House of Guttenberg

The Guttenberg family is a wealthy Franconian family that was noble until all legal privileges of royalty and nobility were abolished in Germany in 1919 following the German revolution and proclamation of the republic at the end of World War I.

It traces its origins back to 1149 with a Gundeloh von Blassenberg (Plassenberg), though the first mention in a document is dated 1158.

The Plassenberg family members were ministeriales of the Counts of Andechs (later the Dukes of Andechs-Meranien) and used as their seat the Plassenburg of Kulmbach.

In 1700, the family rose from the rank of Reichsritter (Imperial Knight) to Reichsfreiherr (Baron of the Holy Roman Empire).

After the Holy Roman Empire dissolved, they were given the rank of Freiherr (Baron) of Bavaria (1814 and 1817).