House of Hohenzollern
Encyclopedia
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family
and royal dynasty
of electors
, kings and emperors of Prussia
, Germany
and Romania
. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen
in Swabia
during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home
, the Burg Hohenzollern
castle near Hechingen.
The family uses the motto
Nihil Sine Deo
(Nothing Without God). The family coat of arms
, first adopted in 1192, began as a simple shield quarterly
sable
and argent
. A century later, in 1317, Frederick IV, Burgrave of Nuremberg
, added the head and shoulders of a hound as a crest. Later quartering
reflected heiresses’ marriages into the family.
The family split into two branches, the Catholic Swabia
n branch and the Protestant
Franconia
n branch, known also as the Kirschner line. The Swabian branch ruled the area of Hechingen until their eventual extinction in 1869. The Franconian-Kirschner branch was more successful: members of the Franconian branch became Margrave of Brandenburg
in 1415 and Duke of Prussia in 1525. Following the union of these two Franconian lines
in 1618, the Kingdom of Prussia
was created in 1701, eventually leading to the unification of Germany
and the creation of the German Empire
in 1871.
Social unrest at the end of World War I
led to the German Revolution
of 1918, with the formation of the Weimar Republic
forcing the Hohenzollerns to abdicate, thus bringing an end to the modern German monarchy. The Treaty of Versailles
in 1919 set the final terms for the dismantling of the German Empire.
The oldest known mention of the Zollern
was in 1061. It was a county, ruled by the counts of Zollern, who are believed to have originated from the Burchardinger
dynasty.
Count Frederick III of Zollern was a loyal retainer of the Holy Roman Emperors Frederick Barbarossa
and Henry VI
, and around 1185 he married Sophia of Raabs, the daughter of Conrad II, Burgrave of Nuremberg.
After the death of Konrad II, often referred to as Kurt II who left no male heirs, Frederick III was granted the burgraviate of Nuremberg in 1192 as Burgrave Frederick I of Nuremberg-Zollern. Since then the family name has been Hohenzollern.
After Frederick's death, his sons partitioned the family lands between themselves:
Beginning in the 16th century, this branch of the family became Protestant and decided on expansion through marriage and the purchase of surrounding lands.
The family supported the Hohenstaufen and Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire during the 12th to 15th centuries, and they were rewarded with several territorial grants.
In the first phase, the family gradually added to their lands, at first with many small acquisitions in the Franconia
n and Bavaria
n regions of Germany:
In the second phase, the family expanded their lands further with large acquisitions in the Brandenburg
and Prussia
n regions of Germany
and Poland
:
These acquisitions eventually transformed the Hohenzollerns from a minor German princely family into one of the most important in Europe.
At Frederick V's death on 21 January 1398, his lands were partitioned between his two sons:
After John III/I's death on 11 June 1420, the two principalities were briefly reunited under Frederick VI/I/I. From 1412 Frederick VI became Margrave of Brandenburg as Frederick I and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. From 1420, he became Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. Upon his death on 21 September 1440, his territories were divided between his sons:
From 1427 onwards the title of Burgrave of Nuremberg was absorbed into the titles of Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.
On 2 December 1791, Christian II Frederick sold the sovereignty of his principalities to king Frederick William II of Prussia.
On 2 December 1791, Christian II Frederick sold the sovereignty of his principalities to king Frederick William II of Prussia.
From 1701 the title of Elector of Brandenburg was attached to the title of King in and of Prussia.
The Duchy of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf was purchased in 1523.
The duchy of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf was confiscated by Ferdinand III of the Holy Roman Empire
in 1622.
The short-lived Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin was set up, against the Hohenzollern house law
s on succession, as a secundogeniture
fief of the House of Hohenzollern, a typical German institution.
He died without issue. The Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin was absorbed in 1571 into the Margraviate and Electorate of Brandenburg.
From 1688 onwards the Margraves of Brandenburg-Schwedt were a side branch of the House of Hohenzollern. Though recognised as a branch of the main dynasty the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt never constituted a principality with allodial rights of its own.
In 1788 the title was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia.
From 1701 the title of Duke of Prussia was attached to the title of King in and of Prussia.
was granted, without the Duchy of Prussia being elevated to a Kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire
. From 1701 onwards the titles of Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of King in Prussia.
In 1772 the Duchy of Prussia was elevated to a kingdom.
In 1772 the title of King of Prussia was granted with the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia
. From 1772 onwards the titles of Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of King of Prussia.
In 1871 the Kingdom of Prussia was a constituting member of the German Empire
.
was proclaimed. With the accession of Wilhelm I to the newly-established imperial German throne, the titles of King of Prussia, Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of German Emperor.
In 1918 the German empire was abolished and replaced by the Weimar Republic
.
Despite the abolition of the German monarchy in 1918, the House of Hohenzollern never relinquished their claims to the thrones of Prussia and the German Empire. These claims are linked by the Constitution of the second German Empire
: according to this, whoever was King of Prussia was also German Emperor. However, these claims are not recognised by the Federal Republic of Germany
.
The head of the house is the titular King of Prussia and German Emperor. He also bears a historical claim to the title of prince of Orange
. Members of this line style themselves princes of Prussia.
The senior Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern was founded by Frederick II, Burgrave of Nuremberg
.
