[Swabian_JuraSwabian Jura|Swabian Alb]]. The lands contained about 3,000 inhabitants and produced an annual income of about 30,000 guilders (in 1803). The Abbess was a member of the [[Imperial_Diet_Imperial Diet (Holy_Roman_EmpireHoly Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] and the [[Swabian_CircleSwabian Circle|Swabian Imperial Circle]].

After the peak of 100 nuns at the end of the 14th century, the general population settled to between 20 and 30 nuns. During the [[Thirty_YearsThirty Years'_War War|Thirty Years' War]], the monastery was looted by roving troops, and in 1643 the monastery was burned down by troops of the Duke of Württemberg. In 1662, only 14 women under vow and three lay nuns lived in the monastery. In the 18th century, the number of sisters rose to above 30. As a result of the [[Reichsdeputationshauptschluss|Final Recess of 1803]], the territory of the monastery was [[German_mediatizationGerman mediatization|secularized]] and taken over on 23 November 1802 by Württemberg. Some 24 women under vow, four novices, and 14 lay sisters remained in the monastery. In 1826, the last Abbess Juliana Mayer died. In 1850, the last living sister, Franziska Gaupp, left the monastery. This ended its use as a Cistercian abbey.