Duchy of Holstein
| Duchy of Holstein | ||||||||||
| Herzogtum Holstein Hertugdømmet Holsten |
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State of the Holy Roman Empire (1474–1806) State of the German Confederation (1815–1864), Personal union with the Kingdom of Denmark (1474–1544; 1773–1864) |
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 The Duchy of Holstein in 1789
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| Capital | Glückstadt | |||||||||
| Languages | German, Danish | |||||||||
| Religion | Lutheran | |||||||||
| Government | Feudal Monarchy | |||||||||
| Duke | ||||||||||
| • | 1474–1481 | Christian I (first) | ||||||||
| • | 1863–1864 | Christian IX (last) | ||||||||
| Historical era | Early Modern | |||||||||
| • | Treaty of Ribe | 5 March 1460 | ||||||||
| • | Duchy established | 14 February 1474 | ||||||||
| • | Schleswig War | 1 February 1864 | ||||||||
| • | Treaty of Vienna | 30 October 1864 | ||||||||
| Currency | Rigsdaler | |||||||||
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The Duchy of Holstein (German: Herzogtum Holstein, Danish: Hertugdømmet Holsten) was the northernmost state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the present German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It was established when King Christian I of Denmark had his County of Holstein-Rendsburg elevated to a duchy by Emperor Frederick III in 1474. Holstein was ruled jointly with the Duchy of Schleswig by members of the Danish House of Oldenburg for its entire existence.
From 1490 to 1523 and again from 1544 to 1773 the Duchy was partitioned between various Oldenburg branches, most notably the dukes of Holstein-Glückstadt (identical with the Kings of Denmark) and Holstein-Gottorp. The Duchy ceased to exist when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866 after the Second Schleswig War.
The northern border of Holstein along the Eider River had already formed the northern border of the Carolingian Empire, after Emperor Charlemagne upon the Saxon Wars reached an agreement with King Hemming of Denmark in 811. The lands of Schleswig beyond the river remained a fief of the Danish Crown, while Holstein became an integral part of East Francia, the Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.
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