by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on November 23, 1838, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the second of the three sons and the third of the four children of Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Princess Auguste of Solms-Braunfels.

Albrecht’s two brothers died in infancy. Only his sister survived childhood.

• Karl (born and died 1828)
• Elisabeth (1833 – 1896), married Leopold III, Prince of Lippe, no children
• Ernst Heinrich (born and died 1848)

During his childhood, Georg Albrecht was very interested in horses and all things military. Because of this interest, a Kindergarde (Children’s Guard) was formed of noble sons and sons of civil servants who were outfitted with specially made uniforms and weapons. After being educated by private tutors, Georg Albrecht studied legal history, philosophy, and economics at the University of Göttingen and the University of Bonn. However, his higher education was cut short because of his desire to enter the Prussian Army. Georg Albrecht served as a first lieutenant in the Garde du Corps regiment starting in 1859. In 1864, he became an orderly officer of Lieutenant General Gustav von der Mülbe (link in German). He fought during the Second Schleswig War in 1864 and during the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

Upon the death of his father on November 26, 1869, Georg Albrecht succeeded him as Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Soon afterward, he became engaged to his second cousin once removed Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. However, while traveling with his family through the various German monarchies, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, the second surviving son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, met his second cousin Marie. Vladimir and Marie quickly fell in love and subsequently Marie broke off her engagement to Georg Albert, who never did marry.

After he became Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Georg Albrecht remained in the Prussian Army for the rest of his life. During the Franco-Prussian War, he was a member of the General Staff of the 8th Infantry Division and was involved in the Battle of Sedan and the Battle of Beaumont. Following the defeat of France, Georg Albrecht was present when Wilhelm I, King of Prussia was declared German Emperor (Kaiser) in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, on January 18, 1871. In 1883, he was promoted to General of the Cavalry and in 1886, he was created a Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle. Because of his military duties, Georg Albrecht left the running of the government of the Principality of Schwarzberg-Rudolstadt mostly to his government ministers.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on January 19, 1890, aged 51, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt. He was succeeded by his first cousin once removed Günther Victor.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg Albert (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Albert_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Albert, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Albert,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Born on April 30, 1798, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the second of the four sons and the fifth of the seven children of Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Karoline of Hesse-Homburg. When he was nine-years-old, Albrecht’s father died and his fourteen-year-old brother Friedrich Günther became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. As stipulated in Ludwig Friedrich’s will, Friedrich Günther’s mother Karoline served as Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until her son came of age in 1814.

Albrecht had six siblings but only two of his siblings survived childhood:

• Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
• Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1793 – 1867), married (1) Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau, had three children (2) Countess Helene of Reina, morganatic marriage, had two children (3) Marie Schultze, morganatic marriage, no children
• Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
• Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
• Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
• Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

From October 7-9, 1806, Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia was a guest at Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) in Rudolstadt. Ludwig Ferdinand was the commander of a Prussian-Saxon vanguard during the Napoleonic Wars against Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. The soldier-prince made a great impression upon the eight-year-old Albrecht and it sparked his interest in the military. Sadly, Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia died on October 10, 1806, during the Battle of Saalfeld.  Albrecht was educated by private tutors but from 1810 – 1811, he and his brother Friedrich Günther were sent to Geneva, Switzerland to perfect their French.

By the age of sixteen, Albrecht was a lieutenant in the Prussian Army. From 1814 – 1815, he served as a member of the staff of his maternal uncle Ludwig Wilhem, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, in the Prussian campaign against Napoleon and received the Iron Cross 2nd class for his service. During his soldier years, Albrecht was often a guest at the Prussian court, and there he met his future wife Princess Auguste of Solms-Braunfels (1804 – 1865), daughter of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels and Friederike of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and niece of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. Auguste’s mother Friederike, born a Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was by her three marriages, Princess of Prussia (married Prince Ludwig Karl, son of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia), Princess of Solms-Braunfels, and lastly Duchess of Cumberland and Queen of Hanover as the wife of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover, the fifth son and eighth child of King George III if the United Kingdom.