Ruling the minor German principalities of Hechingen
, Sigmaringen
and Haigerloch
, this branch of the family decided to remain Roman Catholic and from 1567 onwards split into the Hohenzollern-Hechingen
, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
and Hohenzollern-Haigerloch branches. Romanian branch of this family became Orthodox, starting from Ferdinand's I children. When the last count of Hohenzollern, Charles I of Hohenzollern (1512–1579) died, the territory was to be divided up between his three sons:
They never expanded from these three Swabia
n principalities, which was one of the reasons they became relatively unimportant in German history for much of their existence. However, they kept royal lineage and married members of the great royal European houses.
In 1767 the principality of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch was incorporated in the other two principalities. In 1850, the princes of both Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen abdicated their thrones, and their principalities were incorporated as the Prussian province of Hohenzollern
.
The last ruling Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Karl Anton, would later serve as Minister-President of Prussia between 1858 and 1862.
The Hohenzollern-Hechingen finally became extinct in 1869. A descendent of this branch was Sophie Chotek, wife of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Este
.
However, a member of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, Charles Eitel
, second son of prince Karl Anton, was chosen to become prince of Romania as Charles I
in 1866. In 1881 Charles I became the first king of the Romanians
.
Charles' older brother, Leopold, was offered the Spanish throne after a revolt removed queen Isabella II
in 1870. Although encouraged by Bismarck
to accept it, Leopold backed down once France's Emperor, Napoleon III, stated his objection. Despite this, France still declared war, beginning the Franco-Prussian war
.
Charles I had only a daughter who died very young, so Leopold's younger son Ferdinand I
would succeed his uncle as king of the Romanians in 1914, and his descendants continued to rule in Romania until the end of the monarchy in 1947.
In modern times this branch has been represented only by the last king, Michael I of Romania
, and his daughters. The descendants of Leopold's oldest son William continue to use the titles of prince or princess of Hohenzollern.
King Michael renounced his connection in 2011.
In 1204, the County of Hohenzollern was established out of the fusion of the County of Zollern and the Burgraviate of Nuremberg.
In 1575 the County of Hohenzollern was split in two Counties with allodial rights, Hohenzollern-Hechingen
and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
.
Between 1630 and 1681 the county was temporarly integrated into the Margraviate of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
With the death of Francis Christoph Anthony, the county of Hohenzollern-Haigenloch was definitely absorbed into the principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1767.
The County of Hohenzollern-Hechingen was established in 1576 with allodial rights.
In 1850 the principality was sold to the Franconian branch of the family and incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia
. The branch became extinct in dynastic line with Konstantin's death in 1869.
The County of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was established in 1576 with allodial rights and a seat at Sigmaringen Castle.
In 1850 the principality was sold to the Franconian branch of the family and incorporated into the kingdom of Prussia. Nevertheless, the family continued to use the princely title of Fürsten von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen until 1869 and still use the title of Fürsten von Hohenzollern.
vassal states of Wallachia
and Moldavia
had been united in 1859 under Alexandru Ioan Cuza as Prince of Romania in a personal union
.
He was deposed in 1866 by the Romanian parliament which then invited a German
prince of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
family, Charles, to become the new Prince of Romania.
In 1881 the Principality of Romania was proclaimed a Kingdom
.
In 1947 the Kingdom of Romania was abolished and replaced with the People's Republic of Romania
.
, a republic. At 10 May 2011, King Michael severed all of the dynastic and historical ties between the House of Romania
and the House of Hohenzollern.
The head of the family is styled His Serene Highness The Prince of Hohenzollern.
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Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
and royal dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
of electors
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
, kings and emperors of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen
Hechingen
Hechingen is a town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated about south of the state capital of Stuttgart and north of Lake Constance and the Swiss border.- City districts :...
in Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home
Family seat
A seat or family seat is the principal residence of a family. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families took their dynasty name from their family seat , or named their family seat after their own dynasty...
, the Burg Hohenzollern
Burg Hohenzollern
Hohenzollern Castle is a castle about south of Stuttgart, Germany. It is considered the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollern family, which emerged in the Middle Ages and eventually became German Emperors....
castle near Hechingen.
The family uses the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Nihil Sine Deo
Nihil Sine Deo
thumb|right|The Royal Motto of [[Romania]] on the middle and great [[Coat of arms of Romania|coat of arms]]Nihil Sine Deo, Latin for "Nothing without God", is used as a motto by the German Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen royal family....
(Nothing Without God). The family coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, first adopted in 1192, began as a simple shield quarterly
Quartering (heraldry)
Quartering in heraldry is a method of joining several different coats of arms together in one shield by dividing the shield into equal parts and placing different coats of arms in each division....
sable
Sable (heraldry)
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
and argent
Argent
In heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
. A century later, in 1317, Frederick IV, Burgrave of Nuremberg
Frederick IV, Burgrave of Nuremberg
Frederick IV of Nuremberg , Burgrave of Nuremberg from House of Hohenzollern. He was younger son of Frederick III of Nuremberg from his second marriage with Helene of Saxony.-Life:...
, added the head and shoulders of a hound as a crest. Later quartering
Quartering (heraldry)
Quartering in heraldry is a method of joining several different coats of arms together in one shield by dividing the shield into equal parts and placing different coats of arms in each division....
reflected heiresses’ marriages into the family.
