Münch (family lineage)

The history of the dynasty of the family Münch unfolded within a period of about three hundred years, between 1200 and 1500 AD. During this time the Münchs were one of the most influential family lineages in Basel.

Beginning in 1232, when the Münchs were awarded their knighthood, they increasingly used a crest showing a black-robed, red shoed, bald monk with hanging hood, and hands raised in prayer in a white field. The Münch Dynasty began as monks of war. The emblem was adopted as modern day official coat of arms of the Münchenstein municipality. Note the 1st family members surname derived from monk were Monachus.

Dominus Hugo Monachus I, 1185 AD, Dominus Cunrat Monachus I, de Basilea, 1191 and Hugo Monachus II, 1221 AD were the first family members with the Latin surname Monachus. In Old High German language, the surname Münch is the equivalent for the Latin word Monachus meaning Monk. In the beginning church Latin was the only written Old High German language.

Konrad Münch, the Old High German surname, married Katharina von Löwenberg in 1371. Löwenberg means Lion Mountain. The Münch Dynasty acquired and ruled Muttenz, Switzerland and other properties acquired from the Laufenberg branch of the von Hapsburg Dynasty for Münch family military service. Following the marriage of Konrad and Katharina, the Münch Dynasty and Löwenberg, Lion Castle, Dynasty (inherited by Katharina) merged.

An alliance between the two great dynasties ensued and an gave rise to an alliance coat of arms, pictured in this document. The original Münch von Münchenstein coat of arms has only the Monk on the shield, aside pictured.

The Coat of Arms are inside and on outside towers of the St. Arbogast Church, in Muttenz, Switzerland, for over 1600 years. It is the only fortified church remaining in Europe. The coat of arms are there for everyone to see, paint and photograph. The coat of arms were published in De Münch von Münchenstein by Dorris Huggel ed. by Kulturkcommission der Bügergemeinde Münchenstein. 1999]

The name Münch first appeared in an official document from the year 1185. Thereafter Hugo I Münch was mentioned repeatedly in official documents or in public records, alternatively as named Hugo cognomento Monachus, Hugo cognomine Monachus or Hugo Monachus.

The Münchs rose to commissionaires of the bishop of Basel. During this period the bishops' mentors and consultants were a privileged society. The first knight Münch was mentioned in 1232 and he lived in Burg, one of the most exclusive and aristocratic areas in the city, near the Basel Münster.

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Wikipedia