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Mediatised houses

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The mediatised houses (or mediatized houses, German: Standesherren) were ruling princely and comital-ranked houses that were mediatised in the Holy Roman Empire during the period 1803–1815 as part of German mediatisation, and were later recognised in 1825–1829 by the German ruling houses as possessing considerable rights and rank. With few exceptions, these houses were those whose heads held a seat in the Imperial Diet when mediatised during the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806–07, by France in 1810, or by the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15. The mediatised houses were organised into two ranks: the princely houses, entitled to the predicate Durchlaucht (Serene Highness), which previously possessed a vote on the Bench of Princes (Furstenbank); and the comital houses that were accorded the address of Erlaucht (Illustrious Highness), which previously possessed a vote in one of the four Benches of Counts (Gräfenbank). Although some form of mediatisation occurred in other countries, such as France, Italy and Russia, only designated houses within the former Holy Roman Empire legally comprised the mediatised houses.

Privileges

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Mediatised houses generally possessed greater rights than other German noble families. Whilst they lost sovereignty and certain rights (such as legislation, taxation, appellate jurisdiction, and control over policing and conscription) in their territories, they often still retained their private estates and some feudal rights, which may have included exclusive or primary access to local forestry, fishing, mining or hunting resources, jurisdiction over policing and lower level civil and criminal court cases. Mediatised houses also possessed the right to settle anywhere within the German Confederation while retaining their territorial prerogatives. The Congress of Vienna specified that the mediatised houses were recognised as the first vassals in their respective states, were usually entitled to membership in the legislative upper chambers in which their lands lay (such as the Austrian or Prussian House of Lords), and held rank equivalent to ruling houses. However the Congress of Vienna did not specify which families were considered mediatised.

Members of mediatised houses possessed a rank higher than other German ducal, princely and comital families which held the same or even a higher hereditary title.[citation needed] For example, a prince (Fürst) of a mediatised house ranked higher than a duke (Herzog) of a family that had never possessed Imperial immediacy, even though in Germany, nominally, a duke is of higher rank than a prince.

Equality of birth

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Most importantly, members of the mediatised houses were recognized as entitled to retain the equality of birth their families had enjoyed under the Holy Roman Empire with Germany's reigning dynasties, who inter-married by right with the other ruling houses of Europe. Although this privilege did not automatically require that every ruling family had to accept all members of mediatised families as eligible for dynastic inter-marriage (see Countess Auguste von Harrach), each mediatised family was allowed to impose its own marital standards by house law, and could be accepted by ruling families without legal demur. This had practical effects in determining whether a marriage was considered morganatic or not, and what rights the children of such a marriage might possess.

It was ultimately left up to each of the sovereign states to determine which families were counted as part of the mediatised houses and which were not, leading to discrepancies between the roster of the Imperial Diet in 1806 and the families counted amongst the mediatised. Prior to 1806, the term "exemption" was used to refer to states which surrendered their immediacy and high jurisdiction rights to another state but retained their votes in the Imperial Diet. Not all exempt houses were counted amongst the mediatised houses. Further discrepancies exist because the houses were mediatised between 1806–1814 and the rosters of the princely and comital mediatised houses were not drawn up until 1825 and 1829 respectively, during which period some families had become extinct or sold those of their territories to which the rights of mediatisation appertained.

From 1836 the Almanach de Gotha listed the mediatised houses in a section of their own, separate from both ruling dynasties and from princely and ducal families which were not recognized as having exercised sovereignty since the Congress of Vienna.

The rights of the mediatised houses in Austria and Czechoslovakia were abolished in 1919 following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I and the establishment of republics in those countries. Rights were also abolished in Germany in 1919, however the abolition was not initially enforced.

The following lists are exhaustive, including all of the mediatised houses.

