The Family Tree

The Hohenzollern lineage dates back to a 1061 document citing Burchard and Wezil of Zollern. The name originated in the High Middle Ages from the so-called Hohenzollern castle in Hechingen built in the first half of the 11th century. Friedrich IX. (1339-79) was the first to call himself not Zollern but “from Hochen Zolr”.

Karl Friedrich hereditary Prince von Hohenzollern (born 1952) married Alexandra Schenk Countess of Stauffenberg (born 1960). Together they have four children: Alexander, Philippa, Flamina and Antonia. (Countess Alexandra’s father was the nephew of Hitler’s would-be assassin, Claus von Stauffenberg.)

Head of today’s royal house is Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (born 1924). He continues his father’s legacy in the spirit of Hohenzollern tradition. He was made an honorary citizen of the cities of Sigmaringen, Sigmaringendorf and Bavarian Eisenstein in recognition and appreciation of his dedication to the economy and tourism by maintaining jobs in the Lauchertal works (now the Zoller GmbH). He married Margarita Princess of Leiningen/Odenwald (died 1996).

Prince Friedrich (1891-1965) had close ties with Potsdam where he joined the 1st Regiment of the Foot-Guards. He commanded the 5th Reserve Mountaineer Soldiers Battalion in numerous battles during World War I. After the war he studied forestry and economics at the University of Freiburg, simultaneously managing his Hohenzollern estate in Umkirch (near Freiburg) which he inherited from King Carol I of Romania in 1914. In 1920 he married Margarethe Princess and Duchess of Saxony, daughter of the last Saxon king Friedrich August. The marriage brought forth seven children. When his father Wilhelm died in 1927, Prince Friedrich managed the Hohenzollern properties during hard times of economic recession and depression. His intentions were to not only hold onto remaining Hohenzollern properties (two thirds were lost during both world wars) but to also demonstrate communal responsibility by supporting social, religious and cultural community affairs (i.e. council housing, student grants, fine arts, parishes and convents). High honors testify to Prince Friedrich’s noble personality: he was made an honorary citizen of the cities Sigmaringen and Hechingen, of the municipalities Umkirch, Krauchenwies, Bavarian Eisenstein and Hinterhornbach/Tirol as well as Honorary Senator of the University of Freiburg/Brsg. After World War II - the Prussian state ceased to exist in 1945 – Prince Friedrich strived to maintain Hohenzollern sovereignty within the newly-formed Baden-Württemberg state, having to finally acknowledge and welcome the new south-western German state without his beloved Hohenzollern territory. Prince Friedrich died on February 6, 1965 in his country house in Krauchenwies.

Prince Wilhelm (1864 – 1927), first married to Maria Theresia Bourbon and then to Adelgunde of Bavaria, was commander of the 2nd Regiment of the Foot-Guards. He spent much time in Potsdam and Berlin with the emperor’s family. His widowed wife Adelgunde used to drive through Sigmaringen in her carriage, a sight still remembered by many elderly Sigmaringen citizens. She died in 1958.

Prince Leopold (1835 – 1905) was married to Antonia of Portugal. She was the sister of King Don Pedro V. of Portugal who had married Leopold’s sister Stephanie. Leopold inadvertently became the center of attention in European history around 1870. The Spanish Cortes elected him as King of Spain in 1869. Hoping to avoid war with France he renounced. In spite of his renunciation, the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870/71 (Emser Depeche).

Prince Karl Anton (1811 – 85), consort of Josephine von Baden, called upon the Prussian emperor, his imperial cousin, for help on the eve of the 1848 revolution. On August 6, 1849, Prussian troops rushed to his aid and occupied the principalities of Sigmaringen and Hechingen. Here, as most everywhere in Germany, the question arose whether small German principalities still had a future in times of political and economic turmoil. Both princes, whose interests lay in a unified Germany, gave up their sovereignties in favor of the Prussian crown on December 7, 1849. In turn, they received privileges granted to future born princes of the Prussian royal house. Karl Anton carried the title “Royal Highness” from 1861 onwards. In 1850 he bid farewell to his subjects with the words: “May the people I once called ‘my own’ be happy”. Karl Karl Anton was a knowledgable art patron. He devoted his significant art collection housed in a specially built museum (1867) to the education of his people.

