The Principality of Reuss-Gera (), officially called the Principality of the Reuss Junior Line () after 1848, was a

sovereign state A sovereign state is a State (polity), state that has the highest authority over a territory. It is commonly understood that Sovereignty#Sovereignty and independence, a sovereign state is independent. When referring to a specific polity, the ter ...

in modern Germany, ruled by members of the

House of Reuss Reuss ( ) was the name of several historical states located in present-day Thuringia, Germany. Several lordships of the Holy Roman Empire which arose after 1300 and became Imperial Counties from 1673 and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Imperial ...

. It was one of the successor states of the

Imperial County of Reuss Reuss ( ) was the name of several historical states located in present-day Thuringia, Germany. Several lordships of the Holy Roman Empire which arose after 1300 and became Imperial Counties from 1673 and Imperial Principalities in the late 18th ...

. The Counts Reuss, with their respective capitals and ''

Residenz ''Residenz'' () is a German word for "domicile", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, ''Residenzstadt'', denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, and thus carries a similar meaning to the contemp ...

en'' at

Gera Gera () is a city in the German state of Thuringia. With around 93,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Thuringia after Erfurt and Jena as well as the easternmost city of the ''Thüringer Städtekette'', an almost straight string of ...

Schleiz Schleiz () is a town in the Districts of Germany, district of Saale-Orla-Kreis in Thuringia, Germany. The former municipality Crispendorf was merged into Schleiz in January 2019, and Burgk in December 2019. Location Schleiz is in the Thuring ...

, Lobenstein, Köstritz and Ebersdorf, were all elevated to the title of prince (''

Fürst ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German language, German word for a ruler as well as a princely title. ' were, starting in the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ...

'') in 1806. Their successor branch heads shared that title, while their cadets were also each titled prince (''Prinz''). Thus all males of the family were properly "Prince Heinrich (

Roman numeral Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...

) Reuss, ''J.L.''", without use of a

nobiliary particle A nobiliary particle is a type of onomastic particle used in a surname or family name in many Western cultures to signal the nobility of a family. The particle used varies depending on the country, language and period of time. In some languages, it ...

, although for convenience their branch names remained in colloquial use (for example, "Prince Heinrich I Reuss of Köstritz").

Territory

The territories of four separate branches of the Junior Line amalgamated between 1824 and 1848, at which time the senior branch of Gera retained sovereignty over the surviving cadet branches, which retained succession rights to the princely throne. In 1905, the

principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...

of Reuss Junior Line had an area of and a population of 145,000, with

as its capital. In the aftermath of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the territory of the Junior Line merged with that of the Elder Line in 1919 as the People's State of Reuss, which became part of the new state of

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

on 1 May 1920.

The princely house

The House of Reuss practises a unique system of naming and numbering the male members of the family, every one of whom for centuries has borne the name "Heinrich", followed by a

. While most royal and noble houses assign a

regnal number Regnal numbers are ordinal numbers—often written as Roman numerals—used to distinguish among persons with the same regnal name who held the same office, notably kings, queens regnant, popes, and rarely princes and princesses. It is common t ...

only to the ruling head of the house, and that in the sequential order of their

reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., King of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-princes of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kin ...

s, the Reuss Junior Line ("Reuss, J.L.") used a numbering sequence for all male family members which began afresh with the first son born in each century. The male children within a single nuclear family need not bear sequential numbers, as all members of the larger family share the common numbering system. For example, the sons of Prince Heinrich LXVII Reuss of Schleiz, in order of their births, were named Heinrich V, Heinrich VIII, Heinrich XI, Heinrich XIV, and Heinrich XVI, with their male-line kinsmen holding the numerals in between according to the order of their births. In consequence of this naming system, certain heads of the Reuss Junior Line have had the highest numbers attached to their name of any European ruling families. The designation of "Junior Line" was dropped in 1930; the Elder Line ("Reuss, A.L.") had become extinct as its last male member, Heinrich XXIV, renounced his rights as sovereign in 1918 and died unmarried in 1927. In 1927

Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz (; 20 March 187813 October 1927) was the last reigning Prince Reuss of Greiz from 1902 to 1918. Then he became head of the House Reuss of Greiz, which became extinct at his death in 1927. Early life Heinrich ...

died and his titles passed to Heinrich XXVII, who became the 1st Prince Reuss and died the next year. His heir Heinrich XLV was arrested in August 1945 in Ebersdorf by the Soviet military and disappeared. On 5 January 1962 he was declared dead in absentia and Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz inherited his rights.

Counts of Plauen

One of the younger sub-lines of the branch which ruled the Reuss, J.L. until 1918, includes the "

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

s of

Plauen Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...

