by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

NOTE: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera was the second but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the third of the eight children of Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg. He was born on May 31, 1785, in Schleiz, County of Reuss-Schleiz, later in the Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Only two of Heinrich LXII’s siblings survived childhood:

• Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
• Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
• Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
• Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
• Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Reuss of Gera (1789 – 1867), his successor, married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf, had five sons and three daughters
• Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
• Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

Heinrich LXII was educated at the Univerity of Erlangen, now in Erlangen and Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, and the University of Würzburg, now in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. Upon his father’s death in 1818, Heinrich LXII became the 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera. He was an enthusiastic ruler and immediately set out to improve the education system of his principality. Heinrich LXII also did much to beautify Reuss-Gera, especially along the roads leading to Schleiz. In 1837, Schleiz Castle (link in German) was badly damaged in a fire and Heinrich LXII oversaw the renovations. However, in 1945, Schleiz Castle was destroyed by American bombing during World War II. The ruins were removed in 1950, leaving only the two damaged towers.

Schleiz Castle in the background overlooking Schleiz in 1908; Credit – Wikipedia

After the German revolutions of 1848, Heinrich LXXII, Prince Reuss of Lobenstein and Ebersdorf abdicated. Lobenstein and Ebersdorf then were untied with Heinrich LXII’s possessions. The capital moved from Schleiz to Gera. In 1849, the Principality of Reuss-Gera received a constitution, and a legislature was established in 1851.

Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera died on June 19, 1854, aged 69, in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. Heinrich LXII never married and so he was succeeded by his brother Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera.

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.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Gera Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Gera Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Gera

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXII._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXII,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Principality Of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• Uk.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII, 2Nd Prince Reuss Of Gera (Ukrainian Wikipedia). [online] Available at: <https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%80%D1%96%D1%85_LXII_(%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B7%D1%8C_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%81-%D2%90%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8)> [Accessed 10 March 2020].

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Coat of Arms of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz, Younger line; Credit – by Glasshouse using elements by Sodacan, Tom-L and Katepanomegas – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65186806

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera was born on February 27, 1752 in Löhma, County of Reuss-Schleiz, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the fourth of the five children and the second but the only surviving son of Heinrich XII, Count Reuss of Schleiz and Countess Christine of Erbach-Schönberg, daughter of Count Georg August of Erbach-Schönberg and Ferdinande Henriette of Stolberg-Gedern.

Heinrich XLII had four siblings who all died in infancy:

• Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1744 – 1745)
• Count Heinrich XXXVI Reuss of Schleiz (1747 – 1748)
• Countess Karoline Bernhardine Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1749)
• Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1757 – 1758)

Heinrich XLII’s mother Christine of Erbach-Schönberg died in 1769, when he was 17-years-old. His father married for a second time to Countess Christiane Ferdinande of Ysenburg and Büdingen the following year. Two children, Heinrich XLII’s half-siblings, were born from this marriage but they both died young:

• Count Heinrich LVI Reuss of Schleiz (1772 – 1775)
• Count Heinrich LVII Reuss of Scheliz (1774 – 1775)

On June 10, 1779, Heinrich XLII married Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg in Kirchberg an der Jagst, Principality of of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Caroline was the daughter of Christian Friedrich Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg and his first wife Princess Luise Charlotte of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who died due to complications after giving birth to Caroline’s younger sister. Caroline’s father married for a second time to Countess Philippine Sophie Ernestine of Ysenburg and Büdingen, the sister of the second wife of Heirnrich XLII’s father.

Heinrich XLII and Caroline had eight children but only three survived to adulthood:

• Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
• Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
• Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
• Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera (1785 – 1854), his father’s successor, unmarried
• Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
• Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Reuss of Gera (1789 – 1867), his brother’s successor, married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf, had five sons and three daughters
• Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
• Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

When Heinrich XLII’s father died on June 25, 1784, he became Count Reuss of Schleiz. In 1802, when Heinrich XXX, Count Reuss of Gera died without an heir, Heinrich XLII also became Count Reuss of Gera. In 1806, Heinrich XLII received the title of Prince from Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, and his two counties were raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line and Heinrich XLII was then titled 1st Prince Reuss of Gera.

