Succession to the throne of Reuss

The succession to the throne of Reuss is vested in the male members of the Princely House of Reuss. The two Reuss principalities, Reuss Elder Line and Reuss Younger Line were abolished when on 11 November 1918 Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line was forced to abdicate on his own behalf and on behalf of his kinsman Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss Elder Line for whom he was the regent and heir presumptive.

Succession law[edit]

The succession to the principality of Reuss Elder line was set out in Part 1 Article 3 of the principality's constitution^[1]

Article 3. The Prince is the hereditary Lord. His person is inviolable. The right of succession to the Government follows, according to the House and family compacts of Reuss, the principle of first born and the lineal agnatic descent in the male line. He shall exercise the sovereignty in constitutional manner, the administrative powers in cooperation with the Diet ; the executive powers he wields alone. He shall appoint the State officials and represent the country in its external relations.

The succession to the principality of Reuss Younger line was set in Section II Article 8 of the principality's constitution.^[1]

Article 8. The Government of the land with all its present and future parts, as well as the princely possessions belonging to primogeniture, are hereditary in the male line of the Princely House in conformity with the family laws according to the right of primogeniture and agnatic succession.

In 1927 the claim to the two principalities was united in the person of Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line upon the extinction of the Reuss Elder Line. The head of the House of Reuss and heir to the throne since 2012 is Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss.

Equal marriage is a requirement for succession to the throne and membership of the House of Reuss in accordance with the House Law of 12 July 1893, as amended 4 July 1902, and by resolutions agreed by the agnates 26 January 1957 at Munich and again on 18 October 1996 at Köstritz.^[2] Comments to the media by the head of the house Prince Heinrich XIV in December 2022 on the place in the line of succession of Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss suggested the equal marriage rule may have been removed or a number of births of princes had taken place in recent years and been unreported.^[3]

Current line of succession[edit]

Count Heinrich XXIV (1681-1748)
- Count Heinrich IX (1711-1780)
  - Prince Heinrich XLIV (1753-1832)
    - Prince Heinrich LXIII (1786-1841)
      - Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss-Köstritz (1821-1894)
        Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss-Köstritz (1855-1910)
        Prince Heinrich XXXIX Reuss (1891-1946)
        Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss (1919-2012)
        Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss (b. 1955)
        (1) Heinrich XXIX, Hereditary Prince Reuss (b. 1997)
        
        (2) Prince Heinrich V (b. 2012)
        
        Prince Heinrich VII (1927-2002)
        (3) Prince Heinrich XIX (b. 1974) morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Heinrich VII Prinz Reuss (b. 2017)
        
        (4) Prince Heinrich XXII (b. 1976) morganatic marriage
        
        Prince Heinrich VII (1825-1906)
        Prince Heinrich XXXV (1887-1936)
        Prince Heinrich V (1921-1980) morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Heinrich XXVII Ico Prinz Reuß (b. 1964)
        
        Prince Heinrich XII (1829-1866)
        Prince Heinrich XXVIII (1859-1924)
        Prince Heinrich XXXIV (1887-1956)
        Prince Heinrich I (1910-1982)
        (5) Prince Heinrich VIII (b. 1944)
        (6) Prince Heinrich XX (b.1975)
        
        (7) Prince Heinrich XXIII (b. 1979)
        
        (8) Prince Heinrich IX (b. 1947)
        (9) Prince Heinrich XXVI (b. 1988)
        
        (10) Prince Heinrich X (b. 1948)
        (11) Prince Heinrich XXIV (b. 1984)
        
        (12) Prince Heinrich XIII (b. 1951) morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Heinrich XXVIII Prinz Reuß (b. 1991)
        
        (13) Prince Heinrich XV (b. 1956) morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Heinrich XXX Prinz Reuß (b.1999)
        
        Prince Heinrich III (1919-1993)
        (14) Prince Heinrich XII (b. 1950)
        (15) Prince Heinrich XXI (b. 1976)
        (16) Prince Heinrich III (b. 2010)
        
        (17) Prince Heinrich IV (b. 2011)
        
        (18) Prince Heinrich VI (b. 2014)
        
        (19) Prince Heinrich XXV (b. 1984)
        
        (20) Prince Heinrich XVII (b. 1968) morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Heinrich II Prinz Reuß (b. 2004)
      - Prince Heinrich LXXIV (1798-1886)
        Prince Heinrich IX (1827-1898)
        Prince Heinrich XXVI (1857-1913)
        Prince Heinrich Harry, Count von Plauen (1890-1951)
        Prince Heinrich Enzio (1922-2000)
        (21) Prince Heinrich Achaz (b. 1956) - morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Henrich XXXII Caspar Prinz Reuß (b. 1993)
        
        (N/A) Heinrich XXXIII Jacob Prinz Reuß (b. 1999)
        
        (22) Prince Heinrich Patrik (b. 1966)
        
        Count Enzio Heinrich von Plauen (1893-1973) - morganatic marriage
        (N/A) Count Rigo Heinrich von Plauen (b. 1935)
        (N/A)Count Richard Heinrich von Plauen (b. 1964)
        (N/A) Count Harry von Plauen (b. 2012)
        
        (N/A) Count Enzio Viktor Heinrich von Plauen (b. 1972)
        (N/A) Count Calixte Calle Heinrich von Plauen (b. 2003)
        
