County of Isenburg

The County of Isenburg was a region of Germany located in southern present-day Hesse, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau (located in the Rhineland-Palatinate), which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern. These countships were partitioned between themselves many times over the next 700 years.

Isenburg (pink, right) and Lower Isenburg (pink, left) around 1400

House of Isenburg

 

Ruins of the Castle at Isenburg (Lower Isenburg)

The House of Isenburg was an old aristocratic family of medieval Germany, named after the castle of Isenburg in Rhineland-Palatinate. Occasionally referred to as the House of Rommersdorf before the 12th century, the house originated in the Hessian comitatus of the Niederlahngau in the 10th century. It partitioned into the lines of Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern in 1137, before partitioning again into smaller units, but by 1500 only the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen (in Upper Isenburg) and Lower Isenburg remained. In 1664 the Lower Isenburg branch died out. The Büdingen line continued to partition, and by the beginning of the 19th century the lines of Isenburg-Büdingen, Isenburg-Birstein, Isenburg-Meerholz and Isenburg-Wächtersbach existed. Today still exist the (Roman Catholic) princes of Isenburg (at Birstein), the (Lutheran) princes of Ysenburg (at Büdingen and Ronneburg) and the (Lutheran) counts of Ysenburg-Philippseich.

"Family tree" of the Isenburg countships

 

Büdingen Castle

 

Castle Ronneburg, Hesse

 

Birstein Castle

 

Wächtersbach Castle

 

Meerholz Castle at Gelnhausen

 

Philippseich Castle at Dreieich

Isenburg, the original countship was divided upon the death of Count Rembold II in 1137 into:

• Isenburg (or Isenburg-Isenburg), 1137–1199, eventually dividing c. 1210 into:
  • Isenburg-Braunsberg, 1210–1388, when it was renamed Isenburg-Wied. Isenburg-Wied, in turn, existed from 1388 to 1454, when it passed by marriage to the Lords of Runkel and was superseded by the Countship of Wied in 1462.
  • Nieder-Isenburg (Lower Isenburg), 1218–1502 when it was divided into:
    • Isenburg-Grenzau, 1502–1664. After the death of Count Ernest in 1664 without direct heirs, his territories were claimed back as feudal tenures by the Archbishoprics of Cologne and Trier, and the Abbey-principality of Fulda. The core territories including Isenburg were passed on by Fulda to the Counts of Walderdorff. They had to share them according to a later agreement with the Counts of Wied, by then a cadet branch of the Isenburgs.
    • Isenburg-Neumagen, 1502–1554, when it passed by marriage to the Counts of Sayn-Homburg.
• Isenburg-Kempenich, 1137–1424, when it passed to the Lords of Schöneck. In 1434, it passed to the Archbishop of Trier, who sold the territory to the Counts of Virneburg.
• Isenburg-Limburg-Covern, 1137–1158, when it was divided into:
  • Isenburg-Covern, 1158–1306, when it passed to Isenburg-Cleberg.
  • Isenburg-Grenzau, 1158–1258, when it was divided into:
    • Isenburg-Limburg, 1258–1406, when it was annexed by the Archbishopric of Trier
    • Isenburg-Grenzau, 1258–1287, when it was divided into:
      • Isenburg-Grenzau, 1287–1290, when it passed to Isenburg-Cleberg.
      • Isenburg-Arnfels, 1286–1379, when it passed to Isenburg-Wied.
      • Isenburg-Cleberg, 1287–1340, when it was divided into:
        • Isenburg-Grenzau, 1340–1439, when it passed to Nassau-Beilstein. It subsequently passed to the Archbishopric of Trier in 1446, and was finally purchased by the Counts of Nieder-Isenburg in 1460.
        • Isenburg-Büdingen, 1340–1511, when it was divided into:
          • Isenberg-Büdingen-Ronneburg, or Isenburg-Ronneburg, 1511–1601, when it was annexed by Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein
          • Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein (or Isenburg-Birstein), 1511–1628, which was divided into:
            • Isenburg-Birstein, 1628–1664, when it passed to Isenburg-Offenbach
            • Isenburg-Büdingen, 1628–1685, when it was divided into:
              • Isenburg-Büdingen, 1685–1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg
              • Isenburg-Wächtersbach, 1685–1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg
              • Isenburg-Meerholz, 1685–1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg
              • Isenburg-Marienborn, 1685–1725
            • Isenburg-Offenbach, 1628–1711, when it was divided into:
              • Isenburg-Birstein, 1711–1744, when it became the Principality of Isenburg-Birstein. The Principality existed from 1744 to 1806, when it was renamed the Principality of Isenburg, 1806–1814/5
              • Isenburg-Eisenberg, 1711–1758, when it was absorbed back into the Principality of Isenburg-Birstein
              • Isenburg-Philippseich, 1711–1806, when it was mediatized to the Principality of Isenburg

Principality of Isenburg

 

Coat of Arms of the Principality of Isenburg

It was not until 1806 that there was a state called simply "Isenburg". When the Holy Roman Empire was defeated by Napoleon I of France in that year, the empire was abolished and the Confederation of the Rhine was established amongst the various German states. As an incentive to join the Confederation, it was stated that any state which joined could mediatise their neighbours. Prince Charles of Isenburg-Birstein joined the Confederation and was granted the mediatized Isenburgian Countships of Isenburg-Büdingen, Isenburg-Meerholz, Isenburg-Philippseich, and Isenburg-Wächtersbach. His Principality was renamed to Isenburg.

