The Duchy was initially a vassal of the Kingdom of Poland, as a result of the terms of the Prussian Homage whereby Albert was granted the Duchy as part of the terms of peace following the Prussian War. When the main line of Prussian Hohenzollerns died out in 1618, the Duchy passed to a different branch of the family, who also reigned as Electors of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire. While still nominally two different territories, Prussia under the suzerainty of Poland and Brandenburg under the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire, the two states are known together historiographically as Brandenburg-Prussia.
Following the third Northern War, a series of treaties freed the Duchy of Prussia from vassalage to any other state, making it a fully sovereign Duchy in its own right. This complex situation (where the Hohenzollern ruler of the independent Duchy of Prussia was also a subject of the Holy Roman Emperor as Elector of Brandenburg) laid the eventual groundwork for the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. For diplomatic reasons, the rulers of Prussia called themselves King in Prussia from 1701 to 1772. They still nominally owed fealty to the Emperor as Electors of Brandenburg, so the "King in Prussia" title (as opposed to "King of Prussia") avoided offending the Emperor. Additionally, calling themselves "King of Prussia" implied sovereignty over the entire Prussian region, parts of which were still part of Poland.
As the Prussian state grew through several wars and diplomatic moves throughout the 18th century, it became apparent that Prussia had become a Great Power in its own right. By 1772, the pretense was dropped, and the style "King of Prussia" was adopted. The Prussian kings continued to use the title "Elector of Brandenburg" until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, reflecting the legal fiction that their domains within the empire were still under the ultimate overlordship of the Emperor. Legally, the Hohenzollerns ruled Brandenburg in personal union with their Prussian kingdom, but in practice they treated their domains as a single unit. The Hohenzollerns gained de jure sovereignty over Brandenburg when the empire dissolved in 1806, and Brandenburg was formally merged into Prussia.
In 1871, in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, the German Empire was formed, and the King of Prussia, Wilhelm I was crowned German Emperor. From that point forward, though the Kingdom of Prussia retained its status as a constituent state of the empire (by far the largest and most powerful), all subsequent Kings of Prussia also served as German Emperor, and that title took precedence.
^Statement of Abdication of William II (28 November 1918)
Bibliographyedit
Hull, Isabel V. (2004), The Entourage of Kaiser Wilhelm II, 1888–1918.
Horne, Charles F. (2009), Source Records of the Great War, Kessinger Publishing, ISBN978-1104855536, from the original on 2023-01-25, retrieved 2016-03-23
External linksedit
March 22, 2024
list, monarchs, prussia, king, prussia, redirects, here, pennsylvania, town, king, prussia, pennsylvania, other, uses, king, prussia, disambiguation, monarchs, prussia, were, members, house, hohenzollern, were, hereditary, rulers, former, german, state, prussi. King of Prussia redirects here For the Pennsylvania town see King of Prussia Pennsylvania For other uses see King of Prussia disambiguation The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order a Roman Catholic crusader state and theocracy located along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea The Teutonic Knights were under the leadership of a Grand Master the last of whom Albert converted to Protestantism and secularized the lands which then became the Duchy of Prussia Monarchy of PrussiaKonig von PreussenRoyal Coat of armsWilhelm IDetailsStyleHis MajestyFirst monarchAlbert as Duke Last monarchWilhelm IIFormation10 April 1525Abolition9 November 1918ResidenceKonigsberg CastleStadtschloss Berlin last AppointerHereditaryPretender s Georg FriedrichThe Duchy was initially a vassal of the Kingdom of Poland as a result of the terms of the