Egloffstein Castle

The Egloffstein family is documented since 1180, while the castle itself was first mentioned in 1358 when Albrecht II von Egloffstein founded a chaplaincy there. Originally owned by the family, Götz von Egloffstein had to flee here in 1372 after his Leienfels Castle was destroyed. To prevent a siege by the Bishop of Bamberg, he was excluded from the family in 1374. In 1376, the bishop enforced the right of access to parts of the castle. During the First Margrave War in 1449/50, the castle was damaged but extensively rebuilt between 1482 and 1493. Financial difficulties led the Egloffsteins to pledge their shares of the property to the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg as a fief from 1509. Despite strengthened defenses, the castle fell to the Nuremberg forces in 1504 during the Landshut War of Succession and was partially burned down. After reconstruction, it was again destroyed in the German Peasants' War in 1525 and rebuilt only slowly.