History Eppenberg Charterhouse

1 history

1.1 premonstratensian priory
1.2 charterhouse
1.3 secularization

history
premonstratensian priory

about 1217 canonesses of ahnaberg priory near kassel permitted establish daughter-house on eppenberg, on shoulder of heiligenberg. foundation confirmed on 3 march 1219 siegfried ii, archbishop of mainz, took under protection. total number of canonesses in ahnaberg set @ 40, , remainder moved newly established daughter-house @ eppenberg.

the relationship of new priory motherhouse not without friction. in 1223 provost , community of ahnaberg re-stated rights in eppenberg. on 17 february 1224 archbishop siegfried once more confirmed rights of ahnaberg priory. in 1250, reasons unknown, prioress of eppenberg openly rejected rights of ahnaberg, , eppenberg became independent house, now, ahnaberg, under supervision , protection of spieskappel abbey.

the newly-independent priory rapidly flourished, because of gifts , acquisitions of land in nearby villages of altenbrunslar, böddiger, besse , gensungen. in 1269 eppenberg able found daughter house @ homberg der efze. growing prosperity led decline in morals , discipline, , prodigality, mismanagement, , economic collapse.

charterhouse

landgrave ludwig of hesse, offended @ conditions in priory, neglected estates , buildings, , loss of discipline, rigor , order, obtained papal bull in 1438 dissolve premonstratensian priory , replaced charterhouse, settled hermits erfurt in 1440. buildings rebuilt hermitage, re-dedicated saint john baptist, , generously , extensively rebuilt. in 1471 landgrave ludwig ii of hesse gave charterhouse estate of wimmenhof (now domäne mittelhof) , nearby, half-derelict heiligenburg castle, on condition hermits should pray weekly in castle chapel salvation.

secularization

in 1527, in wake of synod of homberg of 1526, introduced protestant reformation in hesse, monastery dissolved , taken on landgrave philip of hesse use hunting lodge , farm. in 1610 landgrave maurice of hesse-kassel had hunting lodge remodeled in italian renaissance style. buildings , lands maintained nearby mittelhof.

in thirty years war building complex destroyed, , afterwards became subsidiary building , sheep-farm state-owned domäne mittelhof. in 7 years war (1756–63) french troops holed there 7 weeks after losing battle of grebenstein; 2 dugouts on slopes of heiligenberg remain reminder of camp.