The House of Matsch, also written Maetsch, Mätsch, Metsch or Mazzo (Italian) is an old Swiss-Austrian noble family. Their origin is uncertain; they may have come from the Upper Valtellina from the village of Mazzo or may have been a sideline of the lords of Tarasp. The seats of the lords of Matsch were the castles of Obermatsch and Untermatsch in the Matscher Tal (Matsch Valley, Val di Mazia). Later they captured the Churburg at Schluderns in the Vinschgau (Venosta) valley and turned that into their main residence. For a time the lords of Matsch were one of the most powerful noble families in the Vinschgau and in present-day Graubünden.
History The Matsch were documented for the first time around the middle of the 12th century. A certain Egino I von Matsch (*c.1160) is regarded as the founder of the family. The Matsch officiated as bailiffs over the monasteries of Marienberg in Burgeis and St. John in Müstair. Later they also acquired the bailiwicks over the subjects of the bishop of Chur in Vinschgau, Münstertal, in the Lower Engadin and in Puschlav. The Matsch were almost constantly feuding with the bishops of Chur, of whom the Matsch were ministeriales.
The Matscher's own estates were in Vinschgau, Veltlin, Münstertal, Puschlav ( mines) and around Tarasp. In the 13th and 14th centuries, they came into the possession of the Lordship of Vaduz for a time as a pledge. They were also able to take possession of the castles and estates of Reichenberg, Ramosch, Ardez, Greifenstein, Alt-Süns in Domleschg and Klingenhorn near Malans. In 1338 they took over the courts of Schiers and Castels in the Prättigau. A long-standing dispute between the Counts of Toggenburg and the Matsch family over the ownership of the two courts was only resolved through the marriage of Elizabeth of Matsch to Frederick VII, Count of Toggenburg. Through the marriage, the Matsch were drawn into the Old Zurich War. In 1348 the family lost the bailiwicks of Chiavenna, Bormio and the Puschlav to the Duchy of Milan.
Like many other Graubünden noble families, the Matsch family was constantly involved in feuds and conflicts with other families and the bishops of Chur.
Ulrich IV, Lord of Matsch acquired the County of Kirchberg near Ulm, through his wife Agnes in 1366, and therefore held the title Count of Kirchberg. He was also Vogt of Matsch. From Ulrich IV onwards, some members of the family were also provincial governors of Tyrol; the last representative of the family, Gaudenz, Lord of Matsch (1436–1504), belonged to the council of Sigismund, Archduke of Austria, regent of Tyrol and Further Austria. In 1487 he fell out of favor and, as a fugitive, lost his possessions through confiscation and pledging.
Most of the Matsch possessions in today's South Tyrol fell to the Barons von Trapp .
Coat of arms The coat of arms of the von Matsch family has three transverse blue eagle wings in silver. On the helmet with red and silver covers a red and silver inturned hifthorn with shackles in mixed colors. It can be found under the original spelling "MAeTSCH" on the Zurich coat of arms roll.
