Titulature and coat of arms of the German Emperors after 1873

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The German emperors after 1873 carried a large number of titles and coats of arms, which in various combinations became the officially used titles and coats of arms. The title and coat of arms were last established in 1873. However, the titles of rulers did not necessarily mean that the respective area was really ruled, and several princes sometimes had the same title.

In 1817, due to the large number of official titles for the King of Prussia, new types of titles were introduced, namely the large title, the medium title and the short title, and parallel to this the large coat of arms , the medium coat of arms and the small coat of arms of Prussia .

General

All nobles have a title of nobility . In the ruler's titles, all titles that a ruler has united are compiled. The title is the public self-portrayal of the person in their political environment, which is why terms may appear in this title that merely proclaim a claim but do not correspond to any political reality at the time of their application.

Very soon the title also emancipated itself from the function it expressed and became a sign of belonging to a gender, so that several people could use the same title at the same time. From 1868 the King of Prussia carried the title “Prince of Pyrmont” alongside the Waldeck Prince Georg Viktor, which is why the title “ruling prince” was later formed for the holder of the function, as opposed to the pure title holder. But this also gradually faded, as can be seen in the last “ruling Prince of Pyrmont”, who actually only had the right to pardon as a result of a treaty of 1867 in addition to church matters.

Only in the case of the emperor, king and grand duke does the loss of office mean loss of the title. The other titles were and are linked to the person in the course of development, so that they did not necessarily go under with the loss of function.

The king held more titles than he led. In 1864 he ordered that the number of just over 50 in the title and in the coat of arms should not be exceeded. Both are therefore a selection, with only the most important ones being mentioned.

The history of the Hohenzollern and the Prussian rulers is reflected in the great title of the German emperors as kings of Prussia . After 1873, all German emperors had the same title of "German Emperor and King of Prussia". The major title of the German emperors after 1873 is the complete list of the individual titles that they carried as King of Prussia.

When issuing documents to which titles were to be used, only the title of King of Prussia was used. The title “German Kaiser” together with his great title as King of Prussia was only used for designations by third parties (e.g. in textbooks and teaching books). It was about the reorganization and renaming of the North German Confederation . The king was the holder of the Federal Presidium . As such, he received the imperial title in 1871.

The last decree concerning the amendment of the large and medium royal titles, as determined on January 9, 1817, and the amendment of the large and medium royal coat of arms corrected by the "Supreme Decree of January 11, 1864" dates from August 16, 1873 and in today's orthography reads:

“After the Kingdom of Hanover, the Electorate of Hesse, the Duchy of Nassau and the Free City of Frankfurt and the Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig were united with the Prussian monarchy forever by the law of December 24, 1866, so did I in the patents for taking possession of the imaginary parts of the country dated October 3, 1866 and January 12, 1867 reserved for me to add the corresponding titles to my royal title, is a modification of the large and medium royal title, as it was by the decree of January 9th It was established in 1817, and at the same time an amendment to the large and medium-sized royal arms, which was corrected by the decree of January 11, 1864, became necessary. I therefore hereby determine that the large and medium royal titles will be used in the future in the wording to be taken from Appendix A and the large and medium royal coat of arms in a form as they are from the fields in Appendix B and the description in Appendix C. can be seen in more detail. The great title and the great coat of arms are to be used in the documents to be made out in solemn form, especially in matters of my house and for the purpose of raising my rank. For the rest, both because of the short royal title and the small royal coat of arms, and because of the use of the various types of title and coat of arms, the provisions of the ordinance of 9 January 1817 are to remain unchanged, and the official seals of the authorities are to remain unchanged for the time being, and only when they become unusable are they replaced by new seals corresponding to my current provisions. I instruct the State Ministry to make this decree known for all authorities through the collection of laws.
Wildbad Gastein, August 16, 1873. "

The title of the Prussian king at the time of the German Empire

Large coat of arms of Wilhelm II as King of Prussia

After the decree of 1873, the titles read in full (shown to Wilhelm):

The big title

We Wilhelm, by the grace of God, King of Prussia,
Margrave of Brandenburg, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Count of Hohenzollern,
Sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia as well as the County of Glatz,
Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine and Posen,
Duke of Saxony, Westphalia and Engern, Pomerania, Lüneburg, Holstein and Schleswig, Magdeburg, Bremen, Geldern, Cleve, Jülich and Berg, as well as the Wenden and Kaschuben, to Krossen, Lauenburg, Mecklenburg,
Landgrave of Hesse and Thuringia,
Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia,
Prince of Orange,
Prince of Rügen, East Friesland, Paderborn and Pyrmont, Halberstadt, Münster, Minden, Osnabrück, Hildesheim, Verden, Kammin, Fulda, Nassau and Moers,
Prince Count zu Henneberg,
Count of the Mark and Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg and Lingen, Mansfeld, Sigmaringen and Veringen,
Lord of Frankfurt.

The middle title

We Wilhelm, by God's grace King of Prussia,
Margrave of Brandenburg,
sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia,
Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine and Posen,
Duke of Saxony, Westphalia and Pomerania,
to Lüneburg and Bremen,
to Holstein, Schleswig and Lauenburg,
Burgrave of Nuremberg,
Landgrave of Hesse,
Prince of East Frisia, Osnabrück and Hildesheim,
to Nassau and Fulda,
Count of Hohenzollern,
Lord of Frankfurt.

The short title

Wilhelm, by the grace of God King of Prussia etc. etc. etc.

Other titles

The royal Prussian decree of August 16, 1873 made a selection from the titles of the king. As German Emperor, the Prussian king also had other titles:

Explanation of the individual titles listed in the large title in their order

King of Prussia

Under his last Grand Master Albrecht , the Teutonic Order was transformed into the secular Duchy of Prussia under Polish suzerainty in 1526 . After the death of his successor, Duke Albrecht Friedrich, in 1618, the Duchy of Prussia came by inheritance to the Brandenburg Hohenzollerns, who now ruled it in personal union. In the treaties of Wehlau in 1637 and Oliva in 1660, the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm , the "Great Elector", succeeded in obtaining full sovereignty over the Duchy of Prussia, which made him a European sovereign himself. His successor Friedrich III. von Brandenburg crowned himself King Friedrich I in Prussia on January 18, 1701 , after the emperor had contractually assured that he would be recognized as king in the Holy Roman Empire and in Europe. The name and the coat of arms of the Prussian monarch then went as a result of the new territorial and authorities designation Royal Prussian to the entire Prussian State of the Hohenzollern, who was lying inside and outside the kingdom and for the 18th century, the name Prussia prevailed.

The restrictive in in the royal title reminded us that the west of Prussia, the Prussian royal share ( Warmia and West Prussia ), was still subject to the Polish crown. This terminological delicacy was only observed in the German version. In Latin he called himself "Nos Fridericus, Dei gratia Rex Borussiae, ..." and in the French version "Frederic par la grace de Dieu Roi de Prusse ..."

After the first division of Poland in 1772 under Frederick II , the Warmia, the Netzedistrikt and West Prussia fell to Prussia, so that Frederick II could now call himself King of Prussia . This title passed to his successors up to Wilhelm II.

Margrave of Brandenburg

As a result of the royal coronation in 1701, the title of Margrave of Brandenburg moved to the second position in the title.

King Sigismund (* 1368 ; † 1437 ) was Margrave of Brandenburg until 1415 . This included the Altmark , the Mittelmark, the Prignitz , the Land Sternberg east of the Oder and part of the Uckermark . The office of arch chamberlain of the Holy Roman Empire and thus the electoral dignity had been awarded to the Margrave of Brandenburg by the Golden Bull in 1356 . An embassy from the Brandenburg region came to King Sigismund in Ofen in 1411 to demand a governor for the mark in support of the robber barons. The king ordered Friedrich VI. , Burgrave of Nuremberg from the House of Hohenzollern, as the highest captain and administrator in the march. He bore the title Wir Fridrich von gotes gnaden Marggrave zu Brandenburg, the holy Roman Ryches Ertzkamerer and Burggrave zu Nuremberg . On April 18, 1417, King Sigismund solemnly enfeoffed the burgrave by presenting the banner with the Mark Brandenburg .

Since then, Hohenzollern ruled as margraves in Brandenburg. The institutions of the arch chamberlain and elector expired in 1806, along with their titles, when the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist. Therefore, the only title left was the Margrave . The ordinance of April 30, 1815 divided the Prussian state into 10 provinces, so that the Mark Brandenburg became the province of Brandenburg with three administrative districts.

