Category Archives: German Royals

Anton Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – geni.com

Anton Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen II was born on October 10, 1653, in Sondershausen, County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the second of the five sons and the fifth of the ten children of Anton Günther I, Count of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and Mary Magdalene of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.

Anton Günther had nine siblings:

  • Anna Dorothea (1645 – 1716), married Heinrich IV of Reuss-Greiz, had eight children
  • Christian Wilhelm I, Count and from 1697, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1647 – 1721), married (1) Antonie Sybille of Barby-Mühlingen, had seven children (2) Wilhelmine Christiane of Saxe-Weimar, had eight children
  • Klare Juliane (1648- 1739), unmarried
  • Eleonore Sofie (1650 – 1718), unmarried, nun at the Protestant Quedlinburg Abbey
  • Mary Magdalene (1655 -1727), unmarried
  • Georg Friedrich (born and died 1657), died in infancy
  • George Ernest (1658 – 1659), died in infancy
  • Ludwig Günther (born and died 1660), died in infancy
  • Johanne Elisabeth (1662 – 1720), unmarried

Augusta Dorothea of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Princess of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 7, 1684, in Wolfenbüttel, Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Anton Günther married Auguste Dorothea of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Juliane von Holstein-Norburg. Their marriage was childless.

Christian Wilhelm, Anton Günther’s brother; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of their father Anton Günther I, Count of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on August 19, 1666, Anton Gunther II and his elder brother Christian Wilhelm jointly inherited the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The two brothers ruled jointly until 1681 when they split the county into two parts. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and both brothers became princes.

City of Arnstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

The city of Arnstadt developed into an important cultural center under the reign of Anton Günther. He was considered a great patron of music and was an avid collector of antiques and art objects. In 1703, 18-year-old composer Johann Sebastian Bach, already with a superior reputation as a keyboardist, was invited to inspect the new organ and give the inaugural recital at the New Church (now the Bach Church) in Arnstadt. Anton Günther was so impressed that he hired the young Bach as the court organist.

On July 20, 1716, Anton Günther II, aged 62, died in Arnstadt and his elder brother Christian Wilhelm became the sole ruler of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. His burial site is unknown. His wife Auguste Dorothea survived him by 35 years, dying on July 11, 1751, aged 84, at Augustenburg Castle in Arnstadt. Auguste Dorothea had converted to Roman Catholicism and was buried at the Ursuline Convent (link in German) in Erfurt, Electorate of Mainz, now in the German state of Thuringia.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anton Günther II. (Schwarzburg). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_G%C3%BCnther_II._(Schwarzburg)> [Accessed 9 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Auguste Dorothea Von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1666–1751). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Dorothea_von_Braunschweig-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel_(1666%E2%80%931751)> [Accessed 9 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzburg-Sondershausen> [Accessed 9 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anton Günther II, Count Of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen-Arnstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_G%C3%BCnther_II,_Count_of_Schwarzburg-Sondershausen-Arnstadt> [Accessed 9 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/german-royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-sondershausen/> [Accessed 9 November 2020].

Anna Luise of Schönburg-Waldenburg, Princess of Schwarzburg

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Anna Luise of Schönburg-Waldenburg was the wife of Günther Victor, the last sovereign Prince of both the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and was styled Princess of Schwarzburg. As a widow, Anna Luise was forced by the Nazis to leave Schwarzburg Castle so it could be demolished and Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House built. The castle was demolished but the guest house was never completed. She spent the last years of her life living under the Communist regime of the German Democratic (East Germany).

Born on February 19, 1871, at Hermsdorf Castle (link in German) near Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, she was the only daughter and the youngest of the three children of Prince Georg of Schönburg-Waldenburg and Princess Luise of Bentheim-Tecklenburg.

Anna Luise had two older brothers:

  • Hermann of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1865 – 1943), married Thekla von Rothenberg, no children
  • Ulrich Georg of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1869 – 1939), married Pauline of Löwenstein-Werthelm-Freudenberg, had five children

Hermsdorf Castle; Credit – Von X-Weinzar – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6921372

Anna Luise grew up with her two brothers at Hermsdorf Castle, her birthplace, and Schneeberg in the Austrian Alps. From the age of six, she was taught together with her brother Ulrich Georg and several other children. Besides academic subjects, Anna Luise also had music and drawing lessons.

