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This is a list of monarchs of Hesse (German: Hessen) during the history of Hesse on west-central Germany. These monarchs belonged to a dynasty collectively known as the House of Hesse and the House of Brabant,[1] originally the Reginar. Hesse was ruled as a landgraviate, electorate and later as a grand duchy until 1918.

Quick Facts Monarchy of Hesse, Details ...
Monarchy of Hesse
State
Ernest Louis
Details
StyleHis Royal Highness
First monarchHenry I (as landgrave)
Last monarchErnest Louis (as grand duke)
Formation1264
Abolition9 November 1918
AppointerHereditary
Pretender(s)Donatus
Close
Royal Standard of the Grand Duke of Hesse 1903–1918

The title of all of the following monarchs was "landgrave" (German: Landgraf) unless otherwise noted.

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Landgraviate of Hesse

In the early Middle Ages the Hessengau territory (named after the Germanic Chatti tribes) formed the northern parts of the German stem duchy of Franconia along with the adjacent Lahngau. Upon the extinction of the ducal Conradines, these Rhenish Franconian counties were gradually acquired by Landgrave Louis I of Thuringia and his successors.

After the War of the Thuringian Succession upon the death of Landgrave Henry Raspe in 1247, his niece Duchess Sophia of Brabant secured the Hessian possessions for her minor son Henry the Child, who would become the first landgrave of Hesse and founder of the House of Hesse in 1246. The remaining Thuringian landgraviate fell to the Wettin margrave Henry III of Meissen. Henry I of Hesse was raised to princely status by King Adolf of Germany in 1292.

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Landgraves of Hesse

House of Hesse

Partitions of Hesse under Hesse family

Landgraviate of Hesse
(1264–1308)
Lower Hesse
(1st creation)
(1308–1311)
Upper Hesse
(1st creation)
(1308–1311)
Landgraviate of Hesse
(from the Upper Hesse line)
(1311–1458)
Lower Hesse
(2nd creation)
(1458–1500)
Upper Hesse
(2nd creation)
(1458–1500)
Landgraviate of Hesse
(from the Lower Hesse line)
(1500–1567)
Hesse-Kassel
(1567–1803)
Hesse-
Rheinfels

(1st creation)
(1567–1583)
Hesse-
Marburg

(1567–1604)
Hesse-
Darmstadt

(1567–1806)
             
              Hesse-
Rheinfels

(2nd creation)
(1627–1658)
Hesse-
Homburg

(1st creation)
(1622–1806)
      
       Raised to:
Electorate of
Hesse-Kassel

(1st creation)
(1803–1807)
             
Hesse-
Barchfeld

(1st creation)
(1721–1807)
Hesse-
Philippsthal

(1st creation)
(1663–1807)
       Hesse-
Wanfried

(1700–1755)
      
Hesse-
Rotenburg

(1st creation)
(1627–1807)
      
Raised to:
Grand Duchy of
Hesse-Darmstadt

(1806–1918)
Annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia       
Hesse-
Barchfeld

(2nd creation)
(1813–1866)
Hesse-
Philippsthal

(2nd creation)
(1813–1866)
Electorate of
Hesse-Kassel

(2nd creation)
(1813–1866)
Hesse-
Rotenburg

(2nd creation)
(1813–1834)
Hesse-
Homburg

(2nd creation)
(1815–1866)
      
      
Annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia

Table of monarchs

More information Monarch, Born ...
MonarchBornReignDeathRuling partConsortNotes
Henry I the Child24 June 12441264–130821 December 1308Landgraviate of HesseAdelaide of Brunswick-Lüneburg I
1263
seven children

Matilda of Cleves
1276
seven children
Son of Henry II of Brabant, founded the House of Hesse.
John12781308–131114 February 1311Lower HesseAdelaide of Brunswick-Lüneburg II
1306
one child
Divided Hesse with his brother.
Otto I the Elder 1272 1308–1311 17 January 1328 Upper Hesse Adelaide of Ravensberg
1297
Marburg
five children
Divided Hesse with his brother. After the latter's death with no descendants, he reunited Hesse.
1311–1328Landgraviate of Hesse
Henry II the Iron12991328–13763 June 1376Landgraviate of HesseElisabeth of Thuringia
1321
five children
Sons of Otto I, ruled jointly.
Louis (I) the Junker13051336–13452 February 1345Landgraviate of HesseElisabeth of Sponheim-Kreuznach
15 October 1340
three children
Herman I the Elder13051336–13701370Landgraviate of HesseUnmarried
Otto II the Younger13221336–1366December 1366Landgraviate of HesseElisabeth of Cleves
1338
no children
Herman II the Learned13411376–141324 May 1413Landgraviate of HesseJoanna of Nassau-Weilburg
3 February 1377
no children

