Editing Dithmarschen (section)

===Post-Medieval===
After the victory of Hemmingstedt Dithmarschen regularly sent its delegates to the [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] [[Diet (assembly)|Diets]] (Hansetage).<ref name="Dollinger 1998 124"/> In 1554 the Hanseatic Diet confirmed that free Ditmarsian peasants doing business cannot be considered equal to merchants being [[:wikt:burgher|burgher]]s of free or autonomous cities, but are, nevertheless, accepted as enjoying all Hanseatic advantages.<ref name="Dollinger 1998 124"/> Thus Ditmarsian merchants, along with those from [[Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights|Teutonic Prussia]], were the only beneficiaries of a quasi membership within the Hanse, although lacking the background of citizenship in an autonomous or [[Free imperial city|free city]].<ref name="Dollinger 1998 124"/>

It was not until 1559 and the [[Last Feud]] between the King of Denmark and the Ditmarsians that the free peasants were forced to give up their political and religious autonomy by the successful invasion commanded by Count [[Johan Rantzau]] from [[Steinburg]], one of the best strategists of the time {{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}. Since then the coat of arms of Dithmarschen has shown a warrior on horseback, representing a knight of Rantzau. This knight has later been identified with [[Saint George]], then considered to be the patron of Dithmarschen.

The conquerors – King [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]], Duke [[Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp|Adolf]], and Duke [[John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev|John II the Elder]] – divided Dithmarschen into two parts: the south became a part of Holstein in [[personal union]] with Denmark while the north came into the possession of the other Duke of Holstein. From 1773 all of Holstein was united in personal union with Denmark and remained so until 1864, when, following the [[Second Schleswig War]], the Duchies of Holstein and of [[Duchy of Schleswig|Schleswig]] became an occupied territory of the [[German Confederation]]. Two years later, following the [[Austro-Prussian War]], Dithmarschen became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]], which annexed Holstein and Schleswig making them subsequently the [[Province of Schleswig-Holstein]].

The Middle Ages in Dithmarschen are held to have continued into the 19th century, when the [[Kiel Canal]] was completed, fens began to be drained, and agricultural reforms took place. Within the [[States of Germany|Bundesland]] Schleswig-Holstein, the area remained divided into the districts of ''Norderdithmarschen'' (Northern Ditmarsh) and ''Süderdithmarschen'' (Southern Ditmarsh) before they were united in 1970 as the district of Dithmarschen.