The Principality continued under the rule of Prince Charles through the Napoleonic era, but was mediatised by Austria in December 1813, at the insistence of King Frederick William III of Prussia, who was angered that Isenburg had raised a regiment for French service by recruiting Prussian deserters and vagabonds.^[1] Isenburg was one of only three original member princes of the Empire to be mediatized at the end of the Napoleonic era (the others being Leyen and prince-primate Dalberg, Prince of Aschaffenburg). This decision was confirmed at the Congress of Vienna. The lands of the principality were divided between the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt and the Electorate of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel).

Rulers

House of Isenburg

Partitions of Isenburg under House of Isenburg rule

County of Isenburg (1041-1199)

County of Kempenich (1st creation) (1137-1153)

County of Covern (1137-1270)

County of Cleeberg (1167-1340)

County of Braunsberg (1199-1388) Renamed as: County of Wied (1388-1462)

County of Kempenich (2nd creation) (1199-1424)

County of Lower Isenburg (1218-1502)

County of Limburg (1227-1406)

Inherited by the House of Vianden (1270-1306)

County of Grenzau (1st creation) (1278-1292)

County of Arnfels (1278-1371)

County of Grenzau (2nd creation) (1340-1439)

County of Büdingen (1st creation) (1340-1511)

Part of the County of Braunsberg (1371-1388) Renamed as: County of Wied (1388-1462)

To Archbishopric of Trier

To Lords of Schöneck (1424-1434), Archbishopric of Trier (1434) and Counts of Virneburg (from 1434)

To Nassau-Beilstein (1439-1446) and Archbishopric of Trier (1446-1460)

To County of Wied

To County of Wied

County of Neumagen (1502-1554)

County of Grenzau (3rd creation) (1502-1664)

County of Ronneburg (1511-1601)

County of Birstein (1st creation) (1511-1664)

To County of Sayn-Homburg

County of Büdingen (2nd creation) (1628-1806) (mediatized to Isenburg-Birstein in 1806)

To Archbishopric of Trier, Archbishopric of Cologne and Abbots of Fulda

County of Offenbach (1628-1718)

County of Marienborn (1673-1725)

County of Meerholz (1673-1806) (mediatized to Isenburg-Birstein in 1806)

County of Wachtersbach (1673-1806) (mediatized to Isenburg-Birstein in 1806)

County of Philippseich (1711-1806) (mediatized to Isenburg-Birstein in 1806)

County of Birstein (2nd creation) (1685-1744) Raised to Principality of Birstein (1744-1806)

Principality of Isenburg (Isenburg-Birstein line) (1806-1815) (mediatized to Hesse in 1815)

