Stolberg-Wernigerode

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Grafschaft Stolberg-Wernigerode County of Stolberg-Wernigerode State of the Holy Roman Empire (until 1806) ← 1538 – 1815 → Capital Wernigerode Government Principality Historical era Middle Ages  - Wernigerode inherited by     counts of Stolberg   1429  - Partitioned from     Stolberg-Stolberg   1538  - Partitioned to create     Stolberg-Ortenberg   1572  - Acquired Stolberg-Stolberg 1631–38*  - Partitioned to create     Stolberg-Islenberg   1672  - Partitioned to create     S-Gedern and S-Schwarza   1710  - Under Vogterei of Prussia 1714  - Mediatised to Prussia 1815 * Stolberg-Stolberg was inherited by the counts of Stolberg-Wernigerode on the extinction of the former's comital line in 1631, but was recreated by partition seven years later.

Stolberg and Wernigerode were Counties (German: Graf) located in the western (today's Saxony-Anhalt) Germany, in the Harz region around Wernigerode. The Counts of Wernigerode become extinct in 1429 and their lands were inherited salic law by the Counts of Stolberg - sovereign Counts of the holy roman empire since the early 11th century-, creating the new title Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode (German: Graf Stolberg-Wernigerode).

In 1538, honoring a tradition in the German states of ignoring primogeniture, a cadet line, Stolberg-Stolberg was created as a partition of Stolberg-Wernigerode. It was partitioned several times: between itself and Stolberg-Ortenberg in 1572; between itself and Stolberg-Stolberg in 1638; between itself and Stolberg-Islenburg in 1672; and between itself, Stolberg-Gedern, and Stolberg-Schwarza in 1710.

The children of Fürsten, Fürstin and Erbprinzen (Prince and Princess) zu Stolberg-Wernigerode bear the title Prince(ss) zu Stolberg- Wernigerode and were styled Serene Highness. Other members of this line bear the equal title Graf/Gräfin zu Stolberg-Wernigerode (not to confound with ordinary Counts), styled Illustrious Highness.

In 1714, Count Christian Ernest surrendered his military and the fiscal independence of Stolberg-Wernigerode to the King of Prussia, although he still maintained subordinated rule over his territories as a count. In 1815, Stolberg-Wernigerode was mediatised to Prussia, although successive counts retained sovereign rights until 1876.

[edit] Counts of Wernigerode and Stolberg-Wernigerode

[edit] Reichsunmitterbar counts (1231–1815)

• Henry II (1231–82) with…
• Henry III (1270–1303)
• Henry V (1303–47) with…
• Henry VI (1344–68) with…
• Henry VII (1347–90)
• Henry VIII (1390–1403)
• Botho I the Elder (1403–55)
• Henry IX (1455–1511)
• Botho II the Lucky (1511–38)
• Henry X (1538–72)
• Botho X (1572–83)
• Christian II, Count of Stolberg-Schwarza (1583–1638)
• Henry Ernest I (1638–72)
• Louis Christian (1672–1710)
• Christian Ernest (1710–71)
• Henry Ernest II (1771–78)
• Christian Frederick (1778–1815)

[edit] Mediatised counts (after 1815)

• Otto
• Christian Ernst
• Botho (died 1989)
• Christian-Henrich (died 2001)
• Philipp Konstantin