List of Hessian monarchs (original) (raw)

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Monarchy of Hesse
State
Royal Coat of arms
Ernest Louis
Details
Style His Royal Highness
First monarch Henry I (as landgrave)
Last monarch Ernest Louis (as grand duke)
Formation 1264
Abolition 9 November 1918
Appointer Hereditary
Pretender(s) Donatus

Royal Standard of the Grand Duke of Hesse 1903–1918

This is a list of monarchs of Hesse (German: Hessen) during the history of Hesse on west-central Germany. These monarchs belonged to a dynasty collectively known as the House of Hesse and the House of Brabant,[1] originally the Reginar. Hesse was ruled as a landgraviate, electorate and later as a grand duchy until 1918.

The title of all of the following monarchs was "landgrave" (German: Landgraf) unless otherwise noted.

Landgraviate of Hesse

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In the early Middle Ages the Hessengau territory (named after the Germanic Chatti tribes) formed the northern parts of the German stem duchy of Franconia along with the adjacent Lahngau. Upon the extinction of the ducal Conradines, these Rhenish Franconian counties were gradually acquired by Landgrave Louis I of Thuringia and his successors.

After the War of the Thuringian Succession upon the death of Landgrave Henry Raspe in 1247, his niece Duchess Sophia of Brabant secured the Hessian possessions for her minor son Henry the Child, who would become the first landgrave of Hesse and founder of the House of Hesse in 1246. The remaining Thuringian landgraviate fell to the Wettin margrave Henry III of Meissen. Henry I of Hesse was raised to princely status by King Adolf of Germany in 1292.

Landgraves of Hesse

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Partitions of Hesse under Hesse family

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| Landgraviate of Hesse(1264–1308) | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | | Lower Hesse(1st creation)(1308–1311) | Upper Hesse(1st creation)(1308–1311) | | | | | | Landgraviate of Hesse(from the Upper Hesse line)(1311–1458) | | | | | | | Lower Hesse(2nd creation)(1458–1500) | Upper Hesse(2nd creation)(1458–1500) | | | | | | Landgraviate of Hesse(from the Lower Hesse line)(1500–1567) | | | | | | | Hesse-Kassel(1567–1803) | Hesse-Rheinfels(1st creation)(1567–1583) | Hesse-Marburg(1567–1604) | Hesse-Darmstadt(1567–1806) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hesse-Rheinfels(2nd creation)(1627–1658) | Hesse-Homburg(1st creation)(1622–1806) | | | | | | Raised to:Electorate ofHesse-Kassel(1st creation)(1803–1807) | | | | | | | Hesse-Barchfeld(1st creation)(1721–1807) | Hesse-Philippsthal(1st creation)(1663–1807) | | Hesse-Wanfried(1700–1755) | | | | Hesse-Rotenburg(1st creation)(1627–1807) | | | | | | | Raised to:Grand Duchy ofHesse-Darmstadt(1806–1918) | | | | | | | Annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia | | | | | | | Hesse-Barchfeld (2nd creation)(1813–1866) | Hesse-Philippsthal (2nd creation)(1813–1866) | Electorate ofHesse-Kassel(2nd creation)(1813–1866) | Hesse-Rotenburg(2nd creation)(1813–1834) | Hesse-Homburg(2nd creation)(1815–1866) | | | | | | | | | | Annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia | | | | | |

