Charters of the Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein. Indexing, digitisation and virtual reconstruction of documents from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate created between 1449 and 1508 as thematic access in the Archivportal-D

• Applicants: Dr. Elsbeth Andre; Professor Dr. Andreas Hedwig; Dr. Margit Ksoll-Marcon; Professor Dr. Gerald Maier; Matthias Razum
• Subject Area: Medieval History
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 496853375

In 1894, the Baden Historical Commission published the first volume of the Regesten der Pfalzgrafen am Rhein 1214-1508. The second volume followed in 1939. However, the project broke off with the end of King Ruprecht´s reign in 1410. Further volumes covering the years until 1508 were not published. In consequence, historical research is confronted with a significant desideratum not only for the Palatinate, but also for the entire German and European history of the late Middle Ages. Due to the fragmentation of the Palatinate archives, the history of one of the most important estates of the Old Empire is still insufficiently researched in large parts.The archives administrations of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate have therefore decided to close this gap. It is evident however, that this is not realistic within a single project. The partner institutions therefore agreed to focus on the period from 1449 to 1508. The reigns of Frederick the Victorious and Philip the Sincere not only represent a peak of the political and cultural importance of the late medieval Electoral Palatinate in the European context. Furthermore, Frederick's "arrogation" shows an outstanding special case in German legal and constitutional history.Within the framework of the project, the indexing and digitization of approximately 6,700 Electoral Palatinate parchments and register entries from the period between 1448 and 1508 is planned, as well as their joint presentation as thematic access within the Archivportal-D. For the presentation of the results, a special presentation within the Archivportal-D will be developed. Here, metadata and digitzed documents published in the online presentation systems of the partner institutions are virtually merged and made accessible for research. The project intends to meet expectations of academic users in gaining new insights through the cross-institutional thematic presentation of archival records. Appropriate technology with modern functionalities is already implemented in the Archivportal-D. It will enable other institutions (archives, libraries, museums, etc.) to extend the nucleus of documents of the Electoral Palatinate from 1449 to 1508 with their own documents of this provenance, thus creating a sustainable reference point for the history of the medieval Electoral Palatinate.

• DFG Programme: Cataloguing and Digitisation (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)