Burgrave of Nuremberg

The Zollern count Friedrich III. had married the daughter of the last burgrave of Nuremberg, Sophie von Raabs, in 1191 . The von Raabs died out in the male line. He received in 1192 from Emperor Heinrich VI. the office of the burgrave of Nuremberg. From then on he called himself "Frederick the First Burgrave of Nuremberg". When it was enfeoffed with the burgraviate of Nuremberg in 1192, a separate branch of the house was established in Franconia in the 13th century. The Franconian margraves and the margraves and electors of Brandenburg descend from this Burggrave line of the Zollern.

Even though the city was ruled by the Nuremberg patriciate , the castle remained imperial property and the formal head was the emperor until 1806. In 1806 the town and the castle were annexed by the House of Wittelsbach and were now a country town of the new Kingdom of Bavaria. Nevertheless, the title was retained by the Hohenzollerns. The Hohenzollern still held this dignity. Since 1866 this title had a new political topicality. In the peace negotiations of 1866 (end of the war between Prussia and the German Confederation , led by the Austrian Empire , on whose side Bavaria had fought), King Wilhelm I, interested in history, wanted the Nuremberg Imperial Castle to be transferred and his nephew Ludwig II gave a vague promise . received, because for a real transfer of state property the castle can only be assigned with the consent of the state parliament. The Prussian plenipotentiary Savigny commented on the king's wish that, according to his wishes, it was by no means an acquisition of property, but merely that he did not have to enter as a stranger on occasional visits to his fathers' castle, rather that he had the authority may live there as a local. Even Bismarck attached great importance to the King William, will not present any disappointment in this matter where it constitutes a legitimate desire, while he considered the legally binding form of concession in this pure feeling thing for indifferent. As an indication of the right of residence verbally granted to the Prussian king, the Prussian flag fluttered over the imperial castle alongside the Bavarian flag.

Count of Hohenzollern

The Hohenzollern have been counts since they were mentioned in history. Adalbert (1125) was Count of Zollern. The Hohenzollern family has been calling itself since the 14th century , named after the Hohenzollern mountain that lies in front of the Swabian Alb. In 1685 Emperor Leopold I granted the Brandenburgers the title "Count of Hohenzollern". The Prussian kings came from the Franconian line from which the Brandenburg spa line developed. The principalities of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen were ceded by their princes to Prussia by contract on December 7, 1849 and taken over by Prussia by law of March 12, 1850.

Sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia as well as the County of Glatz

Since Poland's King Casimir III. Having recognized the Bohemian feudal sovereignty for Silesia in 1335, Silesia belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Charles IV then integrated Silesia into the empire. Silesia was divided into 17 principalities under the rule of the Piasts . Most of Silesia was conquered from Austria by King Friedrich II of Prussia in the three Silesian Wars (1740–1763). At the end of the First Silesian War there was the preliminary peace in Breslau and the Berlin Peace Treaty of 1742. According to the treaty, the Duchy of Lower Silesia and the County of Glatz passed to Frederick "in full sovereignty and independence ... from the crown of Bohemia". He received Silesia with the abolition of the imperial fiefdom bond, but with the exception of the Duchy of Teschen, the city of Opava and the part beyond the Oppa and the high mountains, the rule of Hennersdorf and the Moravian enclaves in Silesia, also the Duchy of Jägerndorf and the entire mountainous region remained the south of the Principality of Neisse near Austria. The Moravian enclave Katscher and the now no longer Bohemian County Glatz came to Prussia. In the Peace of Dresden , which ended the Second Silesian War in 1745 , the provisions were retained. The empire guaranteed this peace in 1751. In his capacity as King of Bohemia, the Austrian Emperor also retained the title of Duke of Upper and Lower Silesia, as the great title of Emperor Franz Joseph I shows.

Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine and Posen

The King of Prussia has held this title since 1815.

As a result of the Congress of Vienna, Prussia received back the western, smaller part of its profits from the second of the partitions of Poland under the name of the Grand Duchy of Posen . Prussia retained nothing from the third division. To compensate, it got territories in the German west, among other things. An ordinance issued in Vienna on April 30, 1815 initially created the Prussian province of Jülich-Kleve-Berg and the Grand Duchy of Lower Rhine . In 1822 the Rhine Province emerged from the two , although the title Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine was retained. For long periods of its history, the Rhineland had no fixed political borders. So the name was little more than a geographical term or a landscape that included a multitude of spiritual and secular principalities, counties, imperial abbeys, small lordships and imperial cities.

Duke of Saxony

In contrast to most of the other states of the Rhine Confederation , Saxony remained loyal to Napoleon in the liberation war of 1813 . Now Prussia wanted to incorporate the country into its state. The complete elimination of the Saxon state was prevented at the Congress of Vienna by the Austrian State Chancellor Metternich , but Prussia was able to annex three fifths of the Saxon territory. In addition to Torgau , Lower Lusatia , half of Upper Lusatia and all areas in Thuringia , Saxony also lost the Wittenberg District , the former Duchy of Saxony . The King of Prussia therefore called himself Duke of Saxony .

Duke of Westphalia

The historical area of Westphalia , which has never been a political unit and has been divided between the French Empire, the Kingdom of Westphalia , the Grand Duchy of Berg and the Grand Duchy of Hesse since 1810 , was revoked after the Congress of Vienna on the basis of the regulation of the 30th April 1815 split between Prussia, Hanover and Oldenburg. The Principality of Lippe was the only one of the old Westphalian territories to retain its independence. Prussia received the largest part and also included the territories outside Westphalia, Grafschaft Wittgenstein and the Principality of Siegen. Then there was the Siegerland, which was initially part of the Lower Rhine province. After 1850, the city of Lippstadt, which was previously under the Prussian-Lippe condominium, was added to the province of Westphalia . Since the core area was the former Duchy of Westphalia, King Friedrich Wilhelm accepted the title of Duke of Westphalia, which was also retained for Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Duke of Engern

According to Widukind von Corvey , the tribal duchy of Saxony consisted of the parts of Westphalia, Engern and Ostfalen even before the Frankish conquest . During the Reichstag of Gelnhausen after Heinrich the Lion declared eighth by Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa for refusing to serve in the army, the Duchy of Saxony was divided in 1180. The part that was in the area of ​​the Archdiocese of Cologne and the Diocese of Paderborn were combined to form a new Duchy of Westphalia and Engern , which was initially under the Archbishop of Cologne, Philipp von Heinsberg . The eastern part went to the Ascanian Bernhard as the "younger" Duchy of Saxony . The name Engern went out of use in the 12th century. Only the designation "Engern" in the title of the ruler of the younger Duchy of Saxony ("Duke of Saxony, Engern and Westphalia") continued to exist. With the takeover of Westphalia in 1815, the title "Westphalia and Engern" was given to the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III.

Duke of Pomerania

The Pomeranian Duke Bogislaw I paid homage to the Emperor Barbarossa in 1181 , but a little later Denmark conquered the duchy and Bogislaw submitted to the King of Denmark. After German princes had defeated Denmark in 1227, Emperor Friedrich II enfeoffed the Margrave of Brandenburg with Pomerania in 1231, which finally incorporated the duchy into the Holy Roman Empire. After the Ascanians died out in the Mark Brandenburg in 1319/20, the Pomeranian Greifenhaus tried to shake off the fiefdom of Brandenburg. The following two hundred year conflicts ended in 1529 with the Treaty of Grimnitz . The Hohenzollern rulers in Brandenburg recognized the imperial immediacy of Pomerania and received the succession in the Duchy of Pomerania in the event of the extinction of the griffin line in the male line and they were allowed to keep the previously controversial duke title for Pomerania.

With the death of Bogislaw XIV in 1637, during the Thirty Years' War, the end of the political independence of Pomerania and the eventual succession for Brandenburg occurred . However, Sweden had forcibly taken Pomerania. In the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, the powerless Brandenburg-Prussia had to come to terms with the partition of Pomerania, while the King of Sweden received the more valuable West Pomerania with Stettin and also the Pomeranian duke title. The gain of the whole of Pomerania and thus the mouth of the Oder as access to the Baltic Sea was henceforth one of the main goals of Brandenburg-Prussia's foreign policy. This was finally achieved by Prussia in 1815 through the Congress of Vienna .

Duke of Lüneburg

The Duchy of Lüneburg had been part of the Kingdom of Hanover since 1814 . When Hanover was annexed by Prussia in 1866 after the German War and became a Prussian province in the Peace of Prague , the kingdom ceased to exist, so that the King of Prussia could not also be King of Hanover. But the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg formally remained in existence. Therefore he held the title of Duke of Lüneburg. But he did not lead it until after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles .

Duke of Holstein and Schleswig

After the German-Danish War , the Duchy of Schleswig was under Prussian and the Duchy of Holstein under the joint administration of Prussia and Austria. After the German War, Austria renounced its rights to Holstein. After that, these two duchies were incorporated into the Prussian state, and the king held the title of Duke of Holstein and Schleswig . But he did not lead it until after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles .

