Lordship of Wickrath

• Coat of Arms/Flag
  • Argent (silver) field with a red cross, sometimes quartered or combined with the arms of the ruling house.
  • The design changes slightly depending on the ruling noble family, but always reflects its status as an imperial lordship.
• Capital City
  • Wickrath
  • A small settlement clustered around Wickrath Castle, the administrative and noble seat.
• Other Settlements
  • Scattered hamlets and villages in the surrounding countryside.
  • Primarily agrarian communities supporting the castle and estate.
• Languages
  • Middle High German (local dialect of the Lower Rhine/Franconian variety).
  • Latin used in official and ecclesiastical documents.
• Religion(s)
  • Roman Catholic
  • The parish church at Wickrath is the religious heart of the lordship.
• Government
  • Feudal lordship (Reichsherrschaft), owing allegiance only to the Holy Roman Emperor.
  • Administered directly from Wickrath Castle.
• Legislature
  • No formal legislature.
  • Local justice and governance handled by the lord’s court and stewards.
  • Imperial law recognized in theory, but daily life shaped by customary law.
• Current Ruler (1453)
  • At this time, Wickrath is held by the Lords of Broich (the Quadt family rises later in the 17th century).
  • The head of the family (likely Lord of Broich und Wickrath) presides as the territorial ruler.
• Other Notable Residents
  • Castle stewards and reeves (manage lands and revenues).
  • Parish priest (spiritual authority in the community).
  • Minor knights and retainers serving the lord.
  • Guild representatives from the small artisan community (miller, smith, etc.).

Ruled by the Lords of Broichhausen and converted the Knights of Hompesch, causing great tension in the area.