The family split into two branches, the Catholic Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n branch and the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
n branch, known also as the Kirschner line. The Swabian branch ruled the area of Hechingen until their eventual extinction in 1869. The Franconian-Kirschner branch was more successful: members of the Franconian branch became Margrave of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
in 1415 and Duke of Prussia in 1525. Following the union of these two Franconian lines
Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia is the historiographic denomination for the Early Modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in the Electorate of Brandenburg, the main branch of the Hohenzollern intermarried with the branch ruling the Duchy of Prussia, and secured succession...
in 1618, the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
was created in 1701, eventually leading to the unification of Germany
Unification of Germany
The formal unification of Germany into a politically and administratively integrated nation state officially occurred on 18 January 1871 at the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors in France. Princes of the German states gathered there to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as Emperor Wilhelm of the German...
and the creation of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1871.
Social unrest at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
led to the German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
of 1918, with the formation of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
forcing the Hohenzollerns to abdicate, thus bringing an end to the modern German monarchy. The Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
in 1919 set the final terms for the dismantling of the German Empire.
Counts of Zollern (before 1061-1204)
The oldest known mention of the Zollern
Zollern
Zollern, from 1218 Hohenzollern, was a county of the Holy Roman Empire. Its ruling dynasty was the House of Hohenzollern, a Swabian noble family first mentioned in 1061. They named their estates after Hohenzollern Castle at the Swabian Alb; its capital was Hechingen...
was in 1061. It was a county, ruled by the counts of Zollern, who are believed to have originated from the Burchardinger
Hunfridings
The Hunfridings or Burchardings were a family of probably Alemannic origin who rose to prominence in their homeland, eventually becoming the first ducal dynasty of Swabia. The first known member of the family was Hunfrid, Margrave of Istria and, according to some sources, last Duke of Friuli under...
dynasty.
- until 1061: Burkhard IBurkhard I, Count of ZollernBurkhard I, Count of Zollern is considered the first well-documented member of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Because of his name, it is assumed that the Hohenzollern family may descend from the medieval Burchardings family. His father may have been Frederick, a count in the Sülchgau area...
- before 1125: Frederick IFrederick I, Count of ZollernFrederick I, Count of Zollern . He was referred to as a powerful Swabian Count and supporter of the imperial party....
- circa 1142 : Frederick II
- before 1171 – circa 1200: Frederick III/IFrederick I, Burgrave of NurembergFrederick I of Nuremberg , the first Burgrave of Nuremberg from the House of Hohenzollern. He was elder son of Count Frederick II of Zollern. He was also Count of Zollern as Frederick III.-Life:...
(son of, also Burgrave of NurembergBurgrave of Nuremberg- Further reading :* Sigmund Benker, Andreas Kraus : Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts . 3rd edition. Beck, Munich 1997. ISBN 3-406-39451-5...
)
Count Frederick III of Zollern was a loyal retainer of the Holy Roman Emperors Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
and Henry VI
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
, and around 1185 he married Sophia of Raabs, the daughter of Conrad II, Burgrave of Nuremberg.
After the death of Konrad II, often referred to as Kurt II who left no male heirs, Frederick III was granted the burgraviate of Nuremberg in 1192 as Burgrave Frederick I of Nuremberg-Zollern. Since then the family name has been Hohenzollern.
After Frederick's death, his sons partitioned the family lands between themselves:
- The older brother, Frederick IVFrederick IV, Count of ZollernCount Frederick IV of Zollern , also known as Burgrave Frederick II of Nuremberg, was Burgrave of Nuremburg from 1204 to 1218 and Count of Zollern from 1218 until his death.- Life :...
, received the county of Zollern and burgraviate of Nuremberg in 1200 from his father, thereby founding the Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollerns. The Swabian line remained CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
- The younger brother, Conrad IIIConrad I, Burgrave of NurembergConrad I of Nuremberg was a Burgrave of Nuremberg of the House of Hohenzollern. He was the younger son of Frederick I of Nuremberg and Sofie of Raabs...
, received the burgraviate of Nuremberg from his older brother Frederick IV in 1218, thereby founding the Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern. The Franconian line later converted to ProtestantismProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
.
Franconian cadet branch and Brandenburg-Prussian Branch
The cadet Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern was founded by Conrad III, Burgrave of Nuremberg.Beginning in the 16th century, this branch of the family became Protestant and decided on expansion through marriage and the purchase of surrounding lands.
The family supported the Hohenstaufen and Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire during the 12th to 15th centuries, and they were rewarded with several territorial grants.
In the first phase, the family gradually added to their lands, at first with many small acquisitions in the Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
n and Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n regions of Germany:
- AnsbachAnsbachAnsbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
in 1331 - KulmbachKulmbachKulmbach is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.-Location:...
in 1340
In the second phase, the family expanded their lands further with large acquisitions in the Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n regions of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
:
- Margraviate of BrandenburgMargraviate of BrandenburgThe Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
in 1417 - Duchy of Prussia in 1618
These acquisitions eventually transformed the Hohenzollerns from a minor German princely family into one of the most important in Europe.
