House of Hohenzollern

The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenburg, Prussia, the German Empire, and Romania. The family came from the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the late 11th century and took their name from Hohenzollern Castle. The first ancestors of the Hohenzollerns were mentioned in 1061.

The Hohenzollern family split into two branches, the Catholic Swabian branch and the Protestant Franconian branch, which ruled the Burgraviate of Nuremberg and later became the Brandenburg–Prussian branch. The Swabian branch ruled the principalities of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen until 1849, and also ruled Romania from 1866 to 1947. Members of the Franconian branch became Margrave of Brandenburg in 1415 and Duke of Prussia in 1525.

The Margraviate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia were ruled in personal union after 1618 and were called Brandenburg-Prussia. From there, the Kingdom of Prussia was created in 1701, eventually leading to the unification of Germany and the creation of the German Empire in 1871, with the Hohenzollerns as hereditary German Emperors and Kings of Prussia.

Germany's defeat in World War I in 1918 led to the German Revolution. The Hohenzollerns were overthrown and the Weimar Republic was established, thus bringing an end to the German and Prussian monarchy. Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, is the current head of the formerly royal Prussian line; while Karl Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern, is the head of the formerly princely Swabian line.

In 1095, Count Adalbert of Zollern founded the Benedictine monastery of Alpirsbach, situated in the Black Forest.

The Zollerns received the Graf title from Emperor Henry V in 1111.

As loyal vassals of the Swabian Hohenstaufen dynasty, they were able to significantly enlarge their territory. Count Frederick III () accompanied Emperor Frederick Barbarossa against Henry the Lion in 1180, and through his marriage was granted the Burgraviate of Nuremberg by Emperor Henry VI in 1192. In about 1185, he married Sophia of Raabs, the daughter of Conrad II, Burgrave of Nuremberg.

This situation persisted until Frederick William III of Prussia. Frederick William was determined to unify the Protestant churches to homogenize their liturgy, organization, and architecture. The long-term goal was to have fully centralized royal control of all the Protestant churches in the Prussian Union of Churches. The merging of the Lutheran and Calvinist (Reformed) confessions to form the United Church of Prussia was highly controversial. Angry responses included a large and well-organized opposition. The crown's aggressive efforts to restructure religion were unprecedented in Prussian history. In a series of proclamations over several years, the Church of the Prussian Union was formed, bringing together the majority group of Lutherans and the minority group of Reformed Protestants. The main effect was that the government of Prussia had full control over church affairs, with the king himself recognized as the leading bishop.

Succession tree of the Franconian House of Hohenzollern

thumb|center|700px|Table of the Royal Brandenburg-Prussian House of Hohenzollern

Franconian/Brandenburg-Prussian branch since 1918 abdication

thumb|upright|Georg Friedrich, the head of the Prussian Hohenzollerns, and his wife

alt=George Friedrich Prinz von Preussen standing in Hohenzollern Castle.|thumb|George Friedrich photographed by [[Oliver Mark in Hohenzollern Castle, Bisingen 2018]]

In June 1926, a referendum on expropriating the formerly ruling princes of Germany without compensation failed and as a consequence, the financial situation of the Hohenzollern family improved considerably. A settlement between the state and the family made Cecilienhof property of the state but granted a right of residence to Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie. The family also kept the ownership of Monbijou Palace in Berlin, Oleśnica Castle in Silesia, Rheinsberg Palace, Schwedt Palace and other property until 1945.

Since the abolition of the German monarchy, no Hohenzollern claims to imperial or royal prerogatives are recognized by Germany's Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949, which guarantees a republic.

The communist government of the Soviet occupation zone expropriated all landowners and industrialists; the House of Hohenzollern lost almost all of its fortune, retaining a few company shares and Hohenzollern Castle in West Germany. The Polish government appropriated the Silesian property and the Dutch government seized Huis Doorn, the Emperor's seat in exile.

After German reunification, however, the family was legally able to reclaim their portable property, namely art collections and parts of the interior of their former palaces. Negotiations on the return of or compensation for these assets are not yet completed.

The Berlin Palace, home of the German monarchs, was rebuilt in 2020. The Berlin Palace and the Humboldt Forum are located in the middle of Berlin.

Order of succession

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Name

! scope="col" |Titular reign

! scope="col" | Relation to predecessor

! scope="row" | Wilhelm II

| 1918–1941

| Succeeded himself as pretender to the throne.

! scope="row" | Crown Prince Wilhelm

| 1941–1951

| Son of

! scope="row" | Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia

| 1951–1994

| Son of

! scope="row" | Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia

| since 1994

| Grandson of

! scope="row" | Carl Friedrich, Prince of Prussia

| (heir apparent)

| Son of

File:Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902.jpg|Wilhelm II, the last incumbent of the throne

File:Kronprinz Wilhelm 1. Leib-Husarenregiment.jpg|Crown Prinz Wilhelm

File:Louis ferdinand c1930.jpg|Louis Ferdinand

File:Georg Friedrich Prinz von Preußen1, Pour le Merite 2014.JPG|Georg Friedrich

</gallery>

The head of the house is the titular King of Prussia and German Emperor. He also bears a historical claim to the title of Prince of Orange. Members of this line style themselves princes of Prussia.

Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, the current head of the royal Prussian House of Hohenzollern, was married to Princess Sophie of Isenburg on 27 August 2011. On 20 January 2013, she gave birth to twin sons, Carl Friedrich Franz Alexander and Louis Ferdinand Christian Albrecht, in Bremen. Carl Friedrich, the elder of the two, is the heir apparent.

Living legitimate members of the Prussian branch

Bold signifies heads of the house and numbers shown indicate the pretense to the kingship of Prussia and the German Empire:

15px William I (1797–1888)
15px Frederick III (1831–1888)
15px Wilhelm II (1859–1941)
15px Wilhelm, German Crown Prince (1882–1951)
Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1906–1940)
15px Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia (1907–1994)
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (1939–2015), married non-dynastically and had issue
Prince Michael of Prussia (1940–2014), twice married non-dynastically and had issue
Princess Marie Cécile of Prussia (born 1942), married Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (1936–2017) and has issue
Princess Kira of Prussia (1943–2004), married Thomas Liepsner and had issue
Louis Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Prussia (1944–1977), married Countess Donata of Castell-Rüdenhausen and had issue
15px Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (born 1976)
(1) Carl Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Prussia (born 2013)
(2) Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (born 2013)
Princess Emma Marie of Prussia (born 2015)
(3) Prince Heinrich Albert of Prussia (born 2016)
Princess Cornelie-Cécile of Prussia (born 1978)
(4) Prince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia (born 1946)
Princess Isabelle Alexandra of Prussia (born 1969)
(5) Prince Christian Ludwig of Prussia (born 1986)
Princess Irina of Prussia (born 1988)
Princess Xenia of Prussia (1949–1992), married Per-Edvard Lithander and had issue
Prince Hubertus of Prussia (1909–1950)
Prince Frederick of Prussia (1911–1966)
Prince Frederick Nicholas of Prussia (born 1946), married non-dynastically and has issue
Prince Andreas of Prussia (born 1947), married non-dynastically and has issue
Princess Victoria Marina of Prussia (born 1952), married Philippe Alphonse Achache (born 1945) and has issue
Prince Rupert of Prussia (born 1955), married non-dynastically and has issue
Princess Antonia of Prussia (born 1955), married Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington (born 1945), and has issue
Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1915–1980), unmarried without issue
Princess Cecilie of Prussia (1917–1975), married Clyde Kenneth Harris (1918–1958) and had issue
Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia (1883–1942), married Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Oldenburg (1879–1964) without issue
Prince Adalbert of Prussia (1884–1948)
Princess Victoria Marina of Prussia (1915)
Princess Victoria Marina of Prussia (1917–1981), married Kirby Patterson (1907–1984) and had issue
Prince Wilhelm Victor of Prussia (1919–1989)
Princess Marie Louise of Prussia (born 1945), married Count Rudolf of Schönburg-Glauchau and has issue
(6) Prince Adalbert of Prussia (born 1948)
(7) Prince Alexander of Prussia (born 1984)
(8) Prince Christian of Prussia (born 1986)
(9) Prince Philipp of Prussia (born 1986)
Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia (1887–1949)
Prince Alexander Ferdinand of Prussia (1912–1985)
Prince Stephan Alexander (1939–1993)
Prince Oskar of Prussia (1888–1958)
Prince Oskar of Prussia (1915–1939)
Prince Burchard of Prussia (1917–1988), married Countess Eleonore Fugger von Babenhausen without issue
Princess Herzeleide of Prussia (1918–1989), married Karl, Prince Biron von Courland (1907–1982), without issue
Prince Wilhelm Karl of Prussia (1922–2007)
Princess Donata of Prussia (1952–2026)
(10) Prince Wilhelm-Karl of Prussia (born 1955)
(11) Prince Oscar of Prussia (born 1959)
(12) Prince Oskar of Prussia (born 1993)
Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia (born 1995)
(13) Prince Albert of Prussia (born 1998)
Prince Joachim of Prussia (1890–1920)
Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (1916–1975)
(14) Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (born 1944), married Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia (born 1953) and had issue and Nadia Nour El Etreby (born 1949) without issue
(15) Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (born 1981) married Rebecca Virginia Bettarini (born 1982) cr. The Princess Romanova
(16) Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanov (born 2022)
Princess Kira Leonida Georgievna Romanova (born 2025)
Prince Friedrich Christian of Prussia (1943)
(17) Prince Franz-Friedrich of Prussia (born 1944), married Gudrun Winkler (born 1949) without issue and Susann Genske (born 1964) without issue
Princess Alexandra Maria of Prussia (born 1960), married Alberto Reboa and has issue
Princess Désirée Anastasia of Prussia (born 1961), married Juan Carlos Gamarra y Skeels (born 1954) and has issue
Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia (1892–1980), married Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick (1887–1953), and had issue
Princess Charlotte of Prussia (1860–1919), married Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1860–1919), and had issue
Prince Henry of Prussia (1862–1929)
Prince Waldemar of Prussia (1889–1945), married Princess Calixta of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1895–1982) without issue
Prince Sigismund of Prussia (1896–1978)
Princess Barbara of Prussia (1920–1994), married Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg (1912–1996) and had issue
Prince Alfred of Prussia (1924–2013), married Maritza Farkas (1929–1996) without issue
Prince Henry of Prussia (1900–1904)
Prince Sigismund of Prussia (1864–1866)
Princess Viktoria of Prussia (1866–1929), married Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe (1859–1916) without issue and Alexander Zoubkoff without issue
Prince Waldemar of Prussia (1868–1879)
Princess Sophia of Prussia (1870–1932), married Constantine I of Greece (1868–1923) and had issue
Princess Margaret of Prussia (1872–1954), married Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse (1868–1940) and had issue
Princess Louise of Prussia (1838–1923), married Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden (1851–1928), and had issue

