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Last updated: July 30, 2015
Sayn-Wittgenstein
The House of Sayn-Wittgenstein descended from the
ancient Imperial immediate Counts of Sponheim / Spanheim [10: Neue Folge;
Band IV (1981); t.118] [4: tome III; p.378] (Note 1).
Count Gottfried of Sponheim (+1223) married
Adelheid (+1263), heiress to the County of Sayn [9: 1944; p.284] [10: Neue
Folge; Band IV (1981); t.118-119].
Johann (+1266), Heinrich and Simon, sons of Count
Gottfried of Sponheim (+1223) and Adelheid of Sayn, founded three branches of
the family. The branch of Simon became extinct in the male line in 1414 with the
death of Count Simon of Sponheim and Vianden [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981);
t.119]. The branch of Heinrich, which ruled in Heinsberg, Blankenberg,
Löwenberg, Loon / Loen / Looz, Chiny and Blankenheim, became extinct in the
male line in 1468 with the death of Count Wilhelm II of Blankenheim [10: Neue
Folge; Band XVIII (1998); t.25].
Johann (+1266), son of Count Gottfried of
Sponheim (+1223) and Adelheid, inherited the County of Sayn [10: Neue Folge;
Band IV (1981); t.119].
In 1264, Gottfried (+1283/84) and Heinrich, sons
of Johann (+1266), divided the family's possessions and founded two sub-branches
of the family [4: tome III; p.378]. The sub-branch of Heinrich, who received a
portion of Sponheim and Starkenburg, became extinct in the male line in 1437
with the death of Count Johann V [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.119].
Gottfried (+1283/84), who received Sayn, became the founder of the House of
Sayn-Wittgenstein [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.119-120].
Johann (+1324), and Engelbert I (+1336), sons of
Count Gottfried of Sayn (+1283/84), founded two branches of the House of Sayn
[3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349]. The branch of Johann (+1324), which ruled in
Sayn, Moncler, Meinsberg, etc., became extinct in the male line in 1606 with the
death of Count Heinrich of Sayn [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349] [10: Neue
Folge; Band IV (1981); t.120-121]. Engelbert I of Sayn (+1336), who founded
another branch, received Homburg and Vallendar [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981);
t.120].
Salentin of Sayn (+ca.1392), grandson of
Engelbert I (+1336), married Adelheid, heiress to Wittgenstein and Berleburg. In
1361, their son, Johann (+ca.1436), became Count of Wittgenstein [3: Abtheilung
I; Band I; p.349] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.120, 122] [9: 1944;
p.284].
Count Ludwig I of Wittgenstein (+1605) was a
descendant of Engelbert I (+1336), Salentin (+ca.1392) and Johann
(+ca.1436).
Georg (+1631), Wilhelm (+1623), and Ludwig II
(+1634), sons of Count Ludwig I of Wittgenstein (+1605), divided the family's
possessions and founded, respectively, the branches of Berleburg, Sayn and
Wittgenstein (Hohenstein) of the House.
Notes.
1. The Counts of Sponheim had agnates, the Counts
of Pustertal, whose descendants ruled as the Dukes of Carinthia
(Kärnten), the Counts Palatine of Bavaria, the Counts of Kraiburg,
the Counts of Lubenau [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.118] and the Counts of
Ortenburg / Ortenberg (since 1805 in Tambach) [10: Band V (1988); t.79-82].
1. Berleburg
Georg (+1631), son of Count Ludwig I of
Wittgenstein (+1605), received the Berleburg, Homburg, and Neumagen, and founded
the branch of Berleburg of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein [4: tome III;
p.378].
Ludwig-Kasimir (+1643) and Ernst (+1649), sons of
Count Georg (+1631), founded, respectively, the sub-branches of Berleburg and
Homburg. The sub-branch of Homburg became extinct in the male line in 1743 with
the death of Count Friedrich-Karl [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.123]. Its
possessions passed to the sub-branch of Berleburg.