Table of rulers

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Gerlach I		c.1060	1090-1110	c.1110^[2]	County of Isenburg	Unknown at least two children	Brothers and founders of the family and the county.
Rembold I		c.1060		c.1110^[2]	County of Isenburg	Unmarried
Rembold II		c.1090	1115-1137	1137	County of Isenburg	Katharina of Arnstein five children	Sons of Gerlach I. Brothers and co-rulers.
Gerlach II		c.1090	1115-1120	c.1120^[3]	County of Isenburg	Unmarried
Gerlach III		?	1137-1158	1158	Isenburg-Covern	Jutta of Are three children	Sons of Rembold II. In 1137, they divided the land between the three. Siegfried didn't have documented children, so his land may have returned to Isenburg. After the childless death of Rembold III, his nephew Rembold IV kept Isenburg-Isenburg.
Rembold III		?	1137-1162	1162	County of Isenburg Isenburg-Isenburg	Unmarried
Siegfried		?	1137-1153	1153	Isenburg-Kempenich	Justina of Kempenich no children
Rembold IV		?	1153-1175	c.1175	Isenburg-Kempenich	Unknown two children	Son of Gerlach III. As a second son, he received the property of his childless uncles.
			1162-1175		Isenburg-Isenburg
Gerlach IV		1130/49	1158-1217	1217	Isenburg-Covern	Unknown of Covern three children Unknown of Leiningen two children	Children of Gerlach I, divided the land between them. Possibly there might be two Gerlachs here instead of one, the first ruling until 1167, and the other from 1167, but it's also possible they were one and the same.
Henry I		c.1150	1167-1227	1227	Isenburg-Cleeberg	Irmgard of Büdingen (d.c.1220) eight children
Rembold V		?	1175-1199	c.1220	Isenburg-Isenburg	Hedwig of Kampenich two children	Sons of Rembold IV, inherited Isenburg-Isenburg, and divided it between them.
			1199-1220		Isenburg-Kempenich
Bruno I		?	1175-1199	1210^[4]	Isenburg-Isenburg	Theodora of Wied (d.1218) four children
			1199-1210		Isenburg-Braunsberg
Bruno II		1176	1210-1255	1255^[5]	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Johanna two children
Gerlach V		?	1217-1235	15 April 1235	Isenburg-Covern	Jutta (d. July 1253) two children	Sons of Gerlach IV, ruled jointly.
Henry I		?		15 April 1235	Isenburg-Covern	Unmarried
Salentin I		?	1218-c.1219	c.1219	Lower Isenburg	Unknown at least one child	Portion probably granted by Rombald V to his eldest son, Salentin. He died in Crusade next year.
Theodoric I		?	c.1220-1250	c.1250	Lower Isenburg	Uta of Blankenheim (d.1252) one child Adelaide (d.1258)two children	Sons of Rombald V, ruled jointly. It's possible that Theodoric ruled in Lower Isenburg during a possible minority of Salentin's heir.
			1220-1251		Isenburg-Kempenich
Rosemann		?	1220-1264	1264	Isenburg-Kempenich	Kunigunda of Büdingen-Gelnhausen (d.c.1250) one child
Henry II		c.1200	1227-1278	29 September 1278	Isenburg-Cleeberg	Matilda of Hochstaden (d.1264) 1246 eight children	Sons of Henry I, divided the land between them.
Gerlach IV		c.1200	1227-1289	January 1289	Isenburg-Limburg	Imagina of Bliescastel (1233-1281) five children
Henry II		c.1210	1235-1270	c.1270	Isenburg-Covern	Matilda c.1235 no children	Children of Gerlach V, ruled jointly. None of them had children, and the county passed to their sister.
Gerlach VI		c.1210	1235-1269	1269	Isenburg-Covern	Unmarried
Theodoric II the Younger		?	1251-1273	1273^[6]	Lower Isenburg	Uta of Merenberg (d.1263) four children	Son of Salentin I. Like his uncle, he may have been also involved in the government of both Lower Isenburg and Isenburg-Kempenich.
			1264-1273		Isenburg-Kempenich
Bruno III		?	1255-1278	29 September 1278^[7]	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Sophia of Runkel (d. 26 March 1266) one child Isolda of Heinsberg (d.c.1290) c.1270 two children
Gerard I		?	1264/73-1287	1287	Isenburg-Kempenich	Beatrice (d.c.1275) four children
Cecilia^[8]		c.1210	1269-1275	c. of after 1275	Isenburg-Covern	Frederick of Vianden (c.1200-c.1272?) 1225? at least one child	Sister of Henry II and Gerlach VI, held the county after them. Through her the county passed to the Vianden family,^[8] and remained this way until 1306, when it was returned to Isenburg-Cleeberg. From the House of Vianden, the counts in Covern (possibly some of them co-ruling with Cecilia) were: Frederick I (1270-1272) Frederick II (1272-1277) Robin (1272-1306)
Covern absorbed within the House of Vianden patrimony (c.1275-1306), and then reabsorbed in Cleberg
Salentin II		?	1275-1297	1297	Lower Isenburg	Agnes of Runkel (d.1316) ten children
Regency of Isolda of Loon-Heinsberg (c.1278-1284)
John I		c.1270	1278-1327	1327	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Agnes of Lower Isenburg (d.1316) 1294 seven children
Louis		c.1250	1278-1304	1304	Isenburg-Cleeberg	Heilwig of Tübingen (d.c.1295) seven children	Sons of Henry II, divided the land between them. Eberhard left no heirs and his portion was inherited by his brother Louis.
Gerlach I		c.1250	1278-1305	c.1305	Isenburg-Arnfels	Elisabeth of Clèves (1236-1290) five children
Eberhard		c.1250	1278-1292	25 November 1292	Isenburg-Grenzau	Irmgard of Büdingen (d.c.1220) eight children
Isenburg-Grenzau annexed to Isenberg-Cleberg
Theodoric III		?	1287-1325	1323/25	Isenburg-Kempenich	Kunigunde of Solms (d.1344) two children	Sons of Gerard I, ruled jointly.
Simon I		?	1287-1320	c.1320	Isenburg-Kempenich	Agnes of Trier 1293 two children