The Principality of Reuss-Gera became a member of the Rhine Confederation, a confederation of German client states of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French in 1807. The allies opposing Napoleon dissolved the Confederation of the Rhine in 1813. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the German Confederation, an association of 39 German-speaking countries in Central Europe, was created. The Principality of Reuss-Gera was a member of the German Confederation.

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince of Reuss of Gera died on April 17, 1818, aged 66, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried in the Princely Crypt at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Caroline survived him by 31 years, dying on December 22, 1849, aged 88, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was buried with her husband at the Bergkirche St. Marien.

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.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Gera Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Gera Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Gera

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Reuß Jüngerer Linie. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngerer_Linie> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, Prince Reuss-Schleiz Und Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XLII,_Prince_Reuss_of_Schleiz> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Principality Of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• Genealogics.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Reuss Of Gera. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00063961&tree=LEO> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
• He.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Of Reuss Of Gera (Hebrew Wikipedia). [online] Available at: <https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D,_%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A5_%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%94> [Accessed 10 March 2020].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, was born on March 20, 1878 in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the eldest of the six children and the only son of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, daughter of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Heinrich XXIV had five younger sisters:

• Princess Emma Reuss of Greiz (1881 – 1961), married Count Erich von Ehrenburg, had one son and one daughter
• Princess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1882 – 1942), married Baron Ferdinand von Gnagnoni, no children
• Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz (1884 – 1905), married Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, no children
• Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1887 – 1947), married (1) Prince Johann Georg of Schoenaich-Carolath, had three sons and two daughters (2) Wilhelm II, formerly German Emperor and King of Prussia, no children
• Princess Ida Reuss of Greiz (1891 – 1977), married Prince Christoph Martin III zu Stolberg-Rossla (link in German), had two sons and two daughters

Heinrich XXIV’s five sisters – left to right – Hermine, Ida, Marie, Caroline & Emma; Credit – Wikipedia

As a result of a childhood accident, Heinrich XXIV had physical and mental disabilities. His parents knew that these disabilities would prevent their son from marrying and ruling the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. On September 28, 1891, Heinrich XXIV’s mother died from complications that occurred during the birth of her sixth child and fifth daughter. One can reasonably assume that Heinrich XXII and his wife Ida were hoping that each successive pregnancy would produce a healthy boy. Heinrich XXIV’s father considered his wife’s death as a divine sentence and refused to marry again, knowing that this decision would mean the end of the House of Reuss-Greiz. Because of Heinrich XXII’s conservative attitude, there was no question of changing the family law in favor of the rule of one of his daughters.

When Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince of Reuss of Greiz died from heart disease on April 19, 1902, his disabled son nominally succeeded him as Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Two regents from the House of Reuss-Gera (also called the Younger Line) successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1902 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918, when the monarchy was abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle); Credit – Von Wolfgang Pehlemann Wiesbaden Germany – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32945973

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Unteres Schloss (link in German) (Lower Castle) in Greiz and lived there until his death.

Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz died on October 13, 1927, aged 49, in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his parents at the Waldhaus Mausoleum (link in German) that his father had built in the forest near Greiz. By 1969, the Waldhaus Mausoleum had fallen into disrepair and the remains of Heinrich XXII, Ida, and their son Heinrich XXIV were taken to Werdau Crematorium, cremated, and placed in urns. The urns were reburied at the Neue Friedhof (New Cemetery) in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. Since 1997, the resting place of the urns has been at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Greiz.

Upon the death of Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz (the Elder Line) in 1927, the House of Reuss-Greiz (the Elder Line) became extinct and claims to its titles passed to Heinrich XXVII, the 5th and the last reigning Prince Reuss of Gera. When he died in 1928, the claims to the titles of the House of Reuss-Greiz and the House of Reuss-Gera passed to his son Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line. The childless Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line, disappeared after he had been arrested in August 1945 by the Soviet military. He was legally declared dead in 1962 and the claims to the titles of the House of Reuss-Greiz and the House of Reuss-Gera went to the Head of House of Reuss-Köstritz where they remain today.

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.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXIV. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXIV._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXIV,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Principality of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xxii-5th-prince-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz was born on March 28, 1846, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the second but the eldest surviving of the three sons and the third of the five children of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz and his second wife Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg.

