Hohenzollern dynasty
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What is the Hohenzollern dynasty?
The Hohenzollern dynasty was a prominent family in European history, ruling Brandenburg-Prussia (1415–1918) and imperial Germany (1871–1918). The family originated from a castle in Swabia and can be traced back to Burchard I, count of Zollern, in the 11th century.
The dynasty split into two lines: the Franconian line, which later became the electors of Brandenburg and kings of Prussia, and the Swabian line, which included the princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The Brandenburg Hohenzollerns gained territory through the 15th–17th centuries, and in 1701, secured the title "king in Prussia." In 1871, William I of Prussia became German emperor. The dynasty lost both Prussian and German sovereignties in 1918, at the end of World War I.
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Where did the Hohenzollern family originate?
The Hohenzollern dynasty originated from a castle in Swabia, initially known as Zolorin or Zolre, now Hohenzollern, south of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg. The first recorded ancestor of the dynasty, Burchard I, was Count of Zollern in the 11th century. Two lines emerged: Zollern-Hohenberg, which became extinct by 1486, and the Burgraves of Nürnberg, from whom all surviving branches derived. The name Hohenzollern, as distinct from Zollern, was first used in the Swabian line with Frederick IX.
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Which countries and territories did the Hohenzollerns rule?
The Hohenzollern dynasty ruled over several countries and territories throughout its history. Most notably, they were the ruling house of Brandenburg-Prussia from 1415 to 1918 and of imperial Germany from 1871 to 1918.
Additionally, the Hohenzollerns held the title of King in Prussia from 1701, which changed to King of Prussia in 1772. They retained the title of electors of Brandenburg until the Holy Roman Empire dissolved in 1806. A junior branch of the family acquired the duchy of Prussia in 1525. In 1866, Charles of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became the prince of Romania, later King Carol I in 1881, and his descendants ruled there until 1947.
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How did the Hohenzollern dynasty become rulers of Prussia?
The Hohenzollern dynasty became rulers of Prussia through a combination of strategic acquisitions and political maneuvering.
In 1411, Frederick VI of Hohenzollern was appointed margrave of Brandenburg, and in 1415, he became elector as Frederick I. A junior member of the house acquired the duchy of Prussia in 1525. Then, in 1701, Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg secured the title "king in Prussia" from the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. The title change to "king of Prussia" was formally recognized in 1772 under Frederick the Great. These territorial and political gains laid the foundation for the Hohenzollerns to become a major power in Germany.
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What role did the Hohenzollerns play in German unification?
The Hohenzollern dynasty, particularly through its Prussian branch, played a crucial role in German unification.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Prussia, under Hohenzollern rule, grew in military and economic strength. Otto von Bismarck, a Prussian statesman, used this power to strategically achieve German unification.
The Hohenzollerns of Prussia pursued policies that prioritized the state's interests, often at the expense of German unity. However, the Austro-Prussian dualism that emerged paved the way for national consolidation with Prussia at its helm.
Through wars and political maneuvering, Prussia defeated Austria and France, leading to the formation of a unified German Empire in 1871 under the Hohenzollern William I, who became the German Emperor.
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How did World War I affect the Hohenzollern dynasty's rule?
World War I had a devastating impact on the Hohenzollern dynasty. The dynasty, which ruled Brandenburg-Prussia from 1415 to 1918 and imperial Germany from 1871 to 1918, lost both Prussian and German sovereignties at the conclusion of the war in 1918.
Kaiser William II, who encouraged the grandiose war aims of his generals, saw the Allied victory lead to the dismemberment of the German Empire.
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Hohenzollern dynasty, dynasty prominent in European history, chiefly as the ruling house of Brandenburg-Prussia (1415–1918) and of imperial Germany (1871–1918). It takes its name from a castle in Swabia first mentioned as Zolorin or Zolre (the modern Hohenzollern, south of Tübingen, in the Land Baden-Württemberg). Burchard I, the first recorded ancestor of the dynasty, was count of Zollern in the 11th century. In the third and fourth generation from him two lines were formed: that of Zollern-Hohenberg, extinct in all its branches by 1486, and that of the burgraves of Nürnberg, from which all the branches surviving into modern times derived.
Frederick III of Zollern (d. c. 1200), husband of the heiress of the former burgraves of Nürnberg, himself became burgrave in 1192 as Frederick I. Between his two sons, Conrad and Frederick, the first dynastic division of lasting consequence took place: that between the line later known as Franconian (burgraves of Nürnberg, later electors of Brandenburg, kings in Prussia, kings of Prussia, German emperors) and the Swabian line (counts of Zollern, of Hohenzollern, of Zollern-Schalksburg, of Haigerloch, etc.; princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, princes of Hohenzollern, princes and then kings of Romania). There is some doubt about the seniority of the Franconian and of the Swabian lines: was Conrad I, burgrave of Nürnberg, the elder son, or was Frederick IV of Zollern?
The Franconian acquisitions of the burgraves of Nürnberg began when Frederick III (d. 1297) got possession of Bayreuth, and his descendants acquired Ansbach and Kulmbach. For a long time this group of territories was more important to the dynasty than Brandenburg. Then Frederick VI was appointed margrave of Brandenburg in 1411 and elector, as Frederick I, in 1415.
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The rise of the Brandenburg Hohenzollerns (who became Lutheran at the Reformation but turned to Calvinism in 1613) was accompanied by considerable acquisitions of territory in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries (see Brandenburg). One of the most significant acquisitions was made by a junior member of the house in 1525—namely, the duchy of Prussia.
In 1701 the elector Frederick III of Brandenburg secured from the Holy Roman emperor Leopold I the title “king in Prussia.” The change to “king of Prussia” was not formally recognized until 1772, when Frederick the Great obtained it. The kings of Prussia retained their title of electors of Brandenburg until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. In 1871 William I of Prussia became German emperor. Both Prussian and German sovereignties were lost in 1918, at the end of World War I.
The Swabian line remained Catholic at the Reformation. It was in this line that the name Hohenzollern, as distinct from Zollern, first came into use—with Frederick IX. The Hechingen and Sigmaringen branches attained princely rank in 1623 but surrendered their sovereign status to Prussia in 1849. With the extinction of the Hechingen branch 20 years later, Charles Anton, head of the Sigmaringen, received the style prince (Fürst) von Hohenzollern, without territorial qualification. His second son, Charles, became prince of Romania in 1866 and king as Carol I in 1881; the candidature of the elder son, Leopold, for the Spanish throne had been one of the immediate causes of the Franco-German War of 1870–71. Leopold’s son, Ferdinand, succeeded his uncle in Romania in 1914, where his descendants, who were brought up in the Orthodox faith, ruled until 1947.