Swabian branch

thumb|right|Combined coat of arms of the House of [[Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1849)]]

The cadet Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern was founded by Frederick IV, Count of Zollern. The family ruled three territories with seats at, respectively, Hechingen, Sigmaringen and Haigerloch. The counts were elevated to princes in 1623. The Swabian branch of the Hohenzollerns is Catholic.

Affected by economic problems and internal feuds, the Hohenzollern counts from the 14th century onwards came under pressure by their neighbors, the Counts of Württemberg and the cities of the Swabian League, whose troops besieged and finally destroyed Hohenzollern Castle in 1423. Nevertheless, the Hohenzollerns retained their estates, backed by their Brandenburg cousins and the Imperial House of Habsburg. In 1535, Count Charles I of Hohenzollern (1512–1576) received the counties of Sigmaringen and Veringen as Imperial fiefs. Each one's numeral is counted from the first Friedrich to rule his branch's appanage.

After that the branch of the Hohenzollerns was dynastically represented only by the last king Michael, and his daughters. Having no sons, he declared that his dynastic heir, instead of being a male member of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen princely family to which he formerly belonged patrilineally and in accordance with the last Romanian monarchical constitution, should be his eldest daughter Margareta.

The royal house remains popular in Romania and in 2014 Prime Minister Victor Ponta promised a referendum on whether or not to reinstate the monarchy if he were re-elected.

Rulers of the House of Hohenzollern

{|align="center" style="border-spacing: 0px; border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"

| colspan=1 rowspan=21 style="background: #eee;" |Divided in Wallachia and Moldavia (1310/46-1859), then United Principalities (1859-1866); under Ottoman vassalage (1417/98-1866)

| colspan=6 style="background: #def;" |

| colspan=3 rowspan=7 style="background: #eee;" |Part of the Ascanian and Wittelsbach Margraviate of Brandenburg (1157-1356) and late Electorate of Brandenburg (1356-1440)

| colspan=1 rowspan=10 style="background: #eee;" |Part of the State of the Teutonic Order (1226-1525)

| colspan=3 rowspan=2 style="background: #fde;" |50px County of Hohenberg (1124-1253)

| colspan=3 style="background: #def;" |

| colspan=2 rowspan=4 style="background: #def;" |County of Zollern (1040-1218)

| colspan=1 rowspan=5 style="background: #fff;" |50px Burgraviate of Nuremberg (1200-1440)

| colspan=2 style="background: #fbd;" |50px County of Nagold (1253-1363)

| colspan=1 rowspan=3 style="background: #fde;" |50px County of Haigerloch (1st creation) (1253-1389)

| colspan=1 rowspan=3 style="background: #ace;" |50px County of Wildberg (1318-1397)

| colspan=1 style="background: #fbd;" |

| colspan=1 rowspan=40 style="background: #eee;" |Sold to Württemberg

| colspan=1 rowspan=2 style="background: #eee;" |Haigerloch sold to the House of Habsburg; Recovered in 1497 from Switzerland

| colspan=2 style="background: #def;" |Raised to: 70px County of Hohenzollern (1218-1512)

| colspan=1 rowspan=40 style="background: #eee;" |Sold to Baden

| colspan=2 style="background: #def;" |

| colspan=3 style="background: #fff;" |

| colspan=3 style="background: #def;" |

| colspan=2 style="background: #fed;" |

| colspan=2 rowspan=6 style="background: #fff;" |Raised to: 50px Electorate of Brandenburg (1440-1701)

| colspan=1 rowspan=2 style="background: #fde;" |50px County of Haigerloch (2nd creation) (1512-1558)

| colspan=2 rowspan=2 style="background: #aed;" |50px County of Hechingen (1st creation) (1512-1558)

| colspan=1 rowspan=2 style="background: #fca;" |Principality of Kulmbach (1515-1557)

| colspan=1 rowspan=2 style="background: #fed;" |50px Principality of Ansbach

|align=center|1125 – 1155||County of Zollern||Unknown two children

|align=center|c.1155 aged 54–55

|rowspan=2 style="background:#def;"|Children of Frederick I, divided their inheritance.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|||

|align=center|c.1096 Second son of Frederick I and Udehild of Urach

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick Fritzli (I)||

|align=center|c.1300 Son of Frederick VII and Euphemia of Hohenberg-Haigerloch

|align=center|6 October 1309 – 1315||County of Hohenzollern||Unmarried

|align=center|c.1315 aged 14–15?

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick VIII the Easter Sunday||

|align=center|c.1285 Second son of Frederick VI and

|align=center|1315 – 1 February 1333||County of Hohenzollern||Unknown four children

|align=center|1 February 1333 aged 39–40||

|- style="background:#ace;"

|||

|align=center|c.1280 Second son of and Luitgard of Tübingen

|align=center|24 July 1318 – 2 September 1355||County of Wildberg||Agnes c.1300? seven children

|align=center|2 September 1355 aged 74–75?

|rowspan=2 style="background:#fbd;"|Heirs of Burchard VI (son and grandson), divided the inheritance.

|- style="background:#fbd;"

|||

|align=center|c.1290 Son of and Maria of Magenheim

|align=center|24 July 1318 – 1342||County of Nagold||Agnes of Vaihingen 1316 five children

|align=center|1342 aged 51–52

|- style="background:#fff;"

||John II the Acquirer|| 100px

|align=center|1309 First son of Frederick IV and Margaret of Gorizia-Tyrol

|align=center|19 May 1332 – 7 October 1357

|rowspan=2|Burgraviate of Nuremberg (at Nuremberg proper)|| 1333 five children

|align=center|7 October 1357 aged 44–45

|rowspan=3| Children of Frederick IV, John and Conrad ruled jointly, until the death of the latter, one year later. By an agreement in 1341, John divided the Burgraviate with his brother Albert. John's cognomen derives from the purchase, in 1340, of the castle Plassenburg in Kulmbach, with its respective county by the contract of inheritance with the counts of Orlamünde.