Auguste of Solms-Braunfels; Credit – Wikipedia

Albrecht and Auguste were married on July 27, 1827, at Schönhausen Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. Albrecht’s wife Auguste died before he succeeded to the throne of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, dying on October 8, 1865, aged 61, and was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt.

The couple had four children:

• Karl (born and died 1828)
• Elisabeth (1833 – 1896), married Leopold III, Prince of Lippe, no children
• Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1838 – 1890), unmarried
• Ernst Heinrich (born and died 1848)

Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his brother Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, on June 28, 1867, Albrecht became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. All of Friedrich Günther’s sons by his first wife had predeceased him and his only son by his second wife was born from a morganatic marriage and did not have succession rights. Three days after Albrecht succeeded to the throne, the North German Confederation, the German federal state which existed from July 1867 to December 1870 and was the precursor of the German Empire, came into effect. On October 23, 1869, Albrecht dissolved the state parliament due to a dispute over planned tax increases. The state parliament was reinstated during the reign of his son Georg Albrecht.

After a reign of two years and five months, Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on November 26, 1869, aged 71, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was buried with his wife in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, the remains of Albrecht and Auguste were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) at the Schloss Schwarzburg.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Albert (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Albert, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on November 6, 1793, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was the eldest of the four sons and the second of the seven children of Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Karoline of Hesse-Homburg.

Only two of Friedrich Günther’s six siblings survived childhood:

• Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
• Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
• Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
• Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1798 – 1869), married Princess Augusta of Solms-Braunfels, had three children
• Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
• Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

Friedrich Günther’s father Ludwig Friedrich, died at the age of 39, on April 28, 1807, and his fourteen-year-old son became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. As stipulated in Ludwig Friedrich’s will, Friedrich Günther’s mother Karoline served as Regent of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until her son came of age in 1814. Friedrich Günther was rather disinterested in government affairs and after he came of age, he left the decisions to other people. As a result, his mother Karoline, who died in 1854 at the age of 82, continued to have a strong influence on government decisions.

Friedrich Günther; Credit – Wikipedia

After being educated by private tutors, Friedrich Günther was sent to Geneva, Switzerland from 1810 – 1811 to perfect his French. From 1813 – 1814, he accompanied his maternal uncle Philip of Hesse-Homburg, who was an officer in the Imperial Austrian Army, as an observer during battles against Napoleon’s French forces during the Napoleonic Wars.

Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 15, 1816, Friedrich Günther made the first of his three marriages. He married Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Auguste was the eldest child of Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Amalie of Hesse-Homburg. Her mother and Friedrich Günther’s mother were sisters and so husband and wife were first cousins. Auguste was popular with the people of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and was a supporter of the arts and sciences.

Friedrich Günther and Auguste had three sons. All three predeceased their father, leaving Friedrich Günther with no male heirs. Auguste died on June 12, 1854, in Rudolstadt, aged 60, and was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt.

• Friedrich Günther, Hereditary Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1818 – 1821), died in early childhood
• Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Hereditary Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1821 – 1845), unmarried, died in his 20s
• Prince Gustav of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1828 – 1837), died in childhood

On August 7, 1855, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, Friedrich Günther married Countess Helene of Reina (1835 – 1860). Helene was the daughter of Prince Georg Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau from his morganatic, second marriage. She was adopted by her paternal uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt shortly before her marriage and assumed the title of Princess of Anhalt. Regardless, Helene’s marriage to Friedrich Günther was considered morganatic under the House Laws of the Schwarzburg family. They had a set of twins, one boy and one girl, but Helene, aged 25, died three days after their birth. She was buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. The children were created Prince and Princess of Leutenberg shortly after their birth but the son did not have succession rights.

• Princess Helene (1860 – 1937), married Prince Hans of Schönaich-Carolath, had two children
• Prince Sizzo (1860 – 1926), married Princess Alexandra of Anhalt, had three children

Friedrich Günther’s son Prince Sizzo, 1907; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1896, Prince Sizzo’s succession rights were recognized by all members of the House of Schwarzburg. He was made a full member of the house and able to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement, Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, ahead of the Schwarzburg -Sondershausen princes, and third in line to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities were united in a personal union under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities. After the end of the German monarchies in 1918 and following the death of Prince Günther Victor in 1925, Prince Sizzo succeeded him as Head of the House of Schwarzburg.

