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Thimngia.] GERMANY, 551
§.3. Thiiringla cov\\.s\\^% in it forty-feven towns, fourteen boroughs, fix
hundred and feventy-four (or according to Henipel^ table eight hundred and
thirty-three) villages, three hundred noble eftates, two hundied and fittvtwo
pariih-churches at the villages, ninety-fix filial-churches, {t\tn fiaperintendencies
and five under-conhftories. Among the towns there are four
here which belong to the feledion of the towns ; namely, one to the leifer
and three to the wider feledtion ; feven general towns, whicti belong to the
third clafs of the provinces, and one hundred and feventy-fix immediate
vaffals.
§. 4. Thuringia takes its name from the ancient Tlmringi ; but the modern
'Thuringia, which lies nearly between the Saale and the Werra^ the
foreft oi Thurijigia and the Harzivalde, is but a part of the ancient Thuringia,
(a country formerly comprized under that name,) extending itfelf much
farther every way. In the fixth century the Franks and Saxons fubjefted
the T^huringiajis to their dominion, whofe country from that time forwards
became divided into the north and fouth. The limits between both were
notfo much the JJnllriit as the foreft of iJ-rrrz'ti'^/fl't' and the v'wtr Heline which
flows in the golden Auc or meadow. North-Thuriugia towards the north
extended itfelf beyond the Harz\calde quite to the river Elbe, and belonged to
the Saxons. It was united with the dutchy of Saxony, loft its name, and
was at length annexed to Eaßphalia, or to the eaftern part of the country
of Saxony. Sotith-Thuringia belonged to the Franks, and comprized in it
the modern Thuringia, together with a large (liare of the modern Franconia,
Helfe, &c. It was divided into feveral cantons or Pagi, over which
Counts were appointed. Til! the eleventh century it ftood under the Emperors
and Kings, and befides the Counts we find alfo fome Dukes mentioned,
to whom the German Kings entrufted the government of this country.
In the eleventh century the Emperors Conrad II. and Henry III.
made Count Lewis the Bearded (of whofe pedigree fome account has been
given above) a donation of certain eftates in Thuringia, to which that
Count added likewife fome others by means of purchale and marriage.
His fon Lewis II. who was alfo furnamed the Springer or Vaulter, refided^
it is true, at the paternal citadel of Schanenlmrg, but built, moreover, other
citadel?. His fon again, named Lewis III. vv^as by the Emperor Lotharius
created, in the year 1152, Landgrave oi Thuringia, after having ftripped
Hermann of Winzenburg of that dignity. And thus this Lewis is reckoned
the firft of that name among the Landgraves of Thuringia. His race became
extin(fl in the vear 1247 in the perfon of the Landgrave Henry Rafpc^
Sophia, daughter to his elder brother St. Lewis, was married to Hetiry V.
V)kxV.^ oi Brabant ; and Henry I, fon to them both, and furnamed /y6^ C/j/A/,
afpired now to the landgravate of Thuringia : But the Marggrave Henry
ilh' lilußrious of Meißn, fifter's fon to the laft-mentioned Landgrave, annexed
the langravate to himfelf, as well on account of a nearer hereditary
right