Landgraviate of Hesse-Philippsthal

Landgrafschaft Hessen-Philippsthal

House of Lorraine-Brabant

House of Hesse branch of Hesse-Philippsthal, that was created from the branch of Hesse-Kassel at the death of William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in 1663, his younger son Philip was created Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal. At the death of Landgrave Philip, the branch of Hesse-Philippsthal was again divided into Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, his younger son William became the Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld. This two landgraviates were annexed by Prussia in 1866. The main branch (Hesse-Philippsthal) became extinct in the male line in 1925, thus making the Barchfeld branch the only surviving one of the Hesse-Philippsthal line.

History of the House of Hesse

The House of Hesse is a European royal dynasty from the region of Hesse, originally and still formally the House of Brabant, The origins of the House of Hesse begin with the marriage of Sophie of Thuringia, daughter of Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia and Elizabeth of Hungary with Henry II, Duke of Brabant from the House of Reginar. Sophie was the heiress of Hesse which she passed on to her son, Henry upon her retention of the territory following her partial victory in the War of the Thuringian Succession in which she was one of the belligerents.

Originally the western part of the Landgraviate of Thuringia, in the mid 13th century it was inherited by the younger son of Henry II, Duke of Brabant, and became a distinct political entity. From the late 16th century it was generally divided into several branches, the most important of which were those of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) and Hesse-Darmstadt. In the early 19th century the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel was elevated to Elector of Hesse (1803), while the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt became the Grand Duke of Hesse (1806), later Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. Electoral Hesse (Hesse-Kassel) was annexed by Prussia in 1866, while Grand Ducal Hesse (Hesse-Darmstadt) as lasted until the end of the German monarchies in 1918. Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse is the current (2012) head of the house.

The Branches of the House of Hesse

Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, died in 1567. Hesse was divided between his four sons, four new lines which arose: Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Marburg and Hesse-Rheinfels. The line of Hesse-Darmstadt was also part of the morganatic line of the Battenberg family when Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine married to Countess Julia Hauke. The Battenbergs who later settled in England changed that name to Mountbatten after World War I.

• House of Brabant

  • Hesse (1264-1567)
    • Hesse-Darmstadt (1567-1918), became Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1806
      • Hesse-Butzbach (1609-1642)
      • Hesse-Braubach (1609-1651)
      • Hesse-Homburg (1622-1866)
      • Hesse-Itter (1661-1676)
      • Battenberg (1858, morganatic line. Mountbatten since 1917)
    • Hesse-Kassel (1567-1866), became Electorate of Hesse in 1803
      • Hesse-Rotenburg (1627-1834)
      • Hesse-Wanfried (1627-1755)
      • Hesse-Rheinfels (1627-1754)
      • Hesse-Philippsthal (1685-1866)
        • Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1721-1866)
    • Hesse-Marburg (1567, divided in 1604 between Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Kassel)
    • Hesse-Rheinfels (1567, divided in 1583 between Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Marburg)

Hesse-Kassel and its junior lines were annexed by Prussia in 1866; Hesse-Darmstadt became the People’s State of Hesse when the monarchy was abolished in 1918. Hesse-Philippsthal died out in the male line in 1925; Hesse-Darmstadt in 1968. Descendants of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld are alive to this day.

Princes of Hesse-Philippsthal

• Philip, son of William VI, 1663-1721
• Charles I, 1721-1770
• William, 1770-1806 (died 1810)

1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse

• Louis, 1813-1816
• Ernest Constantine, 1816-1849
• Charles II, 1849-1866

1866 annexed by Prussia

Princes of Hesse-Philippsthal 1866-1925

• Charles II the former Landgrave, 1866-1868
• Ernest 1868-1925

1925 the Line of Hesse-Philippsthal became extinct

The Genealogy of the Princely House

WILHELM, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal 8 May 1770 (Philippsthal 29 Aug 1726-Philippsthal 8 Aug 1810); m. Tournai 22 Jun 1755 Ulrike Landgravine of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (Ypern 27 Apr 1732-Bückeburg 2 Feb 1795)