Burgraves of Nuremberg (1192–1427)
- 1192–1200/1204: Frederick I (also count of Zollern as Frederick III)
- 1204–1218: Frederick IIFrederick IV, Count of ZollernCount Frederick IV of Zollern , also known as Burgrave Frederick II of Nuremberg, was Burgrave of Nuremburg from 1204 to 1218 and Count of Zollern from 1218 until his death.- Life :...
(son of, also count of Zollern as Frederick IV) - 1218–1261/1262: Conrad I/III (brother of, also count of Zollern)
- 1262–1297: Frederick III (son of)
- 1297–1300: John I (son of)
- 1300–1332: Frederick IV (brother of)
- 1332–1357: John II (son of)
- 1357–1398: Frederick V (son of)
At Frederick V's death on 21 January 1398, his lands were partitioned between his two sons:
- 1398–1420: John III/IJohn III, Burgrave of NurembergJohn III of Nuremberg , Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach from the House of Hohenzollern. He was elder son of Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen.-Family and children:...
(son of, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach) - 1420–1427: Frederick VI/I/I, (brother of, also Elector of Brandenburg and Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach)
After John III/I's death on 11 June 1420, the two principalities were briefly reunited under Frederick VI/I/I. From 1412 Frederick VI became Margrave of Brandenburg as Frederick I and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. From 1420, he became Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. Upon his death on 21 September 1440, his territories were divided between his sons:
- John II, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachJohn, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachJohn, nicknamed the Alchemist was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and served as the peace-loving Margrave of Brandenburg after the abdication of his father, Frederick I, the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule Brandenburg.-Biography:John was the eldest son of Frederick I,...
- Frederick II, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick II, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick II of Brandenburg , nicknamed "the Iron" and sometimes "Irontooth" , was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1440 until his abdication in 1470, and was a member of the House of Hohenzollern.-Biography:Frederick II was born in Tangermünde to Frederick I, Brandenburg's...
- Albert III, Elector of Brandenburg and Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachAlbert III, Elector of BrandenburgAlbert III , often known simply as Albert Achilles , was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg. He received the nickname Achilles because of his knightly qualities. He also ruled the Principality of Ansbach.-Early life:Albert was born the third son of Elector Frederick I in Tangermünde...
From 1427 onwards the title of Burgrave of Nuremberg was absorbed into the titles of Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.
Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1398–1791)
- 1398: Frederick I (also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach)
- 1440: Albert I/I/III Achilles (son of, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1486: Frederick II/IIFrederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachFrederick I of Ansbach and Bayreuth was born at Ansbach as the eldest son of the Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg by his second wife Anna, daughter of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. His elder half-brother was the Elector Johann Cicero of Brandenburg...
(son of, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach) - 1515: George I/I the PiousGeorge, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...
(son of, also Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf) - 1543: George Frederick I/I/I/IGeorge Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach was Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and a member of the House of Hohenzollern...
(son of, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf and Regent of Prussia) - 1603: Joachim ErnstJoachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachJoachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman. He ruled as margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1603 to 1625, succeeding his father John George and succeeded by his son Frederick III.- Youth :Joachim Ernst was the son of the elector John George of Brandenburg and his third...
- 1625: Frederick III
- 1634: Albert IIAlbert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachAlbert II or V of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman, who was margrave of Ansbach from 1634 until his death.-Life:...
- 1667: John Frederick
- 1686: Christian I Albrecht
- 1692: George Frederick II/II (later Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach)
- 1703: William FrederickWilliam Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachWilliam Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach , was Margrave of the Principality of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1703 until his death, 1723...
(before 1686–1723) - 1723: Charles William (1712–1757)
- 1757: Christian II Frederick (1757–1791) (son of, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach)
On 2 December 1791, Christian II Frederick sold the sovereignty of his principalities to king Frederick William II of Prussia.
Margraves of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1398-1604), later Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1604–1791)
- 1397: John IJohn III, Burgrave of NurembergJohn III of Nuremberg , Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach from the House of Hohenzollern. He was elder son of Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen.-Family and children:...
- 1420: Frederick I (also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach)
- 1440: John IIJohn, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachJohn, nicknamed the Alchemist was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and served as the peace-loving Margrave of Brandenburg after the abdication of his father, Frederick I, the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule Brandenburg.-Biography:John was the eldest son of Frederick I,...
- 1457: Albert I/I/III Achilles (also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1486: SiegmundSiegmund, Margrave of BayreuthSiegmund of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was the sixth but third surviving son of Albrecht III, Margrave of Brandenburg, Ansbach and Bayreuth. On the death of his father on 11 March 1486, his elder brothers Johann Cicero and Friedrich succeeded to Brandenburg and Ansbach respectively, and Siegmund...
- 1495: Frederick II/IIFrederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachFrederick I of Ansbach and Bayreuth was born at Ansbach as the eldest son of the Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg by his second wife Anna, daughter of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. His elder half-brother was the Elector Johann Cicero of Brandenburg...
(also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach) - 1515: CasimirCasimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthCasimir of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was Margrave of Bayreuth from 1515 to 1527.- Family background :...
- 1527: Albert II AlcibiadesAlbert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachAlbert Alcibiades was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, also known as Brandenburg-Bayreuth.Because of his bellicose nature Albert received the cognomen Alcibiades after his death; during his lifetime Albert was known as Bellator .He was a member of the Franconian branch of the House of...