Lords of Matsch
House of Matsch RulerBornReignRuling partConsortDeathNotesHartwig Ic.1120?c.1160 – 1167Lordship of MatschUnknowntwo children1167aged 46–47? Founder of the family (and the lordship).Egino Ic.1140?First son of Hartwig I1167 – 1192Lordship of MatschMatildatwo children1192aged 51–52?Children of Hartwig I, ruled jointly. Ulrich's son Arnold was Bishop of Chur.Ulrich Ic.1140?Second son of Hartwig IUnknownone child1192aged 51–52?Egino IIc.1180?Son of Egino I and Matilda1192 – 25 November 1238Lordship of MatschAdelaide of Wangentwo children25 November 1238aged 57–58?Hartwig II1214Son of Egino II and Adelaide of Wangen25 November 1238 – 20 December 1249Lordship of MatschSophia of Moosbergtwo children20 December 1249aged 34–35?c.1240First son of Hartwig II and Sophia of Moosberg20 December 1249 – 10 January 1280Lordship of MatschAdelaide of Rumusno childrenSophia of Velthurns(d.10 August 1308)14 March 1263three children10 January 1280aged 39–40 Children of Hartwig II, ruled jointly.Egino IIIc.1240?Second son of Hartwig II and Sophia of Moosberg20 December 1249 – 1277Adelaide of Montfortthree children1277aged 36–37?Egino IVc.1270Son of Egino III and Adelaide of Montfort10 January 1280 – 1341Lordship of MatschClara of Homberg1305three children1341aged 70–71 Cousins, ruled jointly. Ulrich II's sister Euphemia was Countess of Gorizia.c.1270Son of and Sophia of Velthurns10 January 1280 – 9 July 1309Margaret of Vaz(d.1343)29 October 1295three children9 July 1309aged 38–39c.1295Son of and Margaret of Vaz1341 – 25 October 1366Lordship of MatschAdelaide of Werdenberg(c.1300/10-1365)21 March 1322one child25 October 1366aged 70–71Cousins, ruled jointly. Hartwig IIIc.1305First son of Egino IV and Clara of Homberg1341 – 1 February 1360Unmarried1 February 1360aged 54–55John Ic.1305Second son of Egino IV and Clara of Homberg1341 – 1360c.1360aged 54–55c.1325Son of and Adelaide of Werdenberg25 October 1366 – 28 September 1402Lordship of Matsch(with County of Kirchberg,de facto until 1390,de jure from 1390)Agnes of Kirchberg I(d.12 March 1401/07)six children28 September 1402aged 76–77Since 1366 Ulrich IV acquired (by inheritance) the County of Kirchberg. However, in 1390, the family returned back the majority of the Kirchberg lands they had acquired. They kept the title Count of Kirchberg for themselves, at least until 1434. From 1390, he associated his eldest sons to the government: Ulrich V and John II, and both predeceased him.c.1360First son of and Agnes of Kirchberg I1390 – 30 July 1396Kunigunde of Montfort-Tettnang(d.1429)c.1390four children30 July 1396aged 35–36John IIc.1360Second son of and Agnes of Kirchberg I1390 – 1397Margaret of Rhazuns(d.1437)one child1397aged 36–37c.1370Third son of and Agnes of Kirchberg I28 September 1402 – 1444Lordship of Matsch(with County of Kirchberg,de jure until 1434)Barbara of Starkenberg(d.1430)1415three children1444aged 73–74 Ulrich VI associated his nephews Ulrich VII and William to the co-rulership, and both predeceased him. In 1434, the return of the County of Kirchberg to the original family was officialized by the Holy Roman Emperor. They probably stopped styling themselves as Counts of Kirchberg from this point onwards. During Ulrich VI's reign, his sister Elizabeth of Matsch held control, as widow, of the County of Toggenburg, increasing the influence of the family.Ulrich VIIc.1390First son of and Kunigunde of Montfort-Tettnang28 September 1402 – 14311431aged 40–41UnmarriedWilliamc.1390Second son of and Kunigunde of Montfort-Tettnang28 September 1402 – 1429Anna of Nogarelisno children1429aged 38–39Ulrich VIIIc.1390Son of John II and Margaret of Rhazuns1444 – 1461Lordship of MatschTyla of Freundbergno children1461aged 70–71 1419Son of and Barbara of Starkenberg1461 – 1489Lordship of MatschAgnes of Kirchberg II(d.1472)four children1489aged 69–70 Son of Ulrich VI. Ruled with his cousin since 1444.1436Son of and Agnes of Kirchberg II1489 – 1504Lordship of MatschHippolyte of Simonettathree children1504 Left no descendants; Through his sister Barbara, the Matsch possessions fell to the Barons von Trapp.
