Noble family House of Sponheim Name Simon Count | Died 1336, Kastellaun, Germany | |
Spouse(s) Elisabeth II of Valkenburg Father John I, Count of Sponheim-Kreuznach Mother Adelaide of Leiningen-Landeck Parents John I, Count of Sponheim-Kreuznach | ||
Simon II of Sponheim (c. 1270 – 1336 in Kastellaun) was a German nobleman. He was a member of the House of Sponheim and a ruling Count of the Front County of Sponheim.
Contents
Life
Simon II was born around the year 1270 as a son of Count John I of Sponheim and his wife Adelaide of Leiningen-Landeck. After his father died in 1290, Simon II ruled the front county jointly with his brother John II.
He married Elisabeth II of Valkenburg in 1300. Around this time, the brothers divided the county. The dividing line was Soonwald Forest; Simon II ruled the part north of the forest, including Kirchberg and Kastellaun. Simon chose Kastellaun Castle as his residence, even though Kirchberg was the only town in his part of the county. He expanded the castle and the town, giving it city rights in 1305 and market rights in 1309. Later, he built city walls and a new church, which today serves as the evangelical church.
Simon II's younger brother Emerich made two failed attempts to be elected Archbishop. Both attempts were blocked by the powerful Luxembourg family. After this blockade, Simon II and his brothers opposed Archbishop Baldwin of Archbishopric of Trier and supported his opponent, anti-king Frederick the Fair, the opponent of Emperor Louis IV. Their opposition to the Luxembourg dynasty formed the basis of their policies, and led to numerous feuds.
In 1320, Baldwin captured the Sponheim city of Sprendlingen and besieged Kreuznach and Kastellaun. A year later, Simon II gave up and signed a peace treaty with Baldwin. In 1325, Baldwin constructed Balduinseck Castle, to weaken the position of Kastellaun Castle. Three years later, Simon II supported the wildgraves of Nahegau, who fought Archbishop Baldwin over Schmidtburg Castle.
Simon II died in 1336 and was buried in the church he had built in Kastellaun. A double grave monument for Simon II and his wife can still be found in the church. His heir was his son Walram.
Marriage and issue
He married Elisabeth II of Valkenburg in 1300. Together, they had the following children:
- before 1331 to Count Rudolph I of Hohenberg (d. 1336)
- before 15 October 1340 to Louis the Junker of Hesse (d. 1345)