Duke of Magdeburg

The Peace of Westphalia of 1648 gave the Elector of Brandenburg, among other things, the right to the ore monastery of Magdeburg as compensation for Western Pomerania, to which he was entitled after the Pomeranian dukes had expired in 1637. Western Pomerania was assigned to Sweden with Rügen. Magdeburg remained under the rule of the administrator at the time, the Saxon Archbishop August, until 1680 and was then secularized as a duchy. But the prospect was enough to insert the title of duke into the title of elector.

Duke of Bremen

In 1707 Denmark had conquered the Duchy of Bremen. In 1715 the Electorate of Hanover bought the Duchy of Bremen from Denmark. In 1866, Prussia and the Kingdom of Hanover also took over the Duchy of Bremen. The city of Bremen itself was not affected.

Duke of Geldern

Geldern had been a duchy since 1339 and consisted of the quarters of Nijmegen , Arnhem , Zutphen and Roermond .

Prussia had already conquered the fortress of Geldern in 1703 during the War of the Spanish Succession . The main part of the upper quarter fell to Prussia through the Peace of Utrecht . These were the offices of Geldern, Straelen , Wachtendonk and Krickenbeck (with the exclave of Viersen ) east of the Meuse, as well as the extensive office of Kessel west of the Meuse and also several lordships east and west of the river such as the northern exclave of Middelaar . Since Roermond, as the previous capital of the Upper Quarter, now belonged to Austria, the city of Geldern became the administrative seat of the newly created "Duchy of Geldern Prussian Share". The king therefore included the title Duke of Geldern in his title. In the peace treaty of Basel ( April 5, 1795 ) France received, among other things, the duchy of Geldern, which was established again in the peace treaty of Lunéville in 1801 . As a result, Geldern disappeared from the title of King of Prussia.

When the Rhineland fell to Prussia in the Congress of Vienna in 1815 , the Duchy of Geldern was also part of it, but only the areas east of the Meuse. The areas west of the Meuse fell to the Netherlands. Since then, the Prussian king has again held the title of Duke zu Geldern .

Duchies of Jülich, Cleve and Berg

Jülich became a duchy in 1356, Berg in 1380 and in 1417 also Kleve . These three duchies were in 1521 under Johann III. of Kleve-Mark united in personal union, but three separate duchies remained. The last duke was Johann Wilhelm , who died childless in 1609, with him the line of the Märker family died out . Then the Jülich-Klevische succession dispute broke out, in which Duke Johann Sigismund of Brandenburg was also involved. He expressed his political claim to the three duchies by naming himself Duke of Jülich, Kleve and Berg as early as 1609, although this question had not yet been decided and in the Treaty of Xanten of November 12, 1614, he only referred to Kleve- Mark and Ravensberg could acquire.

In the Pragmatic Sanction of September 23, 1728 , Prussia was guaranteed the inheritance of Jülich-Berg .

In 1777 , Count Palatine Karl Theodor , who was also Duke of Jülich-Berg, became Elector of Electoral Palatinate Bavaria , and Jülich-Berg came to Bavaria in personal union.

When France annexed the Duchy of Jülich in the Peace of Lunéville in 1801, the title temporarily disappeared and was not resumed until 1817.

The claim, which first the Margrave of Brandenburg, then the King of Prussia expressed with his title, could not be realized until 1815 at the Congress of Vienna , when the area came to Prussia as the province of Jülich-Kleve-Berg .

Duke of the Wends and Kashubians

First of all, one has to distinguish between the old landscape name Cassubia and the popular name Kashubian . Cassubia was the eastern part of West Pomerania. In East Pomerania the name was used for the entire Duchy of Pomerania-Stettin . The folk name "Kashubians" was used not only by the inhabitants of Cassubia, but also by the Slavs who lived east of it as far as the Bay of Danzig . The duke title dux slavorum et Cassubie , which is usually translated as “Duke of the Wends and Kashubia ”, therefore gives no indication of the construction of a special province of Cassubia within West Pomerania. Rather, all Pomeranians between the Oder and Vistula were called "Pommerane". Where the German influence dominated, i.e. in West Pomerania, the expression “Slavia” and “Slavi” for the residents were used. This led to confusion of terms. In the diplomatic literature around 1200 there were three Slavia (Mecklenburg, West Pomerania, Rügen ) and 2 Pommerania (East and West Pomerania). Barnim I of Stettin (ruled from 1227 to 1278) was the first to use the title dux slavorum et Cassubie to specify his rule . “Slavorum et Cassubie” could be translated more correctly in its title with “Cassubean turns” as opposed to “Sorbian turns”, “Obodrite turns”. In any case, this expression "Pomeranie, Slavie et Casubie dux" was already part of all Pomeranian duke titles when this title was accepted as a political program by Margrave Friedrich von Brandenburg in 1464 . (See the remarks on "Duke of Pomerania".)

The regulations for the implementation of the ordinance of October 12, 1854 regulated the right of presentation for the Prussian First Chamber (later the manor house). After that u. a. the associations of the old landed property a right of presentation. The election of the members to be presented should take place in rural districts. For the province of Pomerania 6 landscape districts, which together had to send 13 members to the chamber, were planned, including the Duchy of Wenden (districts of Stolp , Rummelsburg , Schlawe ) and the Duchy of Kassuben (districts of Köslin ["Principality"], Neustettin , Belgard ) . The newly formed landscape districts "Kassuben" and "Wenden" corresponded to the area that was usually used for both "duchies" on the old maps and in the country descriptions of the previous century. In this respect, the duchies of the Wends and the Kashubians existed on paper until 1918.

Duke of Crossen

Duke Conrad XI. von Glogau, a member of the Piast family, bequeathed Crossen to his wife Barbara von Brandenburg. After his death there was a dispute between the Elector of Brandenburg Albrecht Achilles and Johann, Duke of Sagan . The Roman-German King Ferdinand I renounced all Bohemian rights to crosses in his capacity as King of Bohemia in 1538. With this, the Duchy of Crossen came into the possession of Brandenburg. However, Crossen remained under Bohemian suzerainty until 1742. The duke title related to Crossen was until 1742 "Duke in Schlesien zu Crossen". After that he was only called Herzog zu Crossen , because Silesia now became an independent part of the title.

Duke of Lauenburg

In the Prussian royal title, two different landscapes with the name Lauenburg are represented one after the other , both of which are presented here, although the title Herr zu Lauenburg was no longer used by the German emperor to prevent confusion.

On October 30, 1657, the Elector of Brandenburg and the Polish King agreed in the Treaty of Bromberg to hand over the Lauenburg and Bütow lands to Brandenburg as a reward for his support against Sweden. It was the area around the cities of Bütow and Lauenburg in Pomerania.

On April 14, 1658, the Lauenburg and Bütow lands were ceremoniously handed over by Johannes Ignatius Bakowski, commissioned by the Polish king, to Adam von Podewils and Ulrich Gottfried von Somnitz, commissioned by the elector . Thereupon the elector added to his previous titles that of “Lord of Lauenburg and Bütow”.

In 1804 Lauenburg-Bütow was incorporated into the Prussian province of Pomerania. With this the expression "Herr von Lauenburg and Bütow" disappeared from the title. Its use is only documented for 1817.

The title Duke of Lauenburg refers to the Duchy of Lauenburg in what is now Schleswig-Holstein.

Denmark ceded the Duchy of Lauenburg to Austria and Prussia in the Peace of Vienna (October 30, 1864). In the Gastein Convention (August 14, 1865) the Austrian emperor sold his rights to the duchy for 2.5 million thalers to the Prussian king, and on September 15, 1865 it finally became the property of the Prussian crown. It was linked to Prussia in personal union until 1876 and was unified with the Prussian monarchy and especially with the province of Schleswig-Holstein on July 1, 1876.

In the constitutional document of the German Empire of April 16, 1871, under I. Federal territory, Art. 1, it was therefore stated: The federal territory consists of the states of Prussia with Lauenburg , etc.

The King of Prussia only took the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles .

Since 1890 Bismarck was also Duke of Lauenburg, a title he received on the occasion of his dismissal, but never used.

Duke of Mecklenburg

In 1701 Mecklenburg was divided into the state parts Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz by the third main division ( Hamburg comparison ) . Mecklenburg-Schwerin went to Duke Friedrich Wilhelm , Mecklenburg-Strelitz to Duke Adolf Friedrich II (October 19, 1658 to May 12, 1708). On November 28, 1708, Friedrich I (III) , King of Prussia, married Duchess Sophie Luise von Mecklenburg-Schwerin , sister of the Duke ruling Mecklenburg-Schwerin , in the third marriage . Through the marriage, the Prussian king came into possession of the Mecklenburg duke title, but without exercising a function there.

