Editing Rudolf I of Germany (section)

== Count of Habsburg ==

At his father's death in 1239, Rudolf inherited from him large estates  around the ancestral seat of [[Habsburg Castle]] in the [[Aargau]] region of present-day [[Switzerland]] as well as in [[Alsace]]. Thus, in 1240,<ref name=EnBr>Encyclopædia Britannica. '''26'''. 1911, pp. 247</ref> in order to quell the rising power of Rudolf and in an attempt to place the important "[[Devil's Bridge]]" (''{{lang|de|Teufelsbrücke}}'') across the ''{{lang|de|Schöllenenschlucht}}'' under his direct control, Emperor Frederick II granted [[Schwyz]] ''[[Reichsfreiheit]]'' in the ''Freibrief von Faenza''.

In 1242, [[Hugh of Tuffenstein]] provoked Count Rudolf through contumelious expressions.{{clarify|date=October 2016}} In turn, the Count of Habsburg had invaded his domains, yet failed to take his seat of power. As the day passed on,{{clarify|date=October 2016}} Count Rudolf bribed the sentinels of the city and gained entry, killing Hugh in the process. Then in 1244, to help control [[Lake Lucerne]] and restrict the neighboring forest communities of [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], Schwyz and [[Unterwalden]], Rudolf built near its shores [[Neuhabsburg Castle]].<ref name=EnBr/> In 1245 Rudolf married Gertrude, daughter of Count Burkhard III of [[Counts of Hohenberg (Swabia)|Hohenberg]]. He received as her dowry the castles of [[Oettingen]], the valley of [[Weile]], and other places in Alsace, and he became an important vassal in Swabia, the former [[Alamanni|Alemannic]] German [[stem duchy]].

Rudolf paid frequent visits to the court of his godfather, the [[House of Hohenstaufen|Hohenstaufen]] emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]], and his loyalty to Frederick and his son, King [[Conrad IV of Germany]], was richly rewarded by grants of land. In 1254, he engaged with other nobles of the Staufen party against [[Bertold II, Bishop of Basle]]. When night fell, he penetrated the suburbs of Basle and burnt down the local nunnery, an act for which [[Pope Innocent IV]] excommunicated him and all parties involved.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} As a penance, he took up the cross and joined [[Ottokar II of Bohemia|Ottokar II, King of Bohemia]] in the [[Prussian Crusade#Samland|Prussian Crusade of 1254]]. Whilst there, he oversaw the founding of the city of [[Königsberg]], which was named in memory of King Ottokar.