Friedrich Günther’s third marriage to Marie Schultze (1840 – 1909) on September 24, 1861, was also morganatic and was childless. After Friedrich Günther’s death, Marie married a second time to Dr. Marcellus von Nencki and died on March 19, 1909, aged 68, in Bern Switzerland where she was buried.

Several important events happened during Friedrich Günther’s reign. In 1815, the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt joined the German Confederation, an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe, created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, which had been dissolved in 1806. The principality received its first constitution in 1816 which required the approval of the state parliament to raise taxes and pass laws. The last years of his reign saw the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 when Friedrich Günther kept Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt neutral and following the conclusion of the war the creation of the North German Confederation, the German federal state which existed from July 1867 to December 1870 and was the precursor of the German Empire that was established in 1871.

Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on June 28, 1867, at the age of 73, at Schloss Heidecksburg (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was first buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, his remains along with the remains of his first two wives were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Friedrich Günther was succeeded by his brother Albrecht as all of his sons by his first wife had predeceased him and his son by his second wife was born from a morganatic marriage.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Auguste Von Anhalt-Dessau. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_von_Anhalt-Dessau> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Günther (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_G%C3%BCnther_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Günther, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_G%C3%BCnther,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 1 November 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt now in the German state of Thuringia, on August 9, 1767. He was the eldest son and the second of the six children of Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and his first wife and first cousin once removed Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt who was the daughter of  Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Ludwig Friedrich had five siblings but two sisters did not survive childhood:

• Friederike (1765 – 1767), died in infancy
• Henriette (1770 – 1783), died in childhood
• Karl Günther (1771 – 1825), married Louise Ulrike of Hesse-Homburg, had seven children
• Karoline (1774 – 1854), married Günther Friedrich Karl I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, had two children
• Luise (1775 – 1808), married Ernst Konstantin, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal, had five children

When Ludwig Friedrich was ten-years-old, his mother died. Two years later, his father married Auguste of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg but their marriage was childless. After being educated by private tutors at home, in 1789, Ludwig Friedrich and his brother Karl Günther were sent on an educational trip to Geneva, Switzerland, and several other destinations. During this trip, the French Revolution was occurring and it was a constant topic of conversation among Ludwig Friedrich’s traveling entourage.

Karoline of Hesse-Homburg; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 21, 1791, in Homburg, Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, now in the German state of Hesse, Ludwig Friedrich married Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, daughter of Friedrich V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and Karoline of Hesse-Darmstadt. Karoline of Hesse-Homburg’s brother Friedrich VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg married Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, a daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom.

Ludwig Friedrich and Karoline had seven children including two reigning Princes of Schwarburg-Rudolstadt:

• Cäcilie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1792 – 1794), died in childhood
• Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1793 – 1867), married (1) Princess Auguste of Anhalt-Dessau, had three children (2) Countess Helene of Reina, morganatic marriage, had two children (3) Marie Schultze, morganatic marriage, no children
• Thekla of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1795 – 1861), married Otto Victor, Prince of Schönburg-Waldenburg, had nine children
• Karoline of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1796), died in infancy
• Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1798 – 1869), married Princess Augusta of Solms-Braunfels, had three children
• Bernhard of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1816), twin of Rudolf, died in childhood
• Rudolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1801 – 1808), twin of Bernhard, died in childhood

Komödienhaus on the Anger in the 19th century; Credit – https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/

Ludwig Friedrich’s father Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, at the age of 56 and 23-year-old Ludwig Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was known as a prince with high ideals and a supporter of the arts and sciences. He maintained correspondence with many famous personalities of the time, including writer Friedrich Schiller and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt. Along with his wife, Ludwig Friedrich continued the work on the Komödienhaus on the Anger, the theater his father had ordered to be constructed to provide education and culture to the citizens of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. The theater opening took place on July 26, 1793, three months after Friedrich Karl’s death. The theater was under the artistic direction of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language. Despite being small, the theater was one of the best in the German monarchies at the time and evolved into the current Theater-Rudolstadt (link in German).

The Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was affected by the Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon‘s victory at the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806, the principality was placed under French administration and joined the Confederation of the Rhine, a confederation of the client states of Napoleon’s First French Empire. Due to the skillful negotiations of the Chancellor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich Wilhelm von Ketelhodt, the French administration was lifted on March 24, 1807, and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was allowed self-governance.

Ludwig Friedrich II; Credit – Wikipedia

Ludwig Friedrich II of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, died at the age of 39, on April 28, 1807, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was first buried in the Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) in Rudolstadt. When that cemetery was closed sometime after 1869, his remains were moved to the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German) at the Schloss Schwarzburg in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Ludwig Friedrich was succeeded by his fourteen-year-old son Friedrich Günther. As per the will of Ludwig Friedrich, his wife Karoline ruled the principality as regent until Friedrich Günther came of age in 1814.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began. Ludwig Friedrich’s wife Karoline died on June 20, 1854, aged 82. Her remains are now at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt but it is not known if they were previously buried in Alter Friedhof/Garnisonfriedhof (Old Cemetery/Garrison Cemetery) and/or Schlosskirche Schwarzburg.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Friedrich II. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Friedrich_II._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Frederick II, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Frederick_II,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 31 October 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
• Theater Rudolstadt. 2020. Geschichte – Die Vielfältige Historie Des Theaters Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl had the shortest reign of all the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt – only two and a half years. He was born in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, on June 7, 1736. The only surviving son and the third of the three children of Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz, Friedrich Karl had three siblings but two died in infancy:

• Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
• Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
• Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

After being educated by private tutors, Friedrich Karl was sent to France from 1755 – 1756 to perfect his French. While in France, he visited factories, libraries, and natural history collections. As a child, Friedrich Karl began his natural history collection. In 1757, he created the Princely Natural History Collection at the Schloss Ludwigsburg in Rudolstadt. Later, his natural history collection became part of the Natural History Museum of Rudolstadt. Passionate about natural history, Friedrich Karl continued collecting and maintained correspondence with many German scientists throughout his life.

Friedrich Karl’s first wife Friederike; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 21, 1763, Friedrich Karl married his paternal first cousin once removed Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1745 – 1778), daughter of Johann Friedrich, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Friedrich Karl and Friederike had six children:

• Friederike (1765 – 1767), died in infancy
• Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1767–1807), married Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, had seven children including two reigning Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
  Henriette (1770 – 1783), died in childhood
• Karl Günther (1771 – 1825), married Louise Ulrike of Hesse-Homburg, had three children
• Karoline (1774 – 1854), married Günther Friedrich Karl I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, had two children
• Luise (1775 – 1808), married Ernst Konstantin, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal, had five children

Friedrich Karl’s wife Friederike predeceased him, dying on January 26, 1778, aged 32. She was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle. On November 28, 1780, Friedrich Karl married Auguste of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1752–1805), daughter of Prince Johann August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Countess Luise Reuss of Schleiz, but their marriage was childless.

Komödienhaus on the Anger in the 19th century; Credit – https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/

Upon the death of his father on August 29, 1790, 54-year-old Friedrich Karl became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He had few accomplishments during his short reign. In 1792, Friedrich Karl ordered the construction of a theater, called the Komödienhaus on the Anger, to provide education and culture to the citizens of his principality. However, he died before it was completed. The theater opening took place on July 26, 1793, three months after his death, under the supervision of his son and successor Ludwig Friedrich II. The theater was under the artistic direction of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language. The theater was one of the best in German monarchies at the time and evolved into the current Theater-Rudolstadt (link in German).

