(i.e. coniferous) trees in the neighboring Kočevje area. It may also be an old designation for 'west', referring to the western location of the region in comparison to the Croatian Military Frontier (). Non-linguistic explanations connect the designation bela with the traditional white linen clothing of the population. The English name "White Carniola" derives from the German designation Weißkrain, which is the result of a hypercorrection based on the adjective belokrajnski (understood as a dialect metathesis of *belokranjski) (cf. also German Dürrenkrain, English: Dry Carniola, for Slovene Suha krajina, literally 'dry region'). History Middle Ages In the early 12th century, the area was part of the disputed border region between the March of Carniola, established by the Holy Roman Empire in the northwest, and the Kingdom of Hungary in the east and southeast. From about 1127 the local counts of Višnja Gora (Weichselberg) backed by the Spanheim margraves and the Salzburg archbishops crossed the Gorjanci mountains and marched against the Hungarian and Croatian forces, which they pushed beyond the Kolpa River down to Bregana. The Counts of Weichselberg, who traced their lineage to Saint Hemma of Gurk, established their residence at Metlika (Möttling), and therefore in contemporary sources their lands were also referred to as the County of Möttling (Metlika). After the line became extinct in 1209, the possessions passed to the Carniolan margraves from the House of Andechs, the self-styled Dukes of Merania. In 1229, the area was passed as a dowry of Agnes of Merania to Frederick II of Austria, the last Babenberg ruler, and after his death to Agnes's second husband Ulrich of Spanheim, lord of Carniola and duke of Carinthia. After Ulrich's death in 1269, all of his possessions were inherited by his cousin Ottokar II of Bohemia, who was however defeated by Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf of Habsburg and his allies in 1278. Rudolf gave the County of Metlika as a feif to his ally Albert I of Gorizia, together with the eastern portion of the neighboring Windic March. Under his descendant Albert III of Gorizia, these two adjacent areas were united in what became known as the County in the (Windic) March and in Metlika, and became officially a separate estate of the Holy Roman Empire in 1368. After Albert's death in 1374, the county was acquired by Archduke Rudolf IV of Austria for the House of Habsburg, who confirmed its privileges, thus maintaining