From the late 6th to the mid-13th century, the settlement of Karlburg with its monastery and harbor was located on the west bank of the Main. It grew up around the Karlsburg, a castle perched high over the community, that was destroyed in the
German Peasants' War in 1525. In 1202, Karlstadt itself was founded by Konrad von Querfurt,
Bishop of Würzburg. The town was methodically laid out with a nearly rectangular plan to defend Würzburg territory against the
Counts of Rieneck. The plan is still well preserved today. The streets in the old town are laid out much like a chessboard, but for military reasons they are not quite straight. In 1225, Karlstadt had its first documentary mention. In 1236, the castle and the village of Karlburg were destroyed in the Rieneck Feud. In 1244, winegrowing in Karlstadt was mentioned for the first time. From 1277 comes the earliest evidence of the town seal. In 1304, the town fortifications were finished. The parish of Karlstadt was first named in 1339. In 1369 a hospital was founded. Between 1370 and 1515, remodelling work was being done on the first,
Romanesque parish church to turn it into a
Gothic hall church. About 1400, Karlstadt became for a short time the seat of an episcopal
mint. The former
Oberamt of the Princely Electorate (
Hochstift) of Würzburg was, after
Secularization, in Bavaria's favour, passed in 1805 to Grand Duke
Ferdinando III of
Tuscany to form the
Grand Duchy of Würzburg, and passed with this to the
Kingdom of Bavaria. The
Jewish residents of the town had a
synagogue as early as the
Middle Ages. The town's synagogue was destroyed on
Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass, 9 November 1938) by
Nazi SA men,
SS, and
Hitler Youth, as well as other local residents. The homes of Jewish residents were attacked as well, the possessions therein were looted or brought to the square in front of the town hall where they were burned, and the Jews living in the town were beaten. ==Governance==