County of Gützkow

The County of Gützkow (German: Grafschaft Gützkow) was a part of the Duchy of Pomerania during the High Middle Ages (1219–1359), named after the central town of Gützkow and stretching roughly from the Peene River in the South to the Ryck River in the North. It emerged from the earlier Liutician Principality of Gützkow (German: Fürstentum Gützkow), that was turned into a castellany when subdued by the Dukes of Pomerania. When the last Count of Gützkow died in 1359, the area was turned into a Vogtei, which was merged into Amt Wolgast in the beginning 16th century.

Until the 12th century, the burgh of Gützkow was the center of a Liutizian principality. When Otto von Bamberg converted the area to Christianity in 1128, Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania, had already subdued it. Otto's chroniclers reported a princeps "Mitzlaw de Gützkow". Otto levelled an important Liutizian temple and replaced it with St Nicolai's church, now the center of the town of Gützkow.

The dukes of Pomerania turned the principality into a Pomeranian castellany (German: Kastellanei) district and appointed a castellan (German: Kastellan). In 1164 and 1177, the area was subject to Danish and Saxon raids.

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