# Holstein-Kiel

The imperial county of Holstein-Kiel was a line of the House of Schauenburg and Holstein from 1261 to 1390.

## History

The County of Holstein was ruled until 1238 by Adolphus IV of Schauenburg and Holstein. When he retired, his sons John I and Gerhard I ruled jointly in Holstein. In 1261 they divided the county, John taking Kiel and founding the line of Holstein-Kiel, and Gerhard taking Itzehoe and founding the Holstein-Itzehoe line.
In 1300 Holstein-Itzehoe was further divided into Holstein-Plön, Holstein-Pinneberg and Holstein-Rendsburg.
In 1350 the County of Holstein-Plön fell to the counts of Holstein-Kiel.
In 1390 the last Count of Holstein-Kiel, and hence of Holstein-Plön, died without issue. Both counties were inherited by the line of Holstein-Rendsburg.

## Counts of Holstein-Kiel

* 1261-1263 John I (1229 – 1263)
* 1263-1273 Adolphus V the Pomeranian (1252 – 1308), from 1273 Count of Holstein-Segeberg
* 1263-1316 John II the One-Eyed (1253 – 1321)
* 1316-1359 John III the Mild (ca. 1297 – 1359), from 1312 Count of Holstein-Plön
* 1359-1390 Adolphus VII (ca. 1329 – 1390), also Count of Holstein-Plön
Following the death of John I, his sons, Adolphus V and John II ruled Holstein-Kiel jointly. In 1273, they divided Holstein-Kiel, John II ruling from Kiel; Adolphus V ruling from Segeberg and founding the line of Holstein-Segeberg. When Adolphus V died in 1308 without a male heir, Holstein-Segeberg returned to Holstein-Kiel.
The successor of John II in 1316 was John III, a son of Gerhard II of Holstein-Plön.
After the death of Count Gerhard V of Holstein-Plön, a nephew of John III, the Plön main line ended in 1350 and so John III took over the County of Holstein-Plön.
When Adolphus VII died without heirs in 1390, Holstein-Kiel and Holstein-Plön went into the hands of Count Gerhard VI of Holstein-Rendsburg.

## Rise and fall of the county

| | | | | | | | | Holstein | Holstein | Holstein | Holstein | Holstein | Holstein | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | Holstein-Kiel (1261–1390) | | | | | | | | | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | Holstein-Itzehoe (1261–1300) | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | Holstein-Segeberg (1273-1308) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Plön (1300–1390) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Rendsburg (1300–1459) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | Holstein-Pinneberg (1300–1640) | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | Duchy of Holstein (from 1474) | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) | Imperial County of Rantzau (1650–1726) |