Editing Demmin (section)

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Vorwall.slawische.Burganlage.jpg|thumb|left|part of the [[defensive wall]] of the Slavic castle outside ''Haus Demmin'']]
Slavic settlements of the [[Veleti]] in the forests surrounding Demmin can be traced back to the 8th century. In 789,<ref>Einhard: The Life of Charlemagne; {{ISBN|0-472-06035-X}}</ref> during the [[Saxon wars]], [[Charlemagne]] led his troops to the Peene river, against the Veleti who were allies of the [[Saxon]]s. [[Dragovit]], king of the Veleti, whose castle, ''civitas Dragowiti''<ref>''Aspekte der Nationenbildung im Mittelalter: Ergebnisse der Marburger Rundgespräche 1972-1975''. Pages 206ff. {{ISBN|3-7995-6101-3}}</ref><ref>Stolle, Wilhelm Carl: ''Beschreibung und Geschichte der Hauptstadt Demmin''. Greifswald 1772, page 481.</ref> was said to most likely have been located at Vorwerk (Demmin), submitted to Charlemagne and swore fealty. The region was very suitable for a settlement and was important due to its location at the crossing of rivers and trade roads. During the struggle between the Veleti and the [[Franks]], a border castle was erected by [[Lutici]] [[Circipanians]] at the dawn of the 10th century.<ref>Barthold, Friedrich Wilhelm: ''Geschichte der deutschen Städte und des deutschen Bürgerthums, Volumes 1-2''; {{ISBN|1-149-26202-8}}</ref> That castle was later called "Haus Demmin". It controlled the Eastern parts of Circipania, a territory that stretched to [[Güstrow]] in the west. Its main castle was [[Teterow]].

Demmin was a stronghold of the [[West Slav]] [[Circipanes]] during the [[Middle Ages]]. Due to its strategical importance, [[Gord (archaeology)|strongholds]] were erected (and often attacked and destroyed) at the ''Vorwerk'' and ''Haus Demmin'' sites, named ''Dimin'' or ''Dymin''. In the early 12th century Polish monarch [[Bolesław III Wrymouth]], who established sovereignty over Pomerania, initiated [[Christianization of Pomerania|Christianization]], entrusting this task to [[Otto of Bamberg]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Medley|first=D. J.|year=2004|title=The church and the empire|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|page=152}}</ref> who visited Dymin in 1127.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kratz|first=Gustav|year=1865|title=Die Städte der Provinz Pommern. Abriss ihrer Geschichte, zumeist nach Urkunden|language=de|location=Berlin|page=114}}</ref> The inhabitants accepted Christianity,<ref>{{cite book|last=Srokowski|first=Stanisław|author-link=Stanisław Srokowski|year=1947|title=Pomorze Zachodnie. Studium geograficzne, gospodarcze i społeczne|language=pl|publisher=Instytut Bałtycki|page=83}}</ref> and a church was founded in 1140.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Labuda|first=Gerard|year=1993|title=Chrystianizacja Pomorza (X–XIII stulecie)|magazine=Studia Gdańskie|language=pl|location=Gdańsk-Oliwa|volume=IX|page=52}}</ref> A Saxon army unsuccessfully besieged the settlement during the 1147 [[Wendish Crusade]]. In 1160, Dymin became the capital of a small [[Pomerania-Demmin|eponymous duchy]]. In 1164, it was captured by [[Henry the Lion]].<ref name=sgk/> It was soon rebuilt, and in 1177 it was successfully defended during another siege by Henry the Lion.<ref name=gk115>Kratz, p. 115</ref> In 1211 it was captured by King [[Valdemar II of Denmark]],<ref name=gk115/> who retained it until 1227.<ref name=sgk/> In 1264, it was reunited with the [[Duchy of Pomerania]].

It was granted municipal rights in the 13th century, confirmed by Dukes [[Bogislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania|Bogislaw IV]], [[Barnim II, Duke of Pomerania|Barnim II]] and [[Otto I, Duke of Pomerania|Otto I]] in 1292, along with its old [[Privilege (law)|privileges]].<ref>Kratz, p. 116</ref> It was [[Ostsiedlung|colonized]] by Germans and [[Flemings]] by the 13th to 14th centuries.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} Following the division of the Duchy of Pomerania in 1295, the town passed to the [[Pomerania-Wolgast|Wolgast dukes]] and the castle passed to the [[Duchy of Szczecin|Szczecin dukes]].<ref>Kratz, p. 117</ref> In 1326 Duke Otto I granted all merchants coming to the town exemption from customs duties and taxes in the area.<ref name=gk118>Kratz, p. 118</ref> In 1327 it was unsuccessfully besieged by Mecklenburg during the [[Wars of the Rügen Succession]].<ref name=gk118/> From 1478 Demmin was part of the reunited Duchy of Pomerania.