Kasimir (+1741), Karl-Wilhelm (+1749), and
Ludwig-Franz (+1750), sons of Count Ludwig-Franz I of Wittgenstein-Berleburg
(+1694), who was Ludwig-Kasimir's grandson, founded, respectively, the
sub-branches of Berleburg, Karlsburg (Note 1), and Ludwigsburg (Note 2). Only
the senior, Berleburg, sub-branch possessed the Imperial immediate territories.
In Sep 1792, the Roman Emperor granted to
Count Christian of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (+1800) the title of Prince
[8: Band 3; p.229] [9: 1944; p.285] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981);
t.124].
In July 1806, the Prince of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg lost the status of Imperial immediate ruler
when his Imperial immediate possessions were mediatized by the Act of the
Confederation of the Rhine [2: p.161] [3: Abtheilung II; Band II;
p.190].
Notes.
1. The sub-branch of Karlsburg, which possessed
no Imperial immediate territories, became extinct in the male line in 1867 with
the death of Count Christian-Ludwig-Karl-Wilhelm-Friedrich [10: Neue Folge; Band
IV (1981); t.123]. Its possessions passed to the sub-branch of Ludwigsburg.
2. Christian-Ludwig-Kasimir (+1797) and
Georg-Ernst (+1792), sons of Count Ludwig-Franz (+1750), founded two
sub-branches of the Ludwigsburg sub-branch, which possessed no Imperial
immediate territories [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.123, 127, 128]. In
1834, the King of Prussia granted the title of Prince to Ludwig-Adolf-Peter
(+1843), son of Christian-Ludwig-Kasimir of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Ludwigsburg
(+1797) [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.127]. The descendants of the second
marriage of the third Prince Theodor-Friedrich of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Ludwigsburg (1836-1909) with Wilhelmine Hagen were not the
members of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein, even though they were named the
Princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein [9: 1944; p.288].
List of the Rulers
Christian (1753-1800) [1773-1800]
Friedrich-Albrecht-Ludwig-Ferdinand (1777-1851)
[1800-1806]
Titles
-1792
Count of Sayn, Wittgenstein;
Lord of Homburg, Vallendar, Neumagen,
Neuhemsbach;
1792-1803
H.R.E. Prince of Wittgenstein;
Count of Sayn;
Lord of Homburg, Vallendar, Neumagen,
Neuhemsbach;
Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in
1789 [2: p.13] [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349] [15:
p.609]
The Upper Rhine:
= The Bench of Counts &
Lords:
- Wittgenstein-Berleburg;
Voices in the Imperial Assembly in 1789
[2: p.7] [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349] [15: p.602]
Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Counts of Wetterau
=
- Wittgenstein-Berleburg;
Territorial Possessions in 1789 [3:
Abtheilung I; Band I; p.350] [2: p.57, 22]
The Imperial Circle of the Upper
Rhine:
- Berleburg (% Wittgenstein);
Outside Imperial Circles:
- Homburg [15: p.614];
Non-immediate:
The Imperial Circle of the Electoral
Rhine:
= under the Territorial Supremacy of Trier
=
- Neumagen / Neümagen;
Territorial Acquisitions and Losses since
1789
- In 1803, the Treaty of Lunéville
recognized the loss of non-immediate territories of Neumagen and Neuhemsbach
(occupied by the French armies in 1794) [2: p.75] [3: Abtheilung II; Band I;
p.194].
- In 1803, by the Final Recess of the Imperial
Deputation, the Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was compensated with
Züschenau, etc. [3: Abtheilung II; Band I; p.194].
2. Sayn +1846
Wilhelm (+1623), son of Count Ludwig I of
Wittgenstein (+1605), founded the Sayn branch of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein
[9: 1910: p.199-200]. Wilhelm married twice. In 1591, he married Anna-Elisabeth
of Sayn (+1608), who inherited the County of Sayn in 1606, after the extinction
of the branch of Sayn (see above) [21: p.21] [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349].