Prussian Homage whereby Albert was granted the Duchy as part of the terms of peace following the Prussian War When the main line of Prussian Hohenzollerns died out in 1618 the Duchy passed to a different branch of the family who also reigned as Electors of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire While still nominally two different territories Prussia under the suzerainty of Poland and Brandenburg under the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire the two states are known together historiographically as Brandenburg Prussia Following the third Northern War a series of treaties freed the Duchy of Prussia from vassalage to any other state making it a fully sovereign Duchy in its own right This complex situation where the Hohenzollern ruler of the independent Duchy of Prussia was also a subject of the Holy Roman Emperor as Elector of Brandenburg laid the eventual groundwork for the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701 For diplomatic reasons the rulers of Prussia called themselves King in Prussia from 1701 to 1772 They still nominally owed fealty to the Emperor as Electors of Brandenburg so the King in Prussia title as opposed to King of Prussia avoided offending the Emperor Additionally calling themselves King of Prussia implied sovereignty over the entire Prussian region parts of which were still part of Poland As the Prussian state grew through several wars and diplomatic moves throughout the 18th century it became apparent that Prussia had become a Great Power in its own right By 1772 the pretense was dropped and the style King of Prussia was adopted The Prussian kings continued to use the title Elector of Brandenburg until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 reflecting the legal fiction that their domains within the empire were still under the ultimate overlordship of the Emperor Legally the Hohenzollerns ruled Brandenburg in personal union with their Prussian kingdom but in practice they treated their domains as a single unit The Hohenzollerns gained de jure sovereignty over Brandenburg when the empire dissolved in 1806 and Brandenburg was formally merged into Prussia In 1871 in the aftermath of the Franco Prussian War the German Empire was formed and the King of Prussia Wilhelm I was crowned German Emperor From that point forward though the Kingdom of Prussia retained its status as a constituent state of the empire by far the largest and most powerful all subsequent Kings of Prussia also served as German Emperor and that title took precedence Contents 1 Duchy of Prussia 1525 1701 2 Kingdom of Prussia 1701 1918 3 Timeline 4 Pretenders to the Prussian throne since 1918 5 Family tree 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Bibliography 8 External linksDuchy of Prussia 1525 1701 editMain article Duchy of Prussia NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImageAlbert 1490 05 17 17 May 1490 20 March 1568 1568 03 20 aged 77 10 April 152520 March 1568Grand Master of Teutonic Knights granted the title of Duke of PrussiaHohenzollern nbsp Albert Frederick 1553 05 07 7 May 1553 27 August 1618 1618 08 27 aged 65 20 March 156827 August 1618Son of AlbertHohenzollern nbsp John Sigismund 1572 11 08 8 November 1572 23 December 1619 1619 12 23 aged 47 27 August 161823 December 1619Son in law and second cousin thrice removed of Albert Frederick also Elector of BrandenburgHohenzollern nbsp George William 1595 11 13 13 November 1595 1 December 1640 1640 12 01 aged 45 23 December 16191 December 1640Son of John Sigismund also Elector of BrandenburgHohenzollern nbsp Frederick Williamthe Great Elector 1620 02 16 16 February 1620 29 April 1688 1688 04 29 aged 68 1 December 164029 April 1688Son of George William also Elector of BrandenburgHohenzollern nbsp Frederick I 1657 07 11 11 July 1657 25 February 1713 1713 02 25 aged 55 29 April 168818 January 1701Son of Frederick William also Elector of BrandenburgHohenzollern nbsp Kingdom of Prussia 1701 1918 editMain article Kingdom of Prussia NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImageFrederick Ithe Mercenary King 1 1657 07 11 11 July 1657 25 February 1713 1713 02 25 aged 55 18 January 