List of Princely mediatised houses (Durchlaucht)

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Name

Title

Listed by

Head of house (as of July 2018)

Notes

Arenberg Duke Austria, Prussia, Hanover Léopold, 13th Duke (b.1956) The territories of Arenberg were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the counties of Vest Recklinghausen and Meppen in 1803. Joined the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806. Annexed by France and the Grand Duchy of Berg in 1810. Not restored by the Congress of Vienna
Auersperg Prince Austria Adolf, 11th Prince (b.1937) The county of Thengen mediatised by Baden in 1806, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1811. Held mediate to Austria the duchy of Gottschee and the princely county of Wels, and several minor territories
Bentheim and Steinfurt Prince
Count before 1817
Austria, Hanover, Prussia Carl Ferdinand, 5th Prince (b.1977) County of Steinfurt mediatised by Berg in 1806. Annexed by France in 1810. Awarded to Hanover 1815 (Bentheim-Bentheim and Bentheim-Steinfurt, which were under personal union were united into the singular house). A branch of the House of Bentheim
Bentheim-Tecklenburg Prince
Count before 1817
Austria, Hanover, Prussia Maximilian, 7th Prince (b.1969) County of Limburg and lordship of Rheda mediatised by Berg in 1806. Awarded to Prussia in 1815. A branch of the House of Bentheim
Castell-Castell Prince
Count before 1901
Bavaria Ferdinand, 4th Prince (b.1965) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Castell-Rüdenhausen Prince
Count before 1901
Bavaria Otto, 6th Prince (b.1985) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Colloredo-Mansfeld Prince Austria, Württemberg Hieronymus, 8th Prince (b.1949) Purchased a part of the County of Rieneck in 1803 because its Imperial immediacy granted him a seat in the Imperial Diet. Purchased lordship of Limpurg-Gröningen in 1804. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1837. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Croÿ Duke Austria, Prussia Rudolf, 15th Duke (b.1955) The territories of Croÿ were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Dülmen in 1803. Mediatised to Arenberg in 1806. Annexed by France 1810. Awarded to Prussia 1815
Dietrichstein Prince Austria, Württemberg Extinct Lordship of Tarasp, exempt under Austria, ceded to Graubünden in 1801. Received the lordship of Neu-Ravensburg in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1864
Erbach-Schönberg Prince
Count before 1903
Hesse-Darmstadt Dietrich, 5th Prince (b.1954) mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Esterházy de Galántha Prince Austria, Bavaria Anton, 13th Prince (b.1936) Obtained princely county of Edelstetten in 1804. Mediatised to Bavaria in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories. Held mediate in Baden the lordship of Gallingen but not predicated as mediatised
Fugger-Babenhausen Prince Austria, Bavaria Hubertus, 8th Prince (b.1946) Exempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-Glött Prince
Count before 1913
Bavaria Extinct Exempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine. Extinct 1981.
Fürstenberg Prince Austria, Baden, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Württemberg Heinrich, 12th Prince (b.1950) Mostly mediatised by Baden in 1806. Lordship of Trochtelfingen mediatised by Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1806. Lordships of Gundelfingen and Neufra mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-Oehringen Prince Austria, Württemberg Kraft, 9th Prince (Also 5th Duke of Ujest, b.1933) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Jagstberg Prince Austria, Württemberg Alexander, 2nd Prince (b.1937) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst Prince Austria, Württemberg Felix, 10th Prince (b.1963) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-Langenburg Prince Austria, Württemberg Philipp, 10th Prince (b.1970) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein Prince Austria, Württemberg Ferdinand, 10th Prince (b.1942) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Constantin, 12th Prince (b.1949) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (Ratibor and Corvey branch) Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Viktor, 5th Duke of Ratibor and 5th Prince of Corvey (b.1964) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Kaunitz-Rietberg Prince Austria, Prussia Extinct mediatised by Westphalia in 1807. Extinct 1848
Khevenhüller-Metsch Prince Austria Bartolomäus, 11th Prince (b.1958) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Leiningen Prince Austria, Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt Andreas, 8th Prince (b.1956) mediatised by Baden in 1806
Leyen Prince Austria, Baden Philipp Erwein, 7th Prince (b.1967) Became a principality in 1806. Mediatised by Austria in 1815. Ceded to Baden in 1819
Lobkowicz Prince Austria Jaroslav, 14th Prince (b.1942) Princely county of Störnstein mediatised by Bavaria in 1807, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1814. Held mediate to Austria the duchy of Raudnitz and several minor territories
Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg Prince Baden, Bavaria, Württemberg Ludwig, 8th Prince (b.1951) County of Virneburg annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Mediatised by Baden, Prince-Primate and Württemberg in 1806
Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg Prince Austria, Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Württemberg Alois-Constantin, 9th Prince (b.1941) mediatised by Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prince-Primate and Württemberg in 1806
Looz-Corswarem Duke Austria, Hanover, Prussia Thierry, 11th Duke (b.1948) The territories of Looz-Corswarem were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the Principality of Rheina-Wolbeck in 1803. Mediatised by the Grand Duchy of Berg in 1806. The Principality was divided in 1815 between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Kingdom of Hanover.
Metternich-Winneburg Prince Austria Extinct Lordship of Winneburg and Beilstein annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the county of Ochsenhausen in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1825. Held mediate to Austria the county of Köningswart and several minor territories. Extinct in 1992