Heinrich XXII had four siblings:

• Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1840 – 1890), married Prince Hugo of Schönburg-Waldenburg (link in German), one son and three daughters
• Prince Heinrich XXI Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1844)
• Prince Heinrich XXIII Reuss of Greiz (1848 – 1861), died of influenza at age 13
• Princess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1855 – 1909), married Count Friedrich of Ysenburg and Büdingen (link in German), no children

When Heinrich XXII was thirteen-years-old, his father Heinrich XX, 4th Prince of Reuss of Greiz died. He then succeeded his father as the 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Heinrich XXII’s mother Caroline Amalie was Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz from 1859 until 1867.

As the daughter of an Austrian general, Caroline Amalie had an anti-Prussian attitude. During the Austro-Prussian War, she was on the side of Austria and as a consequence, Reuss-Greiz was occupied by Prussian troops. The Principality of Reuss-Greiz avoided the fate of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by Prussia, because Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach intervened with his brother-in-law King Wilhelm I of Prussia on behalf of the House of Reuss-Greiz. However, Caroline Amalie had to pay a price. She had to abandon her position as Regent and pay half of the war indemnities with her personal wealth.

On March 28, 1867, Heinrich XXII took over the reins of the government of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. One of his first accomplishments was giving his principality its first constitution with limited parliamentary representation. Being extremely conservative, Heinrich XXII tried to rule with as much absolute power as possible and made Reuss-Greiz a stronghold of orthodox Lutheranism. Throughout his reign, Heinrich XXII remained faithful to the memory of his parents and remained anti-Prussian. The Principality of Reuss-Greiz did join the German Empire in 1871 but Heinrich XXII refused to take part in the proclamation of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France on January 18, 1871.

Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 8, 1872, Heinrich XXII married Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, daughter of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont. Heinrich XXII and Ida had one son and five daughters:

• Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz (1878 – 1927), unmarried
• Princess Emma Reuss of Greiz (1881 – 1961), married Count Erich von Ehrenburg, had one son and one daughter
• Princess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1882 – 1942), married Baron Ferdinand von Gnagnoni, no children
• Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz (1884 – 1905), married Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, no children
• Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1887 – 1947), married (1) Prince Johann Georg of Schoenaich-Carolath, had three sons and two daughters (2) Wilhelm II, former German Emperor and King of Prussia, no children
• Princess Ida Reuss of Greiz (1891 – 1977), married Prince Christoph Martin III zu Stolberg-Rossla (link in German), had two sons and two daughters

The five Reuss-Greiz sisters, left to right – Hermine, Ida, Marie, Caroline, and Emma; Credit – Wikipedia

Throughout his reign, Heinrich XXII refused to accept that the Hohenzollern German Emperors had precedence over other German royal houses. He believed Prussia and Reuss-Greiz “were allies for the common defense of the German Federation.” Heinrich XXII refused to allow any official or private mourning when the deaths of the emperors Wilhelm I and Friedrich III occurred. Also forbidden in Reuss-Greiz were any celebrations of the anniversaries of the German victories of 1870. Despite all his reservations about Prussia, Heinrich was a General in the Prussian Army and the head of the 2nd battalion of the 96th Infantry Regiment.

Jagdschloss Ida-Waldhaus; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1871 to 1873, Heinrich XXII built Jagdschloss Ida-Waldhaus, a hunting lodge in the forest near Greiz. He loved the tranquility of that forest so much that he decided to be buried there. In 1878, Heinrich XXII commissioned Eduard Oberländer, the master builder of Greiz, to build a Gothic-style chapel with a crypt, that was completed in 1883. The Waldhaus Mausoleum (link in German) would first be used for Ida eight years later.

Waldhaus Mausoleum near Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Sadly, on September 28, 1891, Heinrich XXII’s wife Ida died, aged 39, from complications that occurred during the birth of her sixth child, a daughter, named Ida after her. Heinrich XXII wrote to his former mentor Baron Albert von der Trenk, “The sun of my earthly happiness set on September 28.” Henry took Ida’s death as a divine sentence and refused to marry again although he knew that this decision would mean the end of the House of Reuss-Greiz. Heinrich XXII’s only son would be unable to marry and be unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Because of Heinrich XXII’s conservatism, there was no question of changing the family law in favor of the rule of one of his daughters.

Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince of Reuss of Greiz died from heart disease on April 19, 1902, aged 56, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz. He was first buried with his wife Ida in the Waldhaus Mausoleum in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz. By 1969, the Waldhaus Mausoleum had fallen into disrepair and the remains of Heinrich XXII and Ida were taken to Werdau Crematorium, cremated, and placed in urns. The urns were reburied at the Neue Friedhof (New Cemetery) in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. Since 1997, the resting place of the urns has been at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Greiz.

Heinrich XIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XXII’s disabled son Heinrich XXIV succeeded him nominally as the 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. However, two regents from the House of Reuss-Gera (also called the Younger Line) successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913, and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918,  when the monarchy was abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• Czauderna, H. (2020). Mausoleum Heinrich XXII Greiz – Thüringen: Mausoleum. [online] Thueringen.info. Available at: https://www.thueringen.info/greiz-mausoleum.html [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXII. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXII._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Waldhaus (Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldhaus_(Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf) [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXII,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, Princess of Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/princess-caroline-amalie-of-hesse-homburg-princess-of-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• Ru.wikipedia.org. (2020). Генрих XXII Рейсс. [online] Available at: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%85_XXII_%D0%A0%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%81 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].

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.

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, Princess of Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, the second wife of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz, was born on March 19, 1819 in Homburg vor der Höhe, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in Hesse, Germany. She was given a long string of names: Caroline Amalie Elisabeth Auguste Friederike Ludowike Christiane Josephine Leopoldine George Bernhardine Wilhelmine Woldemare Charlotte.

Caroline Amalie was the eldest of the three children and the elder of the two daughters of Gustav, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Princess Louise of Anhalt-Dessau. Caroline’s father joined the Swedish Army in the service of his godfather and namesake King Gustav III and then joined the Austrian Army where he saw action in early 19th-century battles.

Homburg Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Amalie was brought up at Homburg Castle with her siblings. Their mother had been born deaf and perhaps this was one of the reasons that the family lived in self-chosen isolation.

Caroline Amalie had two younger siblings:

• Princess Elisabeth (1823 – 1864)
• Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Hesse-Homburg (1830 – 1848), unmarried, predeceased his father

Caroline Amalie’s husband, Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

45-year-old Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz needed an heir. His first wife Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg had died childless in 1838. On October 1, 1839, Heinrich XX married 20-year-old Caroline Amalie in Homburg vor der Höhe, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg. The couple had five children:

• Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1840 – 1890), married Prince Hugo of Schönburg-Waldenburg (link in German), one son and three daughters
• Prince Heinrich XXI Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1844)
• Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz (1846 – 1902), married Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, had one son and five daughters
• Prince Heinrich XXIII Reuss of Greiz (1848 – 1861), died of influenza at age 13
• Princess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1855 – 1909), married Count Friedrich of Ysenburg and Büdingen (link in German), no children

Heinrich XX died on November 8, 1859, at the age of 65. Heinrich XXIII, his thirteen-year-old son succeeded him as the 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Caroline Amalie was Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz from 1859 until 1867, during the minority of their son, Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz.

As the daughter of an Austrian general, Caroline Amalie had an anti-Prussian attitude. During the Austro-Prussian War, she was on the side of Austria and as a consequence, Reuss-Greiz was occupied by Prussian troops. The Principality of Reuss-Greiz avoided the fate of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by Prussia, because Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach intervened with his brother-in-law King Wilhelm I of Prussia on behalf of the House of Reuss-Greiz. However, Caroline Amalie had to pay a price. She had to abandon her position as Regent and pay half of the war indemnities with her personal wealth.

Carolina Amalie survived her husband by thirteen years, dying on January 18, 1872, aged 52, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz. She was buried with her husband at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German), now in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited:

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Caroline von Hessen-Homburg. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_von_Hessen-Homburg [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Gustav (Hessen-Homburg). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_(Hessen-Homburg) [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• Es.wikipedia.org. (2020). Carolina de Hesse-Homburg (1819-1872). [online] Available at: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_de_Hesse-Homburg_(1819-1872) [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xx-4th-prince-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Princess Reuss of Greiz; Credit – German Documentation Center for Art History – Photo Archive Photo Marburg

Princess Sophie Maria Theresia of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, the first wife of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz, was born on September 18, 1809, in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. She was the fourth of the six children and the third of the five daughters of Karl Thomas, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg and Countess Sophie of Windisch-Grätz.

