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Principality of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Fürstentum Hohenzollern-Hechingen (German)
1576–1850
Flag of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Flag
Coat of arms of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Coat of arms
Motto: Nihil Sine Deo (Latin)
Nothing without God
Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1848
Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1848
StatusPrincipality
CapitalHechingen
Common languagesSwabian German
Religion
Roman Catholic
GovernmentPrincipality
Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen 
• 1623
Johann Georg (first)
• 1838–1849
Constantine (last)
LegislatureLandesdeputation
Historical eraMiddle Ages
1576
• Raised to Principality
1623
• Incorporation into
    Kingdom of Prussia
1850
Population
• 1835
15,000[1]
• 1848
20,000[2]
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
County of Zollern Zollern
Province of Hohenzollern

Hohenzollern-Hechingen (German: Fürstentum Hohenzollern-Hechingen) was a small principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to the Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty.

History

Hechingen and Hohenzollern Castle, c. 1830

The County of Hohenzollern-Hechingen was created in 1576, upon the partition of the County of Hohenzollern, a fief of the Holy Roman Empire. When the last count of Hohenzollern, Charles I of Hohenzollern (1512–1579) died, the territory was to be divided up between his three sons:

Unlike the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg and Prussia, the Hohenzollerns of southwest Germany remained Roman Catholic. The county was raised to a principality in 1623.

The principality joined the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 and was a member state of the German Confederation between 1815 and 1850. The democratic Revolution of 1848 was relatively successful in Hohenzollern, and on 16 May 1848, the Prince was forced to accept the establishment of a constitution. However, the conflict between monarch and democrats continued, and on 6 August 1849, Hohenzollern was occupied by Prussian forces. On 7 December 1849, Prince Constantine sold the country to his relative, King Frederick William IV of Prussia. On 12 March 1850, Hohenzollern-Hechingen officially became part of Prussia, and formed together with Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen the Province of Hohenzollern.

Rulers

Coat of arms of a prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen

Counts of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1576–1623)[better source needed]

Princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1623–1850)

After cession of territory to Prussia, the Prince continued to use his title.
Line became extinct 1869 at Prince Constantine's death, and titles passed to the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen line.

References

  1. ^ The Metropolitan Magazine Volume 14. London: Saunders and Otley. 1835. p. 187.
  2. ^ A Pictorial Geography of the World: Comprising a System of Universal Geography, Popular and Scientific. Boston: C.D. Strong. 1848. p. 764.
  3. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "hohz/hohenz9.html". genealogy.euweb.cz.[self-published source]

48°21′N 8°58′E / 48.350°N 8.967°E / 48.350; 8.967

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