At the Congress of Vienna, both dukes ruling in Mecklenburg were elevated to grand dukes. Both Mecklenburg Grand Dukes continued to have absolutely identical titles.

Landgrave of Hesse

The Landgraviate of Hessen-Kassel was elevated to the status of an electorate after the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss and is known as " Kurhessen " for this period . It lost this property in 1866 after the end of the German War and was annexed by Prussia. The property of being a landgrave was retained, so that the title "Landgrave of Hesse" was added.

Landgrave of Thuringia

In 1815 Prussia had taken over the "Thuringian Circle" from the Saxon crown, that part of the former landgraviate that fell to the Albertine line with the Wettin inheritance from 1485 and was combined in a separate administrative unit by Elector Moritz von Sachsen in 1547 . In 1815 the historical title Landgrave of Thuringia was added. At the Congress of Vienna, Prussia (again) received the cities of Erfurt , Mühlhausen , Nordhausen , the Obereichsfeld and the entire Albertine-Saxon region of northern Thuringia.

Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia

In the Thirty Years' War the Protestant Saxon Elector was able to acquire the margravates of Upper and Lower Lusatia, which belong to Bohemia, as a reward for his alliance with the Catholic Emperor in 1635 .

In the Peace of Tilsit in 1807, King Friedrich Wilhelm III. Parts of Niederlausitz.

In 1815 the territorial redistribution of Lusatia took place: Lower Lusatia fell to the Prussian province of Brandenburg, the northeast of Upper Lusatia to the Prussian province of Silesia, and the southwest of Upper Lusatia remained with Saxony. Since then, the King of Prussia has also held the title of “Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia”.

Prince of Orange

The first wife of the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg (1620–1688) was Princess Luise Henriette of Nassau-Orange. Luise Henriette was the mother of the first Prussian King Friedrich I (1657–1713) and at the same time the grandchild of Wilhelm I of Orange. Based on the Orange relatives, the sons of the Prussian Crown Prince, later Friedrich Wilhelm I, were also awarded the title of Prince of Orange by King Friedrich I in Prussia in 1708 and 1712. Since then the title has been included in the title.

Prince of Rügen

In 1282 Rügen became a German fiefdom and in 1321 the last Prince of Rügen, Witzlaw III, closed. signed an inheritance contract with Duke Wartislaw IV of Pommern-Wolgast, on the basis of which, after Witzlaw's death, Rügen fell to Pomerania in 1325, initially as a separate line of the Dukes of Barth and united with Pomerania from 1478. Since then, the Margrave of Brandenburg has also carried the title “Prince of Rügen”.

In the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 , Rügen and Western Pomerania fell to Sweden. The title "Prince of Rügen" was deleted from the Margrave of Brandenburg.

After the victory over Napoleon, Sweden ceded Rügen and Western Pomerania against Norway to Denmark in the Peace of Kiel in 1814 . But Denmark could not take possession of Rügen and Western Pomerania. Because Norway opposed the Swedish incorporation; therefore, as long as Sweden did not yet have this compensation, the de facto cession of Rügen and Western Pomerania did not take place. But Prussia was no longer willing to allow its old legal claims to be curtailed here. Denmark had to come to an agreement with Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Denmark renounced Rügen and Western Pomerania in favor of the King of Prussia and took the Duchy of Lauenburg and 2.5 million Thaler as compensation on June 4, 1815. Three days later, a final treatise was drawn up between Sweden and Prussia, according to which Prussia received Rügen and Western Pomerania for a sum of 3.5 million thalers. On September 15, 1815, King Friedrich Wilhelm III. from the conquered Paris the patent, by virtue of which he took possession of Western Pomerania and Rügen and his titles once again acquired that of a prince of Rügen.

Prince of East Frisia

On March 20, 1691, Prince Christian Eberhard signed a hereditary brotherhood agreement with the Guelphs, which provided for the transfer of ownership of East Friesland to Hanover in the event of the Cirksena becoming extinct, and for the counties of Hoya and Diepholz to fall into East Frisia if the House of Hanover died out. The emperor did not confirm this contract, but gave the elector Friedrich III. von Brandenburg on December 10, 1694 the entitlement to East Frisia, which his father had already applied for.

There were revolts of the unruly estates against the Prince of East Friesland Georg Albrecht , which were fought down in the roll call war . In 1732 the emperor pardoned the rebels with the stipulation that the old state treaties should continue to form the basis of the East Frisian state constitution. In that year King Friedrich II added the title “Prince of East Friesland” to his title after a patent issued by him from 1732 in order to document his claim. In 1734 the last prince of East Frisia, Carl Edzard, took office. He married Sophia Wilhelmina von Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Carl Edzard's disputes with the estates led to negotiations between Emden and Prussia, which ended with the Emden Convention , according to which Emden recognized the Prussian right of succession in return for the assurance of its old special rights. When Carl Edzard died on May 25, 1744, King Friedrich II of Prussia immediately asserted his right of succession and occupied East Frisia.

Prince of Paderborn

The diocese of Paderborn had been a prince diocese since the 14th century . In 1803, the prince-bishopric of Paderborn fell to Prussia as compensation country, which it had already occupied in 1802. § 3 of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss reads: “To the King of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg, for the Duchy of Geldern, and the part of the Duchy of Cleve on the left bank of the Rhine, for the Duchy of Moeurs, the districts of Sevenaer, Huissen and Malburg, and for the Rhine and Maas tariffs: the dioceses of Hildesheim and Paderborn; ... ". The last prince-bishop of Paderborn, Franz Egon von Fürstenberg , retained his spiritual dignity as bishop of the dioceses of Paderborn and Hildesheim, and he was also given the personal title of prince. Until his death in 1825 he resided mainly in Hildesheim . After the defeat of Prussia at Jena and Auerstedt , Napoleon's troops moved into Paderborn. From 1807 to 1815 the prince-bishopric belonged to the Kingdom of Westphalia as the Principality of Paderborn under the Treaty of Tilsit . Then it became Prussian again after the Vienna Final Act . The King of Prussia has held the title since 1803.

Prince of Pyrmont

The then County of Pyrmont came to Waldeck in 1625 through an inheritance contract . Anton Ulrich von Waldeck and Pyrmont was on January 6, 1712 by Emperor Charles VI. raised to the hereditary prince status and called himself Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont ever since. Pyrmont was reunited with Waldeck in 1812 after an inheritance was divided in 1805.

In 1862 a military convention was signed with Prussia. In 1866 the principality joined the North German Confederation under the name Waldeck. But the state parliament unanimously rejected the federal constitution in order to urge the prince to sign an "accession contract" with Prussia. In October 1867, Waldeck-Pyrmont concluded an "accession contract" with Prussia for the first time. It was approved by the state representation on October 22nd of that year. After that, Waldeck's administration was transferred to Prussia from January 1, 1868 for an initial ten years. As a result, the King of Prussia also assumed the title of Prince of Pyrmont, although there was still a ruling Prince of Pyrmont until 1918. The prince reserved the right to pardon, the church government and the approval of legislation. In judicial and school matters, the country reported to the Prussian authorities in Kassel. This created a unique state situation: one state, Prussia, administers the other, Waldeck-Pyrmont. The founding of the German Reich did not change anything in the circumstances of Waldeck. The "accession contract" was extended regularly.

Prince of Halberstadt

The peace treaty in 1648 (Westphalian Peace) brought Brandenburg as territorial gain also the Halberstadt diocese , which was converted into a secular principality. Since then, the Margrave of Brandenburg also carried the title “Prince of Halberstadt”, which was then passed on to the Prussian king.

Prince of Munster

The Bishopric of Münster was in breaking up the Duchy of Saxony in the wake of clashes between Henry the Lion and Frederick Barbarossa 1180. The episcopal chair of Munster was part of the former Duchy invested and the bishop, then Hermann I. of Katzenelnbogen , received the rights of Sovereign ruler over his prince-bishopric, which at that time was larger than his ecclesiastical diocese . In the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss of 1803 , Prussia also received the now secularized Principality of Münster as the Hereditary Principality of Münster , which had largely taken possession of it as early as 1802. Since then the King of Prussia has also carried the title “Prince of Münster”.

Prince of Minden

As a result of the negotiations for the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the former independent prince-bishopric of Minden fell to the electorate of Brandenburg. From then on, the Margrave of Brandenburg carried the title “Prince of Minden”.

