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The termedelfrei orhochfrei ("free noble" or "free knight") was originally used to designate and distinguish thoseGermanicnoblemen from the Second Estate (seeEstates of the realm social hierarchy), who were legally entitled toatonement reparation of three times their "Weregild" (Wergeld) value from a guilty person or party. Such knights were known asEdelfreie orEdelinge. This distinguished them from those other free men or free knights who came from theThird Estate social hierarchy, and whose atonement reparation value was the standard "Weregild" (Wergeld) amount set according to regional laws. In theHoly Roman Empire, the "high nobility" (Hoher Adel [de]) emerged from theEdelfreie during the course of the 12th century, in contrast to the so-calledministeriales, most of whom were originally unfree knights orDienstadel [de].[1]
In theMiddle Agesedelfrei orhochfrei meant, in simple terms, that someone was a member of an ancient, dynastic aristocratic line. Free noble families were independent of legal obligations of a secondary nature, and they were not subordinated to any other families or dynasties, apart from the king or emperor.[1] The modern concept of aristocracy (Uradel) must not be confused with the termedelfrei, since the former term's scope is much broader: all families that can prove they belonged to the knightly aristocracy by no later than around 1400 (whether originallyedelfrei orministeriales) are counted today asUradel, i.e., the aristocracy.
Manyedelfrei families submitted themselves during the course of theMiddle Ages to more powerfulfeudal lords; these families are commonly referred to in the literature as "originally edelfrei". This submission did not always happen under duress. Manyvassals attained high positions in the courts of their lords, and vassal service was often very lucrative. Especially at the time of territorial expansion and the emergence of amonetary economy, manyEdelfreie were dependent on the protection and support of a powerful secular or ecclesiastical lord. And vice versa: a dependent relationship existed, in that larger territories could only be secured and managed with the aid of loyal vassals.
The number ofedelfreie families was limited. A new social order, theministeriales now arose rapidly. These officials, who were mostly unfree in their origins, managed within a century to elevate themselves to the lesser nobility. The differences betweenministeriales and the old aristocratic families began increasingly to blur. For many aristocratic families that were originallyedelfrei there is therefore no reliable evidence of their dynastic origins.