Solms-Braunfels

County (Principality) of Solms-Braunfels
Grafschaft (Fürstentum) Solms-Braunfels
State of the Holy Roman Empire
← 1258–1806 →   →   →   →
Coat of arms
Capital		Braunfels
Government		Principality
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Partitioned from Solms	1258
•	Partitioned to create     Ottenstein	1325
•	Partitioned to create Lich	1409
•	Partitioned to create     Greifenstein and Hungen	1592
•	Raised to principality	1742
•	Mediatised to Austria,     Hesse, Prussia and     Württemberg	1806

Amalia of Solms-Braunfels (1602–75), wife of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange (portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1632)

Carl of Solms-Braunfels (1812–1875), Founder of New Braunfels, Texas

Solms-Braunfels was a County with Imperial immediacy in what is today the federal Land of Hesse in Germany.

Solms-Braunfels was a partition of Solms, ruled by the House of Solms, and was raised to a Principality of the Holy Roman Empire in 1742. Solms-Braunfels was partitioned between: itself and Solms-Ottenstein in 1325; itself and Solms-Lich in 1409; and itself, Solms-Greifenstein and Solms-Hungen in 1592. Solms-Braunfels was mediatised to Austria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia and Württemberg in 1806.

Rulers of Solms-Braunfels

Counts of Solms-Braunfels (1258–1742)^[1][2]

• Henry III, Count 1258–1312 (died 1312), elder son of Henry II, Count of Solms
  • Bernhard I, Count 1312–49 (died 1349), second son of Henry III
    • Otto I, Count 1349–1410 (died 1410)
      • Bernhard II, Count 1409–59 (died 1459)
        • Otto II, Count 1459–1504 (1426–1504)
          • Bernhard III, Count 1504–47 (1468–1547)
            • Philipp, Count 1547–81 (1494–1581)
              • Konrad, Count 1581–92 (1540–1592)
                • Johann Albrecht I, Count 1592–1623 (1563–1623); his third daughter was Amalia, wife of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
                  • Konrad Ludwig, Count 1623–35 (1595–1635)
                  • Johann Albrecht II, Count 1635–48 (1599–1647)
                    • Heinrich Trajectinus, Count 1648–93 (1639–1693)
                • Wilhelm I, Count of Solms-Greifenstein (1570–1635)
                  • Wilhelm II, Count of Solms-Greifenstein (1609–1676)
                    • Wilhelm Moritz, Count of Solms-Greifenstein 1676–1720, and of Solms-Braunfels 1693–1720 (1651–1720)
                      • Friedrich Wilhelm, Count 1720–42 (1696–1761), created Reichsfürst 1742

Princes of Solms-Braunfels (1742–1806)^[3]

• Friedrich Wilhelm, 1st Prince 1742–61 (1696–1761)
  • Ferdinand Wilhelm Ernst, 2nd Prince 1761–83 (1721–1783)
    • Wilhelm Christian Karl, 3rd Prince 1783–1837, mediatized 1806 (1759–1837)

Mediatized Princes of Solms-Braunfels

• Ferdinand Wilhelm Ernst, 2nd Prince of Solms-Braunfels 1761–83 (1721–1783)
  • Wilhelm Christian Karl, 3rd Prince 1783–1837, mediatized 1806 (1759–1837)
    • Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand, 4th Prince 1837–73 (1797–1873)
  • Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels (1770–1814)
    • Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich of Solms-Braunfels (1801–1868)
      • Ernst Friedrich Wilhelm, 5th Prince 1873–80 (1835–1880)
      • Georg Friedrich Bernhard, 6th Prince 1880–91 (1836–1891)
        • Georg Friedrich Victor, 7th Prince 1891–1970 (1890–1970)

The princely House of Solms-Braunfels became extinct with Georg Friedrich Victor in 1970. Braunfels Castle was inherited by the last Prince's son-in-law, the Count of Oppersdorff who changed the family name in 1969 to Oppersdorff-Solms-Braunfels.

• 

  Braunfels Castle

• 

  Greifenstein Castle

• 

  Solms-Braunfels coat of arms

References

1. http://genealogy.euweb.cz/solms/solms1.html
2. http://genealogy.euweb.cz/solms/solms2.html
3. http://genealogy.euweb.cz/solms/solms3.html