Sayn-Wittgensteinian Germany

A County of Sayn existed between 1129 and 1246, but it died out and fell under the Sponheim dynasty. In 1266, a branch of Sponheim became a new Sayn line, which was partitioned between Sayn itself and Homburg in 1294. In 1361, the Homburg branch acquired Wittgenstein and changed its name to Sayn-Wittgenstein. In 1605, Sayn-Wittgenstein was partitioned between itself and Berleburg, and it was further partitioned in 1657 between Vallendar and Hohnstein. The Berleburg and Hohnstein lines survived to the end of the Holy Roman Empire. I ignore two spin-offs of Berleburg (Karlsburg and Ludwigsburg), which controlled no villages.

 

In 1606, the Sayn line died out and its territory was taken over by a member of the Sayn-Wittgenstein line. That was contested by the Electorate of Cologne, which effectively ran the country until 1648, at which time administration was returned to Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. In 1652, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was partitioned into Altenkirchen and Hachenburg branches, both with female heiresses. I shift those countries to the nations of their respective husbands—Hachenburg immediately to Manderscheidian Germany and Altenkirchen, upon the marriage of its heiress, to Wettinian Germany in 1662.

 

Core Sayn-Wittgensteinian countries
  • County of Sayn (1266-1294)
    • County of Sayn-Sayn (1294-1560-1606)
    • County of Sayn-Homburg (1294-1361)
  • County of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1361-1558-1605)
    • County/Principality of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1605-1806)
    • County/Principality of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein (1605-1657)
      • County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein-Hohnstein (1657-1806)
      • County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein-Vallendar (1657-1767)
    • County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (1606-1652)
      • adm. Electorate of Cologne (1623-1648)
      • County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen (1652-1662)

 

Condominia with Sayn-Wittgensteinian participation (details in links)