John I the Blind		1266	1289-1312	19 September 1312	Isenburg-Limburg	Elisabeth of Geroldseck-Veldenz (1266-1285) two children Uda of Ravensberg (1268-28 June 1313) 25 August 1292 five children
Salentin III		?	1297-1351	1351	Lower Isenburg	Katharina one child Matilda of Covern (d.1350) six children
Lothar		?	1304-1341	4 February 1341	Isenburg-Cleeberg	Isengard of Falkenstein (d.c.1330) five children
Theodoric		?	1305-1334	1334	Isenburg-Arnfels	Hedwig of Neuenahr (d.c.1330) five children	Sons of Gerlach I, ruled jointly.
John		?	1305-1348	17 November 1348	Isenburg-Arnfels	Katharina no children Jutta of Arscheid (d.c.1385) no children
Gerlach V the Elder		c.1295	1312-1355	14 April 1355	Isenburg-Limburg	Agnes of Nassau-Siegen (d.1318) 1312 three children Kunigunde of Wertheim (d.1362) 20 December 1323 eight children
Simon II		?	1325-1339	1337/39	Isenburg-Kempenich	Katharina of Sayn (d.c.1345) one child	Simon II and Theodoric IV, as sons of Theodoric III, ruled jointly with their cousin, Gerard II, son of Gerard I.
Theodoric IV the Arsonist		?	1329-1341	1341	Isenburg-Kempenich	Unmarried
Gerard II		?	1329-1335	c.1335	Isenburg-Kempenich	Unmarried
William I		c.1310	1327-1383	17 July 1383^[9]	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Agnes of Virneburg (d.1352/3) 1329 (annulled 12 September 1351) five children Johanna of Jülich (d.1362) 27 July 1354 one child Lisa of Isenberg-Arenfels (d. 30 November 1403) 11 November 1362 two children	Grandson of John I.
Simon III		?	1341-1360	c.1360	Isenburg-Kempenich	Hedwig of Schönberg (d.1367) six children
Henry I^[10]		1320	1341-1379	1379	Isenburg-Büdingen	Adelaide of Hanau (d.29 July 1378) 29 July 1332 six children	Sons of Lothar, divided the land between them.
Philip I		c.1320	1341-1370	22 March 1370	Isenburg-Grenzau	Margaret of Katzenelnbogen (d.9 July 1370) 1338 two children
Gerlach II		?	1348-1371	14 August 1371	Isenburg-Arnfels	Elisabeth of Braunshorn (d.15 November 1339) six children Demut of Roesberg (d.c.1365) two children	Son of Theodoric, had no surviving descendants. Arenfels went to Isenburg-Wied.
Isenburg-Arnfels annexed to Isenburg-Braunsberg/Wied
Salentin IV		c.1320	1351-1364	1364	Lower Isenburg	Katharina of Solms (d.2 May 1399) 25 February 1341 two children
Gerlach VI the Younger		c.1325	1355-1366	April 1366	Isenburg-Limburg	Elizabeth of Falkenstein (d. 9 April 1366) 9 November 1356 no children	Died of Black Death, without male heirs.
Salentin V		c.1345	1364-1420	30 November 1420	Lower Isenburg	Adelaide of Isenburg-Arenfels (d.1401) 6 May 1371 ten children
John II		c.1325	1366-1406	26 January 1406	Isenburg-Limburg	Hildegard of Saarwerden (d.1419) two children	Brother of Gerlach VI. Originally went into clergy. However, after his brother's death with no heirs, and with the permission of Pope Urban V, John put aside the office of Canon of Trier Cathedral and took over the rule of Limburg. He left no male heirs. The land went to the Archbishopric of Trier.
Isenburg-Limburg was annexed to the Archbishopric of Trier
Simon IV		?	1360-1414	1414	Isenburg-Kempenich	Unmarried	Sons of Simon III, ruled jointly. The death of the last one of them with no male descendants led to the annexation of the land to the Lords of Schöneck.
Theodoric V		?	1360-1378	1378	Isenburg-Kempenich	Unmarried
John		?	1360-1424	1424	Isenburg-Kempenich	Gertrude of Hückelhoven (d.1421) one child
Henry		?	1360-1388	1388	Isenburg-Kempenich	Elisabeth of Schönkeen no children
Kempenich annexed to the Lordship of Schöneck (1424-1434), the Archbishopric of Trier (1434) and then to the County of Virneburg
Eberhard		1356	1370-1399	1399	Isenburg-Grenzau	Matilda of the Mark (d.6 August 1406) 1371 five children
John I		1325	1379-1395	1395	Isenburg-Büdingen	Sophia of Wertheim (d.1389) 28 July 1355 two children
William II		1352	1383-c.1409	c.1409	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Unmarried
John II		1360	1395-1408	1408	Isenburg-Büdingen	Margaret of Katzenelnbogen (1365-1438) 1385 two children
Philip II		1376	1399-1440	1440	Isenburg-Grenzau	Margaret of Lower Isenburg (d.15 June 1441) 17 January 1395 no children	His childless death determined that the county was inherited by his sister.
Diether		1390	1408-1461	20 November 1461	Isenburg-Büdingen	Elisabeth of Solms-Braunfels (c.1410-17 July 1451) 26 July 1409 eight children
Gerlach		c.1365	1409-1413	1413	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Agnes of Isenburg-Büdingen (d.4/9 July 1402) 27 September 1376^[11] four children	Half-brother of William II.
William III		c.1380	1413-1462	22 October 1462^[11]	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Margaret of Moers no children Philippa of Loon-Heinsberg (d.14 January 1464) 10 April 1402 no children	Sons of Gerlach, ruled jointly. After William's death, Dietrich IV, Lord of Runkel, could claim the county through the marriage with Anastasia, John II's daughter.
John II		c.1380	1413-1454	1454	Isenburg-Braunsberg	Agnes of Westerburg (d.1415) 1400 two children Kunigunde of Westerburg (d. 2 February 1428) 1415 no children Kunigunde of Saffenberg (d.1454) 1428 no children
Wied annexed to Runkel's domains, and then returned to the County of Wied
Salentin VI		c.1375	1420-1458	1458	Lower Isenburg	Adelaide of Isenberg-Grenzau no children Maria, Countess of Isenberg-Grenzau ten children	Called sometimes of Grenzau, probably from his marriage.