• 1a) Karoline (Philippsthal 17 Mar 1756-Philippsthal 17 Sep 1756)
• 2a) Karl (Zütphen 6 Nov 1757-k.a. Frankfurt 2 Jan 1793); m. Montchéri bei Hofgeismar 24 Jun 1791 Viktoria Pss of Anhalt-Bernburg (Halle an der Saale 11 Feb 1772-Vienna 17 Oct 1817)
• 1b) Karoline (Kassel 10 Feb 1793-Meiningen 9 Feb 1869); m. Kassel 17 Feb 1812 her uncle Ernst Konstantin Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (1771-1849; below)
• 3a) Wilhelm (Zütphen 25 Nov 1758-Zütphen 31 May 1760)
• 4a) Friedrich (Zütphen 13 Jun 1760-Philippsthal 29 Nov 1761)
• 5a) Juliane (Zütphen 8 Jun 1761-Bückeburg 9 Nov 1799); m. Philippsthal 10 Oct 1780 Philipp Ernst II Gf zu Schaumburg-Lippe (5 Jul 1723-Bückeburg 13 Feb 1787)
• 6a) Friedrich (Philippsthal 4 Sep 1764-k.a. Nivelles 6 Jul 1794)
• 7a) Wilhelm (Philippsthal 10 Oct 1765-Philippsthal 24 Feb 1766)
• 8a) LUDWIG, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (Philippsthal 8 Oct 1766-Naples 16 Feb 1816); m. Süsteren 21 Jan 1791 Marie Franziska Gfn Berghe von Trips (Hemmersbach 8 Aug 1771-Munich 3 May 1805)
• 1b) Karoline (Naples 13 Jan 1793-Rome 4 Aug 1872); m. Kassel 19 Dec 1810 Ferdinand Cte de la Ville sur Illon (d. Seltz 1 Mar 1865)
• 2b) Wilhelm (Naples 9 Aug 1798-1799/1802)
• 9a) Charlotte Amalie (Philippsthal 25 Aug 1767-Philippsthal 14 Sep 1767)
• 10a) ERNST KONSTANTIN, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (Philippsthal 8 Aug 1771-Meiningen 25 Dec 1849); m.1st Rudolstadt 10 Apr 1796 Luise Pss von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (Rudolstadt 2 Nov 1775-Kassel 25 Dec 1808); m.2d Kassel 17 Feb 1812 his niece Karoline Landgravine of Hesse-Philippsthal (1793-1869; above)
• 1b) Friedrich Wilhelm (Philippsthal 23 Jul 1797-Philippsthal 15 Sep 1797)
• 2b) Ferdinand (Philippsthal 15 Oct 1799-Philippsthal 17 May 1837)
• 3b) Georg Gustav (Philippsthal 14 Feb 1801-Philippsthal 1 Apr 1802)

4b) KARL, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (Philippsthal 22 May 1803-Philippsthal 12 Feb 1868); m. Carlsruhe 9 Oct 1845 Marie Dss of Württemberg (Carlsruhe 25 Mar 1818-Schloß Philippsthal 10 Apr 1888)

• 1c) ERNST Eugen Karl August Bernhard Paul, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (Philippsthal 20 Dec 1846-Eisenach 22 Dec 1925)
• 2c) Karl Alexander Eugen Hermann (Philippsthal 3 Feb 1853-Jena 3 Sep 1916)
• 5b) Franz, who assumed the title Freiherr von Falkener 1841 (Philippsthal 26 Jan 1805-Nancy 23 Jun 1861); m.(morganatically) 4 Oct 1841 Maria Katharina Kohlmann, cr 1873 Baronin von Falkener (Rutesheim 5 Feb 1819-Vacha 22 Feb 1904)
• 1c) Konstanze Frn von Falkener, cr Gfn von Grebenstein 12 Sep 1885 (Boudonville 13 Mar 1847-Eisenach 14 Mar 1916); m. Boudonville 24 Aug 1869 Erich Pr zu Waldeck u. Pyrmont (Mengeringhausen 20 Dec 1842-Pfalzdorf 24 Oct 1894)
• 2c) Ferdinand Frhr von Falkener (Nancy 18 Apr 1849-Wiesbaden 14 Jan 1883)
• 3c) August Frhr von Falkener (Nancy 20 Jun 1852-Kassel 14 Oct 1882)
• 4c) Marie Amalie Frn von Falkener (Nancy 27 Sep 1854-Philippsthal 3 Nov 1889)
• 5c) Victorie Frn von Falkener (Nancy 24 Feb 1859-Trusen 2 Jun 1919); m. Kassel 28 Mar 1886 Karl Rall (Kassel 26 May 1860- )
• 6c) Franz Frhr von Falkener (Nancy 21 Feb 1862-Kassel 2 Jan 1880)
• 6b) Viktoria (Kassel 28 Dec 1812-Philippsthal 13 Aug 1837)
• 7b) Wilhelm Eduard (Vienna 6 Nov 1817-Vienna 27 Apr 1819)