Margaret of Nuremberg
15 October 1383
Kulmbach
eight children
Louis I the Peaceful6 February 14021413–145817 January 1458Landgraviate of HesseAnna of Saxony
8 September 1433
Kassel
five children
At his death divided Hesse again.
Louis II the Frank7 September 14381458–14718 November 1471Lower HesseMatilda of Württemberg-Urach
(1438–1495)
1454
four children
Children of Louis I, divided Hesse between them. Henry III associated his son Louis III in a co-rulership.
Henry III the Rich15 October 14401458–148313 January 1483Upper HesseAnna of Katzenelnbogen
1458
six children
Louis III the YoungerNovember 14611474–14782 July 1478Upper HesseUnmarried
William I the Elder4 July 14661471–14938 February 1515Lower HesseAnna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
17 February 1488
Münden
five children
Didn't have male heirs. Abdicated in 1493 and his possession passed to his brother, also named William.
Regency of Herman IV, Archbishop of Cologne and Hans Hofman of Dörnberg (1483-1489) Died without heirs.
William III the Younger[2]8 September 14711483–150017 February 1500Upper HesseElisabeth of the Palatinate
12 February 1496
Heidelberg
no children
William II the Middle[2] Thumb 29 April 1469 1493–1500 11 July 1509 Lower Hesse Yolande of Vaudémont
9 November 1497
one child

Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
20 October 1500
Kassel
three children
In 1500 reunited Hesse after the death of his cousin William II.
1500–1509Landgraviate of Hesse
Regencies of the Estates of Hesse (1509-1514) and Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1514-1518) After his death Hesse was divided between his legitimate sons.
Philip I the MagnanimousThumb13 November 15041509–156731 March 1567Landgraviate of HesseChristine of Saxony
11 December 1523
Kassel
ten children

Margarethe von der Saale
14 March 1540
Rotenburg
(bigamous and morganatic)
nine children
William IV the WiseThumb24 June 15321567–159225 August 1592Hesse-KasselSabine of Württemberg
11 February 1566
Marburg
eleven children
Children of Philip I, divided the land between them:
  • William IV received Kassel
  • Louis IV received Marburg, which after his childless death was divided between his brothers;
  • Philip II received Rheinfels, which after his childless death was divided between his brothers;
  • George I received Darmstadt.
Louis IV the ElderThumb27 May 15371567–16049 October 1604Hesse-MarburgHedwig of Württemberg
10 May 1563
Stuttgart
no children

Maria of Mansfeld
4 July 1591
Marburg
no children
Philip II the Younger22 April 15411567–158320 November 1583Hesse-RheinfelsAnna Elisabeth of Palatinate-Simmern
18 January 1569
Heidelberg
no children
George I the PiousThumb10 September 15471567–15967 February 1596Hesse-DarmstadtMagdalene of Lippe
17 August 1572
Kassel
ten children

Eleonora of Württemberg
25 May 1589
one child
Marburg and Rheinfels redivided between Kassel and Darmstadt
Maurice the LearnedThumb25 May 15721592–163215 March 1632Hesse-KasselAgnes of Solms-Laubach
23 September 1593
Kassel
four children

Juliane of Nassau-Siegen
22 May 1603
Dillenburg
fourteen children
Louis V the FaithfulThumb24 September 15771596–162627 July 1626Hesse-DarmstadtMagdalene of Brandenburg
5 June 1598
Berlin
eleven children
Children of George I, redivided the land:
  • Louis V kept Darmstadt;
  • Philip III received Butzbach, which after his death was reannexed to Darmstadt;
  • Frederick I received Homburg.
Philip III26 December 15811596–164328 April 1643Hesse-Darmstadt
(at Butzbach)
Anna Margaretha von Diepholz
29 July 1610
Darmstadt
no children

