The following is a list of German German: [[Gau (territory)|Gaue]] which existed during the Middle Ages.
It lists the names of the Frankish or German German: Gaue, many of which are still used today regionally, primarily in local traditions. Their locations are often no longer widely known, but are known from publications.
See main article: Duchy of Bavaria.
along the upper Amper in Upper Bavaria, bounded in the south by the Ammergau Alps; sub-gau of Sundergau
along the Ager in Upper Austria, around the Attersee (lake)
between the middle Inn and the Traun in Upper Bavaria, around the Chiemsee
along the upper Danube in Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate, around Straubing; modern Gäuboden and eastern Hallertau
between the upper Isar and the Amper in Upper Bavaria, around Lake Starnberg; lands of the Huosi family; sub-gau of Sundergau
the middle Inn valley in Tyrol, divided into the and Lower Inn Valley
between the lower Isar and the lower Inn in Lower Bavaria, around Vilsbiburg
along the lower Vils in Lower Bavaria, east of Vilshofen
the upper Mur river valley in Salzburg, around Tamsweg
along the in Upper Austria, around Mattighofen; the eastern two thirds of the Innviertel
the Eisack river valley and the upper half of the Etschtal in South Tyrol, around Bolzano and Brixen
the upper Salzach and upper Saalach river valleys in Salzburg, around Zell am See
a portion of the upper Salzach and the upper Enns river valleys in Salzburg, around St. Johann im Pongau
the Rienz and upper Drava river valleys in South Tyrol, bounded by the Dolomites in the south, the Zillertal Alps in the north, and the Villgraten Mountains in the east
along the lower Inn and the lower Rott in Lower Bavaria and Upper Austria, south of Passau
along the middle Salzach in Salzburg, around Salzburg (city)
between the upper Danube and the Bohemian Forest in Lower Bavaria, the eastern portion of the Bavarian Forest
along the upper Isar in Upper Bavaria, around Munich; some sources show Sundergau extending to the south and east of the Inn to include the Inntal and Chiemgau
between the lower Isar and the Vils in Lower Bavaria, around Dingolfing
the upper Adige river valley in South Tyrol, west of Merano
along the upper Isar in Upper Bavaria, around the Walchensee
See main article: Margraviate of the Nordgau.
along the Ohře in far northwestern Bohemia, around the city of Cheb(German: Eger)
along the upper Danube at the confluence with the Paar and the south bank of the Altmühl in Upper Bavaria, around Ingolstadt
along the south bank of the upper Main in Upper Franconia, northeast of Bamberg, located farther east of the modern municipality of Knetzgau
territory of the Slavic tribes or Wends along the upper Main in Upper Franconia, around Bayreuth
along the lower Regnitz in Upper Franconia and northern Middle Franconia, between the Steigerwald and the northern Franconian Jura
along the Sulz (now the southern portion of the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal) in Middle Franconia, around Berching
along the south bank of the middle Main in Lower Franconia, east of the and west of Bamberg
See main article: Margraviate of Austria.
the Danube river valley between Melk and Krems in Lower Austria
See main article: Duchy of Carinthia.
along the upper Sava and the Krka in Slovenia; some sources show the March of Carniola extending south to the Kupa to include the northwestern portion of the March of Istria
the Istrian peninsula in Croatia and Italy (Trieste) and along the northern bank of the Kupa in southern Slovenia; some sources show its territory as limited to the peninsula
the upper Gurk river valley through the Gurktal Alps in Carinthia
the Lavant river valley through the Lavanttal Alps in Carinthia
along the upper Drava and its tributaries the Möll and the Gail in Carinthia, around Spittal an der Drau
See main article: March of Styria.
along the middle Enns in Styria, around Liezen
along the middle Mur in Styria, south of Graz
along the upper Mur and the Liesing in Styria, around Leoben
along the Mürz in Styria, around Mürzzuschlag
See main article: March of Verona.
See main article: Duchy of Franconia.