Monarch Born Reign Death Ruling part Consort Notes
Henry I the Child 24 June 1244 1264–1308 21 December 1308 Landgraviate of Hesse Adelaide of Brunswick-Lüneburg I1263seven childrenMatilda of Cleves1276seven children Son of Henry II of Brabant, founded the House of Hesse.
John 1278 1308–1311 14 February 1311 Lower Hesse Adelaide of Brunswick-Lüneburg II1306one child Divided Hesse with his brother.
Otto I the Elder 1272 1308–1311 17 January 1328 Upper Hesse Adelaide of Ravensberg1297Marburgfive children Divided Hesse with his brother. After the latter's death with no descendants, he reunited Hesse.
1311–1328 Landgraviate of Hesse
Henry II the Iron 1299 1328–1376 3 June 1376 Landgraviate of Hesse Elisabeth of Thuringia1321five children Sons of Otto I, ruled jointly.
Louis (I) the Junker 1305 1336–1345 2 February 1345 Landgraviate of Hesse Elisabeth of Sponheim-Kreuznach15 October 1340three children
Herman I the Elder 1305 1336–1370 1370 Landgraviate of Hesse Unmarried
Otto II the Younger 1322 1336–1366 December 1366 Landgraviate of Hesse Elisabeth of Cleves1338no children
Herman II the Learned 1341 1376–1413 24 May 1413 Landgraviate of Hesse Joanna of Nassau-Weilburg 3 February 1377no childrenMargaret of Nuremberg15 October 1383Kulmbacheight children
Louis I the Peaceful 6 February 1402 1413–1458 17 January 1458 Landgraviate of Hesse Anna of Saxony8 September 1433Kasselfive children At his death divided Hesse again.
Louis II the Frank 7 September 1438 1458–1471 8 November 1471 Lower Hesse Matilda of Württemberg-Urach(1438–1495)1454four children Children of Louis I, divided Hesse between them. Henry III associated his son Louis III in a co-rulership.
Henry III the Rich 15 October 1440 1458–1483 13 January 1483 Upper Hesse Anna of Katzenelnbogen1458six children
Louis III the Younger November 1461 1474–1478 2 July 1478 Upper Hesse Unmarried
William I the Elder 4 July 1466 1471–1493 8 February 1515 Lower Hesse Anna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel17 February 1488Mündenfive children Didn't have male heirs. Abdicated in 1493 and his possession passed to his brother, also named William.
Regency of Herman IV, Archbishop of Cologne and Hans Hofman of Dörnberg (1483-1489) Died without heirs.
William III the Younger[2] 8 September 1471 1483–1500 17 February 1500 Upper Hesse Elisabeth of the Palatinate12 February 1496Heidelbergno children
William II the Middle[2] 29 April 1469 1493–1500 11 July 1509 Lower Hesse Yolande of Vaudémont9 November 1497one childAnna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin20 October 1500Kasselthree children In 1500 reunited Hesse after the death of his cousin William II.
1500–1509 Landgraviate of Hesse
Regencies of the Estates of Hesse (1509-1514) and Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1514-1518) After his death Hesse was divided between his legitimate sons.
Philip I the Magnanimous 13 November 1504 1509–1567 31 March 1567 Landgraviate of Hesse Christine of Saxony11 December 1523Kasselten children_Margarethe von der Saale14 March 1540Rotenburg(bigamous and morganatic)_nine children
William IV the Wise 24 June 1532 1567–1592 25 August 1592 Hesse-Kassel Sabine of Württemberg11 February 1566Marburgeleven children Children of Philip I, divided the land between them:William IV received Kassel Louis IV received Marburg, which after his childless death was divided between his brothers; Philip II received Rheinfels, which after his childless death was divided between his brothers; George I received Darmstadt.
Louis IV the Elder 27 May 1537 1567–1604 9 October 1604 Hesse-Marburg Hedwig of Württemberg10 May 1563Stuttgartno childrenMaria of Mansfeld4 July 1591Marburgno children
Philip II the Younger 22 April 1541 1567–1583 20 November 1583 Hesse-Rheinfels Anna Elisabeth of Palatinate-Simmern18 January 1569Heidelbergno children
George I the Pious 10 September 1547 1567–1596 7 February 1596 Hesse-Darmstadt Magdalene of Lippe17 August 1572Kasselten childrenEleonora of Württemberg25 May 1589one child
Marburg and Rheinfels redivided between Kassel and Darmstadt
Maurice the Learned 25 May 1572 1592–1632 15 March 1632 Hesse-Kassel Agnes of Solms-Laubach23 September 1593Kasselfour childrenJuliane of Nassau-Siegen22 May 1603Dillenburgfourteen children
Louis V the Faithful 24 September 1577 1596–1626 27 July 1626 Hesse-Darmstadt Magdalene of Brandenburg5 June 1598Berlineleven children Children of George I, redivided the land:Louis V kept Darmstadt; Philip III received Butzbach, which after his death was reannexed to Darmstadt; Frederick I received Homburg.
Philip III 26 December 1581 1596–1643 28 April 1643 Hesse-Darmstadt(at Butzbach) Anna Margaretha von Diepholz29 July 1610Darmstadtno childrenChristina Sophia of East Frisia2 June 1632Aurichno children