Friedrich Karl suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, at the age of 56. He was buried with his first wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. His second wife Auguste survived him by twelve years, dying on May 28, 1805, at the age of 52, and was also buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Karl (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Karl_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick Charles, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Charles,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
• Theater Rudolstadt. 2020. Geschichte – Die Vielfältige Historie Des Theaters Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 22, 1708, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the youngest of the thirteen children and the fourth of the four sons of Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Ludwig Günther had twelve older siblings but three had already died before his birth:

• Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1692 – 1744), married (1) Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had one son and two daughters (2) Christina Sophia of East Frisia, no children
• Amalie Magdalene of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Sophie Luise
• Sophie Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Amalie Magdalene
• Sophie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1694 – 1776), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
• Wilhelm Ludwig of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1696 – 1757), married morganatically Caroline Henriette Gebauer who was created Baroness of Brockenburg, had three sons and two daughters
• Christine Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
• Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1698 – 1720), unmarried
• Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1699 – 1774), unmarried
• Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1700 – 1780), married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had four sons and four daughters
• Sophia Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1737), unmarried, twin of Friederike Luise
• Friederike Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1787), unmarried, twin of Sophia Dorothea
• Magdalena Sibylle of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1707 – 1795), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey

As Ludwig Günther was the fourth son, there was no expectation that he would succeed to the throne of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1718, when Ludwig Günther was not quite ten-years-old, his father died and eldest brother Friedrich Anton became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In his late teens and early twenties, Ludwig Günther took advantage of his lack of serious responsibility by spending several years in what now is Italy, but then was a combination of kingdoms, duchies, principalities, papal states, and territories of other nations. He especially enjoyed the vast artistic heritage of Italy. Between 1722 – 1731, Ludwig Günther visited the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt only twice. He served as an officer in Milan, which then was part of the Austria Empire, from 1726 – 1731. However, his military career ended due to an issue with his hearing. Returning to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther lived at Schloss Friedensburg in Rudolstadt (link in German) from 1731 – 1733.

Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 22, 1733, Ludwig Günther married Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz (1711 – 1771), daughter of Heinrich Xlll, Count Reuss of Untergreiz and Sophie Elisabeth of Stolberg-Werningerode.

The couple had four children:

• Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
• Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
• Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1736 – 1793), married his first cousin Princess Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the eldest daughter of Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had six children including Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
• Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

Schloss Ludwigsburg, built for Ludwig Günther; Credit – Von Z thomas – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28174814

After their marriage, Ludwig Günther and Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg (link in German), one of the main residences of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1734, construction began on a future residence for Ludwig Günther and his family in Rudolstadt. Schloss Ludwigsburg (link in German), named after Ludwig Günther, was completed in 1742. A ceiling fresco in the castle depicts Ludwig Günther with Greek gods.

In 1744, Ludwig Günther’s eldest brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died. Friedrich Anton’s only son and Ludwig Günther’s nephew, 23-year-old Johann Friedrich succeeded his father. Johann Friedrich married two months later and he and his wife had six children but only two daughters survived childhood. Therefore, Johann Friedrich had no male heir.

Ludwig Günther was the youngest of four brothers. The third brother, Albrecht Anton, had died unmarried in 1720. As already mentioned, the first brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died in 1744 and had no sons. The second brother Wilhelm Ludwig, who died in 1757 during Johann Friedrich’s reign, had married morganatically and had three sons and two daughters. However, because of the morganatic marriage, Wilhelm Ludwig’s sons did not have succession rights. Upon the death of his nephew Johann Friedrich in 1767, 59-year-old Ludwig Günther became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and his son Friedrich Karl became the Hereditary Prince. Ludwig Günther and his wife Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg, the principal residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Four years later, Sophie Henrietta died on January 22, 1771, aged 60, and was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German), the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

For the most part, Ludwig Günther left government affairs to Chancellor Christian Ulrich von Ketelholdt, with whom he had a good relationship. At his previous residence Schloss Ludwigsburg, Ludwig Günther established a princely school of art. The natural history collection owned by Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl and Ludwig Günther’s coin collection were displayed there. In 1778, Ludwig Günther II laid the foundation stone for the palace library in the west wing of Schloss Heidecksburg which now has around 7,000 books.