Prince of Osnabrück

In 1803, the prince-bishopric came to the electorate of Hanover, which became a kingdom in 1815. When Hanover was incorporated into Prussia, the Principality of Osnabrück also came under Prussia in 1866. Since then, the King of Prussia has held the title of “Prince of Osnabrück”, but only carried it after the “Decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the change of the large and middle royal title” .

Prince of Hildesheim

After the secularization of the diocese, the Hildesheim Monastery fell to Prussia after the Peace Treaty of Paris (May 20, 1802). After the defeat of Prussia at Jena and Auerstedt in 1806, the principality became a district in the newly founded Kingdom of Westphalia in the Oker department. Through an agreement between Prussia and Hanover from 1813, which was confirmed at the Congress of Vienna, the Principality of Hildesheim became part of the Kingdom of Hanover. With the end of the Kingdom of Hanover, the Principality of Hildesheim came to Prussia in 1866. The Prussian king only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal title .

Prince of Verden

As a result of the Peace of Westphalia, the Diocese of Verden fell to the Crown of Sweden as an imperial fief.

Elector George I of Hanover received the Principality of Verden from Sweden in the Peace of Stockholm of 1719 during the Northern War. With the end of the Kingdom of Hanover, the Principality of Verden came to Prussia in 1866. The Prussian king only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal title .

Prince of Cammin

In the peace treaty of Münster in 1648 the diocese of Cammin in Western Pomerania came to Prussia. The last Protestant bishop of Cammin, Duke Ernst Bogislaw von Croy (1620–1664), a nephew of Duke Bogislaw XIV , was compensated in 1650 with 100,000 thalers so that he waived his rights in the diocese. The territory of the diocese was incorporated without further ado, but confirmed as imperial direct in 1669, and the elector of Brandenburg received a seat and vote in the Reichstag for the principality of Kammin. The title then passed to the King of Prussia.

Prince of Fulda

In 1803 the Principality of Fulda fell to Nassau-Orange in the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss , 1806 to France, on February 16, 1810 the Principality of Aschaffenburg was founded. The Principality of Fulda was incorporated into this in 1810, and it became the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt . In 1813 , after the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt was dissolved, Fulda came under the administration of Austria. In 1815 it came partially to Prussia. On February 8, 1816 , it was assigned to the Electorate of Hesse. With this it came back to Prussia in 1866. The Prussian king only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal title .

Prince of Nassau

On July 17, 1806 , Prince Friedrich August von Nassau-Usingen and his cousin Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Nassau-Weilburg joined the Confederation of the Rhine. In return, Prince Friedrich August, the eldest of the House of Nassau , received the ducal dignity. Both princes then made the decision to unite their two principalities into one duchy . This was done on August 30, 1806 .

The so-called German war against Austria and almost all German states that followed in 1866 was won by Prussia with its victory at Königgrätz. Prussia annexed Nassau, among others, by law of August 20, 1866 . The Prussian king only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal title .

Prince of Moers

After the death of the last widow of the Moers-Neuenahr family, the county came to Moritz von Nassau-Orange , general of the united Netherlands, on the basis of a will (1600) .

William III. von Nassau-Orange, governor of the Netherlands, died in 1702. He had bequeathed all of his possessions and rights to his distant Frisian cousin Prince Johann Wilhelm Friso (1687–1711), son of Prince Heinrich Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz . However, this inheritance was challenged by the Prussian King Friedrich I , son of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg, who was first married to Luise Henriette von Oranien , a daughter of Friedrich Heinrich von Oranien . As can be seen from the family table of Nassau-Orange , Wilhelm III. a grandson of this same Friedrich Heinrich of Orange, just like King Friedrich I, Johann Wilhelm Friso, but was his great-grandson.

When Johann Wilhelm Friso died, no agreement had yet been reached. But the king still accepted the title of Count von Moers in 1702 to document his claim. In 1712 General Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau drove out the Dutch on behalf of King Frederick I in the course of the War of the Spanish Succession . In 1706 the county of Moers became a principality.

In 1794 Moers was occupied by the French and from 1801 belonged to the Département de la Roer, for which Prussia was compensated with other areas in the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss 1803. After the Congress of Vienna , Moers and the Rhineland came back to Prussia.

Prince Count zu Henneberg

The most powerful line of the Henneberg counts was the Henneberg-Schleusingen line. In 1310 Henneberg-Schleusingen (with Berthold VII. ) Was elevated to the rank of imperial prince by the later Emperor Heinrich VII .

In 1554, Count Wilhelm and his sons signed a contract of succession ( Kahla Treaty ) with Johann Friedrich the Middle of Saxony - Ernestine Line. After that, if the Henneberg counts died out, the county should fall to them. This contract was Emperor Charles V confirmed. The inheritance occurred in 1583 after the last Henneberger Georg Ernst died childless, as did his brother Poppo VII in 1574.

In the Weimar farewell on August 9, 1660, the Henneberger Land was divided. 5/12 fell to the Duchy of Saxony-Zeitz (Office and City Schleusingen with Veßra Monastery , Office and City Suhl , Office and Castle Kühndorf with Rohr Monastery and Benshausen Office ). The remaining 7/12 fell equally to Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Saxe-Altenburg and Duke Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar and his brother Ernst I of Saxe-Gotha . The Sachsen-Zeitz line died out with Moritz Wilhelm in 1718. The 5/12 of the Henneberger Land now came to Kursachsen . Through the Congress of Vienna and the 4th article of the peace treaty of May 15, 1815, the 5/12 of the Henneberger Land, ruled by the Kingdom of Saxony since 1806, fell to Prussia, and Friedrich Wilhelm III. took on the title "Prince Count von Henneberg".

Graf von der Mark

The Counts of the Mark last had rule over the duchies of Jülich, Kleve and Berg, the counties of Mark and Ravensberg and the rule of Ravenstein . They had to cede the Duchy of Geldern, which was temporarily part of their possession, to the Habsburgs. The last ruler of the family was Johann Wilhelm von Jülich-Kleve-Berg , who died childless on March 25, 1609. The inheritance claim of the House of Hohenzollern was based on the marriage of the heiress Marie Eleonore von Jülich-Kleve-Berg with the Duke of Prussia Albrecht Friedrich and the connection between her eldest daughter and Johann Sigismund Elector and Margrave of Brandenburg, whose line also inherited the Duchy of Prussia, there Albert Friedrich remained without a male heir. With the death of Johann Wilhelm von Jülich, Kleve and Berg, the Jülich-Klevian succession dispute broke out , which ended for the time being with the Treaty of Xanten in 1614. The estate settlement set out in this contract brought the county of Mark into the possession of the Elector and Margrave Johann Sigismund von Brandenburg . However, the final division was only sealed in the Klever main settlement on September 9, 1666 between the two parties. Johann Sigismund had previously registered his claim to the Grafschaft Mark by gaining the title "Graf von der Mark" as early as 1609, after the von der Mark family had died out. The Saxon inheritance claims from another marriage were not taken into account.

Count of Ravensberg

In 1510 Johann von Kleve married the daughter of the last Duke of Jülich-Berg, Maria von Jülich , which in 1521 led to the merger of Kleve-Mark with Jülich-Berg-Ravensberg .

In agreement with Emperor Maximilian I, Johann brought about a hereditary union with Wilhelm von Jülich-Berg . His daughter Maria married Johann III in 1510. von Mark-Kleve (1511 / 21–1539), who in 1525 also inherited Ravenstein. With the death of Wilhelm von Jülich-Berg in 1511, Kleve-Mark and Jülich-Berg as well as Ravensberg were united in personal union.

After the death of the House of Kleve with the death of Johann Wilhelm , who died childless in 1609, the Jülich-Klevian succession dispute between Brandenburg and Pfalz-Neuburg broke out. In the inheritance comparison in 1614 (Treaty of Xanten), Ravensberg fell to Elector Johann Sigismund von Brandenburg together with Kleve and Mark. However, the final division was only sealed in the Klever main settlement on September 9, 1666 between the two parties. Margrave Johann Sigismund accepted the title "Count of Ravensburg" as early as 1609 in order to publicly announce his claim.

In 1807 the County of Ravensberg was incorporated into the Kingdom of Westphalia and in 1811 it was directly subordinated to France. By the Congress of Vienna , Prussia got the county back in 1815 and included it in the Prussian administrative structure.

Count of Hohenstein

In the Peace of Westphalia (1648), with the exception of the Walkenried monastery, the County of Hohenstein was awarded to the Elector of Brandenburg .

However, Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg had promised his Privy Councilor , the Swedish Colonel Count Johann von Sayn-Wittgenstein , the County of Hohenstein for his services in the peace negotiations, and had already signed it in 1647.