Frederick I 5 March 1585 1596–1638 9 May 1638 Hesse-Homburg Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg10 August 1622Butzbachsix children
Butzbach reannexed to Darmstadt
George II 17 March 1605 1626–1661 11 June 1661 Hesse-Darmstadt Sophia Eleonore of Saxony1 April 1627Torgaufifteen children Children of Louis V, redivided the land:George II kept Darmstadt; John received Braubach, which after his childless death returned to Darmstadt.
John 17 June 1609 1626–1651 1 April 1651 Hesse-Darmstadt(at Braubach) Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein30 September 1647Friedewaldno children
Braubach reannexed to Darmstadt
William V the Stable 13 February 1602 1632–1637 21 September 1637 Hesse-Kassel Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg21 September 1619twelve children Children of Maurice, redivided the land:William V kept Kassel; Frederick received Eschwege, which after his childless death returned to Kassel; Herman IV received Rotenburg, which after his childless death merged in Rheinfels; Ernest received Rheinfels, which after Herman IV's death merged with Rotenburg, retaining the name Rotenburg.
Frederick 9 May 1617 1632–1655 24 September 1655 Hesse-Kassel(at Eschwege) Eleonora Catherine of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken 8 September 1646Stockholmsix children
Herman IV 15 August 1607 1627–1658 25 March 1658 Hesse-Rotenburg Sophie Juliane of Waldeck31 December 1633Waldeckone childKunigunde Juliane of Anhalt-Dessau2 February 1642Weimarno children
Ernest 8 December 1623 1649–1658 2 May 1693 Hesse-Rheinfels Maria Eleonore of Solms-LichJune 1647Frankfurttwo children
1658–1693 Hesse-Rotenburg
Eschwege reannexed to Kassel; Rheinfels merged in Rotenburg
Regency of Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg (1637-1650)
William VI 23 May 1629 1637–1663 16 July 1663 Hesse-Kassel Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg19 July 1649Cöllnseven children
Regency of Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg (1638-1648) Sold his lands to his brother, George Christian.
William Christoph 13 November 1625 1638–1669 27 August 1681 Hesse-Darmstadt-Homburg Sophia Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt21 April 1650Darmstadttwelve childrenAnna Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg2 April 1665Lübeck_(annulled 1672)_no children
Louis VI 25 January 1630 1661–1678 24 April 1678 Hesse-Darmstadt Maria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp24 November 1650Gottorpeight children Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg5 December 1666Gothaeight children Children of George II, redivided the land:Louis VI kept Darmstadt; George III received Itter, which after his childless death was reannexed to Darmstadt
George III 29 September 1632 1661–1676 19 July 1676 Hesse-Darmstadt(at Itter Dorothea Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Franzhagen5 May 1661one childJuliane Alexandrine of Leinigen-Heidenheim21 July 1667three children
Regency of Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg (1663-1677) Children of William VI. With their mother as regent, they redivided the land:William VII kept Kassel, which after his sudden death was inherited by his brother, Charles I; Philip received Philippsthal.
William VII 21 June 1651 1663–1670 21 November 1670 Hesse-Kassel Unmarried
Charles I 3 August 1654 1670–1730 23 March 1730 Hesse-Kassel Maria Amalia of Courland21 May 1673Kasselfourteen children
Philip 14 December 1655 1663–1721 18 June 1721 Hesse-Philippsthal Catherine of Solms-Laubach14 April 1680eight children
George Christian 13 November 1625 1669–1671 27 August 1681 Hesse-Homburg Anna Catharina Pogwitsch11 October 1666Hamburgno children Retained his brother's land. Hesse-Homburg became under mortgage to two merchants (1671–1673) and to the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt (1673–1679). Hesse-Homburg returned then to George Christian's brother, Frederick.
Louis VII 22 June 1658 1678 31 August 1678 Hesse-Darmstadt Unmarried
Regency of Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1678-1688)
Ernest Louis 15 December 1667 1678–1739 12 September 1739 Hesse-Darmstadt Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach1 December 1687Darmstadtfive children
Frederick II 30 March 1633 1679–1708 24 January 1708 Hesse-Homburg Margareta Brahe12 May 1661Stockholmno childrenLouise Elisabeth of Courland23 October 1670Cöllntwelve childrenSophie Sybille of Leiningen-Westerburg1691three children The land returned to the Hesse-Homburg-branch in 1679.
William the Elder 15 May 1648 1693–1725 20 November 1725 Hesse-Rotenburg Maria Anna of Löwenstein-Wertheim3 March 1669Rocheforteight children Children of Ernest, redivided the land:William kept Rotenburg; Charles received Wanfried.
