lived in large farmhouses, more like manor houses, and who were soon keen to extend their possessions and to gain political influence. The first reference to the Lords of Vilanders can be found in church records from the first half of the 12th century. The addition of "von Vilanders" (of Vilanders) became increasingly common during the 13th century and was used by various families, who were not related to each other. The genealogy of the Lords of Vilanders begins with Ekkehard I of Vilanders (1176–1183) then divides into twelve branches. At first the Lords of Vilanders established themselves as Ministeriales of the Brixen and Trento bishops and in the Villanders court, which formed its own judicial district within the County of Bozen. They were put in charge of fortified castles to control strategically important points, such as the Trostburg, which was granted by Count Meinhard to the judge of Villanders, Randold von Vilanders zu Pradell, who thereupon became the progenitor of the Counts von Wolkenstein and thus also the forebear of the great mediaeval minstrel, Oswald von Wolkenstein. The political rise of the Lords of Vilanders began under the rule of the Tyrolean Count, Meinhard II (1258 – 1295). They increasingly occupied posts as judges, guardians, canons and deacons and guarded the interests of the nobles at the regional parliaments. Under the reigns of the sons of Meinhard II, Otto, Ludwig and Heinrich the Lords of Vilanders were finally able to secure their position and even to rise to higher social levels. Their estates now extended from Sterzing to Bozen, into the Puster Valley, to Villnöß and into the Gröden Valley, but they also possessed castles and courts in Tramin, Buchenstein (Livinallongo), Feltre and Belluno. The two most important representatives of the Lords of Vilanders were Engelmar and Tegen von Vilanders. They obtained the money to maintain all these estates principally in military campaigns in Italy; for example they fought on the side of Scaligeri of Verona against Padua. In the quarrels over the land of mountain passes, namely Tyrol, between the Austrian Habsburgs, the Bavarian Wittelsbachs and the Luxembourgers, Engelmar von Vilanders played an inglorious role, which brought about the decline of the Lords of Vilanders. Engelmar von Vilanders, who had meanwhile become governor, thought he could make money from the feud. However, his lack of political acumen sealed his fate. To begin with, he conducted negotiations, which bordered