Arenberg-Meppen

The Duchy of Arenberg-Meppen was formed in 1803 by a decision of the Supreme Assembly of the Holy Roman Empire as compensation to the Arenbergs (represented by Duke Ludwig Engelbert von Arenberg ) for the territories they lost in favor of France in 1794-1801 on the left bank of the Rhine and in the Eiffel .

The new Duchy of Arenberg-Meppen included amt Meppen in Emsland and Fest-Recklinghausen in the Ruhr Region , as well as the Dülmen district in Muensterland . In 1806, Arenberg-Meppen, led by Ludwig Engelbert's son, Prosper Ludwig von Arenberg , became a member of the Rhine Union .

In 1808, personal serfdom was abolished in the duchy. In 1809, the Napoleonic Code was introduced as a fundamental law in the duchy. Recklinghausen becomes the main city of Ahrensberg-Meppen, and its count is von Westerholt. The Duke of Arenberg-Meppen participated in the Napoleonic Wars on the side of the French. He at his own expense organized a detachment of foot soldiers in 379 people and a light cavalry detachment. During the Spanish campaign, Prosper Ludwig was seriously wounded and captured by the British, from whom he was released only in 1814.

In 1810, at the direction of Napoleon, the territory of Arenberg-Meppen was annexed by the French. Part of it - namely Meppen and Dulmen was annexed to France, and Recklinghausen in 1811 was transferred to the Duchy of Berg . After the defeat of Napoleon in the battle of Leipzig in 1813-1815, Arenberg-Meppen was ruled by the Allied military command.

By a decision of the Vienna Congress in 1815, possessions within the borders of the former duchy were returned to the Ahrensbergs personal possession, however, they lost their political independence: the Recklinghausen and Dülmen area passed under the supreme authority of Prussia , and Meppen was assigned to Hanover . Thus, the Arenbergs actually underwent mediation . In 1824, as a compensation for the loss of Recklinghausen, a Prussian court awarded the duke a lifelong pension of 13,500 thalers.

In the Hanoverian part, from 1826, the Meppen area was again officially called the Duchy of Arenberg-Meppen . The duke in his territory could use certain rights of self-government - he was in charge of the judicial system, schools and the police. Only officials from the local population worked on the territory of the duchy. In 1866, Hanover was annexed to Prussia, and in 1875 Arenberg-Meppen was deprived of the last vestiges of its former independence.

• Gerhard Köhler: Arenberg. In: Historisches Lexikon der deutschen Länder. Die deutschen Territorien vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart. 4. Aufl. München, 1992 ISBN 3-406-35865-9 S.20f.
• Werner Burghard: “Wenn der Bauer zehn Furchen zieht, sind mindestens drei für den Gutsherrn.” Probleme der Ablöse im Vest Recklinghausen 1808-1860. In: Bert Becker, Horst Lademacher (Hrsg.): Geist und Gestalt im historischen Wandel. Facetten deutscher und europäischer Geschichte 1789-1989. Münster, 2000 S.67-92