On December 9, 1891, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, 20-year-old Anna Luise married her 39-year-old first cousin Günther Victor, the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Six months later, her pregnancy was happily announced. However, in the seventh month of pregnancy, Anna Luise suffered a stillbirth. It had been a boy who would have ensured the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt succession. After the stillbirth, Anna Luise developed puerperal fever (childbed fever) along with pleurisy and cardiac issues. Afterward, Anna Luise was unable to have children which was a dynastic catastrophe for the House of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

To ensure the continued existence of the House of Schwarzburg, Prince Sizzo of Leutenberg was appointed as Günther Victor’s successor by law on June 1, 1896, and was recognized as a member of the House of Schwarzburg. Prince Sizzo was the only son of Friedrich Günther, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt from a morganatic marriage. Sizzo and his twin sister were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg shortly after their birth but Sizzo did not have succession rights due to his parents’ morganatic marriage.

After he was recognized as a member of the House of Schwarzburg, Sizzo was able to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement, Sizzo became the heir presumptive of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, ahead of the Schwarzburg-Sondershausen princes, and third in line to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, Günther Victor became Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities. However, over time, the relationship between the cousins ​​Sizzo and Günther Victor deteriorated. Sizzo felt deprived for no valid reason. After a dispute, Günther Victor refused to allow Sizzo to stay in the castles in Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg. In 1918, their relationship had so deteriorated that they only came to an understanding through lawyers.

Anna Luise took on the role of mother of the country and became beloved by the people. She was the patron of various non-profit institutions and charities such as a social welfare facility for the elderly and poor in Quittelsdorf and the Anna Luise Nursing Home in Bad Blankenburg. During World War I, Anna Luise established the Anna Luise Medal given to women who cared for wounded soldiers.

When Prince Leopold of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen died in 1906, Günther Victor became heir presumptive to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. He succeeded in 1909 as Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, upon the death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The two Schwarzburg principalities were united under Günther Victor in a personal union and he was then styled Prince of Schwarzburg.

Günther Victor and Anna Luise; Credit – Wikipedia

After the defeat of the German Empire in World War I, the November Revolution of 1918 led to the end of all the German monarchies. On November 23, 1918, Günther Victor abdicated the throne of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and on November 25, 1918, he abdicated in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Günther Victor made an agreement with the new government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. Günther Victor and Anna Luise retained ownership of Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) and Rothsfeld Hunting Lodge (link in German) and their associated lands and also had the right of residence in Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) and Sondershausen Castle. Anna Luisa accepted the forced loss that she and her husband had suffered with a heavy heart. According to her, the new government of the State of Thuringia only wanted to keep them as “historical oddities.”

Günther Victor died after a long illness on April 21, 1925, aged 72, at Sondershausen Castle in Sondershausen, Thuringia, Germany, and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Germany. Prince Sizzo became Head of the House of Schwarzberg. Günther Victor had made Anna Luise his sole heir and so she had to continue the legal battle with Prince Sizzo.  In 1926, Prince Sizzo died and Anna Luise ruled out the adoption of Prince Sizzo’s only son Prince Friedrich Günther who succeeded as Head of the House of Schwarzberg. She continued her husband’s original legal battles with Prince Sizzo with his son. In 1942, Anna Luise decided to adopt as her heir Prince Wilhelm of Schönburg-Waldenburg, the youngest son of her brother Ulrich.

Schwarzburg Castle in the 1930s; Credit – Wikipedia

After Günther Victor died in 1925, Anna Luise was allowed to continue to live in Schwarzburg Castle (link in German). This right of residence was initially not curtailed when the Nazis came to power in 1933. Anna Luise was not a supporter of the Nazi Party. In 1940, the Nazis planned to demolish Schwarzburg Castle and build an Imperial Guest House for Adolf Hitler in its place. Anna Luise had to leave the castle within a few days for financial compensation. In June 1940, demolition began on Schwarzburg Castle, one of the most important Baroque castles in central Germany. The remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (castle church) were moved to Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany. In 1942, the construction was stopped and the Imperial Guest House was never finished. The ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years. The only thing that remained of the castle church was the tower dome but it was destroyed in a fire caused by fireworks on New Year’s Eve 1980. There has been much reconstruction work done on the castle especially after Schwarzburg Castle was transferred to the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation in 1994.

Sondershausen Castle, Anna Luise’s last home; Credit – Von HieRo GlyPhe – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10958015

After World War II, the area that had encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen were in the newly formed German Democratic Republic, also known as East Germany, and a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Soviet occupation authorities began transferring administrative responsibility to German communist leaders in 1948. In 1945, most of the Schwarzburg property was expropriated and the ownership was transferred to the government. Until her death, Anna Luise was allowed to reside in Sondershausen Castle (link in German).

