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
← 1599–1920 →
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	1920
•	Merged into Thuringia	1920
Area
•	1905	862 km² (333 sq mi)
Population
•	1905 est.	85,000
Density		98.6 /km²  (255.4 /sq mi)

Karl Gunther, 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 of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

• 28 March 1909 – November 1918: Prince Günther

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.

Upon the death of Prince Friedrich Günther, the last in the male line, the headship passed under Semi-Salic primogeniture to his elder sister, Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg, who married Friedrich Magnus V, Count of Solms-Wildenfels. The House of Schwarzburg subsequently became a personal union with the House of Solms-Wildenfels.^{[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
• 1984: Friedrich Magnus VI, Prince of Schwarzburg, Count of Solms-Wildenfels

Villages with more than 2000 people

Village	Inhabitants December 1, 1910
Arnstadt	17,841
Sondershausen	7759
Langewiesen	3814
Greußen	3348
Großbreitenbach	3255
Gehren	2917
Geschwenda	2291

See also

• House of Schwarzburg

References

1. The House of Schwarzburg on Heraldica.org
2. James, John Almanach de Gotha, Volume I, 2013.

External links

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