During the Early Middle Ages, the stem duchies formed the major divisions of the eastern Carolingian kingdom (roughly the region of modern Germany). Most of them corresponded to the main Germanic tribes or confederations called "stems" (German: Stamm), the Franks, Saxons and Thuringians, and the confederations called Swabians—heirs of the Suevi called "Alemanni" by their neighbors—and the Bavarians—heirs of the Rugii dispersed by Odoacer in 487. Thuringia was annexed to the Royal domain in 908 and although reinstated as a Duchy in 1031, it was downgraded to a mere Landgraviate in 1130. Lotharingia—as Upper Lorraine and Lower Lorraine—is accounted a stem duchy to replace Thuringia, though Lotharingia's short-lived territories, 955-970, corresponded to no ethnic or cultural unity. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The Carolingians (also known as the Carlovingians) were a dynasty of rulers that eventually controlled the Frankish realm and its successors from the 8th to the 10th century, officially taking over the kingdoms from the Merovingian dynasty in 751. ... The Franks were one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm in an area that covers most of modern-day France and the region of Franconia in Germany, forming the historic kernel of both these two modern... This article is about the Saxons, a Germanic people. ... The Thuringii was a tribe which appeared later than most in the highlands of central Germany, a region which still bears their name to this day -- Thuringia. ... Swabia (German Schwabenland) is a historic region in Germany and a language area. ... The Suebi or Suevi were a Germanic people whose origin was near the Baltic Sea . ... The Alamanni, Allemanni or Alemanni, are a Germanic tribe, first mentioned by Dio Cassius, under the year 213. ... Geography Bavaria shares international borders with Austria and the Czech Republic. ... The Rugians (Latin rugii) were an East Germanic tribe whose ultimate origins have been traced to Rogaland in Norway, whose population probably was the Rugii that Jordanes mentioned as a tribe that still remained in Scandza. ... Odoacer, also known as Odovacar (435 – 493) was the half Hunnish, half Scirian chieftain of the Germanic Heruli. ... Lotharingia was a kingdom in western Europe, named after Lothair, King of Lotharingia (reigned 855-869), who received it in 855 from his father, Lothair I (795-855), Holy Roman Emperor. ... The Duchy of Lorraine was an independent state for most of the period of time between 843 to 1739. ... The Duchy of Lower Lorraine encompassed part of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands. ...

Each tribe or confederacy accepted as leader a warrior chieftain acclaimed from the worthiest men of fighting age in a ruling family. The military leaders had acquired the Roman title of dux under Carolingian rule, part of the conscious revival of Romanized customs and formulas that characterize Charlemagne's court. The stem dukes loosely controlled a group of great nobles, and expected to appoint bishops and abbots within their territories. Dux (plural Duces) is Latin for leader, mainly in a military context. ... A Frankish king, like Charlemagne, (center) depicted in the Sacramentary of Charles the Bald (about 870) Charlemagne (c. ...

When the last of the Carolingian line died in 911, the stem dukes asserting their Germanic rights to elect a king from among their number, acclaimed Conrad I, duke of Franconia King of the Germans. At his death in 918, they met again to ratify his successor, Henry the Fowler. Conrad I (or Konrad), Duke of Franconia, King of Germany was king of the German Holy Roman Empire from 911 to 918. ... Henry I, the Fowler (German, Heinrich der Vogler) (876 - July 2, 936), was Duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death in 936. ...

From the stem duchies evolved the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. An elector can be: In the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, the collegiate of seven Electors (eight since 1648) (Kurfürsten) consisted of those lay or clerical princes who had the right to vote in the election of the king or Holy Roman Emperor; see prince-elector. ... This page is about the Germanic empire. ...

• Duchy of Saxony
• Duchy of Franconia
• Duchy of Bavaria
• Duchy of Swabia
• Duchy of Lorraine (replacing Duchy of Thuringia)

The Duchy of Saxony was a medieval Duchy covering the greater part of Northern Germany. ... The Franconian Rake is the symbol and unofficial coat of arms of Franconia, also appearing in emblems of many Franconian cities Franconia (German, Franken), an historic region in Germany, now forms three administrative districts of the state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... The following is a list of rulers of Bavaria: Dukes of Bavaria, 889-1623 Liutpolding Dynasty Liutpold 889-907 Arnulf the Bad 907-937 Eberhard 937 Berthold 938-947 Liudolfing ( Ottonian) Dynasty Henry I 947-955 Henry II the Quarrelsome 955-976 Otto I 976-982 Liutpolding Dynasty Henry III... The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia, including the several holders of the title who were also Holy Roman Emperors. ... The Duchy of Lorraine was an independent state for most of the period of time between 843 to 1739. ... The Free State of Thuringia (German Freistaat Thüringen) lies in central Germany and is among the smaller of the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 sq. ...

External link

• The Stem Duchies & Marches (http://www.friesian.com/germany.htm)