The Monastery Founders
On 16 January 1095 the three noblemen donated their shared inheritance to Saint Benedict in an official ceremony. Count Alwig von Sulz, Count Adalbert von Zollern and Ruotmann von Neckarhausen turned over their domain Alpirsbach on the upper Neckar river in the Black Forest together with large landholdings and extensive rights. This was the founding of Alpirsbach Monastery. The interests of these founders, who belonged to the low nobility, lay in the strengthening of the monasteries against the secular reign of the Emperor, who claimed the right to appoint bishops and abbots (investiture).
Benedikt von Nursia (480-547 ?)
The founder of occidental monasticism came from Umbria. Following his years as a student in Rome he lived as a hermit and monk. In 529 he founded Montecassino Monastery, the original monastery of the later Benedictines. He is celebrated as a saint on 11 July, and is depicted with a book (Rule of Benedict) and abbots staff.
Benedictines
The monks of the oldest Catholic order live according to the "Rule of Benedict". This requires the renunciation of all personal property, chastity, obedience and continuous residence in one place. The Benedictine monasteries were not only places of prayer and a life oriented toward God, but also of science and the arts. For example, the monks made a major contribution to the spread of philosophical and scientific knowledge of classical antiquity and the Orient in Christian Europe with their work as translators and copiers. At their monasteries bookbinding was practiced, optical devices for observing the heavenly bodies were developed and water mills as power sources were discovered. Today the Order devotes itself to the ecumene, biblical science, the history of theology and missionary work in Africa and East Asia.
Emperor Heinrich V (1086-1125)
In 1123 Emperor Heinrich V confirmed the protection of the Pope for the possession of the monastery complex, which had already been granted in 1101. Heinrich, who had been King since 1098, rose up against his father Heinrich IV in 1104, forced him to abdicate in 1105 and assumed rule in 1106. Heinrich force the imprisoned Pope Paschalis to give him the right of investiture; on 13 April 1111 he was crowned Emperor. Following his defeat against the Saxon and Thuringian princes and negotiations with Pope Kalixt II, the dispute over the right of investiture was ended in 1122 with the Concordat of Worms (Wormser Konkordat). Heinrich V was the last Salier.
Abbott Georg Schwarz (1471-1479)
The Abbot of Alpirsbach can from the reform monastery of Wiblingen and also initiated reforms in Alpirsbach, as the monastery joined in the "Melker Reform" under his direction. A liturgical book of the "Melker Chorordnung" (collection of rules for conducting holy mass), the Alpirsbach Calendar of 1471, has survived from this time.
Abbot Hieronymus Hulzing (1479-1495)
Hulzing also came from Wiblingen Monastery. With the support of the Count of Württemberg he succeeded in being admitted to the "Bursfelder Kongregation", which was a federation of strictly centralistically organized monasteries. The structural alterations to the Enclosure (Klausur) were begun during his term of office. Like his predecessors, he supported the expansion of the Alpirsbach Monastery Library.
Abbott Gebhard Münzer von Sinkingen (1495-1505)
Under this abbot Alpirsbach Monastery achieved its economic heyday. He streamlined the monastery administration and achieved an increase in the yields. The structural alterations to the monastery buildings were enabled by this boom.
Duke Ulrich von Württemberg (1487-1550)
Duke Ulrich, who was converted to Protestantism, had a list made of the assets of Alpirsbach Monastery and prohibited the sale of any holdings. The Alpirsbach monks were either able to enter his service as Protestant pastors or had to go into retirement. With the introduction of the Reformation Ulrich took major steps in setting the course of education and professional training. Ulrich von Württemberg had an unhappy childhood. His mother died after his birth, and his mentally ill father was imprisoned at Hohenurach in 1490. His guardians, who pursued different political interests, were careless with the boy's upbringing and education. As an adult Ulrich was distinguished by his lack of consideration for and mistrust of the people around him. His private and political life was a turbulent one. For example, he lost his Duchy for many years when the Swabian Confederation (Schwäbische Bund) relinquished it to Karl V. Duke Ulrich von Württemberg died in 1550 and lies buried in the Collegiate Church (Stiftskirche) in Tübingen.
Abbott Jakob Hochrütiner (1548-1555)
The monk Jakob Hochrütiner, who was driven from Alpirsbach Monastery in the course of the Reformation, returned during the "Interim" (1548-1555), as Alpirsbach became a monastery again, and attempted to restore monastic life as Abbot with 12 monks.
Duke Christoph von Württemberg (1515-1568)
Duke Christoph disbanded the monastery in Alpirsbach once and for all. He imposed the Lutheran orientation of the Württemberg Church and established thirteen monastery schools for the education of theologians, including the Alpirsbach Monastery School, and assumed the role of the political leader of German Protestantism. Duke Christoph's mother, Sabina von Bayern, fled from her husband, Duke Ulrich von Württemberg, from an untenable marriage. The son she left behind, who treated his father with great mistrust his entire life, was raised in Innsbruck at the court of Ferdinand I. He was involved in dynastic conflicts for many years. His court in the Old Palace was that of a Renaissance sovereign, who placed great value on courtly representation and self-portrayal. Duke Christoph's achievements in government laid the basis for Württemberg's body politic for over two hundred years.