Hohenzollern

Hohenzollern
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Name	Hohenzollern
Native name	Haus Hohenzollern
Type	Imperial and Royal family
Country	Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Kingdom of Romania
Estates	Hohenzollern Castle, Berlin Palace, Charlottenburg Palace
Titles	Count of Zollern, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia, King in Prussia, King of Prussia, German Emperor, King of Romania
Founded	11th century
Founder	Burkhard I, Count of Zollern
Final ruler	Wilhelm II, German Emperor (Germany), Michael I of Romania (Romania)
Dissolution	1918 (German monarchy), 1947 (Romanian monarchy)
Ethnicity	German
Cadet branches	Swabian branch, Franconian branch (later Brandenburg-Prussia)

Hohenzollern. The House of Hohenzollern is a German dynasty whose members rose from Counts of Zollern in Swabia to become the rulers of Brandenburg, Prussia, and ultimately the German Empire. For centuries, they were pivotal in shaping the political and military landscape of Central Europe, culminating in the proclamation of the German Empire at the Hall of Mirrors in 1871. The family's two principal branches, the Swabian branch and the Franconian branch, produced monarchs who reigned in Berlin, Königsberg, and even Bucharest.

History

The overarching narrative of the family is one of strategic ascent through feudal politics, military prowess, and dynastic marriage, transforming a regional Swabian nobility into one of Europe's foremost royal houses. Their history is inextricably linked with the rise of the Prussian state, known for its disciplined Prussian Army and influential Junker class. The dynasty's legacy profoundly influenced the course of German unification and the geopolitical structure of Europe until the aftermath of World War I.

Origins and early history

The earliest documented ancestor is Burkhard I, Count of Zollern, in the 11th century, with the family name derived from their ancestral castle, Hohenzollern Castle, atop Mount Zollern in Swabia. In the early 12th century, Frederick III, Count of Zollern, a loyal supporter of the Hohenstaufen emperors, significantly expanded the family's influence. A pivotal division occurred in the 13th century, creating the two main lines: the senior Swabian branch, which remained in the southwest, and the younger Franconian branch, which acquired the title of Burgrave of Nuremberg under Frederick IV of Nuremberg.

Brandenburg-Prussia and Kingdom of Prussia

The Franconian branch's destiny shifted north when Frederick VI, Burgrave of Nuremberg, was enfeoffed as Margrave of Brandenburg in 1415 by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, becoming Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg. His successors, like Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg, consolidated power. In 1525, Albert of Prussia, a member of a cadet line, secularized the Teutonic Order's territory, creating the Duchy of Prussia. This duchy passed to the main Brandenburg line in 1618, forming Brandenburg-Prussia. Under Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg (the "Great Elector"), the state recovered from the Thirty Years' War and built a formidable army. His son, Frederick I of Prussia, secured the title King in Prussia in 1701 with consent from Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick William I of Prussia created a highly efficient state bureaucracy and army, which his son, Frederick the Great, used to great effect in the Silesian Wars and the Seven Years' War, elevating Prussia to a great power. Subsequent rulers like Frederick William III of Prussia navigated the Napoleonic Wars, leading to a period of reform and eventual victory at the Battle of Leipzig.

German Empire and end of the monarchy

The drive for German unification under Prussian leadership was masterminded by Otto von Bismarck, the "Iron Chancellor" serving William I, German Emperor. Following Prussian victories in the Second Schleswig War, Austro-Prussian War, and Franco-Prussian War, William was proclaimed German Emperor in the Palace of Versailles on January 18, 1871. His grandson, Wilhelm II, German Emperor, ascended in 1888 and his aggressive foreign policy, or Weltpolitik, contributed to the tensions leading to World War I. Following Germany's defeat and the German Revolution of 1918–1919, Wilhelm abdicated and went into exile in the Netherlands, bringing an end to the German monarchy. The Treaty of Versailles imposed severe terms on Germany, and the dynasty's properties were initially confiscated before some were later returned.

Modern era

In the post-monarchy era, the family adapted to life as private citizens in the Weimar Republic and later Nazi Germany. The head of the Prussian branch, Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia, was a noted opponent of the Nazi Party. After World War II, the family's estates in the German Democratic Republic were again expropriated. Following German reunification, a negotiated settlement with the state of Brandenburg led to the return of numerous historical properties, including Rheinsberg Palace and the Cecilienhof palace, site of the Potsdam Conference. The current head of the former imperial house is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia.

Family branches

The two historic branches are the Catholic Swabian branch, which remained in southwestern Germany and later divided into the Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen lines, and the Protestant Franconian branch, which became the Brandenburg-Prussia line. The Swabian branch's Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen line provided the monarchs for the Kingdom of Romania, beginning with Carol I of Romania in 1866 and ending with the abdication of Michael I of Romania in 1947. The Franconian branch, as the House of Hohenzollern, ruled Brandenburg, Prussia, and the German Empire.

Category:Hohenzollern Category:German noble families Category:European royal families