Maria		c.1375	c.1440	after 1440	Lower Isenburg	Salentin VI, Count of Lower Isenburg ten children	Heiress of Grenzau, which through her should be directly inherited by Lower Isenburg. However, she may have kept it less than a year, before being annexed to Nassau-Beilstein, then to the Archbishopric of Trier, and finally sold to the rightful owners, the Counts of Lower Isenburg.
Annexed to the County of Nassau-Beilstein (1439), to the Archbishopric of Trier (1446) and the County of Lower Isenburg (1460)
Gerlach III		?	1458-1488	6 May 1488	Lower Isenburg	Jutta of Eppenstein (d.1421) four children
Louis II		1422	1461-1511	4 June 1511	Isenburg-Büdingen	Maria of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein (1438-10 January 1480) 1 December 1452 ten children
Gerlach IV		?	1488-1502	18 July 1502	Lower Isenburg	Hildegard von Zirk (1430-1478) seven children	Sons of Gerlach II, ruled jointly.
James		1456	1488-1502	17 January 1505	Lower Isenburg	Unmarried
Salentin VII		1470	1502-1534	24 September 1534	Isenburg-Neumagen	Elisabeth of Hunolstein-Neumagen (1475-4 June 1538) nine children	Sons of Gerlach II, ruled jointly. After Gerlach's death, his sons divided the county.
Gerlach V		1490	1502-1530	9 September 1530	Isenburg-Grenzau	Anastasia of Moers (d.24 October 1557) 5 July 1494 eleven children
Philip I		20 March 1467	1511-1526	22 February 1526	Isenburg-Ronneburg	Amalia of Rieneck (29 November 1478 – 1543) 17 June 1516 Arnstadt six children	Sons of Louis II, divided the county between them.
John III		1476	1511-1533	18 May 1533	Isenburg-Birstein	Anna of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg (23 February 1497 – 1546) 17 June 1516 Arnstadt seven children
Anton I		2 August 1501	1526-1560	25 October 1560	Isenburg-Ronneburg	Elisabeth of Wied (1508-24 July 1542) 17 June 1516 sixteen children Katharina Gumpel (1530-18 September 1559) 16 February 1554 four children
Henry the Elder		5 January 1521	1530-1553	1553	Isenburg-Grenzau	Margaret of Wertheim (d.25 March 1538) 2 September 1533 five children
Reinhard		1518	1533-1568	28 February 1568	Isenburg-Birstein	Elisabeth of Waldeck-Wildungen (10 December 1525 – 30 March 1543) 1542 one child Margaret of Mansfeld (1520-1573) 4 May 1551 Rudolstadt no children	Sons of John III, ruled jointly.
Philip II		23 May 1526	1533-1596	5 April 1596	Isenburg-Birstein	Irmengard of Solma-Braunfels (1536-1 October 1577) 31 October 1559 Birstein ten children
Louis III		30 May 1529	1533-1588	7 February 1588	Isenburg-Birstein	Anna Sybilla of Schwarzburg (25 October 1540 – 3 August 1578) 24 June 1571 Arnstadt four children Maria of Hohnstein (1558-2 February 1586) 13 August 1581 Offenbach two children
Henry		c.1500	1534-1554	13 February 1554	Isenburg-Neumagen	Antonia Penelope van Brederode (d.30 June 1591) 4 September 1547 ten children	Sons of Salentin VII, ruled jointly. After their childless deaths, the county is inherited by his brother-in law, the count of Sayn.
Salentin VIII		c.1500	1534-1554	1544	Isenburg-Neumagen	Unmarried
Neumagen annexed to the County of Sayn
John Henry		1534	1553-1565	15 November 1565	Isenburg-Grenzau	Erica of Manderscheid-Schleiden (d.23 December 1587) 22 August 1563 Grenzau no children
George		10 September 1528	1560-1577	29 June 1577	Isenburg-Ronneburg (from 1566 in Ronneburg)	Barbara of Wertheim (1531-17 September 1600) 21 May 1552 no children	Sons of Anton, ruled jointly. After Henry's death in 1601, Ronneburg was annexed back to Birstein.
Wolfgang		12 June 1533	1560-1597	20 December 1597	Isenburg-Ronneburg (from 1566 in Kelsterbach)	Johanna of Hanau-Lichtenstein (4 April 1543 – 3 December 1599) 26 October 1563 (annulled 1573) one child Ursula of Solms-Braunfels (1535-21 January 1585) 16 December 1577 no children Ursula of Gleichen-Remda (d. September 1625) 19 September 1585 no children
Henry		13 September 1537	1561-1601	31 May 1601	Isenburg-Ronneburg (1566-1597 in Ronneburg; in all county from 1597)	Maria of Rappoltstein (5 July 1551 – 15 October 1571) 1569 no children Elisabeth of Gleichen-Tona (1554-19 July 1616) 1572 no children
Isenburg-Ronneburg was annexed to Isenburg-Birstein
Salentin IX		1532	1565-1610	19 March 1610	Isenburg-Grenzau	Antonia Wilhelmina of Arenberg (1 March 1557 - 26 February 1626) 10 December 1577 two children
Wolfgang Ernest I		29 December 1560	1596-1633	21 May 1633	Isenburg-Birstein	Anna of Gleichen-Remda (1565-3 March 1598) 26 September 1585 Birstein eight children Elisabeth of Nassau-Dillenburg (24 January 1564 – 5 May 1611) 16 April 1603 Frankfurt am Main one child Juliana of Sayn-Wittgenstein (26 February 1583 – 8 February 1627) 19 April 1616 four children	Son of Philip II.
Salentin X		c.1580	1610-1619	5 December 1619	Isenburg-Grenzau	Unmarried	Died childless.
Ernest		1584	1619-1664	30 May 1664	Isenburg-Grenzau	Caroline Ernestine of Arenberg (6 September 1606 - 12 September 1630) 1 September 1625 no children Maria Anna of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1614 - 7 March 1670) 1636 Fürstenberg one child	Brother of Salentin X. Left no descendants.
Grenzau divided between the Archbishopric of Trier, Archbishopric of Cologne and Abbots of Fulda