- 1553: George Frederick I/I/I/IGeorge Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach was Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and a member of the House of Hohenzollern...
(also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf and Regent of Prussia) - 1603: Christian IChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach ....
- 1655: Christian II ErnstChristian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
- 1712: George I WilliamGeorge William, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthGeorge William of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.-Family:...
- 1726: George Frederick II/IIGeorge Frederick Charles, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthGeorge Frederick Charles , Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , was a German prince, member of the House of Hohenzollern, nominal Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth-Kulmbach and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth .-Family:He was the eldest of the fourteen children born...
(previously Margrave of Kulmbach) - 1735: Frederick IVFrederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthFrederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
- 1763: Frederick V ChristianFrederick Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthFrederick Christian of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.-Family:...
- 1769: Christian II Frederick (until 1791, also Margrave of brandenburg-Ansbach)
On 2 December 1791, Christian II Frederick sold the sovereignty of his principalities to king Frederick William II of Prussia.
Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg (1417–1806)
- 1415–1440: Frederick I/I/VI (also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Burgrave of Nuremberg)
- 1440–1470: Frederick IIFrederick II, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick II of Brandenburg , nicknamed "the Iron" and sometimes "Irontooth" , was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1440 until his abdication in 1470, and was a member of the House of Hohenzollern.-Biography:Frederick II was born in Tangermünde to Frederick I, Brandenburg's...
(son) - 1470–1486: Albrecht III/I/I Achilles (brother) (also Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach)
- 1486–1499: John I Cicero (son)
- 1499–1535: Joachim I Nestor (son)
- 1535–1571: Joachim II HectorJoachim II Hector, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim II Hector was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg . A member of the House of Hohenzollern, Joachim II was the son of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife Elizabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden...
(son) - 1571–1598: John II GeorgeJohn George, Elector of BrandenburgJohn George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
(son) - 1598–1608: Joachim III/I/I FrederickJoachim Frederick, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim III Frederick , of the House of Hohenzollern, was Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1598 until his death.-Biography:...
(son, also Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf and Regent of Prussia) - 1608–1619: John III/I Sigismund (son, also duke of Prussia)
- 1619–1640: George William I/I (son, also duke of Prussia)
- 1640–1688: Frederick III/I William the Great (son, also duke of Prussia)
- 1688–1701: Frederick IV/II/IFrederick I of PrussiaFrederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(son, also Duke of Prussia and King in Prussia)
From 1701 the title of Elector of Brandenburg was attached to the title of King in and of Prussia.
Dukes of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf (1523–1622)
- 1541–1543 : George I/I the PiousGeorge, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...
(also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach) - 1543–1603 : George Frederick I/I/I/IGeorge Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach was Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and a member of the House of Hohenzollern...
(also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Regent of Prussia) - 1603–1606 : Joachim I/I/III (also Regent of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1606–1621 : Johann Georg of Hohenzollern
The duchy of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf was confiscated by Ferdinand III of the Holy Roman Empire
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
in 1622.
Margraves of Brandenburg-Küstrin (1535–1571)
The short-lived Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin was set up, against the Hohenzollern house law
House law
House law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
s on succession, as a secundogeniture
Secundogeniture
A secundogeniture was a dependent territory given to a younger son of a princely house and his descendants, creating a cadet branch. This was a special form of inheritance...
fief of the House of Hohenzollern, a typical German institution.
- 1535–1571: John the Wise, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin (son of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg)
He died without issue. The Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin was absorbed in 1571 into the Margraviate and Electorate of Brandenburg.
Margraves of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1688–1788)
- 1688–1711 : Philip WilliamPhilipp Wilhelm (Brandenburg-Schwedt)Philip William, Prince in Prussia was a Prussian Prince, the first Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and governor of Magdeburg from 1692 to 1711.-Biography:...
, Prince in Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (son of Frederick William, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg|align=right|Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia – and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia – from 1640 until his death. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is popularly known as the "Great Elector" because of his military and political prowess...
) - 1731–1771 : Frederick William, Prince in Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (son of)
- 1771–1788 : Henry Frederick, Prince in Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg Schwedt (brother of)
In 1788 the title was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia.
Dukes of Prussia (1525–1701)
In 1525 the Duchy of Prussia was established as a fief of the King of Poland.- 1525–1568: Albert IAlbert I, Duke of PrussiaAlbert of Prussia was the 37th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights and, after converting to Lutheranism, the first duke of the Duchy of Prussia, which was the first state to adopt the Lutheran faith and Protestantism as the official state religion...
- 1568–1618: Albert II FrederickAlbert Frederick, Duke of PrussiaAlbert Frederick was duke of Prussia from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.-Duke of Prussia:...
co-inheritor (son of) - 1568–1571: Joachim I/II Hector co-inheritor (also Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1578–1603: George Frederick I/I/I/IGeorge Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach was Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and a member of the House of Hohenzollern...
(Regent, also Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf) - 1603–1608: Joachim I/I/III FrederickJoachim Frederick, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim III Frederick , of the House of Hohenzollern, was Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1598 until his death.-Biography:...
