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Last updated: May 12, 2009


Copyright © V. Rozn 1999-2009
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The High Nobility of the Holy Roman Empire and
the German Ruling Houses in 1789-1918


The site is dedicated to German territorial rulers of the 18th-20th centuries that belonged to the High Nobility (Hochadel) of the Holy Roman Empire. The High Nobility was an Imperial immediate noble group that had the right to sit and vote in the Imperial Assembly. Although the High Nobles legally recognized the Imperial suzerainty, in fact, they had become independent territorial rulers by the 17th century.

The creation of the Confederation of the Rhine (July 1806) and the following abolition of the Holy Roman Empire (August 1806) split the Imperial High Nobility into two categories: the Sovereign houses and the Mediatized houses. The noble families, whose lands were mediatized, i.e. put under Territorial supremacy of other states, became known as the Mediatized nobility. Until 1918, the Mediatized nobles preserved significant rights but lost their status of territorial rulers.

In 1815, all of the German sovereign rulers joined the German Confederation that existed until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Because of the war, several German rulers lost their lands. In 1871, the most of the German rulers joined the new German Empire headed by the King of Prussia (N.1). Although nominally they retained their sovereignty, in practice the German Empire was dominated by the most powerful state, Prussia. In November 1918, all monarchs in Germany and the Emperor of Austria were deposed. Only two former members of the German Confederation, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, have remained monarchies.

Notes:
1. Only three former members of the German Confederation did not join the new German Empire: the Emperor of Austria, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and the Prince of Liechtenstein.
2. In the 16th-20th centuries, representatives of the High Noble Houses occupied the thrones of many European countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russian, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Spain, Portugal, etc.

Related sites:
1. The German Reigning Houses
2. Titles of European hereditary rulers



I. The High Noble Houses in 1789-1806

The following articles provide information of all of the High Noble Houses and their branches that existed at the beginning of the Great French Revolution of 1789. Each article includes a brief history of a House; describes its territories and representation in the Imperial institutions by 1789; lists the rulers and their titles; tracks major territorial gains and losses from 1789 until members of the House lost their status of territorial rulers.

Abensberg and Traun

Anhalt

Arenberg

Aspremont-Lynden

Auersperg

Austria

Baden

Bassenheim see Waldbott of Bassenheim

Bavaria

Bentheim

Brandenburg

Bretzenheim

Brunswick

Castell

Colloredo

Dietrichstein

Erbach

Esterházy of Galántha

Fürstenberg

Fugger

Giech

Grävenitz

Hanover see Brunswick

Harrach of Thannhausen

Hatzfeld

Hesse

Hohenlohe

Hohenzollern

Holstein

Isenburg / Ysenburg

Kaunitz

Kirchberg-Farnrode

Khevenhüller-Metsch

Königsegg / Koenigseck

Küfstein of Greillenstein

Leiningen

Leiningen-Westerburg

Leyen

Liechtenstein

Ligne

Limburg-Styrum

Lippe

Lobkowitz

Löwenstein-Wertheim

Looz-Corswarem

Manderscheid

The Mark

Mecklenburg

Metternich

Modena / Este

Nassau

Nesselrode

Neipperg

Nostitz

Öttingen

Oldenburg see Holstein

Ortenburg

Ostein

Platen-Hallermund

Plettenberg

Prussia see Brandenburg

Pückler

Quadt

Rechteren

Reuss

Orsini / Ursin-Rosenberg

Rechberg-Rothenlöwen

Rosenberg see Orsini / Ursin-Rosenberg

Salm (the Rhine Counts)

Salm-Reifferscheidt

Saxony

Sayn-Wittgenstein

Schäsberg

Schlitz named Görtz

Schönborn

Schönburg

Schwarzburg

Schwarzenberg

Sickingen

Sinzendorf-Ernstbrunn

Solms

Stadion

Starhemberg

Sternberg

Stolberg

Thurn & Taxis

Törring

Traun see Abensberg and Traun

Trauttmansdorff

Waldbott / Wallpott of Bassenheim

Waldburg

Waldeck

Wallmoden

Wartenberg

Wied

Windisch-Graetz / Windischgrätz

Wurmbrand-Stuppach

Württemberg