Sophie had five siblings:

• Konstantin, Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1802 – 1838), married Princess Agnes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, had one son and one daughter including Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg who married the former King Miguel of Portugal
• Leopoldine Marie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1804 – 1869), married her paternal uncle, Prince Konstantin of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (link in German), no children
• Marie Louise Adelaide Eulalia of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1806 – 1884), married Prince Camille of Rohan
• Maria Kreszentia Octavie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1813 – 1878), married Prince Victor Alexander of Isenburg-Büdingen
• Aegidia Eulalie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1820 – 1895), unmarried

The noble family of Löwenstein originated with Friedrich I, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Elector Palatine (1425 – 1476) from the House of Wittelsbach. The children from his morganatic marriage were not entitled to be part of the House of Wittelsbach, and they formed a separate, noble family. In 1611, the family split into the Protestant Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg line and the Catholic Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort line. Sophie’s family was from the Catholic line.

In 1812, the Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort family lost territory on the left bank of the Rhine, including Rochefort and so the family name was changed to Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. By 1814, Sophie’s family had lost all its territory and were members of the landless high nobility. Regardless, Sophie’s father still held a seat in the First Chambers in Baden, Bavaria, Hesse, and Württemberg and always felt a strong bond with the Austrian Empire and its ruling Habsburg dynasty.

Löwenstein Castle; Credit – Von Fritz Geller-Grimm supported by Rüdiger Wandke – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12631060

Sophie was brought up with her siblings at Löwenstein Castle (link in German) in Kleinheubach, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany. The castle was built in the Baroque style between 1721 and 1732. It was at Löwenstein Castle, probably at the beautiful altar below, that Sophie married the future Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz on November 25, 1834.

Altar of the chapel at Löwenstein Castle; Credit – Von Altera levatur – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35625169

Sophie was Catholic and her husband was Lutheran. There is no information on whether Sophie remained Catholic or converted to Lutheranism. On October 31, 1836, Heinrich XX’s elder brother Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz died. Because his brother had no son to succeed him, Sophie’s husband became the 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Sophie’s husband Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie was in ill health for most of her marriage and never had any children. She died on July 21, 1838, at the age of 29. Heinrich XX had the Sophienkreuz (Sophie Cross), also known as the White Cross, built in her memory on a hill overlooking Greiz. The cross has been knocked down several times due to bad weather but has always been rebuilt.

Sophienkreuz; Credit – Vogtlandspiegel, Bilder vom und um das Weiße Kreuz in Greiz

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.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Karl Thomas zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Thomas_zu_L%C3%B6wenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Schloss Löwenstein. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_L%C3%B6wenstein [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Sophie zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_zu_L%C3%B6wenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Sophienkreuz. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophienkreuz [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xx-4th-prince-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2020].

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on June 29, 1794 in Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt (now in Hesse, Germany), Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz was the third but the second surviving of the three sons of Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg.

Heinrich XX had two brothers:

• Prince Heinrich XVIII Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1787)
• Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz (1790 – 1836), his father’s successor, married Princess Gasparine of Rohan-Rochefort, had two daughters

Before his marriage Heinrich XX had two illegitimate children:

An illegitimate son with Isabella, Baroness von Dachenhausen, born Isabella Acton

• Heinrich (1822 – 1892), who was given noble status upon his marriage in 1857 to Bertha Thury de Tamásfalva as Baron von Rothenthal

An illegitimate daughter with Emilie Fritsch

• Isabella Waldhaus (1824 – 1898), married Wilhelm Henning

Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Princess Reuss of Greiz; Credit – German Documentation Center for Art History – Photo Archive Photo Marburg

Heinrich XX married Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1809 – 1838) on November 25, 1834, at Löwenstein Castle in Kleinheubach, now in Bavaria, Germany. Sophie was the daughter of Karl, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and Countess Sophie Luise of Windisch-Graetz. Their childless marriage lasted a little less than four years due to Sophie’s early death on July 21, 1838. During his marriage to Sophie, on October 31, 1836, Heinrich XX’s elder brother Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz died. Because his brother had no son to succeed him, Heinrich XX became the 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 1, 1839, 45-year-old Heinrich XX married 20-year-old Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg in Homburg vor der Höhe, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in Hesse, Germany. Princess Caroline Amalie was the daughter of Gustav, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Princess Louise of Anhalt-Dessau.