Anna Luise in 1950; Credit – https://www.thueringen.de/

Anna Luise, aged 80, died November 7, 1951, in Sondershausen Castle in Sondershausen, East Germany, now in the German state of Thuringia. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, East Germany, now in the German state of Thuringia. Although news of her death was kept secret by the Stasi, the state security police of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the streets of Rudolstadt were full of people who paid her their last respects and there was standing room only for her funeral at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt/Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Index Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anna Luise Von Schwarzburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Luise_von_Schwarzburg> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Günther Victor (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_Victor_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Schloss Schwarzburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Schwarzburg> [Accessed 5 November 2020].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ana Luisa De Schönburg-Waldenburg. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Luisa_de_Sch%C3%B6nburg-Waldenburg> [Accessed 5 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/gunther-victor-prince-of-schwarzburg/>
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 4 November 2020].

Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Günther Victor was the last sovereign Prince of both Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and was styled Prince of Schwarzburg. He was born on August 21, 1852, in Rudolstadt, then in the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, the only son and the second of the four children of Prince Adolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Princess Mathilde of Schönburg-Waldenburg. Prince Adolf was the grandson of two reigning Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt: Friedrich Karl and Johann Friedrich. Princess Mathilde was the granddaughter of Ludwig Friedrich II, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Therefore, Günther Victor was the great-grandson of three reigning Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, who reigned from 1869 – 1890, was unmarried and had no surviving brothers. Therefore, his first cousin and Georg Victor’s father Prince Adolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was his heir presumptive. When Prince Adolf died in 1875, Georg Victor became the heir presumptive to the throne of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Günther Victor had three sisters:

Günther Victor received his early education from private tutors and then attended the Vitzthumsche Gymnasium (link in German) in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony. From 1868 – 1870, he was prepared for a military career and made study trips to Belgium, France, and England.

The Franco-Prussian War in 1870 caused Günther Victor to end his education. He served as a second lieutenant in the Dragoon Regiment of the Mecklenburg troops under his brother-in-law Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Günther Victor took part in the Siege of Toul, Siege of Metz, Siege of Paris, as well as the Battle of Orléans and the Battle of Le Mans. For his service, Günther Victor was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and the Schwarzburg Cross of Honor 2nd class.

In 1871, Günther Victor was released from military service and he studied law, political science, and art history at the University of Leipzig. He returned to active military duty in 1874. Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on January 19, 1890, and Günther Victor succeeded his unmarried, childless first cousin once removed.

Anna Luise of Schönburg-Waldenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

In November 1890, Günther Victor was betrothed to Luise Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg but the couple did not get along and the engagement was broken in 1891. On December 9, 1891, in Rudolstadt, Günther Victor married his first cousin Anna Luise of Schönburg-Waldenburg, the daughter of Prince Georg of Schönburg-Waldenburg and Princess Luise of Bentheim-Tecklenburg. A stillbirth with complications in 1892 left Anna Luise unable to have children.

When Prince Leopold of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen died in 1906, Günther Victor became heir presumptive to the other Schwarzburg principality. He succeeded as Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, upon the death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The two Schwarzburg principalities were united under Günther Victor in a personal union and he was then styled Prince of Schwarzburg. After the union of the two principalities, Günther Victor and Anna Luise had a total of six different residences and they regularly changed their residence about every two months.

Prince Sizzo; Credit – Wikipedia

In order to ensure the continued existence of the House of Schwarzburg due to Günther Victor’s lack of children, Prince Sizzo of Leutenberg was appointed as his successor by law on June 1, 1896, and was recognized as a member of the House of Schwarzburg. Prince Sizzo was the only son of Friedrich Günther, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt from a morganatic marriage. Sizzo and his twin sister were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg shortly after their birth but Sizzo did not have succession rights due to his parents’ morganatic marriage.

After he was recognized as a member of the House of Schwarzburg, Sizzo was able to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement, Sizzo became the heir presumptive of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, ahead of the Schwarzburg -Sondershausen princes, and third in line to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities. However, over time, the relationship between the cousins ​​Sizzo and Günther Victor deteriorated. Sizzo felt deprived for no valid reason. After a dispute,  Günther Victor refused to allow Sizzo to stay in the castles in Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg. In 1918, their relationship had so deteriorated that they only came to an understanding through lawyers.

