Stolbergian Germany

The House of Stolberg dates to the founding of a county of the same name in the early 13th century. Stolberg acquired the County of Wernigerode in 1429 and the new country name reflected both of the old ones. The County of Königstein and Lordship of Gedern entered into a personal union with a Stolbergian ruler in 1535. After the Königstein line died out, Gedern entered into a personal union with Stolberg-Wernigerode. In 1549, half of the former County of Henneburg-Schwarza became Stolbergian.

 

In 1645, Stolberg and Wernigerode split up with Gedern and Schwarza awarded to Wernigerode. Gedern (with Schwarza) became independent in 1677 and Schwarza was spun off in 1710. Wernigerode lost its independence in 1714 to the Kingdom of Prussia. Although it retained significant autonomy, I remove it from Stolbergian Germany at that point  The Schwarza line died out in 1748 and although sovereignty remained with the now landless Wernigerode line, it was administered by the Electorate of Saxony (which surrounded it) until 1806. The Gedern line lasted until 1804 and was actually administered by Prussian Wernigerode for two years, but was not itself Prussian.

 

Stolberg partitioned itself into a Stolberg line and a Roßla line in 1706. That action was disputed by the Elector of Saxony, and in 1738, he effectively ended the independence of both. Although the two entities retained significant autonomy within Saxony, I remove them from Stolbergian Germany at that point. Thus, at the end of the Holy Roman Empire, Stolbergian Germany consisted solely of Gedern and Schwarza.

 

In the following list of countries in Stolbergian Germany, countries and dates outside the chronological scope of the database are shown in italics.

 

  • County of Stolberg (~1220-1429)
  • County of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1429-1548-1645)
    • County of Stolberg (1645-1706)
      • County of Stolberg-Stolberg (1706-1738)
      • County of Stolberg-Roßla (1706-1738)
    • County of Wernigerode (1645-1714)
    • County/Principality of Gedern (1677-1804)
      • County of Gedern-Schwarza (1710-1748)
  • County of Königstein (1535-1581)
  • Lordship of Gedern (1535-1581-1677)
    • in personal union with Königstein (1535-1581)
    • in personal union with Stolberg-Wernigerode (1581-1645)
    • in personal union with Wernigerode (1645-1677)
  • County of Schwarza (administered by the Electorate of Saxony) (1748-1806)
  • Principality of Gedern (administered by Wernigerode) (1804-1806)