|- style="background:#fff;"

||||

|align=center|1309 Second son of Frederick IV and Margaret of Gorizia-Tyrol

|align=center|19 May 1332 – 3 April 1334|| 1332 no children

|align=center|31 July 1357 aged 44–45

|- style="background:#fff;"

||||

|align=center|1319 Third son of Frederick IV and Margaret of Gorizia-Tyrol

|align=center|10 October 1341 – 4 April 1361||Burgraviate of Nuremberg (at Hildburghausen, Heldburg, Eisfeld, Ermershausen and Ummerstadt)|| c.1330? two children

|align=center|4 April 1361 aged 44–45

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick Fritzli (II)||

|align=center|c.1300 First son of Frederick VIII

|align=center|1 February 1333 – 16 March 1339||County of Hohenzollern||Unmarried

|align=center|16 March 1339 aged 38–39||Usually not counted or listed. Nonetheless, he is documented as Lord of Zollern.

|- style="background:#fde;"

||| 100px

|align=center|c.1320 Son of and Margaret of Nassau-Hadamar

|align=center|11 January 1336 – November 1389||County of Haigerloch (only at Rottenburg am Neckar since 1381)||Ida of Toggenburg (d.26 January 1399) May 1360 one child

|align=center|November 1389 aged 50–51||In 1381, he sold Haigerloch to the Habsburgs. He remained in his seat at Rottenburg am Neckar.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Haigerloch (with exceptions) was sold to Austria

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick IX the Black||

|align=center|c.1300 Second son of Frederick VIII

|align=center|16 March 1339 – 1 March 1379||County of Hohenzollern (half 1)||Adelaide of Hohenberg-Wildenberg April 1341 five children

|align=center|1 March 1379 aged 78–79?

|rowspan=2|Younger children of Frederick VIII, divided their inheritance, because Frederick (X), formerly a canon of Strasbourg, returned to secular life.

|- style="background:#def;"

||||

|align=center|c.1300 Third son of Frederick VIII

|align=center|16 Mach 1339 – March 1365||County of Hohenzollern (half 2)||Margaret of Hohenberg-Wildenberg 1343 five children

|align=center|March 1365 aged 64–65?

|- style="background:#fbd;"

|||

|align=center|c.1320 Son of and Agnes of Vaihingen

|align=center|1342 – 23 June 1363||County of Nagold||Kunigunde of Wertheim (d.1358) 27 February 1349 four children Irmgard of Werdenberg (d.24 October 1379) 13 July 1371 no children

|align=center|6 July 1385 aged 64–655||In 1363 sold Nagold to the Counts of Württemberg. His descendants continued to claim, however, its possession.

|- style="background:#fbd;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Nagold sold to Württemberg

|- style="background:#ace;"

|||

|align=center|c.1310 First son of and Agnes

|align=center|2 September 1355 – 14 August 1363||County of Wildberg (in Wildberg half 1)||Anna of Brauneck c.1330? two children

|align=center|10 August 1381 aged 70–71?

|rowspan=2|Divided their inheritance. In 1363, Burchard sold his half of Wildberg plus the town of Bulach to the Electoral Palatinate.

|- style="background:#ace;"

|||

|align=center|c.1310 Second son of and Agnes

|align=center|2 September 1355 – 6 September 1356||County of Wildberg (in Altensteig and Wildberg half 2)||Margareta van Hewen (d.December 1398) c.1330? two children

|align=center|6 September 1356 aged 45–46?

|- style="background:#ace;"

|Rudolph IV||

|align=center|c.1330 Son of and Margareta van Hewen

|align=center|6 September 1356 – 28 December 1397||County of Wildberg (only in Altensteig since 1363)||Unknown one child

|align=center|28 December 1397 aged 66–67||Sold his half of Wildenberg to the Palatinate at the same time of his uncle Burchard. Didn't leave surviving descendants. Altensteig became part of the Margraviate of Baden.

|- style="background:#ace;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Wildberg sold to the Palatinate; Altensteig annexed to Baden

|- style="background:#fff;"

||Frederick V|| 100px

|align=center|1333 Son of John II and

|align=center|31 July 1357 – 21 January 1398||Burgraviate of Nuremberg (at Nuremberg proper)||Margaret of Gorizia-Tyrol 2 August 1307 ten children

|align=center|21 January 1398 aged 44–45||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of (1361-1372)

|rowspan=2| Through her marriage, her inheritance went to the House of Wettin.

|- style="background:#fff;"

||||

|align=center|1359 Daughter of and

|align=center|4 April 1361 – 1391||Burgraviate of Nuremberg (at Hildburghausen, Heldburg, Eisfeld, Ermershausen and Ummerstadt)||Balthasar, Landgrave of Thuringia 22 July 1374 two children

|align=center|1391 aged 31–32

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick XI the Elder|| 100px

|align=center|c.1345 Son of and Margaret of Hohenberg-Wildenberg

|align=center|March 1365 – 26 November 1401||County of Hohenzollern (half 2)|| January 1377 six children

|align=center|26 November 1401 aged 55–56?||

|- style="background:#def;"

||Frederick X the Black||100px

|align=center|8 May 1460 Ansbach First son of Albert I Achilles and Anna of Saxony

|align=center|11 March 1486 – 1515|| Principality of Ansbach (with Kulmbach since 1495) ||Sophia of Poland 14 February 1479 Frankfurt (Oder) seventeen children

|align=center|4 April 1536 Ansbach aged 75

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Sigismund||

|align=center|27 September 1468 Ansbach Second son of Albert I Achilles and Anna of Saxony

|align=center|11 March 1486 – 26 February 1495|| Principality of Kulmbach||Unmarried

|align=center|26 February 1495 Ansbach aged 26

|- style="background:#def;"

|Eitel Frederick II|| 100px

|align="center"|1452 Son of Jobst Nicholas I and Agnes of Werdenberg-Trochtelfingen

|align="center"|9 February 1488 – 18 June 1512|| County of Hohenzollern||Magdalena of Brandenburg 1482 Berlin six children

|align="center"|18 June 1512 Trier aged 59–60||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Joachim I Nestor||100px

|align=center|21 February 1484 Cölln Son of John Cicero and Margaret of Thuringia

|align=center|9 January 1499 – 11 July 1535|| Electorate of Brandenburg||Elizabeth of Denmark 10 April 1502 Berlin five children

|align=center|11 July 1535 Stendal aged 51||

|- style="background:#fde;"

||| 100px

|align="center"|1483 First son of Eitel Frederick II and Magdalena of Brandenburg

|align="center"|18 June 1512 – 16 June 1517|| County of Haigerloch|| 1503 six children

|align="center"|16 June 1517 Hechingen aged 33–34

|rowspan=2 style="background:#def;"|Children of Eitel Frederick II, divided their inheritance.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Eitel Frederick III|| 100px

|align="center"|1494 Second son of Eitel Frederick II and Magdalena of Brandenburg

|align="center"|18 June 1512 – 15 June 1525|| County of Hechingen||Johanna van Witthem (d.1544) 1515 six children

|align="center"|15 June 1525 Pavia aged 30–31

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Casimir||100px

|align=center|27 December 1481 Ansbach First son of Frederick I and Sophia of Poland

|align=center|1515 – 21 September 1527|| Principality of Kulmbach||Susanna of Bavaria 25 August 1518 Augsburg five children

|align=center|21 September 1527 Buda aged 45

|rowspan=2 style="background:#fed;"|Children of Frederick I, deprived their father of his possessions and divided the inheritance.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|George I the Pious||100px

|align=center|4 March 1484 Ansbach Second son of Frederick I and Sophia of Poland

|align=center|1515 – 27 December 1543|| Principality of Ansbach||Beatrice de Frangepan 21 January 1509 Gyula no children Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels 9 January 1525 Oleśnica two children Emilie of Saxony 25 August 1533 four children

|align=center|27 December 1543 Ansbach aged 59

|- style="background:#fde;"

||| 100px

|align="center"|5 March 1487 Daughter of Christopher I, Margrave of Baden and Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen

|align="center"|16 June 1517 – 17 December 1526|| County of Haigerloch (at Haigerloch Castle)|| 1503 six children Johann von Ow, Baron of Wachendorf (d.29 October 1571) 17 December 1526 no children

|align="center"|29 October 1554 aged 67

|rowspan=3|Heirs of Francis Wolfgang. Christopher inherited the county still as a minor, and his mother, who also held the main castle of Haigerloch as widow's seat, also served as his regent. Left no male descendants: Haigerloch was inherited by his uncle Joachim.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of (1517-1524)

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Christopher Frederick||

|align="center"|1510 Son of and

|align="center"|16 June 1517 – 1536|| County of Haigerloch||Anna Rehlinger von Haltenberg 1530 one child

|align="center"|1536 Marseille aged 25–26

|- style="background:#ffc;"

|Albert||100px

|align=center|17 May 1490 Ansbach Third son of Frederick I and Sophia of Poland

|align=center|10 April 1525 – 20 March 1568|| Duchy of Prussia (previously State of the Teutonic Order)||Dorothea of Denmark 1 July 1526 Königsberg six children Anna Maria of Brunswick-Calenberg 16 February 1550 Königsberg two children

|align=center|20 March 1568 Gvardeysk aged 77|| Son of Frederick I of Ansbach, and previously Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, in 1525 he converted to Protestantism, and reformed his territory to be laic, becoming the first Duke of Prussia.

|- style="background:#fca;"

|align="center" colspan="7"| Regency of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1527–1541)

|rowspan="2"|Left no descendants, and Kulmbach returned to Ansbach.