After the defeat of the German Empire in World War I, the November Revolution of 1918 led to the end of all the German monarchies. On November 23, 1918, Günther Victor abdicated the throne of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and on November 25, 1918, he abdicated in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. He was the last German monarch to renounce the throne. Günther Victor made an agreement with the new government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences.

Günther Victor and Anna Luise; Credit – Wikipedia

Due to Günther Victor’s circulatory and heart problems, Anna Luise had to adjust her daily routine to ensure her husband’s proper care. She often traveled with Günther Victor to cures prescribed by his doctors. Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg died after a long illness on April 21, 1925, aged 72, at Sondershausen Castle in Sondershausen, Thuringia, Germany, and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Germany. Prince Sizzo succeeded him as Head of the House of Schwarzburg but he died less than a year later. Sizzo’s only son Prince Friedrich Günther succeeded him as the last Head of the House of Schwarzburg and last pretender to the Schwarzburg principalities.

Günther Victor’s wife Anna Luise survived him by 26 years, dying on November 7, 1951, aged 80, also in Sondershausen, but then in East (Communist), Germany, now in the German state of Thuringia, and was buried with her husband at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt/Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Index Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anna Luise Von Schwarzburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Luise_von_Schwarzburg> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Günther Victor (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_Victor_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Günther Victor, Prince Of Schwarzburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_Victor,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sizzo, Prince Of Schwarzburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizzo,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg> [Accessed 3 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on November 23, 1838, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the second of the three sons and the third of the four children of Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Princess Auguste of Solms-Braunfels.

Albrecht’s two brothers died in infancy. Only his sister survived childhood.

During his childhood, Georg Albrecht was very interested in horses and all things military. Because of this interest, a Kindergarde (Children’s Guard) was formed of noble sons and sons of civil servants who were outfitted with specially made uniforms and weapons. After being educated by private tutors, Georg Albrecht studied legal history, philosophy, and economics at the University of Göttingen and the University of Bonn. However, his higher education was cut short because of his desire to enter the Prussian Army. Georg Albrecht served as a first lieutenant in the Garde du Corps regiment starting in 1859. In 1864, he became an orderly officer of Lieutenant General Gustav von der Mülbe (link in German). He fought during the Second Schleswig War in 1864 and during the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

Upon the death of his father on November 26, 1869, Georg Albrecht succeeded him as Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Soon afterward, he became engaged to his second cousin once removed Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. However, while traveling with his family through the various German monarchies, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, the second surviving son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, met his second cousin Marie. Vladimir and Marie quickly fell in love and subsequently Marie broke off her engagement to Georg Albert, who never did marry.

After he became Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Georg Albrecht remained in the Prussian Army for the rest of his life. During the Franco-Prussian War, he was a member of the General Staff of the 8th Infantry Division and was involved in the Battle of Sedan and the Battle of Beaumont. Following the defeat of France, Georg Albrecht was present when Wilhelm I, King of Prussia was declared German Emperor (Kaiser) in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, on January 18, 1871. In 1883, he was promoted to General of the Cavalry and in 1886, he was created a Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle. Because of his military duties, Georg Albrecht left the running of the government of the Principality of Schwarzberg-Rudolstadt mostly to his government ministers.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on January 19, 1890, aged 51, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt. He was succeeded by his first cousin once removed Günther Victor.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg Albert (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Albert_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Albert, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Albert,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Born on April 30, 1798, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the second of the four sons and the fifth of the seven children of Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Karoline of Hesse-Homburg. When he was nine-years-old, Albrecht’s father died and his fourteen-year-old brother Friedrich Günther became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. As stipulated in Ludwig Friedrich’s will, Friedrich Günther’s mother Karoline served as Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until her son came of age in 1814.

Albrecht had six siblings but only two of his siblings survived childhood:

  • Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
  • Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1793 – 1867), married (1) Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau, had three children (2) Countess Helene of Reina, morganatic marriage, had two children (3) Marie Schultze, morganatic marriage, no children
  • Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
  • Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
  • Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
  • Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

From October 7-9, 1806, Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia was a guest at Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) in Rudolstadt. Ludwig Ferdinand was the commander of a Prussian-Saxon vanguard during the Napoleonic Wars against Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. The soldier-prince made a great impression upon the eight-year-old Albrecht and it sparked his interest in the military. Sadly, Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia died on October 10, 1806, during the Battle of Saalfeld.  Albrecht was educated by private tutors but from 1810 – 1811, he and his brother Friedrich Günther were sent to Geneva, Switzerland to perfect their French.

