Erguel Explained

Native Name:Erguël
Conventional Long Name:Erguel
Common Name:Erguel
Empire:Biel/Bienne
Event Start:Established
Year Start:1264-1797[1]
Event1:Becomes Protectorate of Biel/Bienne
Date Event1:1335
Event2:Merged into the French department of Mont-Terrible
Date Event2:1797
Event3:Merged into the French department of Haut-Rhin
Date Event3:1800
Event4:Part of Courtelary District, (BE) Switzerland
Date Event4:1815
Capital:Erguël
Religion:Catholic
Leader1:Otto of Arguel
Year Leader1:1264-?
Title Leader:Sire

Erguël is a medieval seigniory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Basel, and under protectorate of Biel/Bienne, under military jurisdiction from 1335, in the now called valley of St.-Imier, in the now Bernese Jura, Switzerland.

The Sire of the area used to live in the Château d'Erguel.

History

In 1264, the Bishop of Basel appointed Otto of Erguel as the vogt over the Saint-Imier valley fief. Otto raised the valley to become a seigniory and parish of the Diocese of Basel, named Erguel.[2]

Asteroid

Asteroid 282669 Erguël, discovered by Swiss amateur astronomer Michel Ory at the Tenagra II Observatory in 2005, was named in memory of the seigniory. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 July 2013 .

External links

Notes and References

  1. Erguël, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
  2. http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach Region, 1850-2000