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Albert II Alcibiades the Warlike||100px

|align="center"|28 March 1522 Ansbach Son of Casimir and Susanna of Bavaria

|align="center"|21 September 1527 – 8 January 1557|| Principality of Kulmbach||Unmarried

|align="center"|8 January 1557 Pforzheim aged 34

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Joachim II Hector||100px

|align="center"|13 January 1505 Cölln First son of Joachim I Nestor and Elizabeth of Denmark

|align="center"|11 July 1535 – 3 January 1571|| Electorate of Brandenburg||Magdalena of Saxony 6 November 1524 Dresden six children Hedwig of Poland 29 August/1 September 1535 Kraków six children

|align="center"|3 January 1571 Köpenick Palace aged 65

|rowspan=2| Children of Joachim I, divided their inheritance. John was the first and only Margrave at Küstrin, and after his death it was annexed again to the Electorate. Joachim II was the first Protestant Elector of Brandenburg.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|John the Wise||100px

|align="center"|3 August 1513 Second son of Joachim I Nestor and Elizabeth of Denmark

|align="center"|11 July 1535 – 13 January 1571|| March of Küstrin||Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 11 November 1537 Wolfenbüttel two children

|align="center"|13 January 1571 Küstrin aged 57

|- style="background:#fde;"

|||

|align="center"|1485 Third son of Eitel Frederick II and Magdalena of Brandenburg

|align="center"|1536 – 2 February 1538|| County of Haigerloch||Anastasia von Stoffeln (1490 - 16 November 1530) 1513 one child

|align="center"|2 February 1538 Hechingen aged 52–53||

|- style="background:#fde;"

||| 100px

|align="center"|1514 Son of and Anastasia von Stoffeln

|align="center"|2 February 1538 – 10 June 1558|| County of Haigerloch||Anna of Zimmern-Wildenstein (29 June 1513 - 28 May 1570) 1531 Meßkirch no children

|align="center"|10 June 1558 Hechingen aged 43–44|| Left no children. After his death Haigerloch returned to Hechingen.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|align="center"colspan="7"| Regencies of Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg and Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (1543–1548), John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony (1543–1547) and Maurice, Elector of Saxony (1547–1548)

|rowspan="2"| In 1557, reunited Kulmbach to Ansbach once more. Left no descendants, and the Marches passed to the sons of Elector John George.

|- style="background:#fed;"

||George Frederick I the Elder||100px

|align=center|5 April 1539 Ansbach Son of George I and Emilie of Saxony

|align=center|27 December 1543 – 25 April 1603|| Principality of Ansbach (with Kulmbach since 1557)||Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin 26 December 1558 Küstrin no children Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg 3 May 1579 Dresden no children

|align=center|25 April 1603 Ansbach aged 64

|- style="background:#def;"

|rowspan=2|Charles I

|rowspan=2| 100px

|align="center"rowspan=2|1516 Brussels Son of Eitel Frederick III and Johanna van Witthem

|align="center" style="background:#aed;"|15 June 1525 – 10 June 1558

|style="background:#aed;"| County of Hechingen

|rowspan=2| 11 February 1537 Pforzheim eleven children

|align="center" rowspan=2|18 March 1576 Sigmaringen Castle aged 59–60

|rowspan=2| In 1558, reunited once again the county of Zollern.

|- style="background:#def;"

|align="center"|10 June 1558 – 18 March 1576|| County of Hohenzollern

|- style="background:#ffc;"

|align="center" colspan="7"| Council of Regency (1568-1571)

|rowspan="3"|In 1572 he began to exhibit signs of mental disorder. He had twice tried to commit suicide and was prone to violent outbursts and held a great fear of " Turks and Muscovites " overrunning Germany. In 1578 he began being overruled by regents.

|- style="background:#ffc;"

|Albert Frederick||100px

|align=center|7 May 1553 Königsberg Son of Albert and Anna Maria of Brunswick-Calenberg

|align=center|20 March 1568 – 27 August 1618|| Duchy of Prussia||Marie Eleonore of Cleves 14 October 1573 Königsberg seven children

|align=center|27 August 1618 Primorsk aged 65

|- style="background:#ffc;"

|align="center" colspan="7"| Regency of George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1578-1603) Regency of Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg (1603-1608) Regency of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg (1608-1618)

|- style="background:#fff;"

|John George||100px

|align="center"|11 September 1525 Cölln Son of Joachim II Hector and Magdalena of Saxony

|align="center"|3 January 1571 – 8 January 1598|| Electorate of Brandenburg||Sophie of Legnica 15 February 1545 one child Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach 12 February 1548 Ansbach eleven children Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst 6 October 1577 Letzlingen eleven children

|align="center"|8 January 1598 Cölln aged 72||

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Eitel Frederick IV|| 100px

|align="center"|7 September 1545 Sigmaringen First son of Charles I and

|align="center"|18 March 1576 – 16 January 1605|| County of Hechingen||Veronica of Ortenburg (d.23 March 1573) 22 May 1568 Sigmaringen no children 14 November 1574 Meßkirch four children Johanna of Eberstein (d.1633) 1 March 1601 no children

|align="center"|16 January 1605 Hechingen aged 59

|rowspan=3 style="background:#def;"| Children of Charles I, divided their inheritance.

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Charles II|| 100px

|align="center"|22 January 1547 Sigmaringen Second son of Charles I and

|align="center"|18 March 1576 – 8 April 1606|| County of Sigmaringen||Euphrosyne of Oettingen-Wallerstein (1552 – 5 October 1590) 18 January 1569 Munich fifteen children Elisabeth of Pallandt-Kulemborg (1567–1620) 13 October 1591 Sigmaringen ten children

|align="center"|8 April 1606 Sigmaringen aged 59

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Christopher||

|align="center"|10 March 1552 Haigerloch Third son of Charles I and

|align="center"|18 March 1576 – 21 April 1592|| County of Haigerloch||Catherine von Welsperg and Primör (d.1610) 1577 Sigmaringen six children

|align="center"|21 April 1592 Haigerloch aged 40

|- style="background:#fde;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of Eitel Frederick IV, Count of Hechingen and Charles II, Count of Sigmaringen (1592-1604)

|rowspan=2|Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|John Christopher||

|align="center"|1586 Haigerloch First son of Christopher and Catherine von Welsperg and Primör

|align="center"|21 April 1592 – 4 December 1620|| County of Haigerloch|| 21 September 1608 Sigmaringen no children

|align="center"|4 December 1620 Haigerloch aged 33–34

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Joachim Frederick||100px

|align="center"|27 January 1546 Cölln Son of John George and Sophie of Legnica

|align="center"|8 January 1598 – 18 July 1608|| Electorate of Brandenburg||Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin 8 January 1570 Küstrin eleven children Eleanor of Prussia 2 November 1603 Berlin one child

|align="center"|18 July 1608 Köpenick aged 62

|rowspan=3|Divided the inheritance, mainly after George Frederick I of Ansbach's death with no children. In 1604 moved the capital of the March to Bayreuth.