William Otto		6 November 1597	1633-1667	17 July 1667	Isenburg-Birstein	Catharina Elisabeth of Hanau-Munzenberg (1 September 1607 - 24 September 1647) 7 November 1628 no children Anna Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg (19 July 1599 – 4 May 1667) 24 October 1648 Birstein no children	Sons of Wolfgang Ernest I, divided the land between them. William Otto didn't have descendants and his feud was briefly annexed to Offenbach, before it generates a new branch in 1685.
Council of Regency, in Büdingen only (1633-1643)
John Ernest I		21 June 1625	1633-1673	8 October 1673	Isenburg-Büdingen	Maria Charlotte of Erbach-Erbach (24 March 1631 – 8 June 1693) 15 June 1650 Wechsterbach twelve children
Wolfgang Henry		21 October 1588	1633-1638	27 February 1638	Isenburg-Offenbach	Maria Magdalene of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein (11 August 1592 – 13 January 1654) 12 September 1609 Büdingen thirteen children
Isenburg-Birstein annexed to Isenburg-Offenbach
Regency of Maria Magdalene of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein (1638-1640)
John Louis		14 February 1622	1638-1685	23 February 1685	Isenburg-Offenbach	Maria Juliana of Hanau-Munzenberg (15 January 1617 – 28 October 1643) 7 October 1643 Hanau no children Louise of Nassau-Dillenburg (22 May 1623 – 17 November 1685) 10 February 1646 Dillenburg eleven children Maria Juliana Blingen (d.1677) 27 January 1666 Hanau (morganatic) six children
Regency of Maria Charlotte of Erbach-Erbach (1673-1691)							Sons of John Ernest I, ruled under their mother during their minority, and then divided the land once more.
John Casimir		10 July 1660	1673-1693	23 September 1693	Isenburg-Büdingen	Sophie Elisabeth of Isenburg-Offenbach (10 July 1650 – 3 September 1692) 12 April c.1680 Offenbach am Main eight children
Ferdinand Maximilian I		3 January 1662	1673-1703	14 March 1703	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Albertine Maria of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (29 January 1663 – 29 November 1711) 1 July 1685 Berleburg fourteen children
George Albert		1 May 1664	1673-1724	11 February 1724	Isenburg-Meerholz	Amalia Henriette of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (9 September 1663 – 21 April 1707) 11 July 1691 Meerholz six children
Charles Augustus		27 January 1667	1673-1725	16 March 1725	Isenburg-Marienborn	Anna Belgica Florentina of Solms-Laubach (9 September 1663 – 21 April 1707) 5 May 1690 Laubach four children
Isenburg-Marienborn was annexed to Isenburg-Wachtersbach
John Philip		3 December 1655	1685-1718	21 September 1718	Isenburg-Offenbach	Charlotte Amalia of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Landsberg (24 May 1653 – 9 August 1707)19 July 1678 no children Frederica Wilhelmina Charlotte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (23 June 1684 – 26 June 1731) 22 July 1708 one child	Sons of John Louis, redivided the land between them.
William Maurice I		3 August 1657	1685-1711	8 March 1711	Isenburg-Birstein	Anna Amalia of Isenburg-Büdingen (23 October 1653 – 12 March 1700) 3 November 1679 Birstein sixteen children Anna Ernestina Sofia von Kvernheim (1660-30 September 1708) 1700 no children Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg (13 April 1659 – 15 September 1733) 1709 Niederweisel no children
Council of Regency (1693-1701)							Died childless.
John Ernest II		3 April 1683	1693-1708	31 May 1708	Isenburg-Büdingen	Unmarried
Regency of Albertine Maria of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1703-1710)
Ferdinand Maximilian II		12 January 1692	1703-1755	22 April 1755	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Albertine Ernestine of Isenburg-Büdingen (25 August 1692 – 11 June 1724) 28 May 1713 Büdingen nine children Ernestine Wilhelmine of Stolberg-Gedern (2 January 1695 – 7 May 1759) 7 December 1725 Wechtersbach eight children
Ernest Casimir I		12 May 1687	1708-1749	15 October 1749	Isenburg-Büdingen	Christine Eleonore of Stolberg-Gedern (12 September 1692 – 30 January 1745) 8 August 1708 Gedern eight children	Brother of John Ernest II.
Wolfgang Ernest I		5 April 1666	1711-1754	15 April 1754	Isenburg-Birstein	Friederike Elisabeth of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg (16 January 1681 – 11 January 1717) 27 November 1707 Weilburg seven children Elisabeth Charlotte of Isenburg-Marienborn (7 November 1695 – 23 September 1723) 27 January 1719 Marienborn two children Charlotte Amalia of Isenburg-Meerholz (1 September 1692 – 10 January 1752) 22 May 1725 six children	Sons of William Maurice I, divided the land between them.
William Maurice II		23 July 1688	1711-1772	7 March 1772	Isenburg-Philippseich	Amalia Louisa von Donna-Lauk-Reichertswalde (27 February 1763 – 20 April 1800) 3 January 1712 Birstein three children Philippine Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (2 October 1705 – 1 November 1744) 2 April 1725 Gedern twelve children
Charles		27 November 1700	1724-1774	14 March 1774	Isenburg-Meerholz	Elisabeth Friederike Juliana of Solms-Rodelheim-Assenheim (23 September 1703 – 1 June 1762) 11 July 1691 Meerholz twelve children
Gustav Frederick		7 August 1715	1749-1768	12 February 1768	Isenburg-Büdingen	Dorothea Benedikta von Reventlow (13 October 1734 – 20 December 1766) 21 November 1749 Fünen six children Auguste Friederike of Stolberg-Wernigerode (4 September 1743 – 9 January 1783) 5 December 1767 Wernigerode eight children	Left no surviving heirs.