Charles 19 July 1649 1693–1711 3 March 1711 Hesse-Wanfried Sophie Magdalene of Salm-Reifferscheidbefore 1675five childrenAlexandrine Juliane of Leiningen-Dagsburgbefore 1703eleven children
Frederick III Jacob 19 May 1673 1708–1746 8 June 1746 Hesse-Homburg Elisabeth Dorothea of Hesse-Darmstadt14 February 1700Butzbachnine childrenChristiane Charlotte of Nassau-Ottweiler17 October 1728Saarbrückenno children
William II the Younger 25 August 1671 1711–1731 1 April 1731 Hesse-Wanfried Ernestine of the Palatinate-Sulzbach19 September 1719no children Left no heirs. His lands were inherited by his brother, Christian.
Charles I 23 September 1682 1721–1770 8 May 1770 Hesse-Philippsthal Caroline Christine of Saxe-Eisenach24 November 1725Eisenachfive children Children of Philip, redivided the land:Charles I kept Philippsthal; William received Barchfeld.
William 1 April 1692 1721–1761 13 May 1761 Hesse-Barchfeld Charlotte Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym31 October 1724Hoymfifteen children
Ernest Leopold 15 June 1684 1725–1749 29 November 1749 Hesse-Kassel-Rotenburg Eleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim9 November 1704Frankfurtten children
Frederick I 28 April 1676 1730–1751 5 April 1751 Hesse-Kassel Louise Dorothea of Prussia31 May 1700Berlinno childrenUlrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden24 March 1715Stockholmno children Also King of Sweden. Left no heirs. Hesse-Kassel under the regency of his brother, William, later Landgrave William VIII.
Christian 17 July 1689 1731–1755 21 October 1755 Hesse-Wanfried Maria Franziska of Hohenlohe-Bartensteinc.1730no children Left no heirs. His lands reverted to Hesse-Rotenburg.
Wanfried reannexed to Rotenburg
Louis VIII 5 April 1691 1739–1768 17 October 1768 Hesse-Darmstadt Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg5 April 1717Hanausix children
Frederick IV Charles 15 April 1724 1746–1751 7 February 1751 Hesse-Darmstadt-Homburg Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels10 October 1746Hungentwo children Nephew of Frederick III.
Constantine 24 May 1716 1749–1778 30 December 1778 Hesse-Rotenburg Sophia von Starhemberg1745eleven childrenJeanne Henriette de Bombelles27 May 1775no children
William VIII 10 March 1682 1751–1760 1 February 1760 Hesse-Kassel Dorothea Wilhelmine of Saxe-Zeitz 27 September 1717Zeitzthree children Brother of Frederick V; already regent from 1730
Regency of Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels (1751-1766) Between 1806 and 1815 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Frederick V 30 January 1748 1751–1820 20 January 1820 Hesse-Homburg Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt27 September 1768Darmstadteleven children
Frederick II 14 August 1720 1760–1785 31 October 1785 Hesse-Kassel Mary of Great Britain8 May 1740London_(by proxy)28 June 1740Kassel(in person)_four childrenPhilippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt10 January 1773Berlinno children
Frederick 1727 1761–1777 1777 Hesse-Barchfeld Sophia Henrietta of Salm-Grunbach1772no children Left no heirs. His brother Adolf inherited the land.
Louis IX 15 December 1719 1768–1790 6 April 1790 Hesse-Darmstadt Caroline of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken12 August 1741Zweibrückeneight children Children of Louis VIII, divided their inheritance:Louis IX received his father's inheritance; Caroline Louise received her mother's inheritance in Hanau-Lichtenberg, which then passed to Baden.
Caroline Louise 11 July 1723 1768–1783 8 April 1783 Hesse-Darmstadt(at Hanau-Lichtenberg) Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden28 January 1751five children
William 29 August 1726 1770–1806 8 August 1810 Hesse-Philippsthal Ulrika Eleonora of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld22 June 1755Tournainine children Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Adolph 29 June 1743 1777–1803 17 July 1803 Hesse-Barchfeld Louise of Saxe-Meiningen18 October 1781Meiningensix children
Charles Emmanuel 5 June 1746 1778–1806 23 March 1812 Hesse-Kassel-Rotenburg Leopoldina of Liechtenstein1 September 1771Felsbergtwo children Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Rotenburg briefly annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia (1806-1813)
William I 3 June 1743 1785–18071813–1821 27 February 1821 Landgraviate of Hesse-KasselElectorate of Hesse-Kassel Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark1 September 1764Copenhagenfour children Created Prince-elector of Hesse as His Royal and Serene Highness in 1803. Between 1807 and 1813 the Grand-Duchy was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Louis I 14 June 1753 1790–1830 6 April 1830 Landgraviate of Hesse-DarmstadtGrand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt19 February 1777Darmstadtseven children Created Grand Duke of Hesse in 1806.
