Herford

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Map of Germany showing Herford

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Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Located in the lowlands between the mountain chains of the Wiehengebirge and the Teutoburg Forest, it is the capital of the district of Herford. Population: 65,100 (1999).

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The town was founded in 789 by Charlemagne in order to guard a ford crossing the narrow Werre river. One century later, Matilda, daughter of Theudebert, duke of Saxony, grew up in the abbey of Herford; she was a descendant of the Saxon leader Widukind. In Herford she met Henry the Fowler, who later became king of Germany.

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In late medieval times Herford was a member of the Hanseatic League. It was a Free Imperial City, i.e. it was directly subordinated to the emperor. This status was lost after the Peace of Westphalia (1648), when Herford was annexed by Brandenburg.

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Herford is twinned with the town of Hinckley in England.

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Wiehengebirge: The Wiehengebirge is a low mountain range in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in Germany....

Teutoburg Forest: The Teutoburg Forest (German: Teutoburger Wald) is a range of low, forested mountains in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, which was believed to be the environ of a decisive battle in AD 9....

Charlemagne: Charlemagne (ca. 742 or 747 – January 28, 814) (or Charles the Great, in German Karl der Gro?e, in Dutch Karel de Grote, in Latin Carolus Magnus, giving rise to the adjective form "Carolingian"), was king of the Franks from 771 to 814, King of the Lombards since 774, and the renewer of the Wes...