between the middle Main and the Franconian Saale in Lower Franconia, south of Hammelburg; sub-gau of Saalgau
along the Grünbach in northern Baden-Württemberg (Tauber Franconia), between the Tauber around the, around Giebelstadt; roughly coterminous with
along the Streu in Lower Franconia, in the central Rhön Mountains, around Fladungen
along the Brettach in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), between Neuenstadt and Mainhardt
along the Elsenz and the south and west banks of the lower Neckar in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region and Stuttgart region), around Sinsheim
along the Lein (formerly called the Gartach) in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region); sub-gau of Elsenzgau
along the upper Tauber and upper Gollach in Middle Franconia and northern Baden-Württemberg (Tauber Franconia), around Rothenburg
along the northern bank of the middle Main (the) in Lower Franconia, between Würzburg and Schweinfurt
along the upper Franconian Saale and upper Werra in Lower Franconia and southwestern Thuringia (Henneberg Franconia), bounded by the Thuringian Forest in the northeast, the Main in the south, and the Rhön Mountains in the west; some sources divide the gau into East Grabfeld in the southeast and West Grabfeld in the northwest
along the northern bank of the middle Main in Lower Franconia, around Haßfurt and the Haßberge hills
between the middle Main (the) and the Aisch in Lower Franconia and Middle Franconia, around Scheinfeld and the western Steigerwald hills
along the lower Jagst in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), between Bad Rappenau (lower end) and Mulfingen (upper end)
along the middle Kocher in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), between Forchtenberg (lower end) and Gaildorf (upper end), around Schwäbisch Hall
along the upper Jagst and Bühler in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), around Crailsheim; named after the Maulach
along the Murr in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), around Backnang
between the Franconian Rezat and the upper Aisch in Middle Franconia, bounded by the Franconian Heights and Steigerwald in the west and the Rednitz/Regnitz in the east, north of Ansbach
along the Sinn in Lower Franconia, bounded by the Rhön Mountains in the northeast and the middle Main (the) in the south, around Hammelburg
along the Schefflenz and the Elz in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region), east of Mosbach in western Bauland; sub-gau of Wingarteiba
along the Schozach on the east bank of the lower Neckar in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), around Ilsfeld
along the upper Altmühl in Middle Franconia, bounded by the southern Franconian Jura in the southeast and the Franconian Heights in the northwest, around Gunzenhausen
along the middle Tauber in northern Baden-Württemberg (Tauber Franconia), around Bad Mergentheim, roughly coterminous with Main-Tauber-Kreis excluding Wertheim
along the upper Felda and Ulster in southwestern Thuringia (Henneberg Franconia), around Kaltennordheim; sub-gau of Grabfeld
along the middle Main (between the and the) and the eastern Spessart mountains in Lower Franconia, around Lohr am Main
along the Wern in Lower Franconia, bounded by the middle Main in the east and west (the northern portion of the), east of Karlstadt am Main
along the Zaber on the west bank of the lower Neckar in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), around Brackenheim; sub-gau of Elsenzgau
See main article: Rhenish Franconia.
along the lower Pfinz and Kraichbach on the right bank of the Upper Rhine in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region), around Bruchsal; sub-gau and northwestern half of Kraichgau
along the upper Eder in southern Northrhine-Westphalia (Arnsberg region), around Bad Berleburg in the central Rothaar Mountains; sub-gau of Hessengau or Lahngau
along the west bank of the lower Main in southern Hesse (Darmstadt region) and Lower Franconia, between the lower Gersprenz and the lower Mümling, around Großostheim; sub-gau of Maingau
along the Wied on the right bank of the Middle Rhine in northeastern Rhineland-Palatinate, around Montabaur in the western Westerwald; some sources list Engersgau as a sub-gau of Lahngau
along the lower Enz and the upper Kraichbach in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region), around Mühlacker; sub-gau and southeastern half of Kraichgau
along the Aar in Hesse (Giessen region), between the Dill and the Salzböde; sub-gau of Lahngau (split between Niederlahngau and Oberlahngau)
along the Glems in northern Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart region), around Schwieberdingen
between the Nister in northeastern Rhineland-Palatinate and the Dietzhölze in Hesse (Giessen region), bounded by the upper Sieg in the north and the Westerwald in the south, around Haiger; sub-gau of Niederlahngau
along the lower Kinzig in Hesse (Darmstadt region), around Gelnhausen; sub-gau of Maingau
along the Kraichbach in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region and Rhine-Neckar), between the Upper Rhine and Enz, around Mühlacker and Bruchsal
along the upper Lahn in northwestern Hesse (Kassel region), around Marburg; some sources do not divide Lahngau into Nieder- and Ober-, and instead have Hessengau extend further west into what would be Oberlahngau
along the lower Neckar at the confluence with the Upper Rhine in northern Baden-Württemberg (Rhine-Neckar), roughly coterminous with the western half of Rhein-Neckar-Kreis plus Mannheim and Heidelberg
along the lower Main in southeastern Hesse (Darmstadt region) and Lower Franconia, bounded by the Odenwald mountains in the southwest and Spessart mountains in the east, around Aschaffenburg
along the Nahe in southeastern Rhineland-Palatinate, bounded by the Hunsrück uplands in the northwest and the North Palatine Uplands in the southeast, around Bad Kreuznach
between the lower Nidda and eastern Taunus mountains in central Hesse (Darmstadt region), around Bad Homburg; sub-gau of Wetterau
along the Perf and upper Lahn in southern Northrhine-Westphalia (Arnsberg region) and western Hesse (Giessen region), around Breidenbach; sub-gau of Oberlahngau or Hessengau
along the upper Pfinz in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region), east of Karlsruhe and northwest of Pforzheim; sub-gau of Ufgau
along the Rodau in southern Hesse (Darmstadt region), around the town of Rodgau; sub-gau of Maingau; notably absent from many atlas sources
along the upper Gersprenz and the upper Mümling in southern Hesse (Darmstadt region), around Erbach in the northern Odenwald mountains; sub-gau of Maingau
along the right bank of the Middle Rhine and the Upper Rhine, between Lorch am Rhein (lower end) and Lampertheim (upper end); initially a large gau with Oberrheingau and Königssondergau as sub-gaue, gradually came to identify a small territory along the right bank of the Rhine, west of Wiesbaden where the Middle Rhine meets the Upper Rhine
along the Speyerbach in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, bounded by the Upper Rhine in the east, the Palatinate Forest in the west, and the Lauter in the south, west of Speyer
along the upper Enz and the lower Nagold in northern Baden-Württemberg (Karlsruhe region), south of Pforzheim
See main article: Frisian freedom.