170125 February 1713Son of Frederick William also Elector of BrandenburgHohenzollern nbsp Frederick William Ithe Soldier King 1688 08 14 14 August 1688 31 May 1740 1740 05 31 aged 51 25 February 171331 May 1740Son of Frederick IHohenzollern nbsp Frederick IIthe Great 1712 01 24 24 January 1712 17 August 1786 1786 08 17 aged 74 31 May 174017 August 1786Son of Frederick William IHohenzollern nbsp Frederick William II 1744 09 25 25 September 1744 16 November 1797 1797 11 16 aged 53 17 August 178616 November 1797Nephew of Frederick II Grandson of Frederick William IHohenzollern nbsp Frederick William III 1770 07 03 3 July 1770 7 June 1840 1840 06 07 aged 69 16 November 17977 June 1840Son of Frederick William IIHohenzollern nbsp Frederick William IV 1795 10 15 15 October 1795 2 January 1861 1861 01 02 aged 65 7 June 18402 January 1861Son of Frederick William III also President of the Erfurt Union 1849 1850 Hohenzollern nbsp Wilhelm I 1797 03 22 22 March 1797 9 March 1888 1888 03 09 aged 90 2 January 18619 March 1888Brother of Frederick William IV Son of Frederick William III also President of the North German Confederation 1867 1871 and German Emperor from 1871 Hohenzollern nbsp Frederick III 1831 10 18 18 October 1831 15 June 1888 1888 06 15 aged 56 9 March 188815 June 1888Son of Wilhelm I also German Emperor only Prussian monarch to rule for less than one yearHohenzollern nbsp Wilhelm II 1859 01 27 27 January 1859 4 June 1941 1941 06 04 aged 82 15 June 18889 November 1918 abdicated 2 Son of Frederick III also German Emperor also last King of Prussia and last German EmperorHohenzollern nbsp Timeline editPretenders to the Prussian throne since 1918 editWilliam II 9 November 1918 4 June 1941 Frederick William 4 June 1941 20 July 1951 Louis Ferdinand 20 July 1951 26 September 1994 George Frederick 26 September 1994 present Family tree editFrederick I Elector of BrandenburgAlbrecht III Achilles Elector of BrandenburgJohn Cicero Elector of BrandenburgJoachim I Nestor Elector of BrandenburgFrederick Iof Ansbachand Bayreuth1460 1536SophiaJagiellon1464 1512Albert1490 1525 1568Anna Marieof Brunswick Luneburg1532 1568Joachim II Hector Elector of BrandenburgSophie ofBrandenburg Ansbach Kulmbach1485 1537Frederick IIof Legnica1480 1547Casimir ofBrandenburg Bayreuth1481 1527Susannaof Bavaria1502 1543Hedwig ofMunsterbergand Olesnica1508 1531George ofBrandenburg Ansbach1484 1543Emilieof Saxony1516 1591AlbertFrederick1553 1568 1618Marie Eleonoreof Cleves1550 1608John Georgeof Brandenburg1525 1598Sophieof Legnica1525 1546Marie ofBrandenburg Kulmbach1519 1567Frederick III ElectorPalatine1515 1576William Iof Nassau Dillenburg1487 1559Anna Maria ofBrandenburg Ansbach1526 1589George Frederickregent1539 1577 1603Anna Sophiaof Prussia1527 1591Eleanorof Prussia1583 1607JoachimFrederick ofBrandenbrugregent1546 1605 1608Catherine ofBrandenburg Kustrin1549 1602Louis VI ElectorPalatine1539 1583William Iof theNetherlands1533 1584Elisabethof Nassau Dillenburg1542 1603Sabine ofWurttemberg1549 1581John VIof Nassau Dillenburg1536 1606Magdalene ofBrandenburg1582 1616Annaof Prussia1576 1625John Sigismund1572 1618 1619regent1611 1618Anna Maria ofthe Palatinate1561 1589Frederick IV ElectorPalatine1574 1610Louise Julianaof Nassau1576 1644John Albert Iof Solms BraunfelsJohn VIIof Nassau Siegen1561 1623John VII ofMecklenburg1558 1592Anne Eleonoreof Hesse Darmstadt1601 1659GeorgeWilliam1595 1619 1640ElizabethCharlotteof the Palatinate1597 1660Frederick VElectorPalatine1596 1632FrederickHenry ofOrange1584 1617Amaliaof Solms Braunfels1602 1675Maurice ofHesse Kassel1572 1632Julianeof Nassau Siegen1587 1643George Williamof Saxe Lauenburg1624 1705ErnestAugustusof Hanover1629 1698Sophia of thePalatinate1630 1714FrederickWilliam1620 1640 1688LouiseHenrietteof Orange1627 1667John Albert ofMecklenburg1590 1636SophiaDorotheaof Celle1666 1726George Iof GreatBritain1660 1727SophiaCharlotteof Hanover1688 1705Frederick I1657 1688 1713Catherineof Sweden1584 1638John Casimirof Kleeburg1589 1652Carolineof Ansbach1683 1737George II ofGreat Britain1683 1760SophiaDorotheaof Hanover1687 1757FrederickWilliam I1688 1713 1740Louis IXof Hesse Darmstadt1719 1790EleonoraCatherine