After a reign of twenty-three years, Ludwig Günther died at the age of 81, on August 29, 1790, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Günther II. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_G%C3%BCnther_II._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Günther II, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_G%C3%BCnther_II,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on January 8, 1721 in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Johann Friedrich was the only son and the eldest of the three children of Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Johann Friedrich had two younger sisters but one died in infancy and the other never married:

• Sophia Wilhelmina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1723)
• Sophia Albertine of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1724 – 1799), unmarried

Johann Friedrich was raised and educated by private tutors from the age of four. When he was six-years-old, Johann Friedrich’s mother died. In 1729, his father married again to Christina Sophia of East Friesia but the marriage was childless. From 1737 – 1741, Johann Friedrich made the customary Grand Tour through Europe. He attended lectures on theology at the University of Strasbourg and lectures on mathematics and physics at the University of Utrecht. While in Utrecht, Johann Friedrich visited King George II of Great Britain who was also visiting Utrecht. During his time in France, Johann Friedrich was exposed to the ideas of the Enlightenment. In 1742, he represented his father at the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII (also Prince-Elector of Bavaria).

Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on September 1, 1744, 23-year-old Johann Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Two months later, on November 19, 1744, in Eisenach, Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, Johann Friedrich married Princess Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1724 – 1757). Bernardina Christina was the daughter of Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his first wife with Eleonore Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Köthen. Sadly, Bernadina Christina died in 1757 at the age of 33. She was deeply mourned by her husband who never remarried.

Johann Friedrich and Bernadina Christina had six children but only two daughters survived childhood:

• Princess Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1745 – 1778), married her first cousin once removed Friedrick Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had six children including Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
• Daughter (born and died 1746)
• Son (born and died 1747)
• Princess Sophie Ernestine of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1749 – 1754), died in childhood
• Princess Wilhelmina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1751 – 1780) married Ludwig I, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken, had one son
• Princess Henrietta Charlotte of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1752 – 1756), died in childhood

Heidecksburg Castle; Credit – Von © R.Möhler, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41580216

Johann Friedrich continued and completed the reconstruction project his father had started at Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) after a fire in 1735 caused two wings to be burned down to the ground floor. The fire had also destroyed the principality’s sheet music collection and Johann Friedrich with the assistance of his Kapellmeister Georg Gebel built up a new collection.

Johann Friedrich founded a theological seminary and a public library in Rudolstadt. He added his private library to the previous collections and from 1751 made the books available to the public once a week. During his reign, Johann Friedrich acquired more books for the Princely Public Library in Rudolstadt. The collection is now partly part of the historical library in Rudolstadt and partly in the collection at the Heidecksburg Castle library.

Leda and the Swan, circa 1785, an example from the porcelain factory in Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit- Wikipedia

In 1760, Johann Friedrich granted Georg Heinrich Macheleid a license to run a porcelain factory. Johann Friedrich was the co-managing director of the porcelain factory which still exists under the name Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur. In 1764, upon the 100th anniversary of the local school in Rudolstadt being declared the Princely State School, Johann Friedrich officially declared it a gymnasium (secondary school), renamed it the Gymnasium Friedericianum, and added teaching posts for mathematics and natural science. The Gymnasium Friedericianum Rudolstadt is still in existence.

Johann Friedrich; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died at the age of 46 on July 10, 1767, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, (link in German) the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, where his wife Bernadina Christina had been buried. Because he had no son, Johann Friedrich was succeeded by his uncle Louis Günther II. In 1763, Louis Günther II’s eldest son, the new Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl, had married Johann Friedrich’s eldest daughter Friederike. Friedrich Karl succeeded his father Louis Günther II as the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1790.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas where Johann Friedrich and his wife are buried; Credit – Von Michael Sander – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=543007

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Index
• Royal Burial Sites of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Johann Friedrich (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Friedrich_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. John Frederick, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frederick,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Bernardina Christina Sophia Of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Bernardina_Christina_Sophia_of_Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].