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Christian||100px

|align="center"|30 January 1581 Cölln First son of John George and Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst

|align="center"|25 April 1603 – 30 May 1655|| Principality of Bayreuth||Maria of Prussia 29 April 1604 Kulmbach nine children

|align="center"|30 May 1655 Bayreuth aged 74

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Joachim Ernest||100px

|align="center"|22 June 1583 Cölln Second son of John George and Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst

|align="center"|25 April 1603 – 7 March 1625|| Principality of Ansbach||Sophie of Solms-Laubach 1612 Ansbach three children

|align="center"|7 March 1625 Ansbach aged 41

|- style="background:#aed;"

|John George|| 100px

|align="center"|1577 Sigmaringen Son of Eitel Frederick IV and

|align="center"|16 January 1605 – 28 September 1623|| County of Hechingen (until 1623) Principality of Hechingen (from 1623)|| 11 October 1598 Hechingen fourteen children

|align="center"|28 September 1623 Hechingen aged 45–46||

|- style="background:#dce;"

|John|| 100px

|align="center"|17 August 1578 Sigmaringen Son of Charles II and Euphrosyne of Oettingen-Wallerstein

|align="center"|8 April 1606 – 22 March 1638|| County of Sigmaringen (until 1623) Principality of Sigmaringen (from 1623)|| 30 June 1602 Sigmaringen three children

|align="center"|22 March 1638 Munich aged 59||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|John Sigismund|| 100px

|align=center|8 November 1572 Halle First son of Joachim Frederick and Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin

|align=center|18 July 1608 – 3 November 1619|| Electorate of Brandenburg (with Duchy of Prussia jure uxoris since 1618)||Anna, Duchess of Prussia 30 October 1594 Königsberg eight children

|align=center|23 December 1619 Berlin aged 47

|rowspan=2| Divided their inheritance. In 1618, John Sigismund, with his wife, inherited his father-in-law's Duchy of Prussia. John George left no surviving descendants ad his duchy returned to Brandenburg. In 1622, Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor confiscated Krnov from Brandenburg.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|John George|| 100px

|align=center|16 December 1577 Wolmirstedt Second son of Joachim Frederick and Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin

|align=center|18 July 1608 – 1622|| Duchy of Krnov|| 13 June 1610 Krnov five children

|align=center|22 March 1624 Levoča aged 46

|- style="background:#ffc;"

|Anna||100px

|align=center|3 July 1576 Königsberg Daughter of Albert Frederick and Marie Eleonore of Cleves

|align=center|27 August 1618 – 30 August 1625|| Duchy of Prussia (suo jure heiress)||John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg 30 October 1594 Königsberg eight children

|align=center|30 August 1625 Berlin aged 49||Heiress of her father, she was described as intellectually superior to her spouse, temperamental and strong-willed. Her marriage made possible the unification of the Brandenburg and Prussian branches.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|George William|| 100px

|align=center|13 November 1595 Berlin Son of John Sigismund and Anna

|align=center|3 November 1619 – 1 December 1640|| Electorate of Brandenburg (with Duchy of Prussia, in jure matris until 1625, suo jure since 1625)||Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate 24 July 1616 Heidelberg four children

|align=center|1 December 1640 Königsberg aged 49|| Also Duke of Prussia by right of his mother. His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Charles||

|align="center"|1588 Haigerloch Second son of Christopher and Catherine von Welsperg and Primör

|align="center"|4 December 1620 – 9 March 1634|| County of Haigerloch||Rosamund of Ortenburg (d.1636) 25 March 1618 no children

|align="center"|9 March 1634 Überlingen aged 45–46||Like his brother, he left no descendants. Haigerloch merged in Sigmaringen.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Haigerloch briefly merged in Sigmaringen

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Eitel Frederick V||100px

|align="center"|January 1601 Sigmaringen Second son of John George and

|align="center"|28 September 1623 – 11 July 1661|| Principality of Hechingen||Maria Elisabeth of Berg-s'Herenberg (January 1613 - 29 November 1671) 19 March 1630 Boutersem two children

|align="center"|11 July 1661 Issenheim aged 60||

|- style="background:#fed;"

|align="center" colspan="7"| Regency of Sophie of Solms-Laubach (1625-1634)

|rowspan=2|Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Frederick III||

|align=center|1 May 1616 Ansbach First son of Joachim Ernest and Sophie of Solms-Laubach

|align=center|7 March 1625 – 6 September 1634|| Principality of Ansbach||Unmarried

|align=center|6 September 1634 near Nördlingen aged 18

|- style="background:#fed;"

|align="center" colspan="7"| Regency of Sophie of Solms-Laubach (1634-1639)

|rowspan=2|

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Albert II||100px

|align=center|18 September 1620 Ansbach Second son of Joachim Ernest and Sophie of Solms-Laubach

|align=center|6 September 1634 – 22 October 1667|| Principality of Ansbach|| 31 August 1642 Stuttgart three children 15 October 1651 Oettingen five children Christine of Baden-Durlach 6 August 1665 Durlach no children

|align=center|22 October 1667 Ansbach aged 47

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Meinrad I|| 100px

|align="center"|1605 Munich Son of John and

|align="center"|2 March 1638 – 30 January 1681|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Anna Maria von Thöring-Seefeld (1613 – 12 February 1682) 7 May 1635 Braunau am Inn nineteen children

|align="center"|30 January 1681 Sigmaringen aged 75–76||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick William I the Great|| 100px

|align=center|16 February 1620 Berlin Palace Son of George William and Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate

|align=center|1 December 1640 – 29 April 1688|| Electorate of Brandenburg||Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau 7 December 1646 The Hague six children Sophia Dorothea of Sonderburg-Glücksburg 13 July 1668 Gröningen seven children

|align=center|29 April 1688 City Palace, Potsdam aged 68|| Also Duke of Prussia.

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Christian Ernest||100px

|align=center|6 August 1644 Bayreuth Son of Erdmann August of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach

|align=center|30 May 1655 – 20 May 1712|| Principality of Bayreuth||Erdmuthe Sophie of Saxony 29 October 1662 Dresden no children Sophie Luise of Württemberg 8 February 1671 Stuttgart six children Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg 30 March 1703 Potsdam nine children

|align=center|20 May 1712 Erlangen aged 67|| Grandson of Christian I.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Philip|| 100px

|align="center"|24 June 1616 Hechingen Sixth son of John George and

|align="center"|11 July 1661 – 24 January 1671|| Principality of Hechingen|| 12 November 1662 Baden-Baden eight children

|align="center"|24 January 1671 Hechingen aged 54

|rowspan=2|Heirs of Eitel Frederick V. The lordship of Bergen op Zoom was inherited by Franziska's descendants.

|- style="background:#aed;"

||| 100px

|align="center"|1642 Daughter of Eitel Frederick V and Maria Elisabeth of Berg-s'Herenberg

|align="center"|11 July 1661 – 17 October 1698|| Principality of Hechingen (at Bergen op Zoom; jure matris until 1671; suo jure from 1671)|| May 1662 eight children

|align="center"|17 October 1698 Bergen op Zoom aged 55–56

|- style="background:#fed;"

|John Frederick||100px

|align=center|18 October 1654 Ansbach Son of Albert II and

|align=center|22 October 1667 – 22 March 1686|| Principality of Ansbach|| 26 January 1673 Durlach five children Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach 4 November 1681 Eisenach three children

|align=center|22 March 1686 Ansbach aged 31||

|- style="background:#aed;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of (1671-1681)

|rowspan=2|

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Frederick William|| 100px

|align="center"|20 September 1663 Hechingen Son of Philip and

|align="center"|24 January 1671 – 14 November 1735|| Principality of Hechingen||Maria Leopoldine von Sinzendorf (1 April 1666 - 18 May 1709) 22 January 1687 Vienna six children Maximiliane Magdalena von Lützau (11 July 1690 - 8 September 1755) 7 September 1710 Hechingen two children

|align="center"|14 November 1735 Hechingen aged 72

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Maximilian I|| 100px

|align="center"|20 January 1636 Munich First son of Meinrad I and Anna Maria von Thöring-Seefeld

|align="center"|30 January 1681 – 13 August 1689|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Maria Clara of Berg-'s-Heerenberg (27 April 1635 - 15 July 1715) 12 January 1666 Boxmeer twelve children

|align="center"|13 August 1689 Sigmaringen aged 53

|rowspan=2|Children of Meinrad I, divided their inheritance.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Francis Anton||

|align="center"|2 December 1657 Sigmaringen Castle Eleventh son of Meinrad I and Anna Maria von Thöring-Seefeld

|align="center"|30 January 1681 – 14 October 1702|| County of Haigerloch||Anna Maria Eusebia of Königsegg-Aulendorf (1670-1716) 5 February 1687 four children

|align="center"|14 October 1702 Friedlingen aged 44

|- style="background:#fed;"

|align="center"colspan="7"| Council of Regency (1686–1692)

|rowspan="2"|Died as a minor; he was succeeded by his brother.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Christian Albert||

|align=center|18 September 1675 First son of John Frederick and

|align=center|22 March 1686 – 16 October 1692|| Principality of Ansbach||Unmarried

|align=center|16 October 1692 Ansbach aged 17

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick III & I the Mercenary|| 100px

|align=center|11 July 1657 Königsberg Son of Frederick William I and Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau

|align=center|29 April 1688 – 25 February 1713|| Electorate of Brandenburg (until 1701) Kingdom of Prussia (with Electorate of Brandenburg; from 1701)||Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel 13 August 1679 Potsdam one child Sophia Charlotte of Hanover 8 October 1684 Herrenhausen two children Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 28 November 1708 Berlin no children

|align=center|25 February 1713 Berlin aged 55

|rowspan=2| Children of Frederick William, divided their inheritance. In 1701, Frederick became the first King in Prussia, as Frederick I.