In 1609, Wilhelm married Anna-Ottilia of Nassau-Saarbrücken (+1635) [21:
p.22] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.129].
Ernst (+1632), son of Wilhelm (+1623) and
Anna-Elisabeth of Sayn (+1608) [21: p.24], succeeded in the County of Sayn. In
1632, Count Ernst was succeeded by his three-year old son, Ludwig (+1636), under
the Regency of his mother, Louise-Juliane of Erbach (+1670) [21: p.25-26]. In
1636, the death without issue of the Count Ludwig, the last male descendants of
Wilhelm of Wittgenstein and Anna-Elisabeth of Sayn, led to succession disputes.
Regent Louise-Juliane, claimed the County of Sayn for Ludwig's sisters,
Ernestine-Salentine (+1661), and Johannetta (+1701) [21: p.27]. Wilhelm-Philipp
(+1662), Ludwig-Albrecht (+1664), and Christian (+1675), sons of Wilhelm of
Wittgenstein (+1623) of his second marriage with Anna-Ottilia of
Nassau-Saarbrücken [21: p.23], challenged Louise-Juliane's claims. In 1642,
they took the County of Sayn [21: p.29]. The succession conflict lasted until
the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 gave Sayn to Ernestine-Salentine (+1661), and
Johannetta (+1701), daughters of Count Ernst (+1632) and Louise-Juliane of
Erbach. In 1652, Ernestine-Salentine and Johannetta divided the County of Sayn
into the Altenkirchen and Hachenburg parts [21: p.30-32] (Note 1,2).
The descendants of Wilhelm of Wittgenstein
(+1623) of his second marriage with Anna-Ottilia of Nassau-Saarbrücken
possessed Neumagen and other non-immediate territories [4: tome III; p.378].
These descendants renounced their claims only in 1803, when they received a
monetary compensation [21: p.30-32] [4: tome III; p.378].
Ludwig-Albrecht (+1664) and Christian (+1675),
sons of Wilhelm and Anna-Ottilia, founded two the sub-branches. The sub-branch
of Christian, which possessed Kirschgartshausen, became extinct in the male line
in 1741 with the death of Count Georg-August.
The sub-branch of Count Ludwig-Albrecht (+1664),
which possessed Neumagen, and the branch of Count Wilhelm of Sayn (+1623)became
extinct in the male line in 1846 with the death of Count Gustav [9: 1910: p.200]
[10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.129].
Notes.
1. After Ernestine-Salentine's death in 1661, the
Altenkirchen part of Sayn passed to the Dukes of Saxony-Eisenach [21: p.33],
and, in 1741 to the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach [21: p.37]. In Jan 1792,
Margrave Alexander of Brandenburg-Ansbach ceded his possessions in Franconia to
the King of Prussia; by the same agreement, Sayn-Altenkirchen was to
administered by the Prussian government for his lifetime and then would pass to
Hanover [21: p.42]. By the patent of 23 December 1802, Margrave Alexander of
Brandenburg-Ansbach resigned his sovereignty in Sayn-Altenkirchen to the Prince
of Nassau Usingen [21: 45]. In Feb 1803, the Prince Nassau-Usingen took
Sayn-Altenkirchen from the Prussian administration [21: p.45]. In Feb 1803, the
Final Recess of the Imperial Deputation assigned the Altenkirchen part to the
Prince of Nassau-Usingen [21: p.44].
2. After Johannetta's death in 1701, the
Hachenburg part of Sayn passed to the Counts of Manderscheid, and then to the
Burgraves of Kirchberg. In 1799, Sayn-Hachenburg united with Nassau-Weilburg
[21: p.52-53].
3. Wittgenstein
(Hohenstein)
Ludwig II (+1634), son of Count Ludwig I of
Wittgenstein (+1605), founded the branch of Wittgenstein [9: 1944; p.289] [4:
tome III; p.379].