" from the late 19th century. When Prince Heinrich XXVI Reuss (1857–1913) married Countess Viktoria von Fürstenstein (1863–1949) in 1885, under the strict marriage rules then enforced by the Reuss dynasty, although he was but a younger son of a minor ruling family, their children were not allowed to bear the dynasty's princely title. They were, instead, designated "

s of

", although they remained in the line of succession to the two thrones of Reuss The Fürstensteins lacked ''

Uradel (, German: "ancient nobility"; adjective or ) is a genealogical term introduced in late 18th-century Germany to distinguish those families whose noble rank can be traced to the 14th century or earlier. The word stands opposed to '' Briefadel'' ...

'' status: Viktoria's paternal grandfather, Pierre-Alexandre Le Camus (1774–1824), son of a minor noble French notary living in

Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...

, rose to become

foreign minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

in Jerome Bonaparte's

Kingdom of Westphalia The Kingdom of Westphalia was a client state of First French Empire, France in present-day Germany that existed from 1807 to 1813. While formally independent, it was ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte. It was named after Westphalia, ...

, was ennobled there in 1807 and made a count of the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

in 1817). When the

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

collapsed at the end of

, the reigning Prince Reuss lost his crown along with all the other monarchs whose realms were within Germany. In 1927, Henrich XXVI's son, known as Count Heinrich Harry of Plauen (1890–1951), was adopted by his childless uncle, Prince Heinrich XXX (1864–1939), and the now-deposed dynasty agreed to accept him as "Prince Heinrich Harry Reuß", along with those of his male-line descendants born of unions complying with the family's 1902 rules that permitted marriages to countesses (Heinrich Harry's wife, Huberta von Tiele-Winckler was only a baroness in her own right, but belonged to a family of

comital Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

rank in

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

). Their son Heinrich Enzio was thus accepted by the House of Reuss as a prince, but his own marriage to Baron Gustaf Peyron's daughter in 1949 occurred before the Reuss family conference of 1957 which lowered the marital standard again, allowing dynastic inter-marriage with baronial families. In 1992, Prince Heinrich Ruzzo of Reuss, Count of Plauen, a prince of the former sovereign House of Reuss, married

Anni-Frid Lyngstad Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad (born 15 November 1945), also known simply as Frida, is a Swedish singer who is best known as one of the founding members and lead singers of the pop band ABBA. Courtesy titles ''Principality of Reuss-Gera, Princess Re ...

, a former lead singer of the popular 1970s Swedish musical group

ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...

. Since her marriage to the prince, she has held the titles of Princess Reuss and Countess of Plauen with the style of Her Serene Highness. Heinrich Ruzzo died of lymphoma on October 29, 1999, leaving her the titles of Dowager Princess and Countess. She currently resides in Genolier in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. She has shared a home since 2020 with her British partner, Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden. Since 1999 the House of Reuss has recognized Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss of Plauen (German: Heinrich Ruzzo, Prinz Reuß von Plauen) by his formal title, though without official membership in the dynasty or entitlement to the traditional style of ''

Serene Highness His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH, second person address: Your Serene Highness) is a style (manner of address), style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Thailand. Until 1918, it was also associated with the p ...

''. Under German law the title has been allowed only as part of the surname since 1919, thus the name "Heinrich Ruzzo Prinz Reuss."

Princes of Reuss-Gera and Counts of Plauen

* ''Heinrich I, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1666–1692 (1639–1692)'' ** ''Heinrich XI, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1692–1726 (1669–1726)'' *** ''Heinrich I, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1726–1744 (1695–1744)'' *** ''Heinrich XII, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1744–1784 (1716–1784)'' **** Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince of Reuss-Schleiz 1784–1818 (1752–1818), raised to princely status in 1806 ***** Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince 1818–1854 (1785–1854) ***** Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince 1854–1867 (1789–1867) ****** Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince 1867–1913 (1832–1913) ******* Heinrich XXVII, 1st Prince Reuss 1913–1928 (1858–1928), monarchy abolished in 1918, inherited Reuss-Greiz in 1927 ******** Heinrich XLV, 2nd Prince Reuss 1928–''1962'' (1895–''1962''), went missing in 1945, declared dead in absentia in 1962 ** ''Heinrich XXIV, Count of Reuss-Köstritz 1692–1748 (1681–1748)'' *** ''Heinrich VI, Count of Reuss-Köstritz 1748–1783 (1707–1783)'' **** ''Heinrich XLIII, 1st Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1783–1814 (1751–1814)'' ***** Heinrich LXI, Hereditary Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1784–

1813 Events January–March * January 5 – The Danish state bankruptcy of 1813 occurs. * January 18– 23 – War of 1812: The Battle of Frenchtown is fought in modern-day Monroe, Michigan between the United States and a Britis ...