Orsini and Rosenberg Prince Austria Johannes, 7th Prince (b.1949) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Öttingen-Spielberg Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Albrecht Ernst, 10th Prince (b.1951) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Öttingen-Wallerstein Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Moritz, 8th Prince (b.1946) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Quadt-Wykradt and Isny Prince
Count before 1901
Württemberg Alexander, 5th Prince (b.1958) Lordship of Wickrath annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the county of Isny in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Salm-Kyrburg Prince Austria, Prussia Extinct The territories of Salm-Kyrburg were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received part of the Bishopric of Münster in 1803. Mediatised the lordship of Gemen (held by Boyneburg-Bömelberg) in 1806. Annexed by France in 1810. Not restored by the Congress of Vienna. Extinct 1905
Salm-Horstmar Prince
Count before 1817
Austria, Prussia Philipp Otto, 5th Prince (b.1938) Formerly the county of Salm-Grumbach. Mediatised by Berg in 1806
Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck Prince
Count before 1816
Austria, Baden, Prussia Extinct Lordships of Dyck and Reifferscheid were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received lordship of Baindt in 1803. Mediatised to Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1888
Salm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim Prince
Count before 1804
Austria, Baden Extinct Lordships of Dyck and Reifferscheid were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. In 1806 territory south of the Jagst mediatised by Württemberg and territory north by Baden, and territory north by Baden, and rights to this territory sold to them in 1829/37. Extinct 1958
Salm-Reifferscheid-Raitz Prince Austria Hugo, 7th Prince (b,1973) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Salm-Salm Prince Austria, Prussia Carl-Philipp, 9th Prince (b.1933) The territories of Salm-Salm were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received part of the Bishopric of Münster in 1803. Annexed by France in 1810. Not restored by the Congress of Vienna
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Prince Austria, Prussia Gustav, 7th Prince (b.1969) mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein Prince Austria, Prussia, Württemberg Bernhart, 6th Prince (b.1963) County of Hohnstein exempt to Prussia from 1714, annexed by Westphalia in 1806, returned to Prussia in 1813. Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Schönburg-Hartenstein Prince Austria, Saxony Alexander, 8th Prince (b.1930) Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-Waldenburg Prince Austria, Saxony Ulrich, 6th Prince (b.1940) Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Schwarzenberg Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Johann, 13th Prince (b.1967)[2] Principality of Schwarzenberg and barony of Seinsheim mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Landgraviate of Klettgau mediatised by Baden in 1806. The county of Sulz mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Held mediate to Austria the duchy of Krumau and several minor territories
Solms-Braunfels Prince Austria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia, Württemberg Extinct mediatised by Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1813. Extinct 1970
Solms-Hohensolms-Lich Prince Austria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia, Württemberg Carl-Christian, 9th Prince (b.1975) mediatised by Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1813
Starhemberg Prince Austria Georg Adam, 6th Prince (b.1961) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Stolberg-Rossla Prince
Count before 1893
Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia Alexander of Stolberg-Rossla (b.1967) Exempt to Prussia in 1714
Stolberg-Stolberg Prince
Count before 1893
Hanover, Prussia Jost-Christian, 4th Prince (b.1940) Exempt to Saxony in 1738. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Stolberg-Wernigerode Prince
Count before 1890
Hesse-Darmstadt, Hanover, Prussia Philipp, 5th Prince (b.1967) Exempt to Saxony in 1738. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Thurn and Taxis Prince Austria, Bavaria, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Württemberg Albert, 12th Prince (b.1983) mediatised to Bavaria, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Württemberg in 1806
Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg Prince Austria Carl-Wolfgang, 7th Prince (b.1965) County of Umpfenbach mediatised by Baden in 1806, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1812. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee Prince Austria, Württemberg Johannes, 6th Prince (b.1957) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Waldburg-Zeil-Trauchburg Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Erich, 8th Prince (b.1962) mediatised by Württemberg in 1806; Lordship of Alt-Trauchburg by Bavaria in 1806
Waldburg-Zeil-Wurzach Prince Austria, Bavaria, Württemberg Extinct mediatised by Württemberg in 1806; Lordship of Marstetten east of the Iller (Ferthofen) by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1903
Wied-Neuwied Prince Austria, Nassau, Prussia Maximilian, 9th Prince (b.1999) Lordship of Runkel east of the Lahn mediatised by Berg in 1806; rest mediatised by Nassau in 1806
Windisch-Grätz Prince Austria, Württemberg Anton, 5th Prince (b.1942)(Elder line, last male heir)
Mariano Hugo, 6th Prince (b.1955)(Younger line)
County of Eglofs mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Ysenburg and Büdingen Prince Austria, Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt Alexander, 7th Prince (b.1969) Formerly the principality of Isenburg-Birstein. Mediatised by Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Darmstadt in 1815
Ysenburg and Büdingen in Büdingen Prince
Count before 1840
Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt Extinct Formerly the county of Isenburg-Büdingen. Mediatised by Isenburg-Birstein in 1806. Extinct 1941
Ysenburg and Büdingen in Wächtersbach Prince
Count before 1865
Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt Wolfgang-Ernst, 8th Prince (b.1936) Formerly the county of Isenburg-Wächtersbach. Mediatised by Isenburg-Birstein in 1806