municipalities of Borsele, Goes, Noord-Beveland, Kapelle, and Reimerswaal (formerly separate islands) in Zeeland
southern Friesland
western East Frisia
Dutch province of Drenthe, south of Groningen
western East Frisia
north Ommelanden along the Ems estuary, northeast of Groningen
along the Utrecht Hill Ridge in eastern Utrecht
the areas of Kop van Overijssel and
eastern South Holland and western Utrecht, along the Oude Rijn and north of the Hollandse IJssel
south of the Lek, along the Meuse (Dutch; Flemish: Maas) and Waal, southeast of Rotterdam; origin
northwest Ommelanden, northwest of Groningen
northwest Ommelanden along the Wadden Sea, north of Groningen
between the Hollandse IJssel and Lek rivers, southeast South Holland (Krimpenerwaard) and southwest Utrecht (Lopikerwaard)
around Jever, modern Friesland kreis
middle South Holland, along the Oude Rijn; Rinland
municipalities of Schouwen-Duiveland, Tholen (formerly an island), and western coastal North Brabant around Bergen op Zoom
along the northeast shore of the IJsselmeer (formerly Lake Almere), north of Lelystad
south of the Lek, along the Meuse (Dutch; Flemish: Maas) and Waal, west of Nijmegen; Testarbant
the island of Texel, Vlieland, and Terschelling
eastern half of Overijssel
islands of Voorne-Putten and Goeree-Overflakkee (Westvoorne/Goeree and Zuidvoorne/Overflakkee) which at various points in history were all one island or separate islands
formerly a separate island, around Middelburg
on the North Sea, east of East Frisia
northern North Holland, largely coterminous with West Friesland
municipalities of Wieringen and Wieringermeer in northern North Holland, former island with some territory submerged in the Wadden Sea; possibly part of Texla
coastal Lower Saxony north of Bremerhaven
See main article: Lotharingia.
See main article: Lower Lotharingia.
on the Ahr in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate
along the Ardennes Forest, at the tripoint of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg
around the Siebengebirge and along the Sieg, east of Bonn
around Bonn, on the left bank of the Lower Rhine
between the Scheldt and Dyle, western Flemish Brabant and southwestern East Flanders
south of the Meuse, east of Namur
along the lower Wupper on the right bank of the Lower Rhine, east of Cologne
on the Lower Rhine, roughly between Cleves and Xanten
in northern Eifel
on the left bank of the Lower Rhine, northwest of Cologne
eastern Gelderland, partly coterminous with the Achterhoek
along the western shore of the IJssel, between the Oude IJssel and Schipbeek, southeastern Gelderland
along the middle Rur, around Jülich
on the left bank of the Lower Rhine, around Cologne
along the Erft; only one documented mention in the year 898
between the Nederrijn and Oude IJssel rivers, east of Arnhem
along part of the Meuse (Dutch; Flemish: Maas) north of Maastricht
between the Maas and Niers
on the left bank of the Lower Rhine, south of Bonn; untergau of Bonngau
between the Meuse, Demer and Schelde rivers in the Belgian-Dutch border region
along the upper Rur
See main article: Duchy of Lorraine.