|- style="background:#ceb;"

|Philip William||100px

|align=center|19 May 1669 Königsberg Son of Frederick William I and Sophia Dorothea of Sonderburg-Glücksburg

|align=center|29 April 1688 – 19 December 1711|| March of Schwedt||Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau 25 January 1699 Oranienbaum six children

|align=center|19 December 1711 Schwedt aged 42

|- style="background:#dce;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of Maria Clara of Berg-'s-Heerenberg and Francis Anton, Count of Haigerloch (1689-1691)

|rowspan=2|

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Meinrad II||

|align="center"|1 November 1673 Sigmaringen Son of Maximilian I and Maria Clara of Berg-'s-Heerenberg

|align="center"|13 August 1689 – 20 October 1715|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Johanna Catharina of Montfort-Tettnang 22 November 1700 Sigmaringen four children

|align="center"|20 October 1715 Sigmaringen aged 41

|- style="background:#fed;"

|George Frederick II the Younger||100px

|align=center|3 May 1678 Ansbach Second son of John Frederick and

|align=center|16 October 1692 – 29 March 1703|| Principality of Ansbach||Unmarried

|align=center|29 March 1703 Schmidmühlen aged 24|| Died without descendants; he was succeeded by his brother.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Ferdinand Leopold|| 100px

|align="center"|4 December 1692 Sigmaringen Castle First son of Francis Anton and Anna Maria Eusebia of Königsegg-Aulendorf

|align="center"|14 October 1702 – 23 July 1750|| County of Haigerloch||Unmarried

|align="center"|23 July 1750 Brühl Palace aged 57|| Member of the clergy and first minister of the Electorate of Cologne. Left no children. The county passed to his brother.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|William Frederick||100px

|align=center|6 January 1686 Ansbach Son of John Frederick and Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach

|align=center|29 March 1703 – 7 January 1723|| Principality of Ansbach||Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental 28 August 1709 Stuttgart three children

|align=center|7 January 1723 Unterreichenbach aged 36||

|- style="background:#ceb;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of Frederick I, King of Prussia (1711-1713) Regency of Frederick William I, King of Prussia (1713-1718)

|rowspan=2| Left no male descendants. The title passed to his brother, Frederick Henry.

|- style="background:#ceb;"

|Frederick William the Mad||100px

|align=center|17 November 1700 Oranienbaum First son of Philip William and Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau

|align=center|19 December 1711 – 4 March 1771|| March of Schwedt||Sophia Dorothea of Prussia 10 November 1734 Potsdam five children

|align=center|4 March 1771 Swobnica aged 70

|- style="background:#fca;"

|George William||100px

|align=center|26 November 1678 Bayreuth Son of Christian Ernest and Sophie Luise of Württemberg

|align=center|20 May 1712 – 18 December 1726||Principality of Bayreuth||Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels 16 October 1699 Leipzig five children

|align=center|18 December 1726 Bayreuth aged 48||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick William I the Soldier|| 100px

|align=center|16 March 1687 Berlin Son of Frederick III & I and Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

|align=center|25 February 1713 – 28 June 1757|| Kingdom of Prussia (with Electorate of Brandenburg)||Sophia Dorothea of Hanover 28 November 1706 Hanover (by proxy) 27 December 1706 Berlin (in person) two children

|align=center|28 June 1757 City Palace, Potsdam aged 70||

|- style="background:#dce;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of Johanna Catharina of Montfort-Tettnang (1715-1720)

|rowspan=2|

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Joseph Frederick Ernest|| 100px

|align="center"|24 May 1702 Sigmaringen Son of Meinrad II and Johanna Catharina of Montfort-Tettnang

|align="center"|2 October 1715 – 8 December 1769|| Principality of Sigmaringen|| 20 May 1722 Oettingen six children Maria 5 July 1738 three children 22 October 1743 no children

|align="center"|8 December 1769 Haigerloch aged 41

|- style="background:#fed;"

|align="center"colspan="7"| Regency of Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental (1723–1729)

|rowspan="2"|

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Charles William Frederick the Wild||100px

|align=center|12 May 1712 Ansbach Son of William Frederick and Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental

|align=center|7 January 1723 – 3 August 1757|| Principality of Ansbach||Friederike Luise of Prussia 30 May 1729 Berlin two children

|align=center|3 August 1757 Gunzenhausen aged 45

|- style="background:#fca;"

|George Frederick Charles||100px

|align=center|30 June 1688 near Mühlhausen Son of George William and Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels

|align=center|18 December 1726 – 17 May 1735|| Principality of Bayreuth||Dorothea of Sonderburg-Beck 17 April 1709 Reinfeld five children

|align=center|17 May 1735 Bayreuth aged 46||

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Frederick||100px

|align=center|10 May 1711 Weferlingen Son of George Frederick Charles and Dorothea of Sonderburg-Beck

|align=center|17 May 1735 – 26 February 1763|| Principality of Bayreuth||Wilhelmine of Prussia 17 April 1709 Berlin one child Sophie Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 20 September 1759 Brunswick no children

|align=center|26 February 1763 Bayreuth aged 51|| Left no male descendants; the title passed to Frederick Christian, from a collateral Bayreuth line.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Frederick Louis||

|align="center"|1 September 1688 Strasbourg Son of Frederick William and Maria Leopoldine von Sinzendorf

|align="center"|14 November 1735 – 4 June 1750|| Principality of Hechingen||Unmarried

|align="center"|4 June 1750 Hechingen aged 61||Left no children. He was succeeded by a cousin.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Joseph Frederick William|| 100px

|align="center"|12 November 1717 Bayreuth Son of and Maria Josepha of Oettingen

|align="center"|4 June 1750 – 9 April 1798|| Principality of Hechingen||Maria Teresa Folch de Cardona y Silva (4 September 1732 - 25 September 1750) 2 June 1750 Vienna no children Maria Theresa of Waldburg-Zeil 7 January 1751 Hechingen six children

|align="center"|9 April 1798 Hechingen aged 80||Great-grandson of John George. Left no surviving children. He was succeeded by his nephew.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|Francis Christopher Anton||

|align="center"|1 January 1699 Haigerloch Second son of Francis Anton and Anna Maria Eusebia of Königsegg-Aulendorf

|align="center"|23 July 1750 – 23 November 1767|| County of Haigerloch||Unmarried

|align="center"|23 November 1767 Cologne aged 68||Also member of the clergy and first minister of the Electorate of Cologne. He also didn't have children. The county returned definitively to Sigmaringen.

|- style="background:#fde;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Haigerloch definitely annexed to Sigmaringen

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick II the Great|| 100px

|align=center|24 January 1712 Berlin Son of Frederick William I and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover

|align=center|28 June 1757 – 17 August 1786|| Kingdom of Prussia (with Electorate of Brandenburg)||Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 12 June 1733 Castle Salzdahlum no children

|align=center|17 August 1786 Potsdam aged 74||

|- style="background:#fed;"

|Charles Alexander||100px

|align=center|24 February 1736 Son of Charles William Frederick and Friederike Luise of Prussia

|align=center|3 August 1757 – 16 January 1791|| Principality of Ansbach||Frederica Caroline of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld 22 November 1754 Coburg no children Elizabeth Craven 13/30 October 1791 Lisbon (morganatic) no children

|align=center|5 January 1806 Speen, Berkshire aged 69 || In 1769 reunited both Margraviates of Ansbach and Bayreuth.In 1791 sold both Margraviates to the Kingdom of Prussia.

