The House of Hohenzollern is a formerly royal German dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenburg, Prussia, the German Empire, and Romania. The family came from the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the late 11th century and took their name from Hohenzollern Castle. The first ancestors of the Hohenzollerns were mentioned in 1061.
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was a principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to the senior Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern. The Swabian Hohenzollerns were elevated to princes in 1623. The small sovereign state with the capital city of Sigmaringen was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1850 following the abdication of its sovereign in the wake of the revolutions of 1848, then became part of the newly created Province of Hohenzollern.
Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district.
The Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg. In his Dutch exile after World War I, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family. He made his second wife, Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, a Lady in the Order of the Black Eagle.
Haigerloch is a town in the north-western part of the Swabian Alb in Germany.
Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern. The third of three hilltop castles built on the site, it is located atop Mount Hohenzollern, above and south of Hechingen, on the edge of the Swabian Jura of central Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was the last prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen before the territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1849. Afterwards he continued to be titular prince of his house and, with the death of the last prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1869, of the entire House of Hohenzollern. He served as Minister President of Prussia from 1858 to 1862, the only Hohenzollern prince to hold the post. His second son, Karl, became king of Romania. The offer of the throne of Spain to his eldest son, Leopold, was one of the causes of the Franco-Prussian War, which led to the unification of Germany and the creation of the German Empire.
Stephanie Josepha Friederike Wilhelmine Antonia of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was Queen of Portugal from her marriage to King Peter V on 18 May 1858 until her death the following year.
Sigmaringen Castle was the princely castle and seat of government for the Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Situated in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, this castle dominates the skyline of the town of Sigmaringen. The castle was rebuilt following a fire in 1893, and only the towers of the earlier medieval fortress remain. Schloss Sigmaringen was a family estate of the Swabian Hohenzollern family, a cadet branch of the Hohenzollern family, from which the German Emperors and kings of Prussia came. During the closing months of World War II, Schloss Sigmaringen was briefly the seat of the Vichy French Government after France was liberated by the Allies. The castle and museums may be visited throughout the year, but only on guided tours. It is still owned by the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, although they no longer reside there.
Princess Josephine Friederike Luise of Baden was Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from 27 August 1848 to 7 December 1849 during the brief reign of her husband, Prince Karl Anton. Josephine was the second daughter of Charles, Grand Duke of Baden, and Stéphanie de Beauharnais. She was the mother of the first king of Romania, Carol I. Through her younger daughter Marie, she is the ancestress of the Belgian royal family, the grand ducal family of Luxembourg as well as the last Queen of Italy and her descendants. Through her son, Leopold, she is also ancestress of the Romanian royal family.
Frederick, Prince of Hohenzollern was the eldest son of William, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He had a twin brother, Franz Joseph, Prince of Hohenzollern-Emden, who was born a few minutes after he was.
Charles II, Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen(German: Karl II, Graf von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen) became Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1576 and remained so until his death. He was the fifth but second surviving son of Charles I, Count of Hohenzollern, and Anna, daughter of Ernest, Margrave of Baden-Durlach.
Amalie Zephyrine of Salm-Kyrburg, was a German noblewoman by birth member of the House of Salm in the Salm-Kyrburg branch and through her marriage she was Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern was a German prince, and through his marriage to Princess Birgitta of Sweden, was brother-in-law of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Prince Frederick of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was a member of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and a Prussian General of the Cavalry. He fought with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War. Frederick was the fifth child and youngest son of Charles Anthony, Prince of Hohenzollern and his wife Princess Josephine of Baden.
Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was a member of the Princely House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Karl Anton was the third and youngest son of Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern and his wife Infanta Antónia of Portugal. Karl Anton's elder brothers were William, Prince of Hohenzollern and Ferdinand I of Romania.
Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was the reigning Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from 1831 to 1848.
Johann Georg of Hohenzollern-Hechingen was the first Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
Karl I of Hohenzollern was Count of Hohenzollern from 1525 to 1575. He was Imperial Archchamberlain and chairman of the Aulic Council.
Count Eitel Friedrich IV of Hohenzollern was the founder and first Count of the line Hohenzollern-Hechingen as Eitel Friedrich I.
