County of Stolberg-Wernigerode

and its spinoffs

The County of Wernigerode dates to the 12th century, but the line died out in 1429 and the territory fell to the County of Stolberg. In 1645, Stolberg split into two counties—one centered on Stolberg itself and the other centered on Wernigerode. Stolberg-Wernigerode was also assigned Gedern (in Hesse), which was spun off as Stolberg-Gedern in 1677, and Schwarza (in Thuringia), which was spun off as Stolberg-Schwarza in 1710.

 

In 1714, what was left of Stolberg-Wernigerode became part of the Kingdom of Prussia, although it maintained its identity as a county. It reabsorbed Schwarza in 1748 and Gedern in 1804. Upon the demise of the Holy Roman Empire, Wernigerode and Schwarza were assigned to the Kingdom of Westphalia and Gedern was assigned to the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt—both Napoleonic client states.