Heinrich XX and Caroline Amalie had five children:

• Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1840 – 1890), married Prince Hugo of Schönburg-Waldenburg (link in German), had one son and three daughters
• Prince Heinrich XXI Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1844)
• Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz (1846 – 1902), married Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, had one son and five daughters
• Prince Heinrich XXIII Reuss of Greiz (1848 – 1861), died of influenza at age 13
• Princess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1855 – 1909), married Count Friedrich of Ysenburg and Büdingen (link in German), no children

Heinrich XX ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz as an absolute monarch until the German Revolutions of 1848 – 1849 which aimed to remove the old monarchy structures and create independent nation-states. The people of Reuss-Greiz were not really in a revolutionary mood.  This caused procrastination by Heinrich XX and his government, leading to only minor changes. Heinrich XX was forced to issue a new constitution for the Principality of Reuss-Greiz but it never went into effect.

Heinrich XX died on November 8, 1859, aged 65, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German), now in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. Heinrich XXIII, his thirteen-year-old son succeeded him as the 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Heinrich XX’s widow Caroline Amalie was Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz from 1859 until 1867, during the minority of their son, Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz.

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.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XX. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XX._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XX, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XX,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].
• Wikimedia Foundation. (n.d.). Revolution von 1848/1849 in Reuß älterer Linie. Wikipedia. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_von_1848/1849_in_Reu%C3%9F_%C3%A4lterer_Linie

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on March 1, 1790 in Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, now in Hesse, Germany, Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz was the second but the eldest surviving of the three sons of Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg.

Heinrich XIX had two brothers:

• Prince Heinrich XVIII Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1787)
• Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz (1794 – 1859), Heinrich XIX’s successor, married (1) Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, no children (2) Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, had five children

Upon the death of his father on January 29, 1817, Heinrich XIX succeeded as the 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz. He married Princess Gasparine of Rohan-Rochefort (1798 – 1871) in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, on January 7, 1822. Princess Gasparine was the daughter of Charles Louis Gaspard of Rohan-Rochefort, Viscount of Rohan, Prince of Rochefort, Duke of Bouillon and Princess Marie Louise Joséphine of Rohan-Guéméné. The House of Rohan is a family of viscounts, later dukes and princes in the French nobility, originally from Rohan in Brittany, now in France. Gasparine’s paternal grandparents had left France during the French Revolution.

Heinrich XIX and Gasparine had two daughters:

• Princess Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz (1822 – 1875), married (1) Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg, had one son and one daughter (2) Prince Heinrich IV Reuss of Köstritz (link in German), had one son and three daughters, their daughter Eleonore was the second wife of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
• Princess Elisabeth Reuss of Greiz (1824 – 1861), married Karl Egon III, Prince of Fürstenberg, had one son and one daughter

Rotunda in the Greiz Princely Park; Credit – Von Michael Sander – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2533995

The Reuss family had been Lutheran since the Reformation. However, Heinrich XIX’s wife Gasparine was Roman Catholic. Located within the grounds of the Summer Palace was a rotunda that Heinrich XI, 1st Prince Reuss of Greiz had built for his second wife Alexandrine for her extensive Japanese porcelain collection. In 1822, Heinrich XIX converted the rotunda into a Catholic chapel for his wife Gasparine. After World War I, the rotunda was converted into a war memorial and it remains a war memorial today.

Heinrich XIX died on October 31, 1836, aged 46, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Because Heinrich XIX and his wife only had two daughters, his brother Heinrich XX became the 4th  Prince of Reuss of Greiz. Heinrich XIX was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German), now in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany, along with his wife Gasparine who survived him by 35 years.

