List of monarchs of Prussia
Monarchy of Prussia | |
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König von Preußen | |
Details | |
Style | Georg Friedrich |
The Monarchs of Prussia were members of the
The Duchy was initially a vassal of the
Following the
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.
Duchy of Prussia (1525–1701)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albert | 17 May 1490 – 20 March 1568 (aged 77) | 10 April 1525 | 20 March 1568 | Grand Master of Teutonic Knights, granted the title of Duke of Prussia | Hohenzollern | |
Albert Frederick | 7 May 1553 – 27 August 1618 (aged 65) | 20 March 1568 | 27 August 1618 | Son of Albert | Hohenzollern | |
John Sigismund | 8 November 1572 – 23 December 1619 (aged 47) | 27 August 1618 | 23 December 1619 | Son in law and second cousin thrice removed of Albert Frederick, also Elector of Brandenburg | Hohenzollern | |
George William | 13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640 (aged 45) | 23 December 1619 | 1 December 1640 | Son of John Sigismund, also Elector of Brandenburg | Hohenzollern | |
Frederick William
| 16 February 1620 – 29 April 1688 (aged 68) | 1 December 1640 | 29 April 1688 | Son of George William, also Elector of Brandenburg | Hohenzollern | |
Frederick I | 11 July 1657 – 25 February 1713 (aged 55) | 29 April 1688 | 18 January 1701 | Son of Frederick William, also Elector of Brandenburg | Hohenzollern |
Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wilhelm II | 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941 (aged 82) | 15 June 1888 | 9 November 1918 (abdicated) [2] | Son of Frederick III; also German Emperor; also last King of Prussia and last German Emperor | Hohenzollern |
Timeline
Pretenders to the Prussian throne since 1918
- William 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
See also
- Constitution 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
- Lückentheorie
- Minister President of Prussia
- Neuchâtel Crisis
- Year of the Three Emperors
References
- ^ Spencer, Charles, Blenheim, Chapter 22: Vindication, p.316
- ^ Statement of Abdication of William II (28 November 1918)
Bibliography
- Hull, Isabel V. (2004), The Entourage of Kaiser Wilhelm II, 1888–1918.
- ISBN 978-1104855536, archivedfrom the original on 2023-01-25, retrieved 2016-03-23