on the right bank of the upper Meurthe
along the Alzette
along the Ornain, between the Marne and Meuse, southwest of Verdun
along the upper Meuse, south of Verdun
along the Blies
along the upper Meuse, around Charleville-Mézières
along the upper Meurthe and Moselle, southwest of Nancy
between the Aisne and Meuse, northwest of Verdun
along the, southeast of Saarbrücken
in the western Hunsrück, along the Moselle, northeast of Trier
along the Prüm in western Eifel
at the confluence of the Middle Rhine and Moselle rivers, southwest of Koblenz
along the upper Alzette, around Luxembourg City
along the middle Moselle, the area surrounding Metz
along the lower/middle Moselle between Cochem and Metz; largely overlapping with territories in Bidgau, Metzgau, and Wavergau and possibly replaced early on by them
along the upper Meuse in the Ardennes, north of Verdun
along the Nied, east of Metz
along the river Ornain between Lorraine and Champagne
along the midde Moselle, around Thionville
along the Saar, sometimes divided into Upper Saargau around Sarrebourg and Lower Saargau around Wallerfangen
between the upper Meuse and Moselle, south of Toul
along the Sauer in Luxembourg
along the upper headlands of the Meuse, southwest of Toul
on the upper Moselle, around Toul
between the lower Moselle and the left bank of the Middle Rhine, in the eastern Hunsrück
on the right banks of the Saar and Moselle, southeast of Trier
See main article: Duchy of Saxony.
See main article: Angria.
north of the Ittergau/Nithersi, east of Angeron, south of the Patherga
modern Ammerland
in Lower Saxony, on the Weser around Höxter, west of Nethegau
the territory around Lüneburg
the Kreis of Schaumburg, Lower Saxony (Bukki being an old form of Buche)
between the Hunte and middle Weser rivers, north of Minden
between the Weser and the confluence of the Leine and Aller
around Land Hadeln and Wursten
Bremervörde, Buxtehude, Harburg, Stade
along the lower Weser river, southwest of Bremen
in southern Lower Saxony; western
around Hanover
along the river, tributary of the Leine river
along the Elbe river south of Hamburg
along the Oste river on the Elbe estuary
in the Weserbergland
around Paderborn
around Northeim, southern Lower Saxony
south of Paderborn,
southeast of Paderborn, Bürener Land; sometimes considered part of Padergau
modern Verden district; from Hoya on the right of the Weser at the confluence with the Aller
territory around Detmold (ancient name Tietmelli or Theotmalli)
around Bad Pyrmont, southern Lower Saxony
around Salzkotten, Paderborner Land
the Schwalenberg area in the district of Lippe
See main article: Eastphalia.
along the Nette, around Bockenem
east of Brunswick
along the lower Fuhse, south of Celle
between Allstedt and Merseburg
north of Celle
Harz mountains
between Mansfeld, Naumburg, Halle and Wettin
on the left bank of the Elbe, around Magdeburg; territory of the Thuringii which had become part of the Stem Duchy of Saxony
western Saxony-Anhalt
around Eschershausen; an untergau of Gudingau
See main article: Nordalbingia.
northwest of Hamburg in western Schleswig-Holstein
south-central Schleswig-Holstein
largely uninhabited and unfortified border area running from the Kieler Förde to the Elbe river east of Hamburg; technically not a gau though sometimes shown as such
at the mouth of the Elbe, around Hamburg
See main article: Westphalia.
covered territory in the north of the modern German Landkreis of Emsland and the Westerwolde in the Netherlands, between Aschendorf and Meppen
along the Ruhr river
along the middle Ems around Rheine in the Münster region
in the Münster region, between Greven, Lippstadt, and Lünen
around Osnabrück
around Löningen in the west of Oldenburger Münsterland
west of the middle Hunte up to the upper Soeste
in the Sauerland
around Schöppingen
around Münster and Ahlen in the Münsterland
in the Ruhr and Lippe area, roughly corresponding with the eastern (Westphalian) part of the modern Ruhrgebiet
See main article: Germania Slavica.
See main article: Billung March.
between the Warnow and Recknitz rivers, northeast Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, east of Rügen; sometimes considered to extend to the Peene and include Wostrose
northeast of the Peene, west of Usedom, around Wolgast and Greifswald
See main article: Northern March.
south of the Peene and southwest of Usedom, around Anklam
along the lower Havel, Havelland plus northern Zauche
south of the Peene, northeast of Neubrandenburg
on the eastern shore of the Elbe from Magdeburg up to Schartau
southeast of Neubrandenburg and northeast of Neustrelitz
along the lower Spree, the majority of Berlin and the area east
along the Ucker, roughly coterminous with the Uckermark
See main article: Saxon Eastern March.