Family tree Descent (among others after Justinian LadurnerP. Justinian Ladurner: Die Vögte von Matsch, später auch Grafen zu Kirchberg.):
1. Hartwig I of Matsch († after 1167). 1. Ulrich I of Matsch (* 1161). 1. Arnold von Matsch († 1221), Bishop of Chur (from 1209/10). 2. Egino I. Vogt von Matsch and the monastery of Marienberg (1160-1192); Heir of the Matsch bailiffs. 1. Egino II Vogt von Matsch and Marienberg, (* 1189; † November 25, 1238) ∞ Adelheid von Wangen, daughter of Albero von Wangen. 1. Hartwig II Vogt von Matsch and Marienberg (* 1214; † December 20, 1249) ∞ Sophie von Moosburg. 1. Albero I Vogt von Matsch (* 1242; † Jan. 10, 1280) ∞ Sophie von Velturns († after Aug. 10, 1308), daughter of Hugo von Velturns and Elisabeth von Eppan († 1273); their father was Ulrich, Count of Eppan († after 1233) from the noble family of Eppan . 1. Ulrich II Vogt von Matsch (1273–1328) ∞ Margaretha of Vaz († after 1343), daughter of Walter V Herr von Vaz (from the Barons von Vaz family ), and the Liukarde von Kirchberg († May 24, 1326); whose parents were Eberhard III, Count von Kirchberg († before 1283) and Uta von Neuffen (from the Neuffen family). 1. Offmei Utehild von Matsch (* 1301; † after 1353) ∞ Albert II, Count of Gorizia († 1327). 2. Ulrich III. Vogt von Marienberg and Chur, pledgee of Vaduz and Greifenstein († Oct. 25, 1366) ∞ Adelheid von Werdenberg († 1365) from the Alpeck side line of the Counts of Werdenberg-Sargans . 1. Ulrich IV Vogt von Matsch and first Count of Kirchberg (1349–1402), Governor of Tyrol 1361–1363 ∞ Agnes Countess of Kirchberg († 1401). 1. Ulrich V. († 1396) ∞ Cunigunde Countess of Monfort-Tetnang. 1. Ulrich VII (1396-1431), Governor of Tyrol 1410-1411 and 1429-1431. 2. Wilhelm († 1429), ducal Governor of Trento 1408, governor of Tyrol 1417-1429. 2. Johann II († 1397) ∞ Margareth, Baroness of Rhäzüns. 1. Ulrich VIII (1396–1461), governor of Tyrol 1431–1448, 1446–1448 also steward ∞ Teela von Freundsberg († 1439). 3. Elisabeth († after 1443 Since she was his widow and heiress, she can only have died after 1436. In 1442 she is said to have retired to the Rüti monastery, in 1443 it is mentioned that she had to flee from the Rüti monastery to Rapperswil. Christian Sieber: Der Vater tot, das Haus verbrannt. Der Alte Zürichkrieg aus der Sicht der Opfer in Stadt und Landschaft Zürich, in: Peter Niederhäuser – Christian Sieber (Hrsg.): Ein «Bruderkrieg» macht Geschichte. Neue Zugänge zum Alten Zürichkrieg (= Mitteilungen der Antiquarischen Gesellschaft in Zürich 73), Zürich 2006, S. 76.) ∞ Frederick VII Count of Toggenburg († 1436). 4. Ulrich VI Count of Matsch († 1444) ∞ Barbara von Starkenberg († 1425); Daughter of Sigmund von Starkenberg († 1401) and Osanna von Ems († after 1418) († 1407), granddaughter of the knight Ulrich I von Ems from the house of the Lords of Ems and a daughter from the noble family Schellenberg . 1. Ulrich IX Count of Kirchberg and Matsch (1419–1489), governor of Tyrol 1471–1476 ∞ Agnes Countess of Kirchberg-Udalriching and Werdenberg-Sargans (4th great-granddaughter of the above-mentioned Eberhard III. of Kirchberg and Uta von Neuffen). 1. Gaudenz von Matsch (1436-1504), governor of Tyrol 1478-1482, steward and general in the Venetian War of 1486; last male offspring of the Matscher.
Important members of the family Egino I of Matsch (1160–1192) Arnold of Matsch, Bishop of Chur (1210–1221) Elizabeth of Matsch (died after 1443), later widow of Frederick VII, the last Count of Toggenburg Gaudenz of Matsch (1436–1504)
References
Sources Justinian Ladurner, Die Vögte von Matsch, später auch Grafen von Kirchberg, in: Zeitschrift des Ferdinandeums für Tirol und Vorarlberg, 1st Section: Issue 16 (1871), pp. 5–292; 2nd Section: Issue 17 (1872), pp. 1–235; 3rd Section: Issue 18 (1874), pp. 7–158.
External links
Historisches Lexikon Bayerns: Kirchberg, Grafen von (Sarah Hadry)