House of Sax

The noble family von Sax (originally de Sacco) were a medieval noble family in eastern Switzerland. They owned estates and castles on both sides of the Alps in the modern cantons of St. Gallen, Graubünden and Ticino. The origin of the family is unknown, but they probably stem from Churrätien nobility and were related to the da Torre family. The family divided into two main lines; the Grafen von Sax-Misox and the Freiherren von Hohensax.

The earliest mention of a member of the family is in 1137/39 with Eberhard de Sacco. In 1168, they were granted a fief over the Misox valley, probably as a reward for their support of the Hohenstaufen family. The founder of the line was Albrecht of Sax who first appears in a record in 1188. His brother, Heinrich reorganized the administration of the Abbey of St. Gall and brought it under their authority. Albrecht's sons, Ulrich (first mentioned 1204, died 23 September 1220) and Heinrich (born around 1180, last mentioned 31 March 1247) became the abbot and vogt, respectively, over the Abbey of St. Gall. Between 1208 and 1213 they became vogts over Disentis and Pfäfers Abbeys. In 1212 they supported Frederick II in his bid to become Emperor and gained extensive land and wealth from him. To protect their expansive holdings, the family built Clanx Castle in Appenzell, Hohensax Castle in Sennwald and Mesocco Castle in Mesocco in Graubünden. In 1220, they expanded their southern holdings into the Leventina and Blenio Valleys. The next 28 years marked a high point in the family's power. In 1248, the family holdings were divided between two of Heinrich's grandsons. The southern holdings in Graubünden and Ticino as well as Clanx Castle and Pfäfers Abbey were inherited by Heinrich (first mention 1235, last mention 1258) and Albrecht (first mention 1236, last mention 1275), who became the heads of the Sax-Misox line. The northern estates around Hohensax and St. Gallen were inherited by Ulrich (first mention 1236, last mention 1257) who founded the Hohensax line.

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