In 1647/1649, Johannes (+1657), son of Count
Ludwig II of Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein (+1634), received from the
Elector-Margrave of Brandenburg the Lordships of Lohra and Klettenberg that once
belonged to the extinct Counts of Hohenstein [9: 1944; p.289-290] [4: tome III;
p.379]. In 1653, Count Johannes of Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein take the title of
Count of Hohenstein [9: 1944; p.290] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981);
t.130].
In 1699, Gustav (+1701), son of Count Johannes of
Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein (+1657), returned the Lordships of Lohra and
Klettenberg to Brandenburg [9: 1944; p.289] [4: tome III; p.379], but preserved
the title of Count of Hohenstein.
In June 1801, the Roman Emperor granted to
Count Friedrich-Karl of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1837) and to his brother,
Wilhelm-Ludwig-Georg (+1821), the title of Prince [8: Band 3; p.229] [9:
1944; p.290] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.131] (Note 1,
2).
In July 1806, the Prince of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein lost the status of Imperial immediate ruler
when his Imperial immediate possessions were mediatized by the Act of the
Confederation of the Rhine [2: p.162] [3: Abtheilung II; Band II;
p.190].
Notes.
1. In May 1805, the Roman Emperor granted to
Johann-Franz-Ludwig (+1815), brother of Prince Friedrich-Karl of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1837), the title of Prince [8: Band 3; p.229]
[10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981); t.131].
In 1813, the Grand Duke of Hesse granted the
title of Prince to Adolf-Ernst (+1856), another brother of Prince Friedrich-Karl
of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein [10: Neue Folge; Band IV (1981);
t.131].
2. In 1905, Hermann (+1812), grandson of Prince
Friedrich-Karl of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1837), renounced for himself
and for his descendants the membership in the High Nobility and the House of
Sayn-Wittgenstein. However the King of Bavaria granted him and his descendants
the right to bear the title of Prince [9: 1944; p.290] [10: Neue Folge; Band IV
(1981); t.131].
3. In 1800, after the death of
Wilhelmine-Henriette of Pückler, her portion of the Imperial immediate
County of Limpurg passed to her nephew, Prince Friedrich-Karl of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1837), and his siblings, children of
Friederike-Luise of Pückler and Count Johann-Ludwig of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1796) [4: tome III; chapitre VIII; t.94]. The
County of Limpurg was mediatized in 1806 [4: tome III; p.228].
Count Johann-Ludwig of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (+1796) was married twice. His both wives,
Friederike-Luise (+1772) and Wilhelmine-Henriette (+1800), were daughters of
Count Christian-Wilhelm-Karl of Pückler (+1786) and Karoline-Christine of
Löwenstein-Wertheim-Virneburg (+1793). Karoline-Christine of
Löwenstein-Wertheim-Virneburg ruled in a portion of Limpurg in 1746-1793.
In 1793, after Karoline-Christine's death, this portion of Limpurg passed to her
daughter, Wilhelmine-Henriette of Pückler (+1800).
List of the Rulers
Johann-Ludwig (1740-1796) [1756-1796]
Friedrich-Karl (1766-1837) [1796-1806] [20:
Jahrgang LXIV (1811); p.352].
// in Wittgenstein 1796-1806; in
Limpurg-Sontheim 1800-1806 (Note 3, above).
Titles
-1800
Count of Sayn, Hohenstein,
Wittgenstein;
Lord of Homburg, Vallendar, Neumagen,
Klettenberg, Lohra;
Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in
1789 [2: p.13] [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349] [15:
p.609]
The Upper Rhine:
= The Bench of Counts &
Lords:
- Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein;
Voices in the Imperial Assembly in 1789
[2: p.7] [3: Abtheilung I; Band I; p.349] [15: p.602]
Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Counts of Wetterau
=
- Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein;
Territorial Possessions in 1789 [3:
Abtheilung I; Band I; p.350] [2: p.57, 22]
The Imperial Circle of the Upper
Rhine:
- % Wittgenstein;
Non-immediate:
The Imperial Circle of the Electoral
Rhine:
= under the Territorial Supremacy of Trier
=
- Vallendar;
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