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Hesse is a region of west-central Germany. Originally the western part of the Landgraviate of Thuringia, in the mid 13th century it was inherited by the younger son of Henry II, Duke of Brabant, and became a distinct political entity. From the late 16th century it was generally divided into several branches, the most important of which were those of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt. In the early 19th century the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel was elevated to Elector of Hesse (1803), while the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt became the Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine (1806). Hesse-Kassel was annexed by Prussia in 1866, while Hesse-Darmstadt as a Grand-Duchy lasted until the end of the German monarchies in 1918.
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse, 1264–1567
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse, 1264–1458
- Henry I the Child, 1264–1308
- Otto the Elder, son of Henry I, 1308–1328 in Lower Hesse (Kassel), reunited Hesse in 1311
- John, son of Henry I, 1308–1311 in Upper Hesse (Marburg)
- Henry II the Iron, son of Otto I, 1328–1376
- Louis the Junker, son of Otto I, 1336–1345 residing in Grebenstein
- Hermann I the Elder, son of Otto I, 1336–1370 residing in Nordeck
- Otto the Younger, son of Henry II the Iron, co-regent 1340–1366
- Hermann II the Learned, son of Louis the Junker, 1376–1413, co-regent since 1367
- Louis I the Peaceful 1413–1458
[edit] Landgraves of Lower Hesse (Kassel), 1458–1500
- Louis II the Frank, eldest son of Louis the Peaceful, 1458–1471
- William I the Elder, son of Louis III, 1471–1493
- William II the Middle, son of Louis III, 1493–1509, reunited Hesse in 1500
[edit] Landgraves of Upper Hesse (Marburg), 1458–1500
- Henry III the Rich, younger son of Louis the Peaceful, 1458–1483
- Louis III the Younger (died 1478)
- William III the Younger, 1483–1500
- 1500 reunited with Lower Hesse under William II
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse, 1500–1567
- William IV the Wise, eldest son of Philip the Magnanimous, 1567–1592
- Maurice, 1592–1627
- William V, second son Maurice, 1627–1637
- William VI, 1637–1663
- William VII, 1663–1670
- Charles II, 1670–1730
- Frederick I, 1730–1751, also King of Sweden 1720–1751
- William VIII, 1751–1760
- Frederick II, 1760–1785
- William IX, 1785–1803, became Elector William I in 1803
- Hermann, third son of Maurice, 1627–1658
- Ernest, fifth son of Maurice, 1658–1693
- William, 1693–1725
- Ernest Leopold, 1725–1749
- Constantine, 1749–1778, inherited Eschwege in 1755
- Emanuel, 1778–1806 (died 1812)
- 1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse
- Victor Amadeus, 1813–1834
- 1834 extinct, reunited with Hesse-Kassel
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Eschwege, 1627–1755
- Frederick, forth son of Maurice, 1627–1646
- Ernest, fifth son of Maurice, 1646–1693
- Charles, 1693–1711
- William, 1711–1731
- Christian, 1711–1755 Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried, since 1731 also in Eschwege
- 1755 united with Hesse-Rotenburg
- Ernest, fifth son of Maurice, 1627–1693
- 1658 united with Hesse-Rotenburg, 1754 with Hesse-Kassel
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Philippsthal
- Philip, son of William VI, 1663–1721
- Charles II, 1721–1770
- William, 1770–1806 (died 1810)
- 1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse
- Ernst Constantine, 1813–1816
- Ernst Constantine, 1816–1849
- Charles II, 1849–1866
- 1866 annexed by Prussia
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld
- William, son of Philip, 1721–1761
- Frederick, 1761–1772
- Adolf, 1772–1803
- Adolf, 1803–1806
- 1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse
- Adolf, 1813–1854 (restored)
- Alexis, 1854–1866
- 1866 annexed by Prussia
- Louis IV, second son of Philip the Magnanimous, 1567–1604
- 1604 extinct and disputed between Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, 1648 divided between the two lines
- 1583 extinct and divided between Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Marburg and Hesse-Darmstadt
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Butzbach, 1609–1643
- Philip, second son of George I of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1609–1643
- Frederick I, third son of George I of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1622–1638
- William Christoph, 1638–1681, sold Homburg to his brother George Christian in 1669, but retained Bingenheim (Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg-Bingenheim)
- Margareta Elisabetha of Leiningen-Westerburg-Schaumburg, Regent 1638–1648
- George Christian, 1669–1671 Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
- Under mortgage to two merchants (1671–1673) and the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt (1673–1679)
- Frederick II, son of Fredrick I, 1679–1708, Commander general of the army of Brandenburg (The Prince of Homburg), redeemed Homburg in 1679, regained Bingenheim in 1681
- Frederick III Jacob, 1708–1746, Cavalry general in the Netherlands
- Frederick IV, 1746–1751
- Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, 1751–1806
- Ulrike Louise von Solms-Braunfels, Regent 1751–1766
- 1806 Annexed by Hesse-Darmstadt, 1815 restored on the Congress of Vienna
- Frederick V, 1815–1820 (restored)
- Frederick VI, 1820–1829, Cavalry general in Austria
- Louis, 1829–1839, Infantry general in Prussia
- Philip, 1839–1846, Field marshall in Austria
- Gustav, 1846–1848, Cavalry general in Austria
- Ferdinand, 1848–1866, Cavalry general in Austria
- 1866 annexed by Prussia
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Braubach, 1625–1651
- John, son of Louis V, 1626–1651
[edit] Landgraves of Hesse-Itter, 1661–1676
- George III, second son of George II, 1661–1676
[edit] Electors of Hesse (-Kassel), 1803–1866
- 1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored
- William I, 1813–1821 (restored)
- William II, 1821–1847
- Frederick William, 1847–1866, Regent since 1831
- 1866 annexed by Prussia
[edit] Grand Dukes of Hesse (-Darmstadt) and the Rhine, 1806–1918
- 1918 abdicated as the revolution transformed Hesse into a Volkstaat (People's State)
[edit] Heads of the non-reigning House of Hesse
[edit] Line Hesse-Kassel (since 1866)
- Frederick William, the former Elector, 1866–1875
- Landgrave Frederick, 1875–1884, son of Prince William of Hesse-Kassel.
- Landgrave Frederick William, 1884–1888
- Landgrave Alexander Frederick, 1888–1925 (d.1945)
- Landgrave Frederick Charles, 1925–1940, elected king of Finnland in 1918 but renounced the throne the same year
- Landgrave Philip, 1940–1980
- Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse (born 1926), 1980-present
[edit] Line Hesse-Darmstadt (1918–1968)
- 1968 the Line of Hesse-Darmstaft became extinct
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
