Henrich Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein

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Henrich Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (* December 6, 1658 The Hague ; † November 23, 1723 Wittgenstein Castle ) was a German count and regent from the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein .

Live and act

Henrich Albrecht was the eldest son of 13 children of Count Gustav Otto zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (1633–1701) and his wife Anna Helene de la Place (1634–1705). He grew up in a pietistic parental home, which also shaped him particularly in this faith.

When he took over the affairs of state of the County of Sayn-Wittgenstein in 1698 after his father's withdrawal, he made it a center of pietistic piety and religious tolerance. He allowed a large number of people with different Christian faiths, many religious refugees, to move into the county, who mainly settled in the area of ​​the village of Schwarzenau , but also in Saßmannshausen . The count kept in close contact with them and also took part in their gatherings and church services. As early as 1699, Henrich Albert was using the summer residence in Schwarzenau to be closer to his fellow believers. Three of his sisters lived with radical pietists and renounced any stately luxury. In Schwarzenau, in the late summer of 1708, eight people were re- baptized in the Eder in the immediate vicinity of the residence . This was the foundation of the so-called Anabaptists , an emerging free church around Alexander Mack , which later spread particularly in the USA ( Church of the Brethren ) and in Africa.

Despite all his religious enthusiasm, Henrich Albrecht also made it clear early on that the business of government was too much for him. He only decided what was absolutely necessary and left the administration with the tightest budget to his officials. This brought the already indebted county into further economic difficulties. Land and water were leased for the use of hammer mills. After Henrich Albrecht's economic ineptitude became more and more apparent, his younger brother, August David , was appointed co-regent from 1719. Henrich Albrecht now withdrew even further from government affairs and lived with his third wife in quiet seclusion.

He died without heirs on November 23, 1723 at Wittgenstein Castle. After his death, the center of the radical Pietists gradually shifted from Schwarzenau to Berleburg in the north of the county. Some of the Pietists moved abroad.

Henrich Albrecht's successor was his brother August David, who ruled the county energetically and harshly. B. in the Elsoff peasant uprising, which he ruthlessly shot down in 1725.

family

Henrich Albrecht was married three times: his first marriage was on October 23, 1694, Countess Sophie Juliane zur Lippe-Biesterfeld (* December 6, 1676 - June 2, 1705), the second youngest daughter of Count Jobst Hermann zur Lippe-Biesterfeld (1625– 1678) and his wife Elisabeth Juliane born. Countess of Sayn-Wittgenstein and Hohenstein (1634–1689).

The second marriage took place on December 8, 1705 with Countess Sophie Elisabeth Wilhelmine zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (* August 20, 1675, † August 27, 1712).

The third marriage went to Henrich Albrecht in 1712 with Countess Sophie Florentine zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born April 4, 1688 Berleburg Castle ; † June 16, 1745), daughter of Count Ludwig Franz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1660-1694) and his wife, Hedwig Sophie geb. Countess zu Lippe-Brake (1669–1738) who outlived him by 21 years.

All marriages were childless.

literature

  • Friedrich Wilhelm Goebel : Historical fragments from the life of the ruling counts and princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein. Victories 1858.
  • Ulf Lückel, Andreas Kroh: The Princely House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein. In: Deutsche Fürstenhäuser Heft 11, Börde-Verlag, Werl, 2004
  • Andreas Kroh, Ulf Lückel: Wittgensteiner Pietism in Portraits. Horn-Verlag, Bruchsal 2003.
  • Ulf Lückel: nobility and piety. The Berleburg Counts and Pietism in their territories. Vorländer Verlag, Siegen 2016.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Philipp Dickel: Family tree of the mediatized house Sayn and Wittgenstein. 1907. Unchanged reprint in Heimat-Verlag und Antiquariat Angelika Wied, Bad Laasphe 2009, (9/100), plate 10.
  2. ↑ Ulf Lückel: Nobility and piety. The Berleburg Counts and Pietism in their territories. Vorländer Verlag, Siegen 2016, pp. 59–60.
  3. ↑ Ulf Lückel, Andreas Kroh: The Princely House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein. In: Deutsche Fürstenhäuser Heft 11, Börde-Verlag, Werl, 2004, p. 14.
  4. ^ Andreas Kroh, Ulf Lückel: Wittgensteiner Pietismus in Portraits. Horn-Verlag, Bruchsal 2003, pp. 136-137.
  5. ^ Andreas Kroh, Ulf Lückel: Wittgensteiner Pietismus in Portraits. Horn-Verlag, Bruchsal 2003, p. 139.
  6. ↑ Fritz Kramer: The Elsoff Peasants' War. A contribution to the history of the villages of Alertshausen, Beddelhausen and Elsoff (1721–1729) . In: Wittgenstein. Leaves of the Wittgensteiner Heimatverein , 1968, Issue 1, pp. 45–56; Volume 2, pp. 58-80; Issue 3, pp. 145-163
personal data
SURNAME Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, Henrich Albrecht zu
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German count and regent from the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein
DATE OF BIRTH December 6, 1658
PLACE OF BIRTH The hague
DATE OF DEATH November 23, 1723
Place of death Wittgenstein Castle