Christina Sophia of East Frisia
2 June 1632
Aurich
no children
Frederick IThumb5 March 15851596–16389 May 1638Hesse-HomburgMargaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg
10 August 1622
Butzbach
six children
Butzbach reannexed to Darmstadt
George IIThumb17 March 16051626–166111 June 1661Hesse-DarmstadtSophia Eleonore of Saxony
1 April 1627
Torgau
fifteen children
Children of Louis V, redivided the land:
  • George II kept Darmstadt;
  • John received Braubach, which after his childless death returned to Darmstadt.
John17 June 16091626–16511 April 1651Hesse-Darmstadt
(at Braubach)
Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein
30 September 1647
Friedewald
no children
Braubach reannexed to Darmstadt
William V the StableThumb13 February 16021632–163721 September 1637Hesse-KasselAmalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg
21 September 1619
twelve children
Children of Maurice, redivided the land:
  • William V kept Kassel;
  • Frederick received Eschwege, which after his childless death returned to Kassel;
  • Herman IV received Rotenburg, which after his childless death merged in Rheinfels;
  • Ernest received Rheinfels, which after Herman IV's death merged with Rotenburg, retaining the name Rotenburg.
FrederickThumb9 May 16171632–165524 September 1655Hesse-Kassel
(at Eschwege)
Eleonora Catherine of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken
8 September 1646
Stockholm
six children
Herman IV15 August 16071627–165825 March 1658Hesse-RotenburgSophie Juliane of Waldeck
31 December 1633
Waldeck
one child

Kunigunde Juliane of Anhalt-Dessau
2 February 1642
Weimar
no children
Ernest Thumb 8 December 1623 1649–1658 2 May 1693 Hesse-Rheinfels Maria Eleonore of Solms-Lich
June 1647
Frankfurt
two children
1658–1693Hesse-Rotenburg
Eschwege reannexed to Kassel; Rheinfels merged in Rotenburg
Regency of Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg (1637-1650)
William VIThumb23 May 16291637–166316 July 1663Hesse-KasselHedwig Sophie of Brandenburg
19 July 1649
Cölln
seven children
Regency of Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg (1638-1648) Sold his lands to his brother, George Christian.
William ChristophThumb13 November 16251638–166927 August 1681Hesse-Darmstadt-HomburgSophia Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt
21 April 1650
Darmstadt
twelve children

Anna Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg
2 April 1665
Lübeck
(annulled 1672)
no children
Louis VIThumb25 January 16301661–167824 April 1678Hesse-DarmstadtMaria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
24 November 1650
Gottorp
eight children

Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
5 December 1666
Gotha
eight children
Children of George II, redivided the land:
  • Louis VI kept Darmstadt;
  • George III received Itter, which after his childless death was reannexed to Darmstadt
George III29 September 16321661–167619 July 1676Hesse-Darmstadt
(at Itter
Dorothea Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Franzhagen
5 May 1661
one child

Juliane Alexandrine of Leinigen-Heidenheim
21 July 1667
three children
Regency of Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg (1663-1677) Children of William VI. With their mother as regent, they redivided the land:
  • William VII kept Kassel, which after his sudden death was inherited by his brother, Charles I;
  • Philip received Philippsthal.
William VIIThumb21 June 16511663–167021 November 1670Hesse-KasselUnmarried
Charles IThumb3 August 16541670–173023 March 1730Hesse-KasselMaria Amalia of Courland
21 May 1673
Kassel
fourteen children
PhilipThumb14 December 16551663–172118 June 1721Hesse-PhilippsthalCatherine of Solms-Laubach
14 April 1680
eight children
George ChristianThumb13 November 16251669–167127 August 1681Hesse-HomburgAnna Catharina Pogwitsch
11 October 1666
Hamburg
no children
Retained his brother's land. Hesse-Homburg became under mortgage to two merchants (1671–1673) and to the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt (1673–1679). Hesse-Homburg returned then to George Christian's brother, Frederick.
Louis VIIThumb22 June 1658167831 August 1678Hesse-DarmstadtUnmarried
Regency of Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1678-1688)
Ernest LouisThumb15 December 16671678–173912 September 1739Hesse-DarmstadtDorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach
1 December 1687
Darmstadt
five children
Frederick IIThumb30 March 16331679–170824 January 1708Hesse-HomburgMargareta Brahe
12 May 1661
Stockholm
no children

Louise Elisabeth of Courland
23 October 1670
Cölln
twelve children

Sophie Sybille of Leiningen-Westerburg
1691
three children
The land returned to the Hesse-Homburg-branch in 1679.
William the ElderThumb15 May 16481693–172520 November 1725Hesse-RotenburgMaria Anna of Löwenstein-Wertheim
3 March 1669
Rochefort
eight children
Children of Ernest, redivided the land:
  • William kept Rotenburg;
  • Charles received Wanfried.
Charles19 July 16491693–17113 March 1711Hesse-WanfriedSophie Magdalene of Salm-Reifferscheid
before 1675
five children

