Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

County (Principality) of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Grafschaft (Fürstentum) Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
State of the Holy Roman Empire, State of the Confederation of the Rhine, State of the German Confederation, State of the North German Confederation, State of the German Empire, State of the Weimar Republic
1599–1918
Flag Coat of arms
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen within the German Empire
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen within Thuringia
Capital		Sondershausen
Government		Principality
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Partitioned from     Schwarzburg	1599
•	Raised to Principality	1697
•	German Revolution	1918
•	Merged into Thuringia	1920
Area
•	1905	862 km2 (333 sq mi)
Population
•	1905 est.	85,000
Density		99/km2 (255/sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by County of Schwarzburg Thuringia

Karl Günther, the last Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

The castle at Sondershausen

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with its capital at Sondershausen.

History

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a county until 1697. In that year, it became a principality, which lasted until the fall of the German monarchies in 1918, during the German Revolution of 1918–1919. After the German Revolution, it became a republic.

In 1920, it joined with other small states in the area to form the new state of Thuringia. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen had an area of 862 km² and a population of 85,000 (1905). Towns placed in the state were: Arnstadt, Sondershausen, Gehren, Langewiesen, Großbreitenbach, Ebeleben, Großenehrich, Greußen and Plaue.

Rulers of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, 1552–1918

Counts of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

• 1552–1586 John Günther I
• 1586–1631 Günther XLII, with Anton Henry, John Günther II and Christian Günther I
• 1631–1638 Günther XLII, with Anton Henry and Christian Günther I
• 1638–1642 Günther XLII, with Christian Günther I
• 1642–1643 Günther XLII, with Anton Günther I
• 1643–1666 Anton Günther I
• 1666–1697 Christian William, with Anton Günther II

Raised to Principality in 1697

Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

• 1697–1716: Anton Günther II
• 1697 – 10 May 1721: Christian William
• 10 May 1721 – 28 November 1740: Günther XLIII
• 28 November 1740 – 6 November 1758: Henry XXXV
• 6 November 1758 – 14 October 1794: Christian Günther III
• 14 October 1794 – 19 August 1835: Günther Friedrich Karl I
• 19 August 1835 – 17 July 1880: Günther Friedrich Karl II
• 17 July 1880 – 28 March 1909: Karl Günther

United under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

• 28 March 1909 – November 1918: Günther Victor

Heads of the princely house of Schwarzburg

On the death of the childless Prince Günther Victor in 1925, he was succeeded by Prince Sizzo (1860–1926), who was the son of Prince Friedrich Günther (1793–1867) from his second, morganatic marriage. Prince Sizzo was recognised as a full member of the House of Schwarzburg in 1896. He was succeeded in 1926 by his son, Prince Friedrich Günther (1901–1971).

Upon the death in 1971 of Prince Friedrich Günther, the last in the male line, under Semi-Salic primogeniture his elder sister, Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg, who married Friedrich Magnus V, Count of Solms-Wildenfels, may have had a claim to the headship.^{[1] [2]}

• 1918–1925: Prince Günther Victor (1852–1925)
• 1925–1926: Prince Sizzo (1860–1926)
• 1926–1971: Prince Friedrich Günther (1901–1971)
• 1971-1984: Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg (speculative)
• 1984: Friedrich Magnus, Count of Solms-Wildenfels (speculative)

Villages with more than 2000 people

See also

• House of Schwarzburg

References

External links

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Schwarzburg-Sondershausen". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.