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The Thüringian Duchies and Principalities

 

Thuringia was not a state but rather an area consisting of many states.  It is common to hear them referred to as the Thüringian states, the Thüringian Duchies, or the Saxon Duchies even though they were not all duchies.  This area was once part of the Kingdom of Saxony, but the senior line of the house of Wettin took Thüringia and the junior line took what became known as the Kingdom of Saxony.  Many generations of splitting the inherited properties led to the small enclaves.  Each state consisted of a series of little enclaves scattered throughout the area.

Reuß Junior Line

(1813-1871: Reuß jüngere Linie)
The Principality of Reuß Junior Line, (sometimes called Reuß Gera) a small German state in Thüringia since 1673, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  The principality remained neutral during the Austrian-Prussian war.  Afterwards it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  The Reuß military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  It became a member state of the Imperial German Empire in 1871.  The form of government was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  There was one chamber in parliament known as the Landtag.  The 16 members of the Landtag had 12 members, who were elected by all taxpayers; three by the highest taxpayers; and one appointed by the Prince.   The princely family of Reuss had the unique custom of naming all its male members Heinrich, in honor of the Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI, from whom they received their lands in the 13th century.  A complicated system of numbering was developed into two different forms: the Elder line followed a sequence from 1 to 100 and then returned to 1; the Younger line numbered the first Heinrich to be born in the century as number 1 and followed the sequence till the end of the century, then began again with the new century.  Consuls were maintained for trade with Prussia, Saxony, USA, and Ecuador. The capital was Gera.  The population was 157,000 in 1914.

Reuß Senior Line

(1813-1871: Reuß ältere Linie)
The Principality of Reuß Senior Line, (sometimes called Reuß Greiz) a small German state in Thüringia since 1673, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  The principality allied with Austria in 1866, and barely escaped annexation with an indemnity of 100,000 Thalers.  After the Prussian-Austrian War, it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  The Reuß military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.  The form of government was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  There was one chamber of parliament known as the Landtag.  The 12 members of this chamber included three, who were appointed by the monarch; the landowners elected seven, who were universally elected; and two were elected from the clergy.   The principality electors were known as a difficult group in the Bundesrat.  The conservative principality frequently went against the Prussian party line.  Prince Heinrich XXII died in 1902, and his son Heinrich XXIV was judged mentally incapable of ruling the principality.  A regent was appointed from the Junior Line and Heinrich XXVII from the Junior Line ruled all of Reuss until the end of the war.

Consuls were maintained for trade with Austria-Hungary, Prussia, Saxony, Saxony Weimar, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, and Turkey.   The capital was Greiz.  The population was 74,000 in 1914 and was almost entirely evangelical.

Saxe-Altenburg

(1813-1871: Sachsen-Altenburg)
The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, a German state in Thüringia since 1602, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  After the Prussian-Austrian War, where it allied with Prussia, it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  The Saxe-Altenburg military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  It became a member state of the Imperial German Empire in 1871.  The Duchy consisted of two detached and almost equal sections, as well as twelve small enclaves.  The total area was 511 sq. m.
Saxe-Altenburg was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  The parliament had one chamber called the Landtag consisting of 32 members.  The franchise was even more restrictive than Prussia with nine Landtag members elected only by the highest taxpaying section and the other 23 by all males over 25 years of age who paid taxes according to the Prussian three tier system.  Saxe-Altenburg had one vote in the Reichstag and one in the Bundesrat.  
Consuls were maintained for trade with Belgium Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Austria-Hungary, Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Spain and, and Turkey.

The capital was Altenburg.  The population in 1914 was 222,000 that were almost entirely Protestant.

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

(1815-1871: Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha)
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Saxe-Gotha became a combined double state in 1826 named the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.  The small Thüringian state was a member state of the German Confederation until 1866.  The Saxe-Coburg-Gotha military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  After the Prussian-Austrian War, during which it allied with Prussia, it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  In addition to the two almost equal sized parts, there were a number of small enclaves.  It became a member state of the Imperial German Empire in 1871.

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  There were two separate parliaments, one for the Duchy of Coburg and another for the Duchy of Gotha.  The Coburg diet consisted of eleven members and the Gotha diet numbered nineteen members.  Common issues were decided by a joint session.  The franchise was given to all male taxpayers who were at least 25 years of age.  The united duchy was represented in the Bundesrat by one member and in the Reichstag by two members, one for each duchy.  The Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was quite rich as Duke Ernest I sold the principality of Lichtenberg to Prussia for a large sum of money.

Ernst II had no children, and the succession passed to the children of his brother Albert, the English prince consort of Queen Victoria.  In 1855, his second son, Prince Alfred was declared heir to the duchy.  When he died without sons in July 1900, the succession was renounced by the next-in-line Duke of Connaught.  Therefore, Saxe-Coburg passed to a nephew Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, a less than stellar ruler.  He chose to come from England where he was the Duke of Albany at the age of 15 to become William II’s vassal.  He did not speak German.  He was loyal to the Kaiser and was stripped of his British titles post WW1.  After the war, he became a staunch Nazi.

Consuls were maintained for trade with Belgium, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Austria-Hungary, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Cuba, Prussia, and Ecuador.

The capital was both Gotha and Coburg (summer).  Almost the entire population of 266,000 in 1914 was Lutheran.