Count Sayn-Wittgenstein took office in 1651. Count Johann von Sayn-Wittgenstein died in 1657. Of the deceased's 18 children, Counts Ludwig Christian, Gustav, Otto and Friedrich Wilhelm were enfeoffed with Lohra and Klettenberg.

On August 6, 1670, Count Ludwig Christian ceded the County of Hohenstein to his brother, Count Gustav von Sayn-Wittgenstein, who became the sole ruler of the county.

Elector Friedrich Wilhelm died in April 1688. His son Friedrich III. negotiated with Count Gustav for another eleven years. Then his patience ran out and on December 12, 1699 he finally seized the Grafschaft Hohenstein by using force. From that time on, the Elector of Brandenburg also held the title "Graf zu Hohenstein".

Count of Tecklenburg and Lingen

In 1493 the county of Tecklenburg was divided into the counties of Tecklenburg and Lingen, and Nikolaus IV received the county of Lingen . In 1541, however, Lingen came back to the main line under Count Konrad von Tecklenburg, nephew Nicholas IV.

Because Count Konrad von Tecklenburg-Schwerin belonged to the Schmalkaldic League , Lingen was withdrawn from the Tecklenburg in 1548 and Emperor Charles V was assigned as Duke of Geldern, who united them with his Dutch possessions. With these, Lingen came to Philip II of Spain in 1555 . This also made the county the subject of the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands. In 1597 Prince Moritz von Oranien captured Lingen.

In 1576, Count Konrad von Solms-Braunfels initiated an inheritance process for Tecklenburg before the Imperial Court of Justice because his mother Anna von Tecklenburg, daughter of Otto VIII von Tecklenburg, had been.

1605 to 1632 Lingen came back to Spain and then (1633) again to Nassau-Orange.

Tecklenburg was awarded in 1596 by the Imperial Court of Justice to Count Johann Albrecht I von Solms-Braunfels , the son of Konrad.

In 1702 the county of Lingen came after the death of Wilhelm III. of Orange in inheritance to Prussia and was administratively reunited with Tecklenburg.

In 1707 Wilhelm Moritz von Solms-Braunfels sold Tecklenburg to Prussia. Since 1707 the king in Prussia also carried the title of Count of Tecklenburg. Since Prussia had also owned Lingen since 1702, the Tecklenburg area was reunited under one hand for the first time.

Count of Mansfeld

In the 16th century the Counts of Mansfeld , who had split into the lines of Mansfeld-Vorderort, Mansfeld-Mittelort and Mansfeld-Hinterort, lived beyond their financial means. A commission found that Mansfeld-Vorderort had debts of almost 2.75 million guilders. Since the likewise indebted lines from Mittel- and Hinterort could not pay, the creditors of the six counts of Manfeld-Vorderort forced the compulsory administration of this part of the county in 1570.

Saxony took over a large part of the county of Mansfeld . Three fifths of the county now belonged to Saxony, two fifths to Magdeburg.

In 1680 Prussia acquired the Duchy of Magdeburg with the Magdeburg part of the County of Mansfeld and in 1716 lifted the compulsory administration.

In 1710 the last Count Georg III who lived at Mansfeld Castle died. (Protestant line), and on March 31, 1780, the last male Mansfeld Count Josef Wenzel Nepomuk von Mansfeld-Vorderort (line that remained Catholic) died. In 1502, the last male descendant of the Mansfeld-Bornstedt line that had split off also died. Since all fiefdoms of the Count Mannlehen and thus female descendants were not entitled to inheritance, they fell back to the feudal lords of Saxony and to Prussia as "successors" of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg. Prussia received the 2/5 from Magdeburg and Electoral Saxony the 3/5 from the entire Mansfeld County, which had already owned it.

In 1807 Mansfeld was merged with Prussian and Saxon shares in the Treaty of Tilsit to form the Saale department with the capital Halberstadt and became part of the Kingdom of Westphalia.

By resolution of the Congress of Vienna , the former county of Mansfeld came to Prussia in 1815, so that from that point on the Prussian king held the title of Count zu Mansfeld. However, he only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles .

Count of Sigmaringen

The Roman-German King Ferdinand I belehnte 1535 in his capacity as Archduke of Austria Count Charles I of Hohenzollern with the counties of Sigmaringen and Veringen , although the county Sigmaringen was not a Habsburg possession but fiefdom.

For a short period of the 16th century, the entire territory of that time was in the hands of Count Karl I von Hohenzollern before he divided it among his three older sons in 1576. These became the founders of the Hohenzollern-Hechingen , Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Haigerloch lines . The Haigerloch line died out in 1634. In 1623 Emperor Ferdinand II raised the two remaining lines of Hechingen and Sigmaringen to the rank of imperial prince. But since the dominion of Sigmaringen as a county had been a fiefdom of Habsburgs, Sigmaringen remained a county even after the counts were raised to prince.

So it remained, apart from the area enlargements achieved in the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss and in the Rhine Federation Act, until the two princes Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Konstantin von Hohenzollern-Hechingen renounced their power in 1849. They retained the title of prince. The Prussian king only had the title "Count of Sigmaringen".

However, he only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles.

Count of Veringen

In 1535 the Counts of Zollern acquired the County of Veringen from King Ferdinand I as a Habsburg fief. So the county remained until the two princes Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Konstantin von Hohenzollern-Hechingen renounced their rule in 1849. From then on the Prussian king held the title of "Count von Veringen".

However, he only carried the title after the decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles .

Lord of Frankfurt

Prussia won the German war against Austria and its allies by winning at Königgrätz in 1866. Prussia then annexed the Free City of Frankfurt, which was occupied by Prussian troops on July 16, 1866, by law of September 20, 1866 . Since Frankfurt had been a republic, the title could only be "Herr von Frankfurt". The Prussian king only took the title after the "decree of August 16, 1873 regarding the amendment of the large and medium royal titles" .

Development of the title of the Hohenzollern in chronological order since the takeover of the Mark Brandenburg in 1415 in examples

1415 ("Burgrave of Nuremberg" had no power over the city of Nuremberg, but over areas in the area. Margrave Albrecht Achilles of Brandenburg tried in vain to gain control of the city in the First Margrave War .):

We Fridrich of the grace of God Marggrave of Brandenburg,
of the holy Roman Ryches Ertzkamerer and Burggrave zu Nuremberg.

1465 (In 1464, the Margrave of Brandenburg asserted the succession to the Duchy of Pomerania, which also included the Kashubians and Wends as well as the Duchy of Stettin. The title was used without interruption, even if Stettin was controlled by Sweden in the meantime and only at the end during the Northern War came to Prussia in 1720. Stettin disappeared from the title in 1815.):

We Friederich von Gotes Grace Marggrave zu Brandenburg, Elector, the Holy Roman Empire Ertz-Cammerer and Stettin, Pomerania Wenden and Cassuben Hertzoge and Burggrave zu Nüremberg.

1476 (Rügen was united with Pomerania in 1478. The claim was previously registered; remains until 1648):

Wy albrecht von god's grace Marggrave zu Brandemburg, the holy Roman Rikes ertzkemerer to Stettin Pomern, the Cassuben and Wenden Hertzoge, Burggrave zu Noremberg and Furste to Rugen.

1538 (The Silesian Duchy of Crossen is added; "in Schlesien zu Crossen" remains until 1742):

We Joachim by God's grace, Marggraff of Brandenburg, of the Holy Roman Empire Ertz-Cammerer and Churfürst, of Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, andt in Silesia of Croßen Hertzog, Burggraffen of Nurnberg and the Prince of Rugen.

1571 (in 1569, Prussia was added under the Hohenzollern Albrecht I of Brandenburg-Ansbach ):

We Johanns Georg, by the grace of God Marckgraff zu Brandenburgk, the Holy Roman Empire ErtzCammerer vnd Churfurst, in Prussia, Stettein, Pomerania, the Cassuben, Wenden vnd in Silesia at Crossen Hertzogk, Burggraff at Nurmbergk vnd furst zu Ruegen.

1612 (Elector Joachim Friedrich held the title of duke as administrator in the Duchy of Prussia from 1605; Jülich, Kleve, Berg, the Mark, Ravensberg and Ravenstein were added in 1609. Jägersdorf in Silesia came to Brandenburg after the death of Georg Friedrich von Ansbach and Jägersdorf until 1685 in the title):

By God's grace, We Johann Sigißmundt, Marggraf zu Brandenburgk, the Holy Roman Empire Ertz-Cämmerer and Churfürst, in Prussia, Gülich, Cleve, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben, Wenden, also in Silesia, to Crossen and Jägerndorf Hertzogk , Burggraff zu Nürnbergk and Prince of Rügen, Graff zu der Marck and Ravenßberg, Herr zu Ravenstein.