Charles 27 June 1784 1803–1854 17 July 1854 Hesse-Barchfeld Auguste of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen19 July 1816Öhringentwo childrenSophie of Bentheim and Steinfurt10 September 1823Steinfurtfour children Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Louis 29 August 1726 1813–1816 8 August 1810 Hesse-Philippsthal Marie Franziska Berghe of Trips21 January 1791Susterentwo children Landgraviate recovered in 1813 by the hand of the Elector of Hesse.
Victor Amadeus 2 September 1779 1813–1834 12 November 1834 Hesse-Rotenburg Leopoldine of Fürstenberg20 October 1799Pragueno childrenElisabeth of Hohenlohe-Langenburg10 September 1812Langenburgone childEleonora of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim and Gerlachsheim19 November 1831Gerlachsheimno children In 1834, Hesse-Rotenburg reunited with Hesse-Kassel.
Rotenburg annexed to the Electorate of Kassel
Ernest Constantine 8 August 1771 1816–1849 25 December 1849 Hesse-Philippsthal Louise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt10 April 1796Rudolstadtfive childrenCaroline of Hesse-Philippsthal17 February 1812Kasseltwo children Landgraviate recovered in 1813 by the hand of the Elector of Hesse.
Frederick VI 30 July 1769 1820–1829 2 April 1829 Hesse-Homburg Elizabeth of the United Kingdom7 April 1818Londonno children Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
William II 28 July 1777 1821–1847 20 November 1847 Electorate of Hesse Kassel Augusta of Prussia13 February 1797Berlinsix childrenEmilie Ortlöpp8 July 1841_(morganatic)eight childrenCaroline of Berlepsch8 July 1841Hanau(morganatic)_no children
Louis William 29 August 1770 1829–1839 19 January 1839 Hesse-Homburg Augusta Amalia of Nassau-Usingen1804_(annulled 1805)_no children Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
Louis II 26 December 1777 1830–1848 16 June 1848 Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Wilhelmine of Baden19 June 1804Karlsruheseven children
Philip 11 March 1779 1839–1846 15 December 1846 Hesse-Homburg Rosalie Antonie Pototschnig_1838(morganatic)_no children Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
Gustav 17 February 1781 1846–1848 8 September 1848 Hesse-Homburg Louise of Anhalt-Dessau12 February 1818Dessauthree children Left no male heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
Frederick William 20 August 1802 1847–1866 6 January 1875 Electorate of Hesse Kassel Gertrude von Hanau26 June 1831_(morganatic)_nine children In 1866 the Electorate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Electorate of Kassel annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Louis III 9 June 1806 1848–1877 13 June 1877 Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Mathilde Caroline of Bavaria26 December 1833Munichno childrenMagdalene of Hochstadten1868_(morganatic)_ no children
Ferdinand 26 April 1783 1848–1866 24 March 1866 Hesse-Homburg Unmarried Left no male heirs. At his death the Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg was briefly added to the territory of Louis III (Hesse-Darmstadt) before being annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia later in 1866.
Homburg annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Charles II 22 May 1803 1849–1866 12 February 1868 Hesse-Philippsthal Marie of Württemberg9 October 1845Pokójtwo children In 1866 the Landgraviate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Philippsthal annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Alexis 13 September 1829 1854–1866 16 August 1905 Hesse-Barchfeld Louise of Prussia17 June 1854Berlinno children In 1866 the Landgraviate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Barchfeld annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Louis IV 12 September 1837 1877–1892 13 March 1892 Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Alice of the United Kingdom1 July 1862East Cowesseven childrenAlexandrina Hutten-Czapska30 April 1884Darmstadt(morganatic, annulled 1884) no children
Ernest Louis 25 November 1868 1892–1918 9 October 1937 Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha19 April 1894Coburg_(annulled 21 December 1901)_two childrenEleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich2 February 1905Darmstadttwo children Deposed in 1918, at the end of World War I.
  1. ^ Burke's Royal Families of the World Volume I Europe & Latin America ISBN 0-85011-023-8, London 1977 p. 202
  2. ^ a b William III ascended first, despite being younger than William II, which is reflected on their apparent exchanged numbering.