By the age of sixteen, Albrecht was a lieutenant in the Prussian Army. From 1814 – 1815, he served as a member of the staff of his maternal uncle Ludwig Wilhem, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, in the Prussian campaign against Napoleon and received the Iron Cross 2nd class for his service. During his soldier years, Albrecht was often a guest at the Prussian court, and there he met his future wife Princess Auguste of Solms-Braunfels (1804 – 1865), daughter of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels and Friederike of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and niece of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. Auguste’s mother Friederike, born a Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was by her three marriages, Princess of Prussia (married Prince Ludwig Karl, son of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia), Princess of Solms-Braunfels, and lastly Duchess of Cumberland and Queen of Hanover as the wife of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover, the fifth son and eighth child of King George III if the United Kingdom.

Auguste of Solms-Braunfels; Credit – Wikipedia

Albrecht and Auguste were married on July 27, 1827, at Schönhausen Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. Albrecht’s wife Auguste died before he succeeded to the throne of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, dying on October 8, 1865, aged 61, and was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt.

The couple had four children:

Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his brother Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, on June 28, 1867, Albrecht became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. All of Friedrich Günther’s sons by his first wife had predeceased him and his only son by his second wife was born from a morganatic marriage and did not have succession rights. Three days after Albrecht succeeded to the throne, the North German Confederation, the German federal state which existed from July 1867 to December 1870 and was the precursor of the German Empire, came into effect. On October 23, 1869, Albrecht dissolved the state parliament due to a dispute over planned tax increases. The state parliament was reinstated during the reign of his son Georg Albrecht.

After a reign of two years and five months, Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on November 26, 1869, aged 71, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was buried with his wife in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, the remains of Albrecht and Auguste were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) at the Schloss Schwarzburg.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Albert (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Albert, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on November 6, 1793, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was the eldest of the four sons and the second of the seven children of Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Karoline of Hesse-Homburg.

Only two of Friedrich Günther’s six siblings survived childhood:

  • Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
  • Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
  • Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
  • Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1798 – 1869), married Princess Augusta of Solms-Braunfels, had three children
  • Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
  • Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

Friedrich Günther’s father Ludwig Friedrich, died at the age of 39, on April 28, 1807, and his fourteen-year-old son became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. As stipulated in Ludwig Friedrich’s will, Friedrich Günther’s mother Karoline served as Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until her son came of age in 1814. Friedrich Günther was rather disinterested in government affairs and after he came of age, he left the decisions to other people. As a result, his mother Karoline, who died in 1854 at the age of 82, continued to have a strong influence on government decisions.

Friedrich Günther; Credit – Wikipedia

After being educated by private tutors, Friedrich Günther was sent to Geneva, Switzerland from 1810 – 1811 to perfect his French. From 1813 – 1814, he accompanied his maternal uncle Philip of Hesse-Homburg, who was an officer in the Imperial Austrian Army, as an observer during battles against Napoleon’s French forces during the Napoleonic Wars.

Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 15, 1816, Friedrich Günther made the first of his three marriages. He married Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Auguste was the eldest child of Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Amalie of Hesse-Homburg. Her mother and Friedrich Günther’s mother were sisters and so husband and wife were first cousins. Auguste was popular with the people of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and was a supporter of the arts and sciences.

Friedrich Günther and Auguste had three sons. All three predeceased their father, leaving Friedrich Günther with no male heirs. Auguste died on June 12, 1854, in Rudolstadt, aged 60, and was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt.

  • Friedrich Günther, Hereditary Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1818 – 1821), died in early childhood
  • Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Hereditary Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1821 – 1845), unmarried, died in his 20s
  • Prince Gustav of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1828 – 1837), died in childhood

On August 7, 1855, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, Friedrich Günther married Countess Helene of Reina (1835 – 1860). Helene was the daughter of Prince Georg Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau from his morganatic, second marriage. She was adopted by her paternal uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt shortly before her marriage and assumed the title of Princess of Anhalt. Regardless, Helene’s marriage to Friedrich Günther was considered morganatic under the House Laws of the Schwarzburg family. They had a set of twins, one boy and one girl, but Helene, aged 25, died three days after their birth. She was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. The children were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg shortly after their birth but the son did not have succession rights.

  • Princess Helene (1860 – 1937), married Prince Hans of Schönaich-Carolath, had two children
  • Prince Sizzo (1860 – 1926), married Princess Alexandra of Anhalt, had three children

Friedrich Günther’s son Prince Sizzo, 1907; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1896, Prince Sizzo’s succession rights were recognized by all members of the House of Schwarzburg. He was made a full member of the house and able to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement, Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, ahead of the Schwarzburg -Sondershausen princes, and third in line to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities were united in a personal union under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities. After the end of the German monarchies in 1918 and following the death of Prince Günther Victor in 1925, Prince Sizzo succeeded him as Head of the House of Schwarzburg.