|- style="background:#fed;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Ansbach sold to Prussia

|- style="background:#fca;"

|Frederick Christian||100px

|align=center|17 July 1708 Weferlingen Son of Christian Henry of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Sophie Christiane of Wolfstein

|align=center|26 February 1763 – 20 January 1769|| Principality of Bayreuth||Victoria Charlotte of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym 26 April 1732 Schaumburg two children

|align=center|20 January 1769 Bayreuth aged 60|| Great-grandson of Christian I and cousin of his predecessors. Left no male descendants; Bayreuth was reunited to Ansbach.

|- style="background:#fca;"

|colspan="8" align="center"| Bayreuth definitively annexed to Ansbach

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Charles Frederick||

|align="center"|9 January 1724 Sigmaringen Son of Joseph Frederick Ernest and

|align="center"|8 December 1769 – 20 December 1785|| Principality of Sigmaringen|| 2 March 1749 Kail Castle, near Trier twelve children

|align="center"|20 December 1785 Krauchenwies aged 61||

|- style="background:#ceb;"

|Frederick Henry||100px

|align=center|21 August 1709 Schwedt Second son of Philip William and Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau

|align=center|4 March 1771 – 12 December 1788|| March of Schwedt||Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau 13 February 1739 two children

|align=center|12 December 1788 Schwedt aged 79|| Left no male descendants. Schwedt went back to Prussia.

|- style="background:#ceb;"

|colspan="8" align="center"| Schwedt definitively annexed to Prussia

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Anton Aloys|| 100px

|align="center"|20 June 1762 Sigmaringen Son of Charles Frederick and

|align="center"|20 December 1785 – 17 October 1831|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Amalie Zephyrine of Salm-Kyrburg 13 August 1782 Kirn two children

|align="center"|17 October 1831 Sigmaringen aged 69||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick William II|| 100px

|align=center|25 September 1744 Berlin Palace Son of Frederick William I and Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau

|align=center|17 August 1786 – 16 November 1797|| Kingdom of Prussia (with Electorate of Brandenburg)||Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 14 June 1765 Castle Salzdahlum (annulled 1769) no children Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt 14 July 1769 Charlottenburg Palace eight children Julie von Voss 7 April 1787 Charlottenburg Palace (morganatic) one child Sophie von Dönhoff 11 April 1790 Charlottenburg Palace (morganatic, annulled 1792) two children

|align=center|16 November 1797 Marmorpalais aged 53|| Nephew of his predecessor.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick William III|| 100px

|align=center|3 August 1770 Potsdam Son of Frederick William II and Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt

|align=center|16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840|| Kingdom of Prussia (with Electorate of Brandenburg until 1806)||Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 24 December 1793 Darmstadt nine children Auguste von Harrach 9 November 1824 Charlottenburg Palace (morganatic) no children

|align=center|7 June 1840 Berlin aged 69|| In 1806, with the dissolving of the Holy Roman Empire, Prussia lost its electoral status.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Herman|| 100px

|align="center"|30 July 1751 Lockenhaus Son of and Anna von Hoensbroech

|align="center"|9 April 1798 – 2 November 1810|| Principality of Hechingen||Louise of Merode-Westerloo (28 September 1748 - 14 November 1774) 18 November 1773 Maastricht one child Maximiliane of Gavre (30 November 1753 - 6 August 1778) 15 February 1775 Brussels one child Maria Antonia of Waldburg-Zeil (6 June 1753 - 25 October 1814) 12 June 1779 Dagstuhl five children

|align="center"|2 November 1810 Hechingen aged 59||Nephew of Joseph Frederick William.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Frederick Herman Otto|| 100px

|align="center"|22 July 1776 Namur Son of Herman and Maximiliane of Gavre

|align="center"|2 November 1810 – 13 September 1838|| Principality of Hechingen||Luise Pauline Maria Biron 26 April 1800 Prague one child

|align="center"|13 September 1838 Hechingen aged 62||

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Charles|| 100px

|align="center"|20 February 1785 Sigmaringen Son of Anton Aloys and Amalie Zephyrine of Salm-Kyrburg

|align="center"|17 October 1831 – 27 August 1848|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Marie Antoinette Murat 4 February 1808 Paris four children Catharina of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst 14 March 1848 Kupferzell no children

|align="center"|11 March 1853 Bologna aged 68|| During the German revolutions of 1848–1849, he abdicated to his son.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|Constantine|| 100px

|align="center"|16 February 1801 Żagań Son of Frederick Herman Otto and Luise Pauline Maria Biron

|align="center"|13 September 1838 – 7 December 1849|| Principality of Hechingen||Eugénie de Beauharnais 22 May 1826 Eichstätt no children Amalie Schenk von Geyern September 1847 (morganatic) three children

|align="center"|3 September 1889 Zielona Góra aged 68||Pressed by the German Revolution, in 1849 he signed the hand-over of the Principality to Prussia.

|- style="background:#aed;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Hechingen definitely annexed to Prussia

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick William IV|| 100px

|align=center|15 October 1795 Kronprinzenpalais First son of Frederick William III and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

|align=center|7 June 1840 – 2 January 1861|| Kingdom of Prussia||Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria 16 November 1823 Munich (by proxy) 29 November 1823 Berlin (in person) no children

|align=center|2 January 1861 Sanssouci aged 55

|rowspan=2| Also President of the Erfurt Union (1849–1850). Left no children, and was succeeded by his brother, who already held regency since 1858.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|colspan=7 align=center|Regency of Prince William of Prussia (1858-1861)

|- style="background:#dce;"

|Charles Anton|| 100px

|align="center"|7 September 1811 Krauchenwies Son of Charles and Marie Antoinette Murat

|align="center"|27 August 1848 – 7 December 1849|| Principality of Sigmaringen||Josephine of Baden 21 October 1834 Karlsruhe six children

|align="center"|2 June 1885 Sigmaringen aged 73|| Still pressed by the German Revolution, in 1849 he signed the hand-over of the Principality to Prussia. His son Karl would become, in 1881, King of Romania; his daughter Stephanie became Queen of Portugal.

|- style="background:#dce;"

|colspan=8 align=center|Sigmaringen definitely annexed to Prussia

|- style="background:#fff;"

|William I the Great|| 100px

|align=center|22 March 1797 Kronprinzenpalais Second son of Frederick William III and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

|align=center|2 January 1861 – 9 March 1888|| Kingdom of Prussia (until 1871) German Empire (with Kingdom of Prussia; from 1871)||Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 11 June 1829 Charlottenburg Palace two children

|align=center|9 March 1888 Charlottenburg Palace aged 90|| Previously regent on behalf of his ill brother, he inherited his throne. He was also President of the North German Confederation (1867–1871), before becoming German Emperor.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Carol I|| 100px

|align="center"|20 April 1839 Sigmaringen Castle Son of Charles Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Josephine of Baden

|align="center"|20 April 1866 – 10 October 1914|| Principality of Romania (until 1881) Kingdom of Romania (from 1881) (Sigmaringen branch)||Elisabeth of Wied 15 November 1869 Neuwied one child

|align="center"|10 October 1914 Peleș Castle aged 75|| Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was invited to assume the Romanian throne in 1866. Left no male descendants. The throne went to his nephew.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Frederick III|| 100px

|align=center|18 October 1831 New Palace, Potsdam Son of William I and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

|align=center|9 March – 15 June 1888|| German Empire (with Kingdom of Prussia)||Victoria of the United Kingdom 25 January 1858 St James's Palace eight children

|align=center|15 June 1888 New Palace, Potsdam aged 56||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|William II|| 100px

|align=center|27 January 1859 Kronprinzenpalais Son of Frederick III and Victoria of the United Kingdom

|align=center|15 June 1888 – 9 November 1918|| German Empire (with Kingdom of Prussia)||

Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein 27 February 1881 Berlin seven children