Alexandrine Juliane of Leiningen-Dagsburg
before 1703
eleven children
Frederick III JacobThumb19 May 16731708–17468 June 1746Hesse-HomburgElisabeth Dorothea of Hesse-Darmstadt
14 February 1700
Butzbach
nine children

Christiane Charlotte of Nassau-Ottweiler
17 October 1728
Saarbrücken
no children
William II the Younger25 August 16711711–17311 April 1731Hesse-WanfriedErnestine of the Palatinate-Sulzbach
19 September 1719
no children
Left no heirs. His lands were inherited by his brother, Christian.
Charles IThumb23 September 16821721–17708 May 1770Hesse-PhilippsthalCaroline Christine of Saxe-Eisenach
24 November 1725
Eisenach
five children
Children of Philip, redivided the land:
  • Charles I kept Philippsthal;
  • William received Barchfeld.
WilliamThumb1 April 16921721–176113 May 1761Hesse-BarchfeldCharlotte Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym
31 October 1724
Hoym
fifteen children
Ernest LeopoldThumb15 June 16841725–174929 November 1749Hesse-Kassel-RotenburgEleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim
9 November 1704
Frankfurt
ten children
Frederick IThumb28 April 16761730–17515 April 1751Hesse-KasselLouise Dorothea of Prussia
31 May 1700
Berlin
no children

Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden
24 March 1715
Stockholm
no children
Also King of Sweden. Left no heirs. Hesse-Kassel under the regency of his brother, William, later Landgrave William VIII.
Christian17 July 16891731–175521 October 1755Hesse-WanfriedMaria Franziska of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein
c.1730
no children
Left no heirs. His lands reverted to Hesse-Rotenburg.
Wanfried reannexed to Rotenburg
Louis VIIIThumb5 April 16911739–176817 October 1768Hesse-DarmstadtCharlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg
5 April 1717
Hanau
six children
Frederick IV CharlesThumb15 April 17241746–17517 February 1751Hesse-Darmstadt-HomburgUlrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels
10 October 1746
Hungen
two children
Nephew of Frederick III.
ConstantineThumb24 May 17161749–177830 December 1778Hesse-RotenburgSophia von Starhemberg
1745
eleven children

Jeanne Henriette de Bombelles
27 May 1775
no children
William VIIIThumb10 March 16821751–17601 February 1760Hesse-KasselDorothea Wilhelmine of Saxe-Zeitz
27 September 1717
Zeitz
three children
Brother of Frederick V; already regent from 1730
Regency of Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels (1751-1766) Between 1806 and 1815 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Frederick VThumb30 January 17481751–182020 January 1820Hesse-HomburgCaroline of Hesse-Darmstadt
27 September 1768
Darmstadt
eleven children
Frederick IIThumb14 August 17201760–178531 October 1785Hesse-KasselMary of Great Britain
8 May 1740
London
(by proxy)
28 June 1740
Kassel
(in person)
four children

Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt
10 January 1773
Berlin
no children
FrederickThumb17271761–17771777Hesse-BarchfeldSophia Henrietta of Salm-Grunbach
1772
no children
Left no heirs. His brother Adolf inherited the land.
Louis IXThumb15 December 17191768–17906 April 1790Hesse-DarmstadtCaroline of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken
12 August 1741
Zweibrücken
eight children
Children of Louis VIII, divided their inheritance:
  • Louis IX received his father's inheritance;
  • Caroline Louise received her mother's inheritance in Hanau-Lichtenberg, which then passed to Baden.
Caroline LouiseThumb11 July 17231768–17838 April 1783Hesse-Darmstadt
(at Hanau-Lichtenberg)
Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden
28 January 1751
five children
WilliamThumb29 August 17261770–18068 August 1810Hesse-PhilippsthalUlrika Eleonora of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld
22 June 1755
Tournai
nine children
Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
AdolphThumb29 June 17431777–180317 July 1803Hesse-BarchfeldLouise of Saxe-Meiningen
18 October 1781
Meiningen
six children
Charles EmmanuelThumb5 June 17461778–180623 March 1812Hesse-Kassel-RotenburgLeopoldina of Liechtenstein
1 September 1771
Felsberg
two children
Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Rotenburg briefly annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia (1806-1813)
William IThumb3 June 17431785–1807

1813–1821
27 February 1821Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel

Electorate of Hesse-Kassel
Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark
1 September 1764
Copenhagen
four children
Created Prince-elector of Hesse as His Royal and Serene Highness in 1803. Between 1807 and 1813 the Grand-Duchy was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Louis IThumb14 June 17531790–18306 April 1830Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt

Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt
19 February 1777
Darmstadt
seven children
Created Grand Duke of Hesse in 1806.
CharlesThumb27 June 17841803–185417 July 1854Hesse-BarchfeldAuguste of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen
19 July 1816
Öhringen
two children

Sophie of Bentheim and Steinfurt
10 September 1823
Steinfurt
four children
Between 1806 and 1813 the Landgraviate was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia.
LouisThumb29 August 17261813–18168 August 1810Hesse-PhilippsthalMarie Franziska Berghe of Trips
21 January 1791
Susteren
two children
Landgraviate recovered in 1813 by the hand of the Elector of Hesse.
Victor AmadeusThumb2 September 17791813–183412 November 1834Hesse-RotenburgLeopoldine of Fürstenberg
20 October 1799
Prague
no children

Elisabeth of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
10 September 1812
Langenburg
one child

Eleonora of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim and Gerlachsheim
19 November 1831
Gerlachsheim
no children
In 1834, Hesse-Rotenburg reunited with Hesse-Kassel.
Rotenburg annexed to the Electorate of Kassel
Ernest ConstantineThumb8 August 17711816–184925 December 1849Hesse-PhilippsthalLouise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
10 April 1796
Rudolstadt
five children

Caroline of Hesse-Philippsthal
17 February 1812
Kassel
two children
Landgraviate recovered in 1813 by the hand of the Elector of Hesse.
Frederick VIThumb30 July 17691820–18292 April 1829Hesse-HomburgElizabeth of the United Kingdom
7 April 1818
London
no children
Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
William IIThumb28 July 17771821–184720 November 1847Electorate of Hesse KasselAugusta of Prussia
13 February 1797
Berlin
six children

Emilie Ortlöpp
8 July 1841
(morganatic)
eight children

Caroline of Berlepsch
8 July 1841
Hanau
(morganatic)
no children
Louis WilliamThumb29 August 17701829–183919 January 1839Hesse-HomburgAugusta Amalia of Nassau-Usingen
1804
(annulled 1805)
no children
Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
Louis IIThumb26 December 17771830–184816 June 1848Grand Duchy of Hesse-DarmstadtWilhelmine of Baden
19 June 1804
Karlsruhe
seven children
PhilipThumb11 March 17791839–184615 December 1846Hesse-HomburgRosalie Antonie Pototschnig
1838
(morganatic)
no children
Left no heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
GustavThumb17 February 17811846–18488 September 1848Hesse-HomburgLouise of Anhalt-Dessau
12 February 1818
Dessau
three children
Left no male heirs. The land was inherited by his brother.
Frederick WilliamThumb20 August 18021847–18666 January 1875Electorate of Hesse KasselGertrude von Hanau
26 June 1831
(morganatic)
nine children
In 1866 the Electorate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Electorate of Kassel annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Louis IIIThumb9 June 18061848–187713 June 1877Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Mathilde Caroline of Bavaria
26 December 1833
Munich
no children

Magdalene of Hochstadten
1868
(morganatic)
no children
FerdinandThumb26 April 17831848–186624 March 1866Hesse-HomburgUnmarriedLeft no male heirs. At his death the Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg was briefly added to the territory of Louis III (Hesse-Darmstadt) before being annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia later in 1866.
Homburg annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Charles II22 May 18031849–186612 February 1868Hesse-PhilippsthalMarie of Württemberg
9 October 1845
Pokój
two children
In 1866 the Landgraviate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Philippsthal annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
AlexisThumb13 September 18291854–186616 August 1905Hesse-BarchfeldLouise of Prussia
17 June 1854
Berlin
no children
In 1866 the Landgraviate was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Barchfeld annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia
Louis IVThumb12 September 18371877–189213 March 1892Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt Alice of the United Kingdom
1 July 1862
East Cowes
seven children

Alexandrina Hutten-Czapska
30 April 1884
Darmstadt
(morganatic, annulled 1884)
no children
Ernest LouisThumb25 November 18681892–19189 October 1937Grand Duchy of Hesse-DarmstadtVictoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
19 April 1894
Coburg
(annulled 21 December 1901)
two children

Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich
2 February 1905
Darmstadt
two children
Deposed in 1918, at the end of World War I.
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