Zähringens

House of Zähringen
Country	Duchy of Carinthia March of Verona Margraviate of Baden
Ethnicity	German
Founded	11th century
Founder	Berthold I
Final ruler	Last Duke of Zähringen: Berthold V
Titles	Count, Duke, Margrave
Dissolution	1218 (Dukes of Zähringen)
Cadet branches	House of Baden

Zähringen is an old German noble family in Swabia, which founded a large number of cities in the area that is today Switzerland and the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from Zähringen castle near Freiburg im Breisgau, now in ruins, which the family founded in 1120.

While the junior line which first assumed the title of Duke of Zähringen became extinct in 1218, the senior line (known as the House of Baden) persists and currently uses the title of "Margrave of Baden, Duke of Zähringen". In the German language, the word Zähringer is used for "House of Zähringen".

The earliest known ancestor of the family was one Berthold, Count in the Breisgau (d. 982), who was first mentioned in 962. In view of his name, he may have been related to the Alemannic Ahalolfing dynasty. Berthold's great-grandson, Berthold I of Zähringen (c. 1000 – 6 November 1078), held several lordships (Herrschaften) in the Breisgau, in Thurgau, Ortenau, and Baar. By his mother, he was related to the rising Hohenstaufen family.

Emperor Henry III had promised his liensman Berthold I of Zähringen the Duchy of Swabia, but this was not fulfilled, as upon Henry's death, his widow Agnes of Poitou appointed Count Rudolf of Rheinfelden to the position of Duke of Swabia in 1057. In compensation, Berthold was made Duke of Carinthia and Margrave of Verona in 1061. However, this dignity was only a titular one, and Berthold subsequently lost it when, in the course of the Investiture Controversy, he joined the rising of his former rival Rudolf of Rheinfelden against German king Henry IV in 1073.

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