Minor-Dynastic Germany

My motivation in creating a nation of Small-State Germany is simply to create a catch-all category in which to place small countries that don’t fit anywhere else. Here are the criteria for inclusion in any nation other than Small-State Germany:

 

1. Under the direct rule of the emperor (Imperial Germany—mostly cities);
2. Ecclesiastical (mostly archbishoprics, bishoprics, and abbacies);
3. Ranked higher than a county (mostly principalities and duchies—for German nobility rankings, see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelstitel)
4. Counties ruled by families with sovereignty over multiple countries of any rank based in modern Germany;
5. Ranked lower than a county, but ruled by families that were also sovereign over an entity based in modern Germany ranked as a county or higher.

 

That leaves the following criteria for Small-State Germany:

 

1. Counties ruled by families with sovereignty over no other territory within modern Germany;
2. Ranked lower than a county and ruled by families with sovereignty over no other higher-ranked territory in modern Germany;
3. Certain odd entities with divided sovereignty, but no family controlling 50 percent or more of the entire territory (identified in the list below by an *).

 

The following lists are organized by Bundesland and Regierungsbezirk (or the most recent Regierungsbezirk where that level of governance has been abolished). Within the Bundesländer included so far (as of December, 2025), the lists should be considered complete, except for Rhineland-Palatinate.

 

SINGLE-COUNTRY DYNASTIES

 

in Schleswig-Holstein

• • County of Rantzau (1649-1726)

 

in Lower Saxony

• former Regierungsbezirk Weser-Ems
  • Lordship of In- and Kniphausen (1465-1624), (1667-1806)
  • Lordship of Jever (1632-1675)
  • Lordship of Lage (1648-1803)
• former Regierungsbezirk Hannover
  • County of Spiegelberg-Pyrmont (1494-1558)
  • County of Hoya (1512-1582)
  • County of Diepholz (1530-1585)

 

in Saxony-Anhalt

• former Regierungsbezirk Magdeburg
  • County of Regenstein-Blankenburg (1162-1599)
  • Lordship of Schauen (1648-1806)
  • County of Barby (1497-1659)

 

in Saxony

• former Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz
  • Wildenfels (1547-1602)

 

in Thüringia

• former Bezirk Suhl
  • Lordship of Schaumburg (1572-1729)

 

in North Rhine-Westphalia

• Regierungsbezirk Detmold
  • County of Rietberg (1600-1806)
• Regierungsbezirk Münster
  • Lordship of Anholt (1540-1649)
  • Lordship of Gemen (1801-1806)
• Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  • Lordship of Wickrath (1521-1794)
  • Lordship of Mylendonk (1543-1794)
• Regierungsbezirk Köln
  • Lordship of Wildenburg (1418-1806)
  • Lordship of Wald (1546-1794)
  • Lordship of Villip (1659-1794)
  • County of Gimborn-Neustadt (1782-1806)
  • County of Kerpen and Lommersum (1786-1794)

 

in Rhineland-Palatinate

• former Regierungsbezirk Koblenz
  • Lordship of Kalenborn (1560-1737)
  • County of Holzappel (1643-1656)
  • Lordship of Ahrenthal (1702-1794)
  • Lordship of Gelsdorf (1737-1794)

 

in Baden-Württemburg

 

MULTI-COUNTRY DYNASTIES

 

• Waldbott von Bassenheim
  • Lordship of Ollbrück (1555-1794)
  • Lordship of Königsfeld (1559-1794)
• Schwerin
  • County of Schwerin (1167-1358) 
  • County of Tecklenburg (1328-1534-1557)
  • County of Lingen (1493-1541-1547)
• Limburg
  • County of Limburg-Hohenlimburg (1242-1511) 
  • Lordship of Styrum (1442-1806)
  • Lordship of Gemen (1640-1801)
  • Lordship of Oberstein (adm. shared w/Electorate of Trier) (1773-1794)
• Gleichen
  • County of Gleichen-Tonna (1130-1583-1631)
  • County of Gleichen-Remda (1415-1583-1596)
  • County of Gleichen-Blankenhain (1415-1583-1627)
  • County of Pyrmont (1583-1625)
  • County of Spiegelberg (1583-1631)