Wolfgang Ernest II		17 November 1735	1754-1803	3 February 1803	Isenburg-Birstein	Sophie Charlotte Ernestina of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (3 April 1743 – 5 December 1781) 20 September 1760 Schaumburg Castle seven children Ernestine Esperance Victoria of Reuss-Greiz (20 January 1756 – 2 December 1819) 20 August 1783 no children	Grandson of Wolfgang Ernest I. His father was Wiliam Emich Christoph, son of Wolfgang Ernest I.
Ferdinand Casimir I		19 January 1716	1755-1778	16 September 1778	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Auguste Karoline of Isenburg-Büdingen (15 July 1722 – 30 November 1758) 7 July 1750 Büdingen two children
Louis Casimir		25 August 1710	1768-1775	15 December 1775	Isenburg-Büdingen	Auguste Friederike of Stolberg-Wernigerode (4 September 1743 – 9 January 1783) 24 September 1768 Christinenhof eight children	Brother of Gustav Frederick, married his widow, but died also childless.
Christian Charles		28 June 1732	1772-1779	26 March 1779	Isenburg-Philippseich	Constance Sophie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (11 April 1733 – 8 January 1776) 13 June 1762 Philippseich seven children
John Frederick William		2 May 1729	1774-1802	4 May 1802	Isenburg-Meerholz	Karoline of Salm (20 April 1734 – 11 May 1791) 11 June 1762 Grumbach eight children
Ernest Casimir II		25 February 1757	1775-1801	25 February 1801	Isenburg-Büdingen	Eleonore of Bentheim-Steinfurt (26 April 1754 – 18 February 1827) 25 July 1779 Burgsteinfurt eight children
Ferdinand Casimir II		17 October 1752	1778-1780	1 December 1780	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Auguste Louise Clementine Hedwig of Bentheim-Steinfurt (23 September 1755 – 15 November 1798) 29 April 1755 Siegen no children	Left no heirs. The county passed to his uncle.
Council of Regency (1779-1781)							Left no heirs.
Charles William Ernest		20 October 1767	1779-1781	30 January 1781	Isenburg-Philippseich	Unmarried
Albert Augustus		14 April 1717	1780-1782	25 November 1782	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Sophia Dorothea Wilhelmina van Rehren (15 June 1706 – 23 October 1758) 22 April 1756 Almelo no children Charlotte of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (26 April 1725 – 9 January 1798) 9 June 1765 Meiningen no children	Brother of Ferdinand Casimir I. Like him, he didn't have children.
Council of Regency (1781-1788)							Brother of Charles William Ernest. In 1806, by German mediatisation, all Isenburg lands were absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein.
Henry Ferdinand		15 October 1770	1781-1806	27 December 1838	Isenburg-Philippseich	Amalia Isabella Sidonia von Bentheim-Tecklenburg (6 December 1768 – 6 August 1822) 13 July 1789 Lemgo nine children
Isenburg-Philippseich absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein
William Reinhard		5 May 1719	1782-1785	5 August 1785	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Auguste Louise Clementine Hedwig of Bentheim-Steinfurt (23 September 1755 – 15 November 1798) 20 February 1784 Wachtersbach no children	Brother of Ferdinand Casimir I and Albert Augustus. Married his sister-in-law, but didn't have heirs.
Adolph I		20 August 1722	1785-1798	19 April 1798	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Unmarried	Brother of Ferdinand Casimir, Albert Augustus and William Reinhard. He also didn't have heirs.
Louis Maximilian I		28 August 1741	1798-1805	23 June 1805	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Auguste of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (27 February 1763 – 20 April 1800) 26 April 1789 Wittgenstein four children	Last son of Ferdinand Maximilian II.
Ernest Casimir III		20 January 1781	1801-1806	1 December 1852	Isenburg-Büdingen	Ferdinande of Erbach-Schönberg (23 July 1784 – 24 September 1848) 10 May 1804 Zwingenberg eight children	In 1806, by German mediatisation, all Isenburg lands were absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein.
Isenburg-Büdingen absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein
Charles William Louis		7 May 1763	1802-1806	17 April 1832	Isenburg-Meerholz	Karoline of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (13 September 1764 – 28 April 1833) 29 March 1785 Wittgenstein six children	In 1806, by German mediatisation, all Isenburg lands were absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein.
Isenburg-Meerholz absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein
Regency of Charles, Count of Isenburg-Birstein (1805-1806)							In 1806, by German mediatisation, all Isenburg lands were absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein.
Louis Maximilian II		21 May 1791	1805-1806	25 February 1821	Isenburg-Wachtersbach	Unmarried
Isenburg-Wachtersbach absorbed into Isenburg-Birstein
Charles		29 June 1766	1803-1806	21 March 1820	Isenburg-Birstein	Charlotte Auguste of Erbach-Erbach 16 September 1795 Erbach six children	In 1806, in the advent of the German mediatization, his county was chosen as the one to which all the others were absorbed to. He was then raised as Prince of Isenburg. However, in 1815, his own Principality was also absorbed, this time to the Electorate of Hesse.
			1806-1815		Principality of Isenburg
Isenburg was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse

