Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg
Encyclopedia
Günther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg (3 June 1860 - 24 March 1926) was the head of the House of Schwarzburg
and pretender
to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
.
the son of the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Günther
and his second wife Countess Helena of Raina. Countess Helene died three days after giving birth to Prince Sizzo and his twin sister Princess Helene. The mother of Prince Sizzo was the daughter of Prince Georg of Anhalt by his morganatic wife Therese Emma von Erdmannsdorf.
Although Prince Sizzo's mother had been adopted by her uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt and given the title of Princess of Anhalt on August 1, 1855 by the reigning Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
, the marriage of his parents was still considered morganatic. Because of this, Prince Sizzo was not entitled to use the title Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, instead he was created Prince of Leutenberg on June 21, 1860. In spite of being denied the use of the title of Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Sizzo was granted succession rights to the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts. Although all members of the Rudolstadt branch consented to this the members of the Sondershausen branch did not and they also held rights to Rudolstadt.
of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
ahead of the Sondershausen prince's and third in line to Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
behind the reigning prince of Rudolstadt, Günther who was second and the brother of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Leopold who was first.
Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on March 28, 1909 the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities was united in a personal union
under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Therefore Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities.
His chances of succeeding however were ended on November 22, 1918 when Prince Günther abdicated following the German revolution
which deposed all of the German monarchs. Following the death of Prince Günther on April 16, 1925 Prince Sizzo succeeded him as head of the House of Schwarzburg
. His tenure as head of the house would not last long and less than a year later Prince Sizzo died in Großharthau
with his only son Prince Friedrich Günther
succeeding him as head of the house and heir to the Schwarzburg principalities.
(1868–1958) on January 25, 1897 in Dessau
. Princess Alexandra was the daughter of the reigning Duke of Anhalt, Friedrich I and his wife Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. Prince Sizzo and Princess Alexandra had two daughters and one son.
House of Schwarzburg
The House of Schwarzburg was one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia, until its extinction in 1971 with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther...
and pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
.
Biography
He was born in RudolstadtRudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
the son of the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Günther
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a sovereign prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.-Biography:...
and his second wife Countess Helena of Raina. Countess Helene died three days after giving birth to Prince Sizzo and his twin sister Princess Helene. The mother of Prince Sizzo was the daughter of Prince Georg of Anhalt by his morganatic wife Therese Emma von Erdmannsdorf.
Although Prince Sizzo's mother had been adopted by her uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt and given the title of Princess of Anhalt on August 1, 1855 by the reigning Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
, the marriage of his parents was still considered morganatic. Because of this, Prince Sizzo was not entitled to use the title Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, instead he was created Prince of Leutenberg on June 21, 1860. In spite of being denied the use of the title of Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Sizzo was granted succession rights to the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts. Although all members of the Rudolstadt branch consented to this the members of the Sondershausen branch did not and they also held rights to Rudolstadt.
Recognition of rights
On April 21, 1896 Prince Sizzo's succession rights were recognised by all members of the House of Schwarzburg and was in addition made a full member of the house and able to use the title Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptiveHeir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
ahead of the Sondershausen prince's and third in line to Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
behind the reigning prince of Rudolstadt, Günther who was second and the brother of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Leopold who was first.
Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on March 28, 1909 the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities was united in a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Therefore Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities.
His chances of succeeding however were ended on November 22, 1918 when Prince Günther abdicated following the German revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
which deposed all of the German monarchs. Following the death of Prince Günther on April 16, 1925 Prince Sizzo succeeded him as head of the House of Schwarzburg
House of Schwarzburg
The House of Schwarzburg was one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia, until its extinction in 1971 with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther...
. His tenure as head of the house would not last long and less than a year later Prince Sizzo died in Großharthau
Großharthau
Großharthau is a municipality in the east of Saxony, Germany. It belongs to the district of Bautzen and lies southwest of the eponymous city.- Geography :...
with his only son Prince Friedrich Günther
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg was the final head of the House of Schwarzburg and heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.-Early life:...
succeeding him as head of the house and heir to the Schwarzburg principalities.
Marriage and children
Prince Sizzo was married to Princess Alexandra of AnhaltPrincess Alexandra of Anhalt
Princess Alexandra Therese Marie of Anhalt was a Princess of Anhalt and member of the House of Ascania by birth...
(1868–1958) on January 25, 1897 in Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
. Princess Alexandra was the daughter of the reigning Duke of Anhalt, Friedrich I and his wife Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. Prince Sizzo and Princess Alexandra had two daughters and one son.
- Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898–1984): married Friedrich Magnus V, Count of Solms-Wildenfels. Had issue.
- Princess Irene of Schwarzburg (1899–1939)
- Prince Friedrich Günther of SchwarzburgFriedrich Günther, Prince of SchwarzburgFriedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg was the final head of the House of Schwarzburg and heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.-Early life:...
(1901–1971); married Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachPrincess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1911-1988)Princess Sophie Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was a princess of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.She was born in Weimar, the eldest child and only daughter of William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by his second wife Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen.As a relative of Wilhelmina of...
, the marriage ended in divorce. No issue.