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.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XIX. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIX._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Rotunde (Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porzellanrotunde [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XIX, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIX,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). House of Rohan. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Rohan [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz was born on February 16, 1747, in Greiz in the County of Reuss-Untergreiz, later the County of Reuss-Greiz, and in 1778, the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. He was the second of the six sons and the third of the eleven children of Heinrich XI, 1st Prince Reuss of Greiz and his first wife Countess Conradine Reuss of Köstritz. Heinrich XIII’s eldest brother had died in 1745 so upon his birth, Heinrich XIII was his father’s heir.

Heinrich XIII had ten siblings. Any siblings listed as Count or Countess died before their father became Prince of Reuss-Greiz.

• Count Heinrich XII Reuss-Greiz (1744 – 1745), died in infancy
• Countess Amalie Reuss-Greiz (1745 – 1748), died in childhood
• Princess Friederike Reuss of Greiz (1748 – 1816), married (1) Friedrich Ludwig, Count of Castell-Rüdenhausen, no children, divorced (2) Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg, no children
• Prince Heinrich XIV Reuss of Greiz (in German) (1749 – 1799), married Marie Anne Meyer, no children
• Prince Heinrich XV Reuss of Greiz (in German) (1751 – 1825), unmarried
• Princess Isabelle Auguste Reuss of Greiz (1752 – 1824), married Burgrave Wilhelm Georg of Kirchberg-Hachenburg, had children
• Countess Marie Reuss of Greiz (1754 – 1759), died in childhood
• Princess Viktoria Reus of Greiz (1756 – 1819), married Wolfgang Ernst II, Prince of Isenburg and Büdingen, no children
• Count Heinrich XVI Reuss of Greiz (1759 – 1763), died in childhood
• Prince Heinrich XVII Reuss of Greiz (1761 – 1807), married Babette von Wenz, no children

On February 2, 1770, Heinrich XIII’s mother died and eight months later his father married for a second time to Countess Alexandrina von Leningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg but the marriage was childless.

Heinrich XIII married Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg on January 9, 1786, in Kirchheim, Principality of Nassau-Weilburg, now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Wilhelmine Luise’s parents were Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, and Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau. Princess Carolina was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and Anne, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain.

Heinrich XIII and Wilhelmine Luise three sons:

• Prince Heinrich XVIII Reuss of Greiz (born and died 1787)
• Heinrich XIX, 3rd Prince Reuss of Greiz (1790 – 1836), his father’s successor, married Princess Gasparine of Rohan-Rochefort, had two daughters
• Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz (1794 – 1859), his brother’s successor, married (1) Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, no children (2) Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, had five children

Heinrich XIII, along with his brothers Heinrich XIV and Heinrich XV, served in the Austrian Army. He attained the rank of General Feldzeugmeister, commander-in-chief of the artillery, one of the highest officers in the army. Heinrich XIII was a close personal friend of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. In 1789, Heinrich XIII represented the Holy Roman Empire at the court of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Upon the death of his father in 1800, Heinrich XIII succeeded as Prince Reuss of Greiz. On April 6, 1802, a large fire destroyed much of Greiz, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Approximately 430 buildings were destroyed. Many other buildings were demolished to prevent the fire from spreading. Heinrich XIII oversaw the rebuilding of Greiz in the neoclassical style and moved his residence from the Obere Schloss (link in German) (Upper Castle) to the Untere Schloss (link in German) (Lower Castle) so he could be closer to the people and social life of Greiz.

The Lower Castle in Greiz, with the Upper Castle in the background; Credit – Von Wolfgang Pehlemann Wiesbaden Germany – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32945991

Upon the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, Heinrich XIII, representing the Principality of Reuss-Greiz, joined the Confederation of the Rhine in 1807. After the defeat of Napoleon, Heinrich XIII and the Principality of Reuss-Greiz joined the German Confederation at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.

Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz died on January 29, 1817, aged 69, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz. He was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Wilhelmine Luise survived him by twenty years, dying on October 10, 1837, aged 72. She was buried with her husband.

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Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Reuss-Greiz Index
• Profiles: Reuss-Greiz Rulers and Consorts
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XIII. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIII._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIII,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].
• It.wikipedia.org. (2020). Enrico XIII di Reuss-Greiz. [online] Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_XIII_di_Reuss-Greiz [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].
• Pl.wikipedia.org. (2020). Henryk XIII (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henryk_XIII_(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].