Burgau

Geschichte

Burgau is a town in the district of Günzburg in Swabia, Bavaria. Burgau lies on the river Mindel, and has a population of just under 10,000.HistoryThe territory around Burgau was originally part of the stem duchy of Swabia. The death of Conradin and the resulting extinction of the Hohenstaufen line in 1268 led to collapse of the integrity of the duchy and its division into reichsfrei lands, after local nobles resisted the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph's attempts to annex the duchy. The Lords of Burgau are first found in documentary mention in 1147, as ''''. Burgau was raised to a margraviate in 1212.With the death of Margrave Henry III in 1301, the margravial line fell extinct and the Empire claimed the fief. Albert I of Germany transferred the feudal rights to his two sons, thereby permanently adding the territory to the Habsburg dominions, with Henry III's widow purchasing the allodial rights. Four different titles were awarded: that of allodial rights, Imperial feudal rights (), manorial rights () and guardianship (, usually translated as bailiwick).