List of Comital mediatised houses (Erlaucht)

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Name Title Listed by Head of house (as of July 2018) Notes
Bentinck Count Oldenburg Timothy, 8th Count (Also 12th Earl of Portland, b.1953) Mediatised by Oldenburg in 1807. Obtained Erlaucht recognition in 1845
Erbach-Erbach Count Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Württemberg Franz, 8th Count (b.1958) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Erbach-Fürstenau Count Hesse-Darmstadt Louis, 7th Count (b.1976) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Fugger-Kirchberg-Weissenhorn Count Bavaria Extinct Exempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-Kirchheim Count Bavaria Extinct Exempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-Nordendorf Count Bavaria Extinct Exempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Giech Count Bavaria Extinct Inherited half of the Imperial Lordship of Sulzbürg-Pyrbaum from Wolfstein family in 1740. Exempt to Prussia in 1791. Annexed by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1938
Harrach zu Rohrau und Thannhausen Count Austria Ernst Leonhard, 11th Count (b.1920) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories. An Austrian, immediate line went extinct in 1886
Königsegg-Aulendorf Count Württemberg Johannes, 12th Count (b.1925) Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Kuefstein-Greillenstein Count Austria Johann, Count of Kuefstein (b.1951) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Leiningen-Billigheim Count Baden Extinct Formerly the county of Leiningen-Guntersblum. Annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Billigheim in 1803. Mediatised by Baden in 1806
Leiningen-Neudenau Count Baden Extinct Formerly the county of Leiningen-Heidesheim. Annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Neudenau in 1803. Mediatised by Baden in 1806
Leiningen-Westerburg-Altleiningen Count Hesse-Darmstadt Extinct Received the lordship of Ilbenstadt in 1803. Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen Count Nassau Extinct Received the lordship of Engelthal in 1803. Mediatised by Berg in 1807. Ceded to Nassau in 1815
Neipperg Count Württemberg Karl Eugen, 7th Count (b.1951) Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Ortenburg-Tambach Count Bavaria Heinrich, 36th Count (b.1956) Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Pappenheim Count Bavaria Albert, Count of Pappenheim (b.1943) Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Was not originally a member of the Imperial Diet; but recognised as a mediatised house in 1831 following a petition by the Kingdom of Bavaria, based on their partial sovereignity of the Saar department during the First French Empire
Platen-Hallermund Count Hanover Erik, 5