page_title: Erlach family
section_title: From landless knights to mayors of Bern
hierarchical_section_title: Erlach family / From landless knights to mayors of Bern
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Altstadt von Erlach, im Vordergrund das Schloss
context_page_description: The Erlach family was a Bernese patrician family. They first became citizens of Bern around 1300. During the 17th and 18th Centuries they were one of the leading families in Bern. For centuries the family served as senior military commanders in both Bern and in foreign armies. They were mayors of Bern and ruled over many other towns and cities in western Switzerland. Several family members received the upper nobility title "Reichsgraf".
context_section_description: The Erlach family is first mentioned as a ministerialis (or unfree knight) family in the service of the Counts of Nidau.  Initially they were the castellans in Erlach Castle in the town of Erlach on Lake Biel.  By 1300 they were citizens of Bern and had tied their fate to the city.  According to the historian Conrad Justinger, in 1339 Rudolf von Erlach led the victorious Bernese forces at the Battle of Laupen.  In the following year he led a Bernese army in a raid on the city of Fribourg.  Before his death, in 1360, Rudolf bought property and governance rights in Jegenstorf and Reichenbach Castle (in Zollikofen).
  In the 15th century they added the municipalities and villages of Hindelbank, Jegenstorf, Wyl (now part of Münchenbuchsee), Riggisberg and Bümpliz.  They began to take a major role in politics in the city of Bern and married into a number of noble and wealthy patrician families.  By the mid 15th century, Ulrich (died 1465) became the first of seven von Erlach Schultheissen (or Mayors) to serve in the city of Bern.
  The next von Erlach family member to serve as Schultheiss was Rudolf (born 1448, died 1507).  He was Schultheiss from 1479 until 1507 with several short interruptions.  While still a member of the Kleinrat (small council) he led Bernese troops to besiege Grandson and Murten during the Burgundian Wars in 1476.   During the Swabian War of 1499, Rudolf once again took command of a Bernese army and fought in the Hegau region and in the Battle of Dornach.  Rudolf divided the family estates between his two sons, Johann (1474-1539) and Diebold (1485-1561).
caption: Erlach Castle
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