1661 (1618 Elector Johann Sigismund became Duke of Prussia by inheritance; Halberstadt, Minden and Magdeburg were added in the Peace of Westphalia (1648), Cammin by purchase in 1650. Lauenburg is not Lauenburg, which is mentioned in the great royal title, but Lauenburg and Bütow in Pomerania, which became part of Pomerania in 1804. The title was used from 1658 to 1804. Rügen was removed again because it went to Sweden):

We Friederich Wilhelm, by God's grace Marggraff zu Brandenburg des Heil. Roman Empire Ertz-Cämmerer and Churfürst, in Magdeburg, in Prussia, in Jülich, Cleve, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, also in Silesia in Crossen and Jägersdorf Hertzog, Burggraff in Nuremberg, Prince in Halberstadt, Minden and Cammien , Graff zu der Marck and Ravensberg, Herr zu Ravenstein, also the Lande Lauenburg and Bütaw, etc.

1688 (In 1685 Emperor Leopold I granted the Brandenburgers the title "Count of Hohenzollern". "Hohenzollern" was never removed from the coat of arms. In addition, in 1686 "Jägersdorf" was replaced by "Schwiebus". Schwiebus remained in the title until 1695):

Friederichen the Third, Margrave of Brandenburg of Salvation Rom. Reichs Ertz-Cämmerern and Electors, in Prussia, Magdeburg, Jülich, Cleve, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, also in Silesia at Crossen and Schwiebus Herthaben, Burgraves at Nuremberg, Princes at Halberstadt, Minden and Camin, Counts zu Hohen-Zollern, the Marck and Ravensberg, Lord in Ravenstein, also the Lande Lauenburg and Bütow, etc.

1700 (Schwiebus was sold to Austria in 1695 and disappeared from the title.)

We Frederick the Third, by God's grace, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, des Heil. Rom. Reichs Ertz-Cammerer and Churfürst, in Prussia, Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, also in Silesia at Crossen Hertzog, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Prince of Halberstadt, Minden and Camin, Count of Hohenzollern , the Marck and Ravensberg, Herr zu Ravenstein, and the Lande Lauenburg and Bütow, etc.

1702 (The title “Duke in Prussia” is replaced by “King in Prussia” in 1701. In 1702 the title “sovereign Prince of Orange” and the title of count for Lingen, Moers, Büren, Leerdam come due to the inheritance after Wilhelm III of Orange , the Marquis of Ter Veeren & Vlissingen and the title “Herr auf Arlay, Breda.” “Ter Veeren & Vlissingen” disappear again in 1732. Gelderland, Mörs, Ravenstein and Jülich disappear in 1803, then Leerdam, Arlay and Breda, also “Prinz of Orange ".):

By God's grace, Friderich the Third, King in Prussia, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, des Heil. Rom. Reichs Ertz-Cammerer and Churfürst, Souverainer Printz of Oranien zu Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, also in Silesia to Crossen Hertzog, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Prince of Halberstadt, Minden and Camin, Graf zu Hohenzollern, the Marck, Ravensberg, Lingen, Moers and Lehrdam, Marquis zu der Vehre and Vliesingen, Herr zu Ravenstein, and the Lande Lauenburg and Bütow, also Arley and Breda etc.

1703 ("rex Prussiae" is used in the Latin version. "Graf von Bühren" was added until 1816.):

Nos Fridericus, Dei gratia, Rex Borussiae, Margravius ​​Brandenburgensis, Sacri Romani Imperii Arci-Camerarius et Princeps Elector, supremus Princeps Arausionensis, Magdeburgi, Cliviae, Iuliae, Montium, Stetini, Pomeraniae, Cassubiorum, Vandalorumque, Burg necnaave Silesia Norimbergensis, Princeps Halberstadii, Mindae et Camini, Comes de Hohnzollern, Marcae, Ravensburgi, Lingae, Meursii, Buhrae et Leerdami, Marchio Vehrae & Vlissingae, Dominus in Ravenstein, Lauenburg, Butov, Arlay et Breda.

1705 (In the French version "Roi de Prusse" is used. In 1704 Hohenstein and Ruppin came into the title. Ruppin disappeared again in 1873.):

Frederic par la grace de Dieu Roi de Prusse, Marggrave de Brandebourg, Archi-Chambellan, & Prince Electeur du Saint Empire Romain; Prince Souverain d'Orange, Duc de Magdebourg, de Cleves, de Juliers, de Bergue, de Stettin, de Pommeranie, de Cassubie de Vandalie, & de Crossen en Silesie, Bourggrave de Nuremberg, Prince de Halberstadt, de Minden, et de Camin ; Comte de Hohenzollern, de Ruppin, de la Marck, de Ravensberg, de Hohenstein, de Lingen, de Moeurs, de Bühren & de Lehrdam; Marquis de la Vehre et de Vlissingue, Seigneur de Ravenstein, du Pais de Lauenburg & de Bütovv, d'Arlay & de Breda & c.

1707 (Tecklenburg was added.):

Fridericum, Dei gratia, Regem Borussiae, Margravium Brandenburgensis, Sacri Romani Imperii Arci-Camerarium et Principem Electorem, supremum Principem Arausionensis, Magdeburgi, Cliviae, Iuliae, Montium, Stetini, Pomeraniae, Cassubiorum, Vandalorumque, Ducensberg Castle, necnia in Silesia , Principem Halberstadii, Mindae, Camini et Mursii, Comitem Zollriae, Ruppini, Marcae, Ravensburgi, Hohensteinii, Tecklenburgii, Lingae, Burae et Leerdami, Marchionem Verae & Vlissingae, Dominum in Ravensteinii, Lauenburgii, Butoviae, Arlayae et Bredae.

1716 ( Neuchâtel with Valangin ) elected the Prussian king as regent in 1707. In the following year he took up the title and carried it until 1872. In 1708 Mecklenburg was added. With Mecklenburg came the principalities of Wenden and Ratzeburg as well as the state of Stargard (Ratzeburg + Stargard = Mecklenburg-Strelitz). In addition, there was the Principality of Schwerin (successor to the earlier diocese of Schwerin) and the county of Schwerin, west of Lake Schwerin, to be distinguished from it. That is why Schwerin is mentioned twice. In 1873 only Mecklenburg remained:

We Friderich Wilhelm by God's grace king in Prussia, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire Ertz-Cammerer and Elector, Sovereign Printz of Orange, Neufchatel and Vallengin; at Magdenburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, at Mecklenburg, also in Silesia at Crossen Hertzog; Burggraff of Nuremberg, Prince of Halberstadt, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, and Moers; Count zu Hohenzollern, Ruppin, the Marck, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin, Lingen, Buhren and Lehrdam, Marquis zu der Vehre and Vlissingen, Herr zu Ravenstein, the state of Rostock, Stargardt, Lauenburg, Bütow, Arlay and Breda etc.

1732 (Geldern was added in 1718.):

We Friederich Wilhelm by God's grace King in Prussia, Marggraf zu Brandenburg of the Holy Roman Empire Ertz = Cammerer and Elector; Sovereign Printz of Orange, Neufchatel and Valengin, in Geldern, to Magdeburg Cleve Jülich Berge Stettin Pomerania of the Cassubes and Wenden to Mecklenburg also in Silesia to Crossen Hertzog; Burgrave of Nuremberg Prince of Halberstadt Minden Camin Wenden Schwerin Ratzeburg and Meürs; Count zu Hohenzollern Ruppin the Marck Revensberg Hohenstein Tecklenburg Lingen Schwerin Bühren and Leerdam Marquis zu der Vehre and Vlißlingen Herr zu Ravenstein der Lande Rostock Stargard Lauenburg Bütau Arley and Reda etc.

1741 (East Frisia was added in 1732, Veeren and Vlissingen were removed. They went to Nassau-Orange.):

We Friderich, by the grace of God, king in Prussia, Marggraf of Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire Ertz-Cämmerer and Elector; Sovereign Printz of Orange, Neuf Chatel and Valengin, in Geldern, in Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, in Mecklenburg and [in] Silesia [in Crossen] Hertzog, Burgrave in Nuremberg, Fürst in Halberstadt, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, Ost-Frießland and Möers, Count of Hohenzollern, Ruppin, the Marck, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin, Lingen, Bühren and Lehrdam, Herr zu Ravenstein, the state of Rostock, Stargardt , Lauenburg, Bütow, Arlais and Breda & c. & c.