        (N/A) Count Friedrich Rigo Heinrich von Plauen (b. 1972)
- Count Heinrich XXIII (1722-1787)
  - Count Heinrich LV (1768-1846)
    - Count Heinrich LV (1768-1846)
      - Prince Heinrich II (1803-1852)
        Prince Heinrich XVIII (1847-1911)
        Prince Heinrich XXXVII (1888-1964)
        (23) Prince Heinrich XI Licco (b. 1934)
        (24) Prince Heinrich XVI (b. 1965)
        
        (25) Prince Heinrich XVIII (b. 1969)
        (26) Prince Heinrich I (b.2003)

Lines of succession on 11 November 1918[edit]

Heinrich XIV 'der Jüngste' Reuss (1464-1535)
- Heinrich XIV-I Reuss zu Untergreiz (1506-1572)
  - Heinrich V Reuss zu Untergreiz (1549-1604)
    - Heinrich IV Reuss zu Obergreiz (1597-1629)
      - Heinrich I, Count Reuss zu Greiz (1627-1681)
        Heinrich VI, Count Reuss zu Greiz (1649-1697)
        Heinrich II, Count Reuss zu Obergreiz (1696-1722)
        Heinrich XI, Prince Reuss Elder Line (1722-1800)
        Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss Elder Line (1747-1817)
        Heinrich XX, Prince Reuss Elder Line (1794-1859)
        Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss Elder Line (1846-1902)
        Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss Elder Line (b. 1878)
- Heinrich XVI Reuss zu Plauen (1530-1572)
  - Heinrich II Reuss zu Gera (1572-1635)
    - Heinrich III Reuss zu Saalberg (1603-1640)
      - Heinrich I, Count Reuss zu Schleiz (1639-1692)
        Heinrich XI, Count Reuss zu Schleiz (1669-1726)
        Heinrich XII, Count Reuss zu Schleiz (1716-1784)
        Heinrich XLII, Prince Reuss Younger Line (1752-1818)
        Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line (1789-1867)
        Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line (1832 - 1913)
        (1) Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line (b. 1858)
        (2,1) Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line (b. 1895)
        
        Count Heinrich XXIV (1681-1748)
        Count Heinrich IX (1711-1780)
        Prince Heinrich XLIV (1753-1832)
        Prince Heinrich LXIII (1786-1841)
        Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss-Köstritz (1821-1894)
        Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss-Köstritz (1855-1910)
        (3,2) Prince Heinrich XXXIX (b. 1891) head of the Köstritz line
        
        Prince Heinrich VII (1825-1906)
        (4,3) Prince Heinrich XXXII (b. 1878)
        
        (5,4) Prince Heinrich XXXIII (b. 1879)
        (6,5) Prince Heinrich II (b. 1916)
        
        (7,6) Prince Heinrich XXXV (b. 1887)
        
        Prince Heinrich XII (1829-1866)
        (8,7) Prince Heinrich XXVIII (b. 1859)
        
        (9,8) Prince Heinrich XXXIV (b. 1887)
        (10,9) Prince Heinrich I (b. 1910)
        
        (11,10) Prince Heinrich XXXVI (b. 1888)
        
        Prince Heinrich LXXIV (1798-1886)
        Prince Heinrich IX (1827-1898)
        Prince Heinrich XXVI (1857-1913)
        (12,11) Count Heinrich Harry von Plauen (b. 1890)
        
        (13,12) Count Enzio Heinrich von Plauen (b. 1893)
        
        Prince Heinrich XXV (1856-1911)
        (14,13) Prince Heinrich XLVII (b. 1897)
        
        (N/A) Heinrich XXXI, Prince of Hohenleuben (b. 1868) renounced his rights October 1918
        
        Count Heinrich XXIII (1722-1787)
        Count Heinrich LV (1768-1846)
        Count Heinrich LV (1768-1846)
        Prince Heinrich II (1803-1852)
        Prince Heinrich XVIII (1847-1911)
        (15,14) Prince Heinrich XXXVII (b. 1888)
        
        (16,15) Prince Heinrich XLII (b. 1892)

References[edit]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Zeydel, Edwin (1919). Constitutions of the German empire and German states Pages 238, 257
↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch (2015) Page 228
↑ German coup plot suspect Heinrich XIII's family was unimpressed with his princely ambitions (12 December 2022) The Week. ""The head of the Reuss family, a distant cousin who, like all male heirs to the Reuss throne, is also named Heinrich, called him 'a confused old man' and pointed out that even if his coup had been successful, he was only 17th in line for the throne," the Times reports. "'That means 16 of us would have to die before it is his turn,' he said.""

[Zeydel-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Zeydel, Edwin (1919). Constitutions of the German empire and German states Pages 238, 257

[2] Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch (2015) Page 228

[3] German coup plot suspect Heinrich XIII's family was unimpressed with his princely ambitions (12 December 2022) The Week. ""The head of the Reuss family, a distant cousin who, like all male heirs to the Reuss throne, is also named Heinrich, called him 'a confused old man' and pointed out that even if his coup had been successful, he was only 17th in line for the throne," the Times reports. "'That means 16 of us would have to die before it is his turn,' he said.""

[1]

[2]

[3]

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Succession to the throne of Reuss

Contents

Succession law[edit]

Current line of succession[edit]

Lines of succession on 11 November 1918[edit]

References[edit]

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