Friedrich Günther’s third marriage to Marie Schultze (1840 – 1909) on September 24, 1861, was also morganatic and was childless. After Friedrich Günther’s death, Marie married a second time to Dr. Marcellus von Nencki and died on March 19, 1909, aged 68, in Bern Switzerland where she was buried.

Several important events happened during Friedrich Günther’s reign. In 1815, the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt joined the German Confederation, an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe, created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, which had been dissolved in 1806. The principality received its first constitution in 1816 which required the approval of the state parliament to raise taxes and pass laws. The last years of his reign saw the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 when Friedrich Günther kept Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt neutral and following the conclusion of the war the creation of the North German Confederation, the German federal state which existed from July 1867 to December 1870 and was the precursor of the German Empire that was established in 1871.

Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on June 28, 1867, at the age of 73, at Schloss Heidecksburg (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was first buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, his remains along with the remains of his first two wives were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Friedrich Günther was succeeded by his brother Albrecht as all of his sons by his first wife had predeceased him and his son by his second wife was born from a morganatic marriage.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Auguste Von Anhalt-Dessau. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_von_Anhalt-Dessau> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Günther (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_G%C3%BCnther_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Günther, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_G%C3%BCnther,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Karoline of Hesse-Homburg was the wife of Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt —  and served as Regent for the first seven years of the reign of their son Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until he came of age. The daughter of Friedrich V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Karoline of Hesse-Darmstadt, she was born on August 26, 1771 in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in the German state of Hesse.

Karoline had fourteen siblings but only the following ten survived childhood. Four of her brothers were reigning Landgraves of Hesse-Homburg. Three of them were childless and one had a son who predeceased him.

Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 21, 1791, in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in the German state of Hesse, Karoline married Ludwig Friedrich, then the Hereditary Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Ludwig Friedrich’s father Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, and 23-year-old Ludwig Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Karoline was well educated and had a considerable influence on the artistic life of the principality.

Karoline and Ludwig Friedrich had seven children including two reigning Princes of Schwarburg-Rudolstadt:

  • Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
  • Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1793 – 1867), married (1) Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau, had three children (2) Countess Helene of Reina, morganatic marriage, had two children (3) Marie Schultze, morganatic marriage, no children
  • Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
  • Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
  • Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1798 – 1869), married Princess Augusta of Solms-Braunfels, had three children
  • Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
  • Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

Karoline’s husband Ludwig Friedrich, died at the age of 39, on April 28, 1807, and was succeeded by his fourteen-year-old son Friedrich Günther. As stipulated in Ludwig Friedrich’s will, Karoline served as Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until her son came of age in 1814. As Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Günther was rather disinterested in government affairs and left the decisions to other people. As a result, Karoline continued to have a strong influence on government decisions

Karoline corresponded with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language, writer Friedrich Schiller, and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt, who called Karoline “a woman who is seldom found.” Karoline left behind a large collection of her drawings, sketches, and watercolors, which are of high artistic quality and show her romantic approach to nature.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

Karoline survived her husband by 47 years, dying on June 20, 1854, aged 82, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Her remains are now at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt but it is not known if they were previously buried in Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery)  in Rudolstadt and/or Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German). Her husband had been buried in both places. In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karoline Von Hessen-Homburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karoline_von_Hessen-Homburg> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Caroline Of Hesse-Homburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_of_Hesse-Homburg> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt now in the German state of Thuringia, on August 9, 1767. He was the eldest son and the second of the six children of Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and his first wife and first cousin once removed Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt who was the daughter of  Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Ludwig Friedrich had five siblings but two sisters did not survive childhood:

  • Friederike (1765 – 1767), died in infancy
  • Henriette (1770 – 1783), died in childhood
  • Karl Günther (1771 – 1825), married Louise Ulrike of Hesse-Homburg, had seven children
  • Karoline (1774 – 1854), married Günther Friedrich Karl I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, had two children
  • Luise (1775 – 1808), married Ernst Konstantin, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal, had five children

When Ludwig Friedrich was ten-years-old, his mother died. Two years later, his father married Auguste of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg but their marriage was childless. After being educated by private tutors at home, in 1789, Ludwig Friedrich and his brother Karl Günther were sent on an educational trip to Geneva, Switzerland, and several other destinations. During this trip, the French Revolution was occurring and it was a constant topic of conversation among Ludwig Friedrich’s traveling entourage.