created in 965; gradually replaced title of Saxon East March
roughly coterminous with Lower Lusatia
created in 965; sometimes referred to as part of the Saxon East March, gradually seen as separate
created in 965; sometimes referred to as part of the Saxon East March, gradually seen as separate
created in 965; sometimes referred to as part of the Saxon East March, gradually seen as separate
between the Saale and White Elster, west of Gera; sometimes shown divided between Orla and Strupenia, location guessed upon by scholars
along the Chemnitz, around Chemnitz; sometimes depicted as part of Glomacze
See main article: Duchy of Swabia.
on the north bank of the upper Danube, around Riedlingen; sub-gau of Albuinsbar
northeastern portion of the Swabian Alb
between the Wutach and Breg; a subdivision of the Bertoldsbaar, some sources using Albuinsbar as an alternate name for the entire area
along the Argen, between the Iller and Lake Constance
along the right bank of the Upper Rhine and the north bank of the High Rhine, around Freiburg
along the Lauchert, in the western portion of the Swabian Alb; sub-gau of Bertoldsbaar
along the upper Kocher and upper Rems, around Schwäbisch Gmünd
along the upper Inn, the upper most portion of the Inntal, in southern Graubünden
along the Fils, around Göppingen
along the Riß, around Biberach
along the upper Würm, west of Stuttgart; considered a sub-gau of Bertoldsbaar in some sources
along the Ablach, around Krauchenwies; sub-gau of Linzgau or Bertoldsbaar
along the Umlach and upper Riß, around Bad Waldsee; sub-gau of Folkoltsbaar
along the Starzel, around Hechingen
between the High Rhine and upper Danube, northwest of Lake Constance and northeast of Schaffhausen
along the middle Iller, around Memmingen
along the upper Lech, around the Forggensee; contains the a large boulder whose name is derived from Keltenstein
along the north bank of the High Rhine, west of Schaffhausen; sub-gau of Albgau
between the upper Danube and the northwestern half of Lake Constance
along the Lauter, around Münsingen; sub-gau of Bertoldsbaar
along the middle Neckar, near Stuttgart
along the Eschach, around Leutkirch; sub-gau of Argungau
roughly coterminous with Bas-Rhin department, northern Alsace
along the Echaz, around Reutlingen
along the Rot and the Dürnach, around Laupheim
along the Kessel and the Nördlinger Ries, around Nördlingen
between the upper Danube and the upper Neckar, in the southwestern Swabian Alb; subdivision of Bertoldsbaar
along the Schussen and the northeastern bank of Lake Constance; sub-gau of Linzgau
along the Erms, around Metzingen
along the middle Neckar, around Tübingen
roughly coterminous with Haut-Rhin department, southern Alsace
along the Thur, between Lake Constance and Lake Zürich, the cantons of Thurgau, St. Gallen, Appenzell, and eastern Zürich; some sources include all of the territory of, stretching to the eastern shores of Lake Lucerne
between Lake Lucerne and Lake Zürich, the cantons of Zürich, Zug, Schwyz, Glarus, and Uri
See main article: Duchy of Thuringia.
along the, between the upper Wipper and middle Unstrut, north of Erfurt and east of Mühlhausen; some sources indicate Altgau extending south of the Unstrut towards Erfurt, and north of the Wipper towards Nordhausen
between the upper Unstrut and lower Werra, along the Hainich hills, around Heiligenstadt; larger than the modern region but without the Low Saxon territory around Duderstadt; some sources indicate Eichsfeld extending west of the Werra to include Eschwege
along the lower Werra and upper Unstrut, centered on and named after Görmar, now in Mühlhausen; likely established as a mark to defend against the Saxons in the 9th century, gradually lost importance and was superseded by the gaues of Eichsfeld, Westergau, and Altgau
along the Helme, around Nordhausen
along the upper Ilm, around Ilmenau and Arnstadt
between the lower Wipper and Helme, along the Kyffhäuser hills, around Frankenhausen; some sources indicate Nabelgau extending west along the Wipper to include the territory of Wippergau as a sub-gau
along the upper Saale, around Saalfeld; some sources indicate it as a territory of the March of Zeitz, separated from Thuringia
along the middle Werra, southwest of Eisenach; sub-gau of Westergau
along the upper Wipper, around Sondershausen; some sources describe as a sub-gau of Nabelgau
See main article: Duchy of Bohemia.
See main article: Kingdom of Burgundy.
See main article: County of Flanders.
See main article: West Francia and France in the Middle Ages.
controversial historical territory settled by and subject to the Jomsvikings as well as a Danish exclave on the Pomeranian coast
a supposed gau in eastern Thuringia listed in many sources; first listed in sources by error due to a hole in a historical document