Saxe-Meiningen

(1813-1871: Sachsen-Meiningen)
The Principality of Saxe-Meiningen, or more correctly Saxe-Meiningen-Hildburghausen, a German state in Thüringia since 1680, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  In 1826, it absorbed Saxe-Hildburghausen in exchange for Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.  During the Prussian-Austrian war of 1866, Saxe Meiningen allied with Austria.  When in 1866 after Saxe-Meiningen declared for Austria the land was occupied by Prussian troops, and in September 1866, Duke Bernard abdicated and was succeeded by his son George, who immediately made peace with Prussia and joined the North German Confederation.  The Saxe-Meiningen military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  It became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  While it consisted chiefly of an irregular crescent-shaped territory, there were numerous enclaves.
Saxe-Meiningen was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  There was one chamber in the parliament known as the Landtag.  The parliament consisted of 24 members who were elected by three different groups.  Four members were elected by the largest landowners, 4 members by those who paid taxes up to a certain level, and 16 by all of the citizens in a direct secret election.  Voting was by all males over 25 years of age who paid taxes.  Saxe-Meiningen had one vote in the Bundesrat and two deputies in the Reichstag. 
Consuls were maintained for trade with North America, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Austria-Hungary, Paraguay, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Prussia, Switzerland, and Turkey. 

The capital of the duchy was Meiningen.  In 1914, the population was 287,000.  The population was almost exclusively Protestant.

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

(1813-1871: Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach)
The Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, a German state in Thüringia since 1566, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  The Saxe-Weimar family was the oldest branch of the Ernestine line, and therefore the entire House of Saxony.  After the Prussian-Austrian War, when it allied with Prussia, it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  The Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867.  It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.  In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony (Großherzogtum Sachsen), but this name was rarely used.  In 1896, the order of the colors for the flag and the cockades was changed to black-yellow-green.  Prior to that time, the color order was black-green-yellow.

It was the largest of the Thüringian states, and consisted of three detached districts of Weimar, Eisenach, and Neustadt along with twenty-four scattered exclaves.  The total area of the grand-duchy was 1397 square miles, of which 678 were in Weimar, 465 in Eisenach and 254 in Neustadt.
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  The parliament consisted of one chamber known as the Landtag with thirty-eight members.  There was a four-tier voting system with five members chosen by the largest landholders, five by high-paying taxpayers, five by the University of Jena, and twenty-three by the rest of the inhabitants.  The franchise was a bit more liberal than some and included all male citizens over twenty-one-years of age.  The Grand Duchy was represented by one vote in the Bundesrat and by two members in the Reichstag.  
Wilhelm Ernst was an interesting ruler, rumored to be a sadist, and was told when he abdicated that he was the most unpopular prince in Germany and had better run for it.  His wife died mysteriously in 1905.  Natural causes and suicide were both rumored.  He remarried and lived until 1923.

Consuls were maintained for trade with Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Austria-Hungary, Paraguay, Portugal, Rumania, Switzerland, and Turkey.  The capital was Weimar.  The population in 1914 was 442,000 who almost entirely were Lutherans.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

(1813-1871)
The Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, a German state in Thüringia since 1711, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  After the Prussian-Austrian War, where they allied with Prussia, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  The Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt military became a contingent of the Prussian army on June 26, 1867.  It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  The parliament consisted of one chamber called the Landtag and was only summoned every three years.  The parliament consisted of sixteen members, four chosen by the highest assessed taxpayers, the others by universal secret and direct elections.  The principality had one vote in the Reichstag and one in the Bundesrat.  

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen originally were joined by family lines.  Similar to the Reuß family, all of the male descendents had a common name, in this instance Günther, such as Günther XL, who died in 1552.  Over time, this tradition changed.  Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the junior line.  On the death of Charles Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen in 1909, the two Schwartzberg principalities were united in a personal union under Günther Viktor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.  This was a personal union, and he still ruled two separate states inside the German Empire.  Günther Viktor was fond of calling the joint principality Schwarzburg.  They were not united in a constitutional sense and were always two separate states having two distinct votes in the Bundesrat.

Consuls were maintained for trade with Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Prussia, Austria-Hungary, Saxony, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Paraguay, and Peru. The capital was Rudolstadt, The population was 103,000 in 1914, and almost all were Lutheran.

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

(1813-1871)
The Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, a German state in Thüringia since 1697, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866.  After the Prussian-Austrian War where she allied with Prussia, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a hereditary constitutional monarchy.  The parliament had one chamber known as the Landtag.  There was a three-tier appointment system where of the 18 members of parliament, six representatives were appointed by the highest taxpayers, six by universal secret and direct election, and six were appointed for life by the prince.  The principality had one vote in the Reichstag and one in the Bundesrat.   Prince Charles Günther succeeded on 17 July 1880, his father having renounced the throne in favor of his son due to eye disease.  With the death of Prince Charles Günther in 1909, the Sondershausen line ended and the prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt ruled both states.

Consuls were maintained for trade with Austria-Hungary, Prussia, Saxony, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Russia, Belgium, Chile, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, Rumania, Switzerland, and Turkey.

The capital was Sonderhausen.  The population was 93,000 in 1914 they were almost all Lutheran.

Although they are located in Thuringia they were usually referred to as the “Saxon duchies.”  Particularly XI Army Corps consisted of regiments and battalions coming from these principalities.

(Krüger, 1915) pg.315

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 120

(Krüger, 1915) pg. 315

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 118

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg. 314

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 127

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg. 314

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 130

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg. 314

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 132

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg.313

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 134

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg.315

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 139

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)

(Krüger, 1915) pg. 315

(Hilger, 1905) pg. 141

(Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, 1914)