Karoline of Hesse-Homburg; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 21, 1791, in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in the German state of Hesse, Ludwig Friedrich married Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, daughter of Friedrich V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Karoline of Hesse-Darmstadt. Karoline of Hesse-Homburg’s brother Friedrich VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg married Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, a daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom.

Ludwig Friedrich and Karoline had seven children including two reigning Princes of Schwarburg-Rudolstadt:

  • Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
  • Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1793 – 1867), married (1) Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau, had three children (2) Countess Helene of Reina, morganatic marriage, had two children (3) Marie Schultze, morganatic marriage, no children
  • Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
  • Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
  • Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1798 – 1869), married Princess Augusta of Solms-Braunfels, had three children
  • Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
  • Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

Komödienhaus on the Anger in the 19th century; Credit – https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/

Ludwig Friedrich’s father Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, at the age of 56 and 23-year-old Ludwig Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was known as a prince with high ideals and a supporter of the arts and sciences. He maintained correspondence with many famous personalities of the time, including writer Friedrich Schiller and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt. Along with his wife, Ludwig Friedrich continued the work on the Komödienhaus on the Anger, the theater his father had ordered to be constructed to provide education and culture to the citizens of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. The theater opening took place on July 26, 1793, three months after Friedrich Karl’s death. The theater was under the artistic direction of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language. Despite being small, the theater was one of the best in the German monarchies at the time and evolved into the current Theater-Rudolstadt (link in German).

The Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was affected by the Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon‘s victory at the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806, the principality was placed under French administration and joined the Confederation of the Rhine, a confederation of the client states of Napoleon’s First French Empire. Due to the skillful negotiations of the Chancellor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich Wilhelm von Ketelhodt, the French administration was lifted on March 24, 1807, and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was allowed self-governance.

Ludwig Friedrich II; Credit – Wikipedia

Ludwig Friedrich II of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, died at the age of 39, on April 28, 1807, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was first buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, his remains were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) at the Schloss Schwarzburg in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Ludwig Friedrich was succeeded by his fourteen-year-old son Friedrich Günther. As per the will of Ludwig Friedrich, his wife Karoline ruled the principality as regent until Friedrich Günther came of age in 1814.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began. Ludwig Friedrich’s wife Karoline died on June 20, 1854, aged 82. Her remains are now at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt but it is not known if they were previously buried in Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) and/or Schlosskirche Schwarzburg.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Friedrich II. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Friedrich_II._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Frederick II, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Frederick_II,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
  • Theater Rudolstadt. 2020. Geschichte – Die Vielfältige Historie Des Theaters Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].

Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl had the shortest reign of all the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt – only two and a half years. He was born in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, on June 7, 1736. The only surviving son and the third of the three children of Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz, Friedrich Karl had three siblings but two died in infancy:

  • Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
  • Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
  • Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

After being educated by private tutors, Friedrich Karl was sent to France from 1755 – 1756 to perfect his French. While in France, he visited factories, libraries, and natural history collections. As a child, Friedrich Karl began his natural history collection. In 1757, he created the Princely Natural History Collection at the Schloss Ludwigsburg in Rudolstadt. Later, his natural history collection became part of the Natural History Museum of Rudolstadt. Passionate about natural history, Friedrich Karl continued collecting and maintained correspondence with many German scientists throughout his life.

Friedrich Karl’s first wife Friederike; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 21, 1763, Friedrich Karl married his paternal first cousin once removed Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1745 – 1778), daughter of Johann Friedrich, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Friedrich Karl and Friederike had six children:

Friedrich Karl’s wife Friederike predeceased him, dying on January 26, 1778, aged 32. She was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle. On November 28, 1780, Friedrich Karl married Auguste of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1752–1805), daughter of Prince Johann August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Countess Luise Reuss of Schleiz, but their marriage was childless.

Komödienhaus on the Anger in the 19th century; Credit – https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/

Upon the death of his father on August 29, 1790, 54-year-old Friedrich Karl became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He had few accomplishments during his short reign. In 1792, Friedrich Karl ordered the construction of a theater, called the Komödienhaus on the Anger, to provide education and culture to the citizens of his principality. However, he died before it was completed. The theater opening took place on July 26, 1793, three months after his death, under the supervision of his son and successor Ludwig Friedrich II. The theater was under the artistic direction of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language. The theater was one of the best in German monarchies at the time and evolved into the current Theater-Rudolstadt (link in German).

