Editing Landau (section)

==History and other settings==
Landau was first mentioned as a settlement in 1106. It was in the possession of the counts of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Landeck, whose arms, differenced by an [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]] of the Imperial eagle, served as the arms of Landau until 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/kreis/landaup.htm |title=Landaup |access-date=2005-06-13 |archive-date=2005-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050504014211/http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/kreis/landaup.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The town was granted a charter in 1274 by King [[Rudolph I of Germany|Rudolf I]] of [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]], who declared the town a [[Free Imperial Town]] in 1291; nevertheless Prince-Bishop Emich of [[Prince-Bishopric of Speyer|Speyer]], a major landowner in the district, seized the town in 1324. The town did not regain its ancient rights until 1511 from [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]]. An [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] monastery was founded in 1276. It has also helped provide college education for the past 28 years.

[[File:LASB K Hellwig 1040.jpg|thumb|Fortress of Landau 1695]]
[[File:LASB K Hellwig 1041.jpg|thumb|Siege of Landau 1702]]
After the [[Peace of Westphalia]] in 1648, control of Landau was ceded to France, although with certain ill-defined reservations.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Landau |volume=16 |page=153}}</ref> Landau was later part of [[France]] from 1680 to 1815,<ref>{{cite web |title=Landau |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Landau-Germany |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> during which it was one of the ''[[Décapole]]'', the ten free cities of [[Alsace]], and received its modern fortifications by [[Louis XIV]]'s military architect [[Vauban]] in 1688–99, making the little town (its 1789 population was approximately 5,000) one of Europe's strongest citadels. In the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] it had four sieges. After the [[Siege of Landau (1702)|siege of 1702]] lost by the French, an Imperial garrison was installed in Landau. In a [[Siege of Landau (1703)|subsequent siege]] from 13 October to 15 November 1703 the French regained the town, following their victory in the [[Battle of Speyerbach]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ehrend |first=Helfried |title=Die vier Belegerungen von Landau auf Münzen und Medaillen |language=de |publisher=Numismatische Gesellschaft Speyer e.V. |location=Speyer |year=1972 |pages=26}}</ref> A [[Siege of Landau (1704)|third siege]], begun on 12 September 1704 by [[Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden|Louis, Margrave of Baden-Baden]], ended on 23 November 1704 with a French defeat.<ref>{{cite book |last=Heuser |first=Emil |title=Die dritte und vierte Belagerung Landaus im spanischen Erbfolgekrieg (1704 und 1713) |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_y3gqAAAAYAAJ |language=de |publisher=Ed. Kaußlers Buchhandlung |location=Landau Pfalz |year=1896 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_y3gqAAAAYAAJ/page/n14 3]–99}}</ref> During this siege [[Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|King Joseph I]] arrived at Landau coming from Vienna in a newly developed convertible carriage. This carriage would become very popular and became named the [[Landau (carriage)|landau]] in English, or [[:de:Landauer|Landauer]] in German. The French recaptured Landau once more in a [[Siege of Landau (1713)|final siege]] which lasted from 6 June to 20 August 1713 by Marshal General [[Claude Louis Hector de Villars|Villars]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Heuser |first=Emil |title=Die dritte und vierte Belagerung Landaus im spanischen Erbfolgekrieg (1704 und 1713) |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_y3gqAAAAYAAJ |language=de |publisher=Ed. Kaußlers Buchhandlung |location=Landau Pfalz |year=1896 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_y3gqAAAAYAAJ/page/n173 163]–214}}</ref>

Landau was part of [[Bas-Rhin]] department between 1789 and 1815. After [[Napoleon]]'s [[Hundred Days]] following his escape from Elba, Landau, which had remained French, was granted to the [[Kingdom of Bavaria]] in 1815 and became the capital of one of the thirteen ''Bezirksämter'' (counties) of the Bavarian [[Palatinate (region)|Rheinkreis]], later renamed Pfalz.

In 1840 famous political cartoonist [[Thomas Nast]] was born in Landau.

Following [[World War II]], Landau was an important barracks town for the [[History of Germany since 1945|French occupation]].