Lines of succession

Mediatized line of Birstein (1815)

^{[citation needed]}

• Charles, 1st Prince 1803-1820 (1766-1820)
  • Wolfgang Ernst, 2nd Prince 1820-1866 (1798-1866)
  • Prince Victor (1802-1843)
    • Karl, 3rd Prince 1866-1899 (1838-1899)
      • Prince Leopold (1866-1933) -renounced his rights in 1898
      • Franz Joseph, 4th Prince 1899-1939 (1869-1939)
        • Franz Ferdinand, 5th Prince 1939-1956 (1901-1956)
          • Franz Alexander, 6th Prince 1956–2018 (1943-2018)
            • Alexander, 7th Prince 2018–present (1969) ∞ Sarah Lorenz
              • Princess Alix (2015)
              • Princess Zita (2017)
              • Franz Salvator, Hereditary Prince (2019)
            • Princess Katharina (1971) ∞ Archduke Martin of Austria
            • Princess Isabelle (1973) ∞ Carl, Prince of Wied
            • Princess Sophie (1978) ∞ Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
            • Prince Viktor (1979) ∞ Jungeun Anes Lee
              • Princess Amalia (2016)
              • Princess Victoria (2018)

Mediatized line of Büdingen (1806)

• Ernest Casimir III (1806-1848), in 1840 he was raised to Prince.
• Ernest Casimir IV (1848-1861)
• Bruno (1861-1906)
• Wolfgang (1906-1920)
• Alfred (1920-1922)
• Karl (1922-1941)
• Otto Friedrich (1904-1990), from the Ysenburg-Büdingen-Wächtersbach branch, adopted by Karl in 1936

• Wolfgang-Ernst, 8th Prince 1990- (b.1936) ∞ Leonille Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Hereditary Prince Casimir-Alexander (b.1967)
    • Prince Tristan Alexander (b.2014)
  • Prince Maximilian (b.1969)
    • Prince Tassilo-Alexander (b.2006)

Notable members of the family

• Imagina of Isenburg-Limburg, c. 1255 – 29 September 1313?, Queen consort of Adolf of Nassau, king of Germany
• Diether von Isenburg, c. 1412 – 1482, Elector and Archbishop of Mainz
• Anna of Isenburg-Büdingen, 1460 – 1522
• John of Isenburg-Grenzau, Archbishop-Elector of Trier from 1547 until 1556
• Salentin IX of Isenburg-Grenzau, c. 1532–1610, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, Bishop of Paderborn
• Ernst Casimir II, 2nd Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen, 1806-1861
• Bruno, 3rd Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen, 1837-1906
• Princess Sophie Johanna Maria of Isenburg (born 1978), wife of Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia

References

1. Treitschke, Heinrich. History of Germany in the Nineteenth Century, Vol. I, page 609.
2. Hess, J. (ed.) (1901), Die Urkunde des Pfarrarchivs von St Severin in Köln, Köln, "Köln St Severin", 5, p. 8.
3. Niederrheins Urkundenbuch, Band I, 286, p. 187.
4. Codex diplomaticus Rheno-Mosellanus, Theil I, 247, p. 500.
5. Isenburg-Wied-Runkel (1775), Urkunden, LXXIII, p. 88
6. Codex diplomaticus Rheno-Mosellanus, Theil II, 247, p. 376
7. Isenburg-Wied-Runkel (1775), Urkunden, LVI, 73.
8. Milmeister (2003), p. 60.
9. Clervaux (1883), 501, p.100.
10. Sometimes numbered II in reference to his uncle, Henry, who died in 1298, even before his father's ascension.
11. Isenburg-Wied-Runkel (1775), Urkunden, CIII, 120.

External links

• Official Website – Fürstenhaus Isenburg (Princely House of Isenburg) (in German)