) ***** ''Heinrich LXIV, 2nd Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1814–1856 (1787–1856)'' **** Heinrich XLVIII, Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1759–1825) ***** ''Heinrich LXIX, 3rd Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1856–1878 (1792–1878)'' *** Heinrich IX, Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1711–1780) **** Heinrich XLIV, Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1753–1832) ***** Heinrich LXIII, Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1786–1841) ****** ''Heinrich IV, 4th Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1878–1894 (1821–1894)'' ******* '' Henry XXIV, 5th Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1894–1910 (1855–1910)'' ******** ''Heinrich XXXIX, 6th Prince of Reuss-Köstritz 1910–1946 (1891–1946)'' *********

Heinrich IV Henry IV may refer to: People * Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1050–1106), King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor * Henry IV, Duke of Limburg (1195–1247) * Henry IV, Duke of Brabant (1251/1252–1272) * Henryk IV Probus (c. 1258–1290), ...

, 3rd Prince Reuss 1946–2012 (1919–2012), took title in 1962 ********** Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss 2012–present (born 1955) *********** (1) Heinrich XXIX, Hereditary Prince Reuss (born 1997) *********** (2) Prince Heinrich V (born 2012) ********* Prince Heinrich VII (1927–2002) **********(3) Prince Heinrich XIX of Köstritz (born 1974) **********(4) Prince Heinrich XXII of Köstritz (born 1976) ****** Heinrich VII, Lord of Trebschen (1825–1906) ******* Heinrich XXXII, Lord of Trebschen (1878–1935), died childless ******* Heinrich XXXIII, Lord of Trebschen (1879–1942) ******** Heinrich II, Lord of Trebschen (1916–1993) ******* Heinrich XXXV, Lord of Trebschen (1887–1936) ******** Heinrich V, Lord of Trebschen (1921–1980) ********* (5) Prince Heinrich XXVIII Ico of Trebschen (born 1964) ****** Heinrich XII, Lord of Stonsdorf (1829–1866) ******* Heinrich XXVIII, Lord of Stonsdorf (1859–1924) ******** Heinrich XXXIV, Lord of Stonsdorf (1887–1956), line extant (6–20) ********* Heinrich I, Lord of Stonsdorf (1910–1982), line extant (6–18) ********** (6) Heinrich VIII, Lord of Stonsdorf (born 1944), line extant (7–8) ********** (13) Heinrich XIII, line extant (14) ****** Heinrich XIII, Lord of Baschkow (1830–1897), childless ****** Heinrich XV, Lord of Klipphausen (1834–1869), died without sons ***** Heinrich LXXIV, Lord of Jänkendorf and Neuhoff (1798–1886) ****** Heinrich IX, Lord of Jänkendorf and Neuhoff (1827–1898) ******* Heinrich XXVI, Count of

(1857–1913), line extant (21–32) ****** Heinrich XXV, Lord of Groß-Krauscha (1856–1911), line extinct *** Heinrich XXIII, Prince of Reuss-Köstritz (1722–1787), line extant (33–36)

Other notable figures

Reuss zu Köstritz – ''jüngerer Linie''

Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz Princess Augusta Reuss, Junior Line (Auguste Mathilde Wilhelmine Reuß; 26 May 1822 – 3 March 1862) was Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as the first spouse of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Early life Princess ...

(1822–1862), Grand Duchess of

Mecklenburg-Schwerin The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin () was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1701, when Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick William and Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Adolphus Frederick II divided ...

* Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz (1860–1917), Tsaritsa Consort of

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Princess Magdalena Reuss of Köstritz Magdalena Pauline (20 August 1920 – 10 October 2009) was the wife of Prince Hubertus of Prussia, and was henceforth Princess Hubertus of Prussia. By birth, she was a member of the Reuss Younger Line, House of Reuss. Early life Born on 20 Aug 1 ...

(1920–2009), wife of

Prince Hubertus of Prussia Prince Hubertus Karl Wilhelm of Prussia (30 September 1909 – 8 April 1950) was the third son of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and member of the princely House of Hohenzollern. Biography He joi ...

Reuss zu Greiz – ''ältere Linie''

Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (;Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor). Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Peerage, London, 1973, pp. 248-249,302. "Almanach de Gotha", ''Russie'', (Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1944), pp. 90, 97, (French). 17 D ...

(1887–1947), widow of Prince Johann of Schönaich-Carolath and second wife of

Wilhelm II, German Emperor Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reuss-Gera, Principality of States and territories disestablished in 1918

States and territories established in 1806 Gera States of the Confederation of the Rhine States of the German Empire States of the German Confederation Upper Saxon Circle 1806 establishments in Europe 1918 disestablishments in Germany 19th century in Germany by state States of the North German Confederation