Franconia

Franconia (German, Franken), a region in Germany now part of Bavaria. The area was the seat of the Salian Holy Roman Emperors, and is considered one of the five original stem duchies that made up the Holy Roman Empire. Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Early Modern period, much of Upper Franconia, especially those areas that had once been parts of Thuringia, fell under the control of the Bishop of Bamberg, the Bishop of Würzburg, and the Abbot of Fulda.

In 1803, Napoleon incorporated Franconia into Bavaria, to which it still belongs today. Culturally it is in many ways different from Bavaria proper, however; for example it is overwhelmingly protestant, indeed the area of Germany with the smallest percentage of Catholics in the population, while the opposite is the case in Bavaria proper.

Franconia is divided into three administration districts: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken).

The state colors (Landesfarben) of Franconia are red and white.

See also: East Franconian, Franconian language

---

The name Franconia has also been applied to places in the United States of America:

• Franconia, New Hampshire
• Franconia, Virginia
• Franconia Township, Minnesota