incurred substantial debts in connection with his election as Prince Abbot of Fulda in 1373. He attempted to recoup these debts from the Princely abbey of Fulda after he came to power. Thus in 1374 he mortgaged the Otzberg Castle, the town of Hering and parts of Umstadt to his nephew Ulrich IV for 23,875 guilders (florins). Other parts were taken over by Electoral Palatinate, resulting in a condominium. There is physical evidence for this in two palaces: the Hanau Palace () which originated from the first moated palace at the town's NE corner, and the Palatinate Palace () at the opposite corner. Between these were the mansions of the burghers of the town, including the seat of the Wambolts of Umstadt, which soon eclipsed the palaces of both lords of the town. Early modern period In 1504 the town was conquered by Landgrave Wilhelm II of Hesse, who occupied it until the ownership of the town was clarified by the Diet of Worms in 1521. This resulted in another condominium, this time between Hesse and the Palatinate. As compensation Hanau received 12,000 guilders and several nearby villages, viz. Harpertshausen, Kleestadt, Langstadt and Schlierbach. Under this common ownership the town developed until shortly before the Thirty Years' War; the still extant town hall was built from 1596. During the war the town was protected by its strong fortifications, preventing major destruction, but nevertheless there was great suffering, not least during the plague in 1634–36. The town was briefly occupied and laid waste by a force of 600 dragoons under the Marquis of Barbistere in December 1688 during the War of the Palatine Succession. 19th and 20th centuries In 1802 the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt took over the joint dominion of the town, which was the 2nd most important town of the district of Dieburg which was founded at that time. From 1857 the town adopted the name of Gross-Umstadt to distinguish it from Klein-Umstadt and Wenigumstadt. Many factories were established in the town after it obtained a railway connection. In the election of 1933, 60% of the inhabitants voted for the Nazis, and in 1938 the town's synagogue was desecrated. After WW2 the town's population grew to about 22,500 following several expansions to its boundaries. There is now a substantial Portuguese community. Population Growth Groß-Umstadt (excluding the 8 other districts) 800 - 100 985 - 200 1604 - 1,000 1636 -