Chronology pre-1800

History of the town of Gaildorf

» From the first mention until 1800

1260
Gaildorf is first recorded in a document. Rabenoldus de Gailendorph is a witness in a document by Schenk Walter.

1280
Ruckerus de Geilndorff appears as a vassal and acts as guarantor for Schenk Walter.
The confrontations of the Limpurgs and the town of Hall are decided in favour of Hall by King Rudolf. In spite of their political defeat, the Schenken remain the most important suppliers of wood for the salt-making town of Hall.

1286
Rabenoldus de Geilendorf is mentioned in a document relating to a donation to the Comburg monastery. Gaildorf, which at that time already had a castle, probably took its name from the Knights of “de Geilendorff“, whose property seems to have fallen to the Limpurgs after their extinction. In any case, the castle was already in their possession in 1374. The present Old Palace at Gaildorf was built on the foundations of this castle.

1399
Gaildorf "Castle" is mentioned in a contract between the Schenk and Hall relating to the rafting of wood and on the river Kocher and transit duties.

1404
King Ruprecht allows the Schenken on the 12th July “to surround the village Gaildorf with a wall and trenches and make it a town“, with the associated rights of a market and asylum. In the same year Schenk Friedrich III begins building the town wall and the corner towers. His son Conrad IV eventually finishes this project.

1417
The Schenken donate a chapel in Gaildorf, which however remains subordinate to the ancient mother church in Münster.

1434
The town Gaildorf is given its own coat of arms. It shows a raft with two crossed rafting hooks above it.

1482
After the palace is built, Schenk Albrecht III makes Gaildorf his permanent residence. The town becomes a residence for the next 250 years.

1518 - 1521
A new town church is built as the court church for the Gaildorf Schenken.

1690
With the death of Schenk Wilhelm Heinrich the male line of the Schenken of Gaildorf dies out.

1778
The castle of the counts Pückler-Limpurg is built.