Friedrich Karl suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, at the age of 56. He was buried with his first wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. His second wife Auguste survived him by twelve years, dying on May 28, 1805, at the age of 52, and was also buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Karl (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Karl_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick Charles, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Charles,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
  • Theater Rudolstadt. 2020. Geschichte – Die Vielfältige Historie Des Theaters Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].

Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 22, 1708, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the youngest of the thirteen children and the fourth of the four sons of Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Ludwig Günther had twelve older siblings but three had already died before his birth:

  • Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1692 – 1744), married (1) Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had one son and two daughters (2) Christina Sophia of East Frisia, no children
  • Amalie Magdalene of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Sophie Luise
  • Sophie Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Amalie Magdalene
  • Sophie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1694 – 1776), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
  • Wilhelm Ludwig of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1696 – 1757), married morganatically Caroline Henriette Gebauer who was created Baroness of Brockenburg, had three sons and two daughters
  • Christine Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
  • Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1698 – 1720), unmarried
  • Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1699 – 1774), unmarried
  • Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1700 – 1780), married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had four sons and four daughters
  • Sophia Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1737), unmarried, twin of Friederike Luise
  • Friederike Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1787), unmarried, twin of Sophia Dorothea
  • Magdalena Sibylle of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1707 – 1795), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey

As Ludwig Günther was the fourth son, there was no expectation that he would succeed to the throne of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1718, when Ludwig Günther was not quite ten-years-old, his father died and eldest brother Friedrich Anton became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In his late teens and early twenties, Ludwig Günther took advantage of his lack of serious responsibility by spending several years in what now is Italy, but then was a combination of kingdoms, duchies, principalities, papal states, and territories of other nations. He especially enjoyed the vast artistic heritage of Italy. Between 1722 – 1731, Ludwig Günther visited the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt only twice. He served as an officer in Milan, which then was part of the Austria Empire, from 1726 – 1731. However, his military career ended due to an issue with his hearing. Returning to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther lived at Schloss Friedensburg in Rudolstadt (link in German) from 1731 – 1733.

Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 22, 1733, Ludwig Günther married Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz (1711 – 1771), daughter of Heinrich Xlll, Count Reuss of Untergreiz and Sophie Elisabeth of Stolberg-Werningerode.

The couple had four children:

  • Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
  • Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
  • Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1736 – 1793), married his first cousin Princess Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the eldest daughter of Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had six children including Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
  • Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

Schloss Ludwigsburg, built for Ludwig Günther; Credit – Von Z thomas – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28174814

After their marriage, Ludwig Günther and Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg (link in German), one of the main residences of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1734, construction began on a future residence for Ludwig Günther and his family in Rudolstadt. Schloss Ludwigsburg (link in German), named after Ludwig Günther, was completed in 1742. A ceiling fresco in the castle depicts Ludwig Günther with Greek gods.

In 1744, Ludwig Günther’s eldest brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died. Friedrich Anton’s only son and Ludwig Günther’s nephew, 23-year-old Johann Friedrich succeeded his father. Johann Friedrich married two months later and he and his wife had six children but only two daughters survived childhood. Therefore, Johann Friedrich had no male heir.

Ludwig Günther was the youngest of four brothers. The third brother, Albrecht Anton, had died unmarried in 1720. As already mentioned, the first brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died in 1744 and had no sons. The second brother Wilhelm Ludwig, who died in 1757 during Johann Friedrich’s reign, had married morganatically and had three sons and two daughters. However, because of the morganatic marriage, Wilhelm Ludwig’s sons did not have succession rights. Upon the death of his nephew Johann Friedrich in 1767, 59-year-old Ludwig Günther became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and his son Friedrich Karl became the Hereditary Prince. Ludwig Günther and his wife Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg, the principal residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Four years later, Sophie Henrietta died on January 22, 1771, aged 60, and was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German), the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

For the most part, Ludwig Günther left government affairs to Chancellor Christian Ulrich von Ketelholdt, with whom he had a good relationship. At his previous residence Schloss Ludwigsburg, Ludwig Günther established a princely school of art. The natural history collection owned by Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl and Ludwig Günther’s coin collection were displayed there. In 1778, Ludwig Günther II laid the foundation stone for the palace library in the west wing of Schloss Heidecksburg which now has around 7,000 books.

After a reign of twenty-three years, Ludwig Günther died at the age of 81, on August 29, 1790, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Günther II. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_G%C3%BCnther_II._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Günther II, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_G%C3%BCnther_II,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].