Editing Hechingen (section)

===Renaissance and Reformation===
[[File:DH Hechingen Merian.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Hechingen with the [[Friedrichsburg (Hechingen)|Friedrichsburg]], and [[Hohenzollern Castle]] around 1643 by [[Matthäus Merian]]]]
[[File:Convent Church St. Luzen, Hechingen (2019).jpg|thumb|Convent Church St. Luzen (2019)]]
In 1567, the county was divided in three and became the counties of [[Hohenzollern-Hechingen]], [[Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]], and [[Hohenzollern-Haigerloc]]h. (The latter was rejoined to Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1634.) Hechingen became the residence of the counts of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. Their territory, which consisted of Hechingen and 26 villages, did not change substantially until the 19th century.

Eitel Friedrich IV (1576–1605) made Hechingen a center of art, music, and [[Renaissance]] architecture. Many buildings built during his reign are still to be seen today: the convent church [[St. Luzen]], the hospital, and the lower tower – the latter being the last remnant of the city defences. The Renaissance palace that he built, the [[Friedrichsburg (Hechingen)|Friedrichsburg]], was removed at the beginning of the 19th century and replaced by the [[New Castle (Hechingen)|New Castle]].

During the Reformation, Hechingen remained Catholic, but was still affected by the [[30 Years' War]]. In 1625, [[Imperial Army (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial troops]] reached Hechingen, and the prince (elevated from a count in 1623) bore the cost of supporting them. This burden, along with plundering by the soldiers and several poor harvests, caused great suffering and many deaths in the city.

In 1632, the Swedish army attacked, and the following year the entire force entered the city. The castle remained in the hands of the Hohenzollerns, and the troops marched on to [[Sigmaringen]], which fell into the hands of [[Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg]] (1614–1674) in 1633. Finally, on 5 July 1633, the city yielded to the Württembergs, and the castle was besieged. The siege lasted nine months, the castle receiving food from the local farmers through underground passages and bartering for it with precious objects from the castle.

On 3 April 1634, the castle surrendered to the Württembergs, whose soldiers plundered everything they could get their hands on, even draft animals farmers needed to plow their fields.

A short time later, Imperial troops reached the city and forced the Württemberg troops to withdraw; however, weakened by the long war they could not enforce the peace. The Plague broke out in 1635, which decimated the already weakened population.  That year the castle fell into the hands of [[Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria]] (1573–1651), who held it until 1637, when Hohenzollern rule was restored.

The troops of [[Bernard of Saxe-Weimar]], who was allied with the French, plundered the city completely in 1638 in 12 days. The residents were reduced to eating nettles and snails, having already eaten the cats and dogs.

In 1639, the city was again occupied by the Bavarians until 1650. Although the [[Peace of Westphalia]] was signed in 1648, the troops remained two years longer because the outstanding taxes had not been paid.