(Regent, also Duke of Brandenburg-Jägerndorf and Elector of Brandenburg) - 1608–1618: John I/III SigismundJohn Sigismund, Elector of BrandenburgJohn Sigismund was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from the House of Hohenzollern. He also served as a Duke of Prussia.-Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia:...
(Regent, also Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1578–1603: George Frederick I/I/I/I
- 1618–1619: John I/III SigismundJohn Sigismund, Elector of BrandenburgJohn Sigismund was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from the House of Hohenzollern. He also served as a Duke of Prussia.-Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia:...
(Regent, also Elector of Brandenburg) - 1619–1640: George William I/IGeorge William, Elector of BrandenburgGeorge William of Brandenburg , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was margrave and elector of Brandenburg and duke of Prussia from 1619 until his death. His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War...
(son of, also Elector of Brandenburg) - 1640–1688: Frederick I/III William the Great Elector (son of, also Elector of Brandenburg)
- 1688–1701: Frederick II/IV/IFrederick I of PrussiaFrederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(also Elector of Brandenburg and King in Prussia)
From 1701 the title of Duke of Prussia was attached to the title of King in and of Prussia.
Kings in Prussia (1701–1772)
In 1701 the title of King in PrussiaKing in Prussia
King in Prussia was a title used by the Electors of Brandenburg from 1701 to 1772. Subsequently they used the title King of Prussia....
was granted, without the Duchy of Prussia being elevated to a Kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. From 1701 onwards the titles of Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of King in Prussia.
- 1701–1713: Frederick I/II/IVFrederick I of PrussiaFrederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(also Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg) - 1713–1740: Frederick William IFrederick William I of PrussiaFrederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
(son of) - 1740–1786: Frederick II the GreatFrederick II of PrussiaFrederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(son of, later also King of Prussia)
In 1772 the Duchy of Prussia was elevated to a kingdom.
Kings of Prussia (1772–1918)
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. From 1772 onwards the titles of Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of King of Prussia.
- Frederick II the GreatFrederick II of PrussiaFrederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(1740–1786) (son of, before King in PrussiaKing in PrussiaKing in Prussia was a title used by the Electors of Brandenburg from 1701 to 1772. Subsequently they used the title King of Prussia....
) - Frederick William IIFrederick William II of PrussiaFrederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
(1786–1797) (nephew of) - Frederick William IIIFrederick William III of PrussiaFrederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
(1797–1840) (son of) - Frederick William IVFrederick William IV of Prussia|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
(1840–1861) (son of) - Wilhelm IWilliam I, German EmperorWilliam I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
(1861–1888) (brother of) - Frederick IIIFrederick III, German EmperorFrederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
(1888) (son of) - Wilhelm IIWilliam II, German EmperorWilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
(1888–1918) (son of)
In 1871 the Kingdom of Prussia was a constituting member of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
.
German Kings and Emperors (1871–1918)
Reigning (1871–1918)
In 1871 the German empireGerman Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
was proclaimed. With the accession of Wilhelm I to the newly-established imperial German throne, the titles of King of Prussia, Duke of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg were always attached to the title of German Emperor.
- 1871–1888: William IWilliam I, German EmperorWilliam I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
(also King of Prussia) - 1888: Frederick IIIFrederick III, German EmperorFrederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
(son of, also King of Prussia) - 1888–1918: William IIWilliam II, German EmperorWilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
(grandson of, also King of Prussia)
In 1918 the German empire was abolished and replaced by the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
.
Line of Succession (1918 to Present)
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
: according to this, whoever was King of Prussia was also German Emperor. However, these claims are not recognised by the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
| Name | Titular Reign |
Comments |
| Wilhelm II William II, German Emperor Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe... |
1918–1941 | Exiled in the Netherlands until his death |
| Crown Prince William | 1941–1951 | |
| Prince Louis Ferdinand Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia -Children:* Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia , married firstly Waltraud Freytag on 22 August 1967 in Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; secondly Ehrengard von Reden on 23 April 1976; thirdly Sibylle Kretschmer. He renounced his succession rights on 18 September 1967... |
1951–1994 | |
| Prince Georg Friedrich | since 1994 | |
| Prince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia Prince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia Prince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia is the heir presumptive and uncle to Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, head of the House of Hohenzollern. He is a son of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia and Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia... |
heir presumptive Heir Presumptive An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question... |
The head of the house is the titular King of Prussia and German Emperor. He also bears a historical claim to the title of prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
. Members of this line style themselves princes of Prussia.
Swabian senior branch
Frederick IV, Count of Zollern
Count Frederick IV of Zollern , also known as Burgrave Frederick II of Nuremberg, was Burgrave of Nuremburg from 1204 to 1218 and Count of Zollern from 1218 until his death.- Life :...
.
Ruling the minor German principalities of Hechingen
Hechingen
Hechingen is a town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated about south of the state capital of Stuttgart and north of Lake Constance and the Swiss border.- City districts :...
, Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....
and Haigerloch
Haigerloch
-Geography:-Geographical situation:Haigerloch lies at between 430 and 550 metres elevation in the valley of the Eyach, which forms two loops in a steep shelly limestone valley...
, this branch of the family decided to remain Roman Catholic and from 1567 onwards split into the Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Hohenzollern-Hechingen was a county and principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to a branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty.-History:...
, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
and Hohenzollern-Haigerloch branches. Romanian branch of this family became Orthodox, starting from Ferdinand's I children. When the last count of Hohenzollern, Charles I of Hohenzollern (1512–1579) died, the territory was to be divided up between his three sons:
- Eitel Frederick IV of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1545–1605)
- Charles II of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenCharles II, Count of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenCharles II, Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1576 and remained so until his death....
(1547–1606) - Christoph of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch (1552–1592)
They never expanded from these three Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n principalities, which was one of the reasons they became relatively unimportant in German history for much of their existence. However, they kept royal lineage and married members of the great royal European houses.
In 1767 the principality of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch was incorporated in the other two principalities. In 1850, the princes of both Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen abdicated their thrones, and their principalities were incorporated as the Prussian province of Hohenzollern
Province of Hohenzollern
Hohenzollern was a de facto province of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was created in 1850 by joining the principalities of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen after both formerly independently ruling Catholic princely lines of the House of Hohenzollern had handed over their...
.
The last ruling Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Karl Anton, would later serve as Minister-President of Prussia between 1858 and 1862.
The Hohenzollern-Hechingen finally became extinct in 1869. A descendent of this branch was Sophie Chotek, wife of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Este
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
.
However, a member of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, Charles Eitel
Carol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
, second son of prince Karl Anton, was chosen to become prince of Romania as Charles I
Carol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
in 1866. In 1881 Charles I became the first king of the Romanians
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Charles' older brother, Leopold, was offered the Spanish throne after a revolt removed queen Isabella II
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
in 1870. Although encouraged by Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
to accept it, Leopold backed down once France's Emperor, Napoleon III, stated his objection. Despite this, France still declared war, beginning the Franco-Prussian war
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
.
Charles I had only a daughter who died very young, so Leopold's younger son Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I of Romania
Ferdinand was the King of Romania from 10 October 1914 until his death.-Early life:Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, the Roman Catholic Prince Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, later simply of Hohenzollern, was a son of Leopold, Prince of...
would succeed his uncle as king of the Romanians in 1914, and his descendants continued to rule in Romania until the end of the monarchy in 1947.
In modern times this branch has been represented only by the last king, Michael I of Romania
Michael I of Romania
Michael was the last King of Romania. He reigned from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940 until 30 December 1947 when he was forced, by the Communist Party of Romania , to abdicate to the Soviet armies of occupation...
, and his daughters. The descendants of Leopold's oldest son William continue to use the titles of prince or princess of Hohenzollern.
King Michael renounced his connection in 2011.
Counts of Hohenzollern (1204–1575)
- 1204–1251/1255: Frederick IVFrederick IV, Count of ZollernCount Frederick IV of Zollern , also known as Burgrave Frederick II of Nuremberg, was Burgrave of Nuremburg from 1204 to 1218 and Count of Zollern from 1218 until his death.- Life :...
, also Burgrave of NurembergBurgrave of Nuremberg- Further reading :* Sigmund Benker, Andreas Kraus : Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts . 3rd edition. Beck, Munich 1997. ISBN 3-406-39451-5...
as Frederick II until 1218
- 1251/1255–1289: Frederick V
- 1289–1298: Frederick VI
- 1298–1309: Frederick VII
- 1309–1333: Frederick VIII
- 1333–1377: Frederick IX
- 1377–1401: Frederick XI
- 1401–1426: Frederick XII
- 1426–1439: Eitel Frederick I
- 1439–1488: Jobst Nikolaus I
- 1488–1512: Eitel Frederick II
- 1512–1525: Eitel Frederick III
- 1525–1575: Charles I
In 1575 the County of Hohenzollern was split in two Counties with allodial rights, Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Hohenzollern-Hechingen was a county and principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to a branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty.-History:...
and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
.
Counts of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch (1567–1630 and 1681–1767)
The County of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch was established in 1567 without allodial rights- 1575–1601 : Christoph of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
- 1601–1623 : Johann Christoph of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
- 1601–1630 : Johann of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
Between 1630 and 1681 the county was temporarly integrated into the Margraviate of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
- 1681–1702: Francis Anthony of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
- 1702–1750: Ferdinand Anthony of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
- 1750–1767: Francis Christoph Anthony of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
With the death of Francis Christoph Anthony, the county of Hohenzollern-Haigenloch was definitely absorbed into the principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1767.
Counts, later Princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1576–1623–1850)
- Eitel Friedrich IV (1576–1605)
- Johann Georg (1605–1623) (also prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen)
- Eitel Friedrich V (1623–1661) (also count of Hohenzollern-Hechingen)
- Philipp Christoph Friedrich (1661–1671)
- Friedrich Wilhelm (1671–1735)
- Friedrich Ludwig (1735–1750)
- Josef Friedrich WilhelmJosef Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern-HechingenJosef Friedrich Wilhelm , was prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen from 1750 until his death.-Life:...
(1750–1798) - HermannHermann, Prince of Hohenzollern-HechingenHermann Friedrich Otto was the ruling Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen from 1798 until 1810.-Life:...
