Solms-Hohensolms-Lich

Solms-Hohensolms-Lich was at first a County and later Principality with Imperial immediacy in what is today the federal Land of Hessen, Germany. It was ruled by a branch of the House of Solms,^[1] originally from Solms.

County (Principality) of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich Grafschaft (Fürstentum) Solms-Hohensolms-Lich
1718–1806
Coat of arms
Status	State of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital	Lich
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Union of S-Hohensolms     and Solms-Lich	1718
• Raised to principality	1792
• Mediatised to Austria,     Hesse, Prussia and     Württemberg	1806
Preceded by Succeeded by Solms-Hohensolms Solms-Lich Archduchy of Austria Grand Duchy of Hesse Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Württemberg

Coat of Arms of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich

Imperial county

The Imperial county was originally created in 1718 as a union of the counties of Solms-Hohensolms and Solms-Lich for Count Friedrich Wilhelm zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich (1682-1744). It existed from 1718 until 1792.

Hohensolms was an old territory of the lords and counts of Solms, with Alt-Hohensolms Castle built in 1321 and destroyed in 1349, and Neu-Hohensolms Castle built in 1350. The latter was owned by the princely family until 1969.

The county of Lich was inherited by the Counts of Solms-Braunfels after the Counts of Falkenstein-Münzenberg died out in 1418, resulting in strong territorial growth of the House of Solms in the Wetterau, including the lordships of Münzenberg Castle, Hungen Castle, Lich Castle and Laubach Castle. Shortly thereafter, the branch of Solms-Lich split off from Solms-Braunfels.

Principality

It was raised to a Principality of the Holy Roman Empire in 1792 for Prince Karl Christian zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich (1725-1803). Solms-Hohensolms-Lich was mediatised to Austria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia and Württemberg in 1806. The House of Solms had its origins at Solms, Hesse. The Prince of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich still resides at Castle Lich in Lich.

Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, daughter of Hermann, 5th Prince, wed Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, becoming a Grand Duchess.

Photo of Eleonore Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and her husband Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse with brother-in-law Tsar Nicolas II and nieces Anastasia, Olga and Tatiana

The princely castle at Lich, Hesse

Rulers of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich

Monument of Prince Ludwig zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich outside Lich Castle

The House of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich is a Hessian princely family, and a collateral line of the House of Solms-Braunfels. The House of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich originally were imperial counts, raised to the rank of Imperial Prince in 1792.

Counts of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich (1718–1792)^{[2][better source needed]}

• Friedrich Wilhelm, Count 1718–44 (1682-1744)
  • Charles Christian, Count 1744–92 (1725-1803), created Reichsfürst 1792

Princes of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich (1792–present)

• Charles Christian, 1st Prince 1792–1803 (1725-1803) ∞ 1759 Sophie Charlotte, Countess of Dohna-Schlobitten
  • Charles Louis Augustus, 2nd Prince 1803–1807 (1762-1807) - Mediatized in 1806; ∞ 1802 Henrietta Sophie, Countess of Bentheim-Steinfurt
    • Charles, 3rd Prince 1807-1824 (1803-1824)
    • Ludwig, 4th Prince 1824-1880 (1805-1880); ∞ 1829 Marie, princess of Isenburg-Büdingen
    • Prince Ferdinand (1806-1876)
      • Hermann, 5th Prince 1880-1899 (1838-1899); Agnes, Countess of Stolberg-Wernigerode
        • Charles, 6th Prince 1899-1920 (1866-1920); ∞ 1894 Emma, Princess of Stolberg-Wernigerode
        • Reinhard Louis, 7th Prince 1920-1951 (1867-1951); ∞ 1898 Marka Clara, Countess of Solms-Sonnewalde
          • Hermann Otto, Hereditary Prince (1902-1940); ∞ 1933 Gertrud, Baroness of Werthern-Beichlingen
            • Philipp-Reinhard, 8th Prince 1951-2015 (1934-2015);^[3] ∞ 1974 Marie, Countess Fouché d’Otrante
              • Carl-Christian, 9th Prince 2015–present (born 1975); ∞ 2009 Christina, Countess of Douglas-Langenstein
                • Louis Clemens Jamal, Hereditary Prince (born 2008)
              • Prince Louis Philip (born 1978)
              • Prince Frederik Sebastian (born 1987)
            • Prince Wilhelm (1937-2024) ∞ Milicent von Boch-Galhau (b.1937)
              • Prince Benedict (born 1965)
              • Prince Christian-Lucius (born 1974)
                • Prince Maximilian
            • Prince Hermann Otto (born 1940) ∞ Margit Mayer (b.1944) div. 1971 ∞ Christiane Meyer zu Eissen (b. 1955)

References

1. See German article on the House of Solms or French article Maison de Solms.
2. Marek, Miroslav. "solms/solms5.html". genealogy.euweb.cz.^{[self-published source]}
3. "Anzeige von Philipp Reinhard Fürst zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich". mittelhessen-gedenkt.de. Retrieved 2016-11-27.