Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (6 November 1793 – 28 June 1867) was a sovereign prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
.
the second son of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Louis Frederick II and his wife Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Homburg
(1771–1854). His grandfather Friedrich Karl had died seven months before his birth and so he was born as heir apparent
and Hereditary Prince. His father died on April 28, 1807 when he was fourteen so his mother acted as regent
until he turned twenty one on November 6, 1814 when he assumed control of the principality.
His reign spanning sixty years saw the creation of a Diet
which he introduced in 1816 during the early years of his personal reign. When he ascended the throne in 1807, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a member of the Confederation of the Rhine
which was dissolved in 1813 with the Treaty of Paris
on May 30, 1814 declaring the independence of the former Confederation states with Prince Friedrich Günther becoming the ruler of an independent principality. In 1815 the German Confederation
was created and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
along with other German monarchies joining. The last years of his reign saw the Austro-Prussian War
of 1866 where Prince Friedrich Günther kept Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt neutral and following the conclusion of the war the creation of the North German Confederation
.
Following his death at Heidecksburg
castle he was succeeded as prince by his brother Prince Albert
as all his son's by his first wife had predeceased him and his son by his second wife Prince Sizzo of Leutenberg
was born from a morganatic marriage.
(1793–1854) who he married on April 15, 1816 at Dessau
. They had three children.
He married and secondly Countess Helene of Reina (1835–1860) on August 7, 1855 at Dresden
. This marriage was morganatic and their children were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg.
His third wife was Marie Schultze (1840–1909) who he married at Schwarzburg
on September 24, 1861. This marriage was also morganatic and in 1864 he created the title Countess of Brockenburg for his wife. The marriage was childless.
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
.
Biography
He was born in RudolstadtRudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
the second son of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Louis Frederick II and his wife Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Homburg
Caroline of Hesse-Homburg
Caroline of Hesse-Homburg was the daughter of Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and his wife, Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt. She married in 1791 to Prince Ludwig Friedrich II of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. They had five children together. Caroline died on 20 June 1854.-Children:-Ancestry:-...
(1771–1854). His grandfather Friedrich Karl had died seven months before his birth and so he was born as heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
and Hereditary Prince. His father died on April 28, 1807 when he was fourteen so his mother acted as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
until he turned twenty one on November 6, 1814 when he assumed control of the principality.
His reign spanning sixty years saw the creation of a Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
which he introduced in 1816 during the early years of his personal reign. When he ascended the throne in 1807, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a member of the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
which was dissolved in 1813 with the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1814)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 May 1814, ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars, following an armistice signed on 23 May between Charles, Count of Artois, and the allies...
on May 30, 1814 declaring the independence of the former Confederation states with Prince Friedrich Günther becoming the ruler of an independent principality. In 1815 the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
was created and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
along with other German monarchies joining. The last years of his reign saw the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
of 1866 where Prince Friedrich Günther kept Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt neutral and following the conclusion of the war the creation of the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
.
Following his death at Heidecksburg
Heidecksburg
The castle Heidecksburg was the residence of the princes to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in Rudolstadt. The castle is located approximately 60 m above the old town of Rudolstadt. It was not destroyed during World War II.-External links:* *...
castle he was succeeded as prince by his brother Prince Albert
Albert, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Albert, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a sovereign prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.-Biography:He was born in Rudolstadt the second son of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Louis Frederick II and his wife Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Homburg...
as all his son's by his first wife had predeceased him and his son by his second wife Prince Sizzo of Leutenberg
Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg
Günther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg was the head of the House of Schwarzburg and pretender to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.-Biography:...
was born from a morganatic marriage.
Marriages and children
Prince Friedrich Günther was married three times. His first wife was Princess Auguste of Anhalt-DessauAuguste of Anhalt-Dessau
Amalie Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau was a member of the House of Ascania and a Princess of Anhalt-Dessau by birth...
(1793–1854) who he married on April 15, 1816 at Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
. They had three children.
- Prince Friedrich Günther (1818–1821)
- Prince Günther (1821–1845)
- Prince Gustav (1828–1837)
He married and secondly Countess Helene of Reina (1835–1860) on August 7, 1855 at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. This marriage was morganatic and their children were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg.
- Princess Helene (1860–1937)
- Prince SizzoSizzo, Prince of SchwarzburgGünther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg was the head of the House of Schwarzburg and pretender to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.-Biography:...
(1860–1926)
His third wife was Marie Schultze (1840–1909) who he married at Schwarzburg
Schwarzburg
Schwarzburg is a municipality in the valley of the Schwarza in the district Saalfeld-Rudolstadt in Thuringia, Germany.First mentioned in 1071 as Swartzinburg. The castle was from the 12th century the seat of the Counts of Schwarzburg...
on September 24, 1861. This marriage was also morganatic and in 1864 he created the title Countess of Brockenburg for his wife. The marriage was childless.