(1798–1810) - Friedrich (1810–1838)
- KonstantinConstantine, Prince of Hohenzollern-HechingenPrince Friedrich Wilhelm Konstantin Hermann Thassilo of Hohenzollern-Hechingen was the last Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen...
(1838–1850)
In 1850 the principality was sold to the Franconian branch of the family and incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. The branch became extinct in dynastic line with Konstantin's death in 1869.
Counts, later Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1576–1623–1849)
- Karl IICharles II, Count of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenCharles II, Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1576 and remained so until his death....
(1576–1606) - Johann I (1606–1623) (also Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen)
- Johann II (1623–1638) (also Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen)
- Meinrad I (1638–1681)
- Maximilian (1681–1689)
- Meinrad II (1689–1715)
- Joseph Franz Ernst (1715–1769)
- Karl Friedrich (1769–1785)
- Anton Aloys (1785–1831)
- Karl IIICharles, Prince of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenCharles, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from 1831 to 1848.In 1833 Karl called a constitutional assembly together and created a constitutional charter that would be the law in his lands...
(1831–1848) - Karl Anton (1848–1849)
In 1850 the principality was sold to the Franconian branch of the family and incorporated into the kingdom of Prussia. Nevertheless, the family continued to use the princely title of Fürsten von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen until 1869 and still use the title of Fürsten von Hohenzollern.
Reigning (1866–1947)
The Principality of Romania was established in 1862, after the OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
vassal states of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
and Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
had been united in 1859 under Alexandru Ioan Cuza as Prince of Romania in a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
.
He was deposed in 1866 by the Romanian parliament which then invited a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
prince of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
family, Charles, to become the new Prince of Romania.
In 1881 the Principality of Romania was proclaimed a Kingdom
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
.
- 1866–1914: Charles I (also Prince of Romania)
- 1914–1927: Ferdinand
- 1927–1930: Michael I
- 1930–1940: Charles II
- 1940–1947: Michael I
In 1947 the Kingdom of Romania was abolished and replaced with the People's Republic of Romania
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
.
Succession (1947 until today)
King Michael has retained his claim on the Romanian throne. At present, the claim is not recognised by RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, a republic. At 10 May 2011, King Michael severed all of the dynastic and historical ties between the House of Romania
House of Romania
The House of Romania is the dynastic royal house that succeeds the Romanian branch of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen that ruled Romania between 1866 and 1947. The Romanian royal house was formerly known as "of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen"...
and the House of Hohenzollern.
House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
The princely House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen never relinquished their claims to the princely throne of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen or the royal throne of Romania. Because the last reigning king of the Romanians, Michael I, has no male issue, upon his death the claim will devolve to the head of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (or to the king's female line descendants, if one follows the amended Romanian house laws).- 1849–1885: Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern
- 1885–1905: Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern
- 1905–1927: Wilhelm, Prince of HohenzollernWilhelm, Prince of HohenzollernWilliam, Prince of Hohenzollern was the eldest son of Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern and Infanta Antónia of Portugal. His maternal grandparents were Maria II of Portugal and her King consort Ferdinand II of Portugal.William was an older brother of Ferdinand I of Romania...
- 1927–1965: Friedrich, Prince of HohenzollernFriedrich, Prince of HohenzollernFrederick, Prince of Hohenzollern He was the eldest son of William, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies...
- 1965–2010 : Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- 2010 - current : Karl Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern
- heir apparentHeir apparentAn 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....
: Alexander, Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern
The head of the family is styled His Serene Highness The Prince of Hohenzollern.
See also
- Kings of Germany family tree. The Hohenzollerns were the 15th dynasty to rule Germany and were related by marriage to all the others.
- Coat of arms of PrussiaCoat of arms of PrussiaThe state of Prussia developed from the State of the Teutonic Order. The original flag of the Teutonic Knights had been a black cross on a white flag.Emperor Frederick II in 1229 granted them the right to use the black Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire....
- Coat of arms of GermanyCoat of arms of GermanyThe coat of arms of Germany displays a black eagle on a yellow shield ....
- House Order of HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
- Heil dir im SiegerkranzHeil dir im Siegerkranz"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" was from 1871 to 1918 the unofficial national anthem of the German Empire. Previously, it had been the anthem of Prussia, the melody of the hymn derived from the British anthem "God Save the Queen". For these reasons, the song failed to become popular within all of Germany...
- Order of the Black EagleOrder of the Black EagleThe Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg . In his Dutch exile after WWI, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family...
and SUUM CUIQUE - Order of the Red EagleOrder of the Red EagleThe Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
and SINCERE ET CONSTANTE - Wilhelm-OrdenWilhelm-OrdenThe Wilhelm-Orden was instituted on the 18th January 1896 by the Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia William II, and was dedicated to the memory of his grandfather Emperor William I "the Great"...
- Order of the Crown (Prussia)Order of the Crown (Prussia)The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
and GOTT MIT UNSGott Mit UnsGott mit uns is a phrase commonly associated with the German military from the German Empire to the end of the Third Reich, although its historical origins are far older, ultimately tracing back to the Hebrew term Immanuel from the Bible... - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
External links
- Official site of the imperial House of Germany and royal House of Prussia
- Official site of the princely House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- Official site of the royal house of Romania
- Genealogy of the Hohenzollern
- Genealogy of the Hohenzollerns from Genealogy.eu
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