Prince Karl (1785 – 1853) was married to Antoinette Murat (ward of Murat, future king of Naples). Even before the turbulent times of the 1848 Revolution, Karl summoned a constituent state parliament in 1833 and proclaimed the constitution as state law in his principality. He was also committed to serving the public, founding the Prince Karl Hospital, Parliament House and Savings Bank. The fact that taxes had risen six fold since 1818 led to much unrest in the country. Deeply disappointed about the unrest, Karl abdicated in 1848 in favor of his son Karl Anton.

Prince Anton Aloys (1762 – 1831) wed Princess Amalie Zephyrine of Salm – Kyrburg (1760 – 1841). Amalie played a not insignificant role in the fate of the Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen principalities. By gaining access to and influencing French Empress Josephine, Amalie made it possible for them to retain their independence and be spared from mediation. By joining the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 the princes achieved full sovereignty, the title of Sovereign Prince and the right to extend the titles “Serene Highness” and “Prince” to all Hohenzollern descendents. In addition, Napoleon gave Anton Aloys the Beuron and Inzigkofen monasteries and the Glatt castle in return for lost Dutch properties belonging to his mother Johanna of Hohenzollern-Berg. Anton Aloys reformed his territory’s administration and endorsed new developments in the health and education sectors.

Prince Joseph Friedrich (1702 – 1769) is primarily remembered as an art patron. He built the parish church and Josef’s Chapel in Sigmaringen, St. Anna and Jacob’s Chapel and the hunting houses in Josefslust and Haigerloch, his favourite residence. He drew such renowned artists to his court as J.M. Fischer, J.M. Feichtmayr, J.G.Weckmann and Meinrad von Ow. The prince also pursued the canonization of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen.

Prince Meinrad II (1673 – 1715) served in the Habsburg imperial army. In 1708 he built the Lauchertal iron smelting plant. One outstanding event during his reign was the testamentary agreement he made together with Prince von Hohenzollern-Hechingen and the Elector and future King Friedrich I of Prussia in 1695. Austria had always claimed sovereignty over the Hohenzollern lands. The inheritance contract with Prussia was made to insure Prussian succession and the right of the Swabian house to carry the title and coat of arms of the Nuremberg feudal lord.

Prince Maximillian's (1636 – 89) marriage to Klara von Berg and Boxmeer in Holland brought numerous lucrative Dutch properties into Hohenzollern possession.

During the Thirty Years War, the Hohenzollern princes under Prince Meinrad of Hohenzollern sided with the Kaiser and Catholicism, resulting in the destruction and devastation of their castle and region.

Count / Prince Johann (1578 – 1638), together with his cousin Johann Georg von Hohenzollern-Hechingen, were elevated to the rank of prince by Kaiser Ferdinand during the Diet of Regensburg on March 28, 1623. This elevation served to strengthen the Catholic league during the Thirty Years War. The figure of Prince Johann crowns the fountain in Sigmaringen’s market square.

Count Karl II (1547 – 1606) became the progenitor of the Sigmaringen line. He was renowned as an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer, serving under Kaiser Maximilian II and Rudolf II. He stood in close contact with the central figures of the Reformation opposition and played a leading role in Margrave Jakob III of Baden-Hochberg’s conversion to Catholicism. When Jakob suddenly died shortly after his conversion, Bavarian Duke Wilhem and Karl (as executors of Jakobs will) tried in vain to convert their regions back to Catholicism. Karl caused a great stir in 1591: widowed himself just months earlier, he abducted Jakob’s widow in a surprise attack, brought her to Sigmaringen and married her.

Count Karl I of Hohenzollern (1516 – 76) was counselor to the German Kaisers Karl V, Ferdinand I and Maximilian. Ferdinand I granted him the earldoms Sigmaringen and Veringen. Karl managed to unite the entire Hohenzolllern property for the very first time. Upon his death in 1576 he divided the property among his three sons, thereby creating the three Swabian Hohenzollern lineages: Hohenzollern-Hechingen, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Haigerloch. The Haigerloch line died out in 1634, the Hechingen line in 1869. Heir in both cases was the Sigmaringen line. Still today, according to primogeniture, the right of inheritance belongs to the eldest Hohenzollern son.