Hermine Reuss of Greiz 5 November 1922 Huis Doorn no children

|align=center|4 June 1941 Huis Doorn aged 82|| In 1918, he abdicated his throne; The monarchy was abolished.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Ferdinand|| 100px

|align="center"|24 August 1865 Sigmaringen Castle Son of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Antónia of Portugal

|align="center"|10 October 1914 – 20 July 1927|| Kingdom of Romania (Sigmaringen branch)||Marie of the United Kingdom 10 January 1893 Sigmaringen Castle six children

|align="center"|20 July 1927 Peleș Castle aged 61||

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Mihai I|| 100px

|align=center|25 October 1921 Peleș Castle Son of Prince Carol of Romania and Helen of Greece and Denmark

|align=center|20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930 6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947|| Kingdom of Romania (Sigmaringen branch)||Anne of Bourbon-Parma 10 June 1948 Athens five children

|align=center|5 December 2017 Aubonne aged 96|| Given his father removed himself fom the line of succession, he was the chosen successor of his grandfather. As he was a child, he uled under a Council of Regency. In 1930, Michael's father returned to Romania and took the throne. In 1940, as he abdicated, Michael returned to the throne, but he also abdicated in 1947. The monarchy was abolished.

|- style="background:#fff;"

|Carol II|| 100px

|align=center|15 October 1893 Peleș Castle Son of Ferdinand and Marie of the United Kingdom

|align=center|8 June 1930 – 6 September 1940|| Kingdom of Romania (Sigmaringen branch)||Zizi Lambrino 31 August 1918 Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa (morganatic, annulled 1919) one child Helen of Greece and Denmark 10 March 1921 Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens (divorced 1928)one child Magda Lupescu (morganatic) 3 June/5 July 1947 Rio de Janeiro no children

|align=center|4 April 1953 Estoril aged 59|| After giving up his rights in his father's lifetime, Carol returned to Romania in 1930 and ascended the throne, but abdicated again in 1940.

Family tree of the House of Hohenzollern

Residences

Palaces of the Prussian Hohenzollerns

File:BurgHohenzollernInnenhof02.jpg|Hohenzollern Castle

File:Berlin Stadtschloss 1920er.jpg|Berlin Palace

File:Charlottenburg Hohenzollern 2.jpg|Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin

File:Königsberg Castle courtyard.jpg|Königsberg Castle, Prussia

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 170-237, Potsdam, Stadtschloss vom Turm der Nikolaikirche.jpg|City Palace, Potsdam

File:Potsdam Sanssouci 07-2017 img4.jpg|New Palace, Potsdam

File:Schloss Sanssouci 2014.jpg|Sanssouci, Potsdam

File:Potsdam Neuer Garten asv2024-09 img2.jpg|Marmorpalais, Potsdam

File:Schloss Bellevue 2023.jpg|Bellevue Palace, Berlin

File:Schloss Monbijou mit der Sophienkirche im Hintergrund (Degen).jpg|Monbijou Palace, Berlin

File:BabelsbergP1020137.jpg|Babelsberg Palace, Potsdam

File:Schloss Cecilienhof 2013.jpg|Cecilienhof Palace, Potsdam

File:Schloss Oranienburg - Jan 2013.jpg|Oranienburg Palace

File:Rheinsberg Castle.jpg|Rheinsberg Palace

File:Wrocław Kazimierza Wielkiego 35 sm.jpg|Wrocław Palace, Silesia

File:3273viki Zamek w Oleśnicy. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg|Oels Castle, Silesia

File:Schloss Stolzenfels 01 Koblenz 2015.jpg|Stolzenfels Castle, Koblenz

</gallery>

Palaces of the Franconian branches

File:Plassenburg oben.jpg|Plassenburg Castle at Kulmbach

File:Neues schloß bayreuth.JPG|The New Castle at Bayreuth

File:Ansbach - 2013 Mattes (73).JPG|Residenz Ansbach

File:Erlangen Schloss 006.JPG|Erlangen Castle

</gallery>

Palaces of the Swabian Hohenzollerns

File:Schloss Sigmaringen 2022.jpg|Sigmaringen Castle, Sigmaringen

File:Aerial image of Schloss Haigerloch (view from the southwest).jpg|Haigerloch Castle, Haigerloch

File:Neues Schloss (Hechingen).JPG|The New Castle at Hechingen

File:Muzeul National de Arta, Bucuresti.jpg|Royal Palace, Bucharest

File:Palatul Guarda.jpg|Elisabeta Palace, Bucharest

File:SavarsinPalaceBehind.jpg|Săvârșin Castle, Săvârșin

File:Castelul Peleș - vazut din fața.jpg|Peleș Castle, Sinaia

File:Pelisor Castle, Sinaia.jpg|Pelișor Castle, Sinaia

File:Castelul Bran2.jpg|Bran Castle, Bran

</gallery>

Property claims

In 2014, Prince Georg Friedrich, Head of the House of Hohenzollern filed a claim on the property of the Huis Doorn, the manor that Kaiser Wilhelm II spent his last time after being abdicated, but this was rejected by Dutch Minister Jet Bussemaker.

In mid-2019, it was revealed that Prince Georg Friedrich had filed claims for permanent right of residency for his family in Cecilienhof, or one of two other Hohenzollern palaces in Potsdam, as well as return of the family library, 266 paintings, an imperial crown and sceptre, and the letters of Empress Augusta Victoria.

Central to the argument was that Monbijou Palace, which had been permanently given to the family following the fall of the Kaiser, was demolished by the East German government in 1959. Lawyers for the German state argued that the involvement of members of the family in National Socialism had voided any such rights.

Coats of arms

File:Wappen Hohenzollern 2.svg|Quartered coat of arms of the Hohenzollerns

File:Wappen Hohenzollern.svg|Arms of the Hohenzollerns with crest

File:Zollern ZW.png|Counts of Zollern (1340)

File:Hohenzollern-herb-rodowy.jpg|Achievement of Counts of Zollern

File:Nürenberg ZW.png|Burgraves of Nuremberg (1340)

File:COA family de Burggrafen von Nürnberg (Haus Hohenzollern).svg|Burgraves of Nuremberg

File:Hohenzollern.jpg|The princely Swabian branch (1605)

File:COA family de Markgrafen von Brandenburg (1465).svg|Margraves of Brandenburg (1465)

File:POL Prusy książęce COA.svg|Arms of the Duke of Prussia

File:Arms of East Prussia.svg|Arms of the King of Prussia

File:Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia 1873-1918.svg|Achievement of the King of Prussia

File:Wappenschild des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (1889-1918).svg|Coat of Arms of the German Emperor (1871–1918)

File:Greater Coat of Arms of the German Empire.svg|The greater coat of arms as German Emperor (1871–1918)

File:Kingdom of Romania - Big CoA.svg|The greater coat of arms of the King of Romania (1922–1947)

</gallery>

For younger sons, to the extent that they did difference arms, the Hohenzollerns tended to use bordures of different colors or combinations of:

Coat of Arms of the Crown Prince of German Empire.svg|Coat of Arms of the Crown Prince of German Empire, a bordure gules on the arms of the German Emperor.

File:Coat of Arms of Prince Henry of Prussia (Order of the Golden Fleece).svg|Coat of Arms of Prince Henry of Prussia with the Order of the Golden Fleece.

</gallery>

Members of the family after abdication

Royal Brandenburg-Prussian branch

Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (1943–)
Prince Frederick of Prussia (1911–1966)
Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (1976–)
Prince Hubertus of Prussia (1909–1950)
Princess Kira of Prussia (1943–2004)
Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia (1907–1994)
Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1944–1977)
Prince Michael of Prussia (1940–2014)
Prince Oskar of Prussia (1959–)
Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia (1882–1951)
Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1906–1940)
Prince Wilhelm-Karl of Prussia (1922–2007)
Prince Wilhelm-Karl of Prussia (b. 1955) (2007–present)

Princely Swabian branch

Princess Augusta Victoria of Hohenzollern (1890–1966)
Prince Ferfried of Hohenzollern (1943–2022)
Frederick, Prince of Hohenzollern (1891–1965)
Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern (1924–2010)
Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern (1932–2016)
Karl Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern (1952–)

References

External links

of the imperial house of Germany and royal house of Prussia
of the princely house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
of the royal house of Romania
Hohenzollern Castle
Sigmaringen Castle
European Heraldry page
Hohenzollern heraldry page

House of Hohenzollern

Succession tree of the Franconian House of Hohenzollern

Franconian/Brandenburg-Prussian branch since 1918 abdication

Order of succession

Living legitimate members of the Prussian branch

Swabian branch

Rulers of the House of Hohenzollern

Family tree of the House of Hohenzollern

Residences

Palaces of the Prussian Hohenzollerns

Palaces of the Franconian branches

Palaces of the Swabian Hohenzollerns

Property claims

Coats of arms

Members of the family after abdication

Royal Brandenburg-Prussian branch

Princely Swabian branch

See also

References

Further reading

External links