Grünenberg family


Grünenberg was a medieval Swiss noble family. The family was active from the middle of the 12th century until the 15th century in the Swiss Plateau, mostly in the Bernese Oberaargau. The family also had branches that owned land in Alsace and in southern Bavaria, especially in the Markgräflerland and in Breisgau. About one hundred members of the family are known today. The family name comes from Grünenberg Castle in Melchnau in the Canton of Bern.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is an example of canting arms, since the name Grünenberg means Green mountain, it always included green mountains. Normally there were six rounded mountains arraigned in a triangle with one then two then three mountains. As a crest it often had feathers and sometimes a small hut appeared on the mountains. The helmet cover is green on the outside and natural ermine on the interior.
In the Scheiblerschen Wappenbuch it is shown with golden margins around six green mountains. The crest has a golden baron's coronet.

Literature

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