1745 (1742 the sovereign rule over Silesia and Glatz was added.):

We Friderich, by God's grace king in Prussia, Marggraff zu Brandenburg, des Heyl. Roman Empire Ertz-Cämmerer and Elector; Sovereign and Supreme Duke of Silesia, Sovereign Prince of Orange, Neuchatel and Vallengin, as well as the Graffschaft Glatz, in Geldern, Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, Mecklenburg and Crossen Hertzog, Burggraff to Nuremberg, Prince of Halberstadt, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, East Friesland and Moers, Count of Hohenzollern, Ruppin, the Marck, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin, Lingen, Bühren and Lehrdam, Herr zu Ravenstein, the states of Rostock, Stargard, Lauenburg, Bütow, Arlay and Breda etc. etc.

1752 (JJ Quantz, appropriation in the book "An attempt at an instruction to traverse the flute"):

Most Serene, Most Powerful Prince and Lord, Herr Friederich, Kings in Prussia; Margraves of Brandenburg; The Arch-Chamberlain and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire; Sovereigns and Supreme Dukes of Silesia; Sovereign Princes of Orange, Neufchatel and Valengin, as well as the County of Glaz; in Geldern, at Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berg, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, at Mecklenburg, also at Crossen Herzoge; Burgrave of Nuremberg; Princes of Halberstadt, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, East Friesland and Moeurs; Counts of Hohenzollern, Ruppin, the Mark, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Lingen, Schwerin, Bühren and Lehrdam; Mr. zu Ravenstein, the state of Rostock, Stargard, Lauenburg, Bütow, Arlay and Breda.

1793 (in 1772 the title King in Prussia was replaced by King of Prussia . In the winter of 1791/1792 Karl Alexander von Brandenburg-Ansbach had his domain (the two principalities of Ansbach and Bayreuth ), which also included the county of Limpurg (Swabia), sold to Prussia for an annuity. The title only remained until 1806.)

( The royal subjects, in the present war with France ): We Friedrich Wilhelm, by God's grace, King of Prussia, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, des Heil. Rom. Rich Ertz Chamberlain and Elector; Sovereign and Supreme Duke of Silesia, Sovereign Prince of Orange, Neufschatel and Valengin, as well as the County of Glatz; in Geldern, at Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, at Mecklenburg and Crossen Herzog; Burgrave of Nuremberg above and below the mountains; Prince of Halberstadt, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Ratzeburg, East Friesland and Meurs, Count of Hohenzollern, Ruppin, the Mark, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin, Lingen, Bühren and Leerdam; Mr. zu Ravenstein, the states of Rostock, Stargard, Limburg, Lauenburg, Butow, Arlay and Breda.

1803 (On June 6, 1802, Friedrich Wilhelm III took possession of the Imperial Abbey of Elten near Emmerich. Jülich, Geldern and Moers disappeared from the title by 1817. The principality of Schwerin no longer existed in 1803 and also disappeared. Münster, Eichsfeld and Quedlinburg were added and Erfurt to compensate for the loss of areas on the left bank of the Rhine.):

We Friedrich Wilhelm, by the grace of God, King of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg, Ertzkämmerer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire; sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia, sovereign Prince of Orange, Neufschatel and Valengin, as well as the Graffschaft Glatz; at Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich, Berge, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, at Mecklenburg and Crossen Herzog; Burgrave of Nuremberg above and below the mountain; Prince of Halberstadt, Paderborn, Halberstadt, Münster, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Ratzeburg, East Friesland, Eichsfeld, Erfurt, Essen, Quedlinburg and Elten, Count of Hohenzollern, Ruppin, der Mark, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin, Lingen, Bühren and Lehrdamm; Lord of the Lands Rostock, Stargard, Limburg, Lauenburg, Bütow, Arlay and Breda, & c. & c.

1817 (The titles for Arley, Breda, Bühren, Ostfriesland, Essen, Quedlinburg, Elten, Limburg were deleted, the titles for Lower Rhine, Posen, Saxony, Engern, Westphalen, Thuringia, Upper and Lower Lusatia, Paderborn and Henneberg were added Limpurg and the counties "Upper and Lower Mountains" came to Württemberg and Bavaria in the course of the Rhine Confederation Act in 1806 and were therefore deleted. Arley, west of Neufchatel, was annexed by Napoleon in 1806. Breda became part of the new one Kingdom of Holland. Büren was defeated at Paderborn in 1816. Although Nuremberg Castle also fell to Bavaria on this occasion, the Prussian king retained the title of "Burgrave of Nuremberg" as a claim to the ancestral seat of his house. Eichsfeld came to the kingdom from 1807 to 1813 Westphalen. 1816 Unter-Eichsfeld came to the Kingdom of Hanover, Ober-Eichsfeld to the Prussian province of Saxony, district of Erfurt. The Reichsabtei Elten 1806 dem The Grand Duchy of Berg was incorporated and secularized in 1811. With that she disappeared from the title.):

We Wilhelm, by the grace of God King of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg, sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia as well as the Graffschaft Glatz, Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine and of Posen, Duke of Saxony, Engern and Westphalia, in Geldern, Magdeburg, Cleve, Jülich , Berg, Stettin, Pomerania, the Cassuben and Wenden, Mecklenburg and Crossen; Burgrave of Nuremberg, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia, Prince of Orange, Neufchatel and Valengin, Prince of Rügen, Paderborn, Halberstadt, Münster, Minden, Camin, Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, Moers, Eichsfeld and Erfurt , Count of Hohenzollern, Prince Count of Henneberg, Count of Ruppin, the Mark, Ravensberg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg, Schwerin and Lingen, Lord of the Lands of Rostock, Stargard, Lauenburg and Bütow.

1909 (1873 the ecclesiastical, but now secularized and mediatized principalities were dropped when the major title was revised because they ceased to exist as such. Ruppin, Neufchatel, Valengin, the principality of Wenden, Ratzeburg , the county of Schwerin, Rostock, Stargard, Eichsfeld and Erfurt. Lüneburg, Schleswig, Holstein, Bremen, Hesse, Pyrmont, Osnabrück, Hildesheim, Verden, Fulda, Nassau , Mansfeld, Sigmaringen, Veringen and Frankfurt were added. Ruppin came to the Potsdam administrative district in the province of Brandenburg in 1818 and was therefore omitted when the title was revised in 1873. Neufchatel (Neuchâtel) and Valengin ( Valangin ) had been republic since 1848 , and in 1857 Prussia gave up its sovereign rights to the area with the Paris Treaty of 1857. Frederick William IV , however, expressly retained the title Sovereign Prince of Neuchâtel and Vallengin The other territories mentioned had long ceased to be independent units and therefore became deleted after the major title was revised.):

( Document on the award of the property of a manor to the Gut Ottersburg located in the Gardelegen district, administrative district Magdeburg ): We Wilhelm, by God's grace King of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Count of Hohenzollern, sovereign and supreme Duke of Silesia as well as the county of Glatz, Grand Duke of Lower Rhine and Posen, Duke of Saxony, Westphalia and Engern, Pomerania, Lüneburg, Holstein and Schleswig, Magdeburg, Bremen, Geldern, Cleve, Jülich and Berg, as well as the Wenden and Cassuben Crossen, Lauenburg, Mecklenburg, Landgrave of Hesse and Thuringia, Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia, Prince of Orange, Prince of Rügen, East Friesland, Paderborn and Pyrmont, Halberstadt, Münster, Minden, Osnabrück, Hildesheim, Verden, Cammin , Fulda, Nassau and Mörs, Prince Count of Henneberg, Count of the Mark and Ravensburg, Hohenstein, Tecklenburg and Lingen, Mansfeld, Sigmaringen and Veringen, Lord of Frankf urt.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Horst founder: History of the German colonies. Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8252-1332-3 , p. 183.
  2. ^ Christian Otto Mylius, Corpus Constitutionum Marchicarum (1737–1755) for July 1703.
  3. Georg Friedrich von Martens, Recueil des Principaux Traités (1791-1807) vol. 6; part "Appendix"; P. 679 for November 1705.
  4. Art. 17 of the Rhine Federation Act of July 12, 1806
  5. It is questionable whether Silesia was thereby left the empire. In addition Heinrich Ritter von Srbik: German Unity. Idea and reality from the Holy Kingdom to Königgrätz . Volume 1., Bruckmann, Munich 1935, p. 101.

literature

  • Law collection for the Royal Prussian States 1817 No. 3 of February 15, 1817 and 1864 No. 1 of February 3, 1864.
  • Rudolf Graf Stillfried : The attributes of the new German empire , Berlin 1872 with Googlebooks
  • Rudolf Graf Stillfried : The title and coat of arms of the Prussian royal family. Berlin 1875. on Googlebooks
  • Georg Wilhelm Sante (ed.): Reich and countries, history of the German territories. Vol. I The territories up to the end of the old empire , Vol. II The German states from the Congress of Vienna to the present. Darmstadt 1964.

Web links