Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Coat of Arms of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz, Younger line; Credit – by Glasshouse using elements by Sodacan, Tom-L and Katepanomegas – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65186806

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera was born on February 27, 1752 in Löhma, County of Reuss-Schleiz, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the fourth of the five children and the second but the only surviving son of Heinrich XII, Count Reuss of Schleiz and Countess Christine of Erbach-Schönberg, daughter of Count Georg August of Erbach-Schönberg and Ferdinande Henriette of Stolberg-Gedern.

Heinrich XLII had four siblings who all died in infancy:

  • Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1744 – 1745)
  • Count Heinrich XXXVI Reuss of Schleiz (1747 – 1748)
  • Countess Karoline Bernhardine Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1749)
  • Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1757 – 1758)

Heinrich XLII’s mother Christine of Erbach-Schönberg died in 1769, when he was 17-years-old. His father married for a second time to Countess Christiane Ferdinande of Ysenburg and Büdingen the following year. Two children, Heinrich XLII’s half-siblings, were born from this marriage but they both died young:

  • Count Heinrich LVI Reuss of Schleiz (1772 – 1775)
  • Count Heinrich LVII Reuss of Scheliz (1774 – 1775)

On June 10, 1779, Heinrich XLII married Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg in Kirchberg an der Jagst, Principality of of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Caroline was the daughter of Christian Friedrich Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg and his first wife Princess Luise Charlotte of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who died due to complications after giving birth to Caroline’s younger sister. Caroline’s father married for a second time to Countess Philippine Sophie Ernestine of Ysenburg and Büdingen, the sister of the second wife of Heirnrich XLII’s father.

Heinrich XLII and Caroline had eight children but only three survived to adulthood:

  • Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
  • Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
  • Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera (1785 – 1854), his father’s successor, unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
  • Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Reuss of Gera (1789 – 1867), his brother’s successor, married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf, had five sons and three daughters
  • Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

When Heinrich XLII’s father died on June 25, 1784, he became Count Reuss of Schleiz. In 1802, when Heinrich XXX, Count Reuss of Gera died without an heir, Heinrich XLII also became Count Reuss of Gera. In 1806, Heinrich XLII received the title of Prince from Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, and his two counties were raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line and Heinrich XLII was then titled 1st Prince Reuss of Gera.

The Principality of Reuss-Gera became a member of the Rhine Confederation, a confederation of German client states of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French in 1807. The allies opposing Napoleon dissolved the Confederation of the Rhine in 1813. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the German Confederation, an association of 39 German-speaking countries in Central Europe, was created. The Principality of Reuss-Gera was a member of the German Confederation.

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince of Reuss of Gera died on April 17, 1818, aged 66, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried in the Princely Crypt at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Caroline survived him by 31 years, dying on December 22, 1849, aged 88, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was buried with her husband at the Bergkirche St. Marien.

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Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Reuß Jüngerer Linie. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngerer_Linie> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, Prince Reuss-Schleiz Und Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XLII,_Prince_Reuss_of_Schleiz> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Principality Of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • Genealogics.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Reuss Of Gera. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00063961&tree=LEO> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • He.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Of Reuss Of Gera (Hebrew Wikipedia). [online] Available at: <https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D,_%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A5_%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%94> [Accessed 10 March 2020].