Betzenstein Castle

The origins of Betzenstein Castle likely date back to 1187, when it was probably built as the seat of the ministerialis Friedrich von Betzenstein. Its first documentary mention occurred on August 11, 1311, when Konrad von Schlüsselberg was enfeoffed with it by the Bamberg Bishop Wulfing von Stubenberg. Due to a feud between Bishop Werntho Schenk von Reicheneck and Ulrich von Leuchtenberg, the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg lost a part of the castle, which Landgrave Ulrich enfeoffed to the Crown of Bohemia in 1327. It is assumed that a double complex existed at that time, with an episcopal part on the northern rock and a Leuchtenberg part on the southern rock. Following an agreement between the Bishops of Würzburg and Bamberg and the Burgraves of Nuremberg in 1347, ownership passed to the Burgraves, who sold it to the Leuchtenberg Landgraves in 1359.