The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg was one of the many side-lines of the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. Although the members possessed the title and rank of a Duke, they only had inhertiance rights in Schleswig-Holstein and held no sovereign lands.
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The founder of the line was Philip Louis (1620–1689). He bought the 1664 the District of Wiesenburg in the Erzgebirgskreis in Saxony with all its villages from Elector John George II of Saxony, but without sovereign privileges. He invested in the mining industry in Schneeberg and Neustädtel. Initially, it appeared to be a failure, but in the 1670s he made large profits and became a wealthy minig entrepreneur. In 1675, Philip Louis sold Wiesenburg Castle, which he had renovated, with the surrounding land for 100000Taler to his eldest son, Frederick (1651–1724), who served as an imperial lieutenant general in Hungary. In 1686, Philip Louis bought Oberkotzau in Franconia from Margrave Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. He died in 1689 in Oberkotzau.
His son Frederick was unhappily married with Karolina of Legnica-Brieg (1652–1707) until she divorced him in 1680. He sold Wiesenburg in 1723 to his only son Leopold (1674–1744), who sold it on shortly after Frederick's death. King August II of Poland bought the castle in 1725 for 126400Taler. Duke Leopold had reverted to Catholicism, and married Marie Elisabeth von und zu Liechtenstein (1683–1744). He was a secret Imperial Councillor and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Nr.648). He had five daughters and no male heirs. The line of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg died out with Duke Leopold.
Reign | Name | Remarks |
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1664–1685 | Philip Louis (1620–1689) | first duke, youngest son of Alexander of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg |
1685–1723 | Frederick (1651–1724) | Son of Philip Louis, a major general in Hungary, Knight of the Order of the Elephant |
1723–1725 | Leopold (1674–1744) | Son of Frederick, secret Imperial Councillor in Vienna |