day. In 1424, a similar decision was made by Emperor Sigismund who decided that since his envoy had reported that the people of Schleswig spoke Danish, followed Danish customs, and considered themselves to be Danes, the province rightfully belonged to Denmark. Henry IV, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg and Duke of Schleswig, strongly protested this verdict and refused to follow it. War returned in 1425. In 1431, a group of burghers in favour of Holstein-Rendsburg opened the gates of Flensburg and a Holsatian army took control of the city. In 1432, peace was settled, and Eric recognised the conquests made by the Holsatian nobles. Adolf VIII dies In 1439, the new Danish king Christopher III (a.k.a. Christopher of Bavaria) acquired the loyalty of Count Adolf VIII of Holstein-Rendsburg by granting him the entire Duchy of Schleswig as a hereditary fief but under the Danish crown. In 1459, Adolf died without leaving an heir and no other count could produce claims to both the Duchy of Schleswig and the County of Holstein-Rendsburg. King Christian I of Denmark did however hold a claim to Schleswig, and the separation of Schleswig and Holstein would have meant economic ruin for many members of the Schleswig and Holstein nobility. Moreover, the nobility failed to agree on taking a course. In 1460, King Christian summoned the nobles to Ribe, and on 2 March 1460, they agreed to elect him as the successor of Count Adolf and new count of Holstein. Their main motivation was to prevent the separation of the two provinces. On 5 March, Christian granted a coronation charter (or Freiheitsbrief) which repeated that Schleswig and Holstein must remain united dat se bliven ewich tosamende ungedelt. By this action, Christian managed to gain control of the county of Holstein-Rendsburg within the Empire, but the price was a permanent link between two provinces, one Danish and one of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1474 Emperor Frederick III elevated Christian as Count of Holstein-Rendsburg to Duke of Holstein, thus becoming an immediate imperial vassal (see imperial immediacy). The smaller Holstein-Pinneberg remained a county further ruled by the House of Schauenburg until seized by the duchy in 1640. 19th century nationalism and the Treaty of Ribe The proclamation later played an important role in the nineteenth century during the nationalist awakening in both the German Confederation and Denmark. German nationalists, seeking the Unification of Germany, cited the Treaty of Ribe