ofZweibrucken1626 1692Frederickof Hesse Eschwege1617 1655ElisabethSophie ofMecklenburg1613 1676Frederick Prince of Wales1707 1751Augusta ofSaxe Gotha1719 1772Charles LouisFrederick ofMecklenburg1708 1752ElisabethAlbertineof Saxe Hildburghausen1713 1761Christineof Hesse Eschwege1648 1702FerdinandAlbert I ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1636 1687George III ofthe UnitedKingdom1738 1820Charlotte ofMecklenburg Strelitz1744 1818Charles II ofMecklenburg Strelitz1741 1816Antoinette ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1696 1762FerdinandAlbert II ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1680 1735Amalieof Hesse Darmstadt1754 1832AugustusWilliam ofPrussia1722 1758Luise ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1722 1780Frederick IIthe Great1712 1740 1786ElisabethChristineof Brunswick Wolfenbuttel1715 1797PhilippineCharlotteof Prussia1716 1801Charles I ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1713 1780Louiseof Hesse Darmstadt1757 1830Carolineof Baden1776 1841William IV of the UnitedKingdom1765 1837SophieAntoinetteof Brunswick Wolfenbuttel1724 1802FredericaLouisa ofHesse Darmstadt1751 1805FrederickWilliam II1744 1786 1797ElizabethChristine ofBrunswick Woldenbuttel1746 1840 Augustaof GreatBritain1737 1813CharlesWilliam ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1735 1806Francis ofSaxe Coburg Saalfeld1750 1806FrederickWilliam III1770 1797 1840Louise ofMecklenburg Strelitz1776 1810CharlesFrederick ofSaxe Weimar Eisenach1783 1853Caroline ofBrunswick Wolfenbuttel1768 1821George IV ofthe UnitedKingdom1762 1830Frederickof York andAlbany1763 1827FredericaCharlotteof Prussia1767 1820Edwardof Kent andStrathearn1767 1820Victoria ofSaxe Coburg Saalfeld1786 1861Emich Carlof Leiningen1763 1814Ernerst I ofSaxe Coburgand Gotha1784 1844Louise ofSaxe Gotha Altenburg1800 1831William Ithe Great1797 1861 1888Augustaof Saxe Weimar Eisenach1811 1890CarolineMatildaof GreatBritain1751 1775FrederickWilliam IVof Prussia1795 1840 1861ElisabethLudovikaof Bavaria1801 1873Victoria ofthe UnitedKingdom1819 1901Albert ofSaxe Coburgand Gotha1819 1861LouiseAugustaof Denmark1771 1843FrederickChristian IIof Schleswig Holstein1765 1814Feodora ofLeiningen1807 1872Ernest I ofHohenlohe Langenburg1794 1860Victoria ofthe UnitedKingdom1840 1901Frederick III1831 1888 1888LouiseSophie ofDanneskiold Samsoe1796 1867ChristianAugust II ofAugustenburg1798 1869Adelheid ofHohenlohe Langenburg1835 1900Frederick VIIIof Schleswig Holstein1829 1880FrederickFrancis II ofMecklenburg Schwerin1823 1883AugustaReuss ofKostritz1822 1862Alexander IIof Russia1818 1855 1881Maria ofHesse andby Rhine1824 1880AugustaVictoria ofSchleswig Holstein1858 1921William II1859 1888 1918 1941in pretence1918 1941FrederickFrancis III ofMecklenburgSchwerin1851 1897Marie ofMecklenburg Schwerin1854 1920VladimirAlexandrovichof Russia1847 1909MariaAlexandrovnaof Russia1853 1920Alfred ofSaxe Coburgand Gotha1844 1900Wilhelmin pretence1882 1941 1951Cecilie ofMecklenburg Schwerin1886 1945KirillVladimirovichof Russia1876 1938VictoriaMelita ofSaxe Coburgand Gotha1876 1936LouisFerdinandin pretence1907 1951 1994KiraKirillovnaof Russia1909 1967Donataof Castell Rudenhausen1950 2015LouisFerdinandof Prussia1944 1977GeorgFriedrichin pretence1976 1994 See also editConstitution of Prussia 1850 Crown of Frederick I Crown of William II German Emperor History of Germany History of Prussia Hohenzollern Castle King in Prussia List of German monarchs List of rulers of Brandenburg List of Prussian consorts Luckentheorie Minister President of Prussia Neuchatel Crisis Year of the Three EmperorsReferences edit Spencer Charles Blenheim Chapter 22 Vindication p 316 Statement of Abdication of William II 28 November 1918 Bibliography edit Hull Isabel V 2004 The Entourage of Kaiser Wilhelm II 1888 1918 Horne Charles F 2009 Source Records of the Great War Kessinger Publishing ISBN 978 1104855536 archived from the original on 2023 01 25 retrieved 2016 03 23External links editHouse of Hohenzollern Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of monarchs of Prussia amp oldid 1189849969, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,