The region was settled from the 10th century along the Via Claudia Augusta by Alamanni. At the end of the 13th century it became part of the County of Tyrol through the imperial agreement (Reichseinigung) of Duke Meinhard, however the Außerfern's close economic and cultural relationships with the Allgäu region remained. For example, the Außerfern was for a long time placed ecclesiastically under the Bishopric of Augsburg. This was aided by good transportation links to the Allgäu and to Upper Bavaria, whilst there was only one link to the Inn valley usable in winter, namely the Fern Pass.