Hesse-Wanfried
Encyclopedia
The mini-state Hesse-Wanfried existed from about 1700 to 1731. It was a principality (Landgraviate) of the Holy Roman Empire
in the area of the today's Land of Hesse
. Governed by a cadet line of the House of Hesse under the sovereignty of the land of Hesse-Kassel
.
(1572–1632) was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
from 1592 until 1627 when he abdicated in favour of his son William V
(1602–1637), his younger sons receiving apanages which created several cadet lines of the house (Hesse-Rotenburg
, Hesse-Eschwege and Hesse-Rheinfels
), of which, with amalgamation, that of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg survived till 1834.
In 1627 Ernest (1623–1693), a younger son of Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
(or Hesse-Cassel), received Rheinfels and lower Katzenelnbogen
as his inheritance, and some years later, on the deaths of two of his brothers, Friedrich, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege (1617–1655) and Herman, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg (1607–1658), he added Eschwege
, Rotenburg
, Wanfried
and other districts to his possessions. Ernest, who was a convert to the Roman Catholic Church, was a great traveller and a voluminous writer. About 1700 his two sons, William
(d. 1725) and Charles (or Karl) (d. 1711), divided their territories, and founded the families of Hesse-Rotenburg and Hesse-Wanfried. The latter family died out in 1755, when William's grandson, Constantine
(d. 1778), reunited the lands except Rheinfels, which had been acquired by Hesse-Kassel in 1735, and ruled them as landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg.
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in the area of the today's Land of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
. Governed by a cadet line of the House of Hesse under the sovereignty of the land of Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
.
History
Maurice the LearnedMaurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
-External links:...
(1572–1632) was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
from 1592 until 1627 when he abdicated in favour of his son William V
William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
William V of Hesse-Kassel was the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in the Holy Roman Empire from 1627 to 1637....
(1602–1637), his younger sons receiving apanages which created several cadet lines of the house (Hesse-Rotenburg
Hesse-Rotenburg
Hesse-Rotenburg is a former German landgraviate created from the landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel in 1627. Independence ended in 1834 when the estates not bequeathed to princes Victor and Chlodwig of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfurst were reunited with Hesse-Kassel.-History:The line of Hesse-Kassel ...
, Hesse-Eschwege and Hesse-Rheinfels
Hesse-Rheinfels
Hesse-Rheinfels was created as a cadet line of Hesse for Philip II, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels , landgrave from 1567 until 1583, and as a cadet line of Hesse-Kassel for Ernest, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels , landgrave from 1627 until 1658.-First creation:Philip was the third son of Philip the...
), of which, with amalgamation, that of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg survived till 1834.
In 1627 Ernest (1623–1693), a younger son of Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
-External links:...
(or Hesse-Cassel), received Rheinfels and lower Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen is the name of a castle and small city in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Katzenelnbogen is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Katzenelnbogen.-History:...
as his inheritance, and some years later, on the deaths of two of his brothers, Friedrich, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege (1617–1655) and Herman, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg (1607–1658), he added Eschwege
Eschwege
Eschwege , the district seat of the Werra-Meißner-Kreis, is a town in northeastern Hesse, Germany.- Location :The town lies on a broad plain tract of the river Werra at the foot of the Leuchtberg northwest of the Schlierbachswald and east of the Hoher Meißner...
, Rotenburg
Rotenburg an der Fulda
Rotenburg an der Fulda is a town in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany lying, as the name says, on the river Fulda.- Geography :- Location :...
, Wanfried
Wanfried
Wanfried is a town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in northeasternmost Hesse, Germany. It is classified as a Landstadt, a designation given in Germany to a municipality that is officially a town , but whose population is below 5,000. It literally means “country town”.-Location:The town lies right on the...
and other districts to his possessions. Ernest, who was a convert to the Roman Catholic Church, was a great traveller and a voluminous writer. About 1700 his two sons, William
William, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg
William I "the Elder" of Hesse-Rotenburg was from 1683 until his death Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg. He was a son of Ernest I of Hesse-Rotenburg-Rheinfels and his wife, Countess Maria Eleonore of Solms-Lich...
(d. 1725) and Charles (or Karl) (d. 1711), divided their territories, and founded the families of Hesse-Rotenburg and Hesse-Wanfried. The latter family died out in 1755, when William's grandson, Constantine
Constantine, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg
Constantine of Hessen-Rotenburg was Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg from 1749 until his death....
(d. 1778), reunited the lands except Rheinfels, which had been acquired by Hesse-Kassel in 1735, and ruled them as landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg.
The governing Landgraves of Hesse-Wanfried
- Karl (or Charles), Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried -(Rheinfels) (1649–1711); sovereign ~1700–1711
- Wilhelm, Landgrave Hesse-Wanfried -(Rheinfels) (1671–1731); sovereign 1711–1731.