13 - The Court of Baden-Durlach in Karlsruhe

Summary

IN 1535, THE MARGRAVIATE OF BADEN was divided into two territories: Baden-Durlach and Baden-Baden, which were Protestant and Catholic respectively. Initially, the Protestant branch of the house of Baden resided in Pforzheim, but in 1565 they transferred their seat to Durlach. In 1715, in the wake of the extensive devastation of Durlach during the War of the Palatine Succession (1688–97), including the destruction of its residential palace, the Karlsburg or ‘Carolsburg’, a new town was founded and a new palace built on the Rhine plain near Durlach, in what is today Karlsruhe. Similar action had been taken in the Catholic margraviate of Baden-Baden several years earlier, after its residence (also named Baden-Baden) had been burnt down by French troops in 1689: from 1700 onwards a new palace together with a ‘planned’ town were constructed in Rastatt, with buildings erected according to compulsory architectural guidelines. The relocation of the Baden-Durlach court to Karslruhe was completed by 1718. And when, in 1771, following the death of the last margrave of Baden-Baden, the two territories were reunited under the conditions of the deed of inheritance, Karlsruhe remained the official residence until the end of World War I. For a short period of time, between 1803 and 1806, Baden became an electorate and then existed as a grand duchy until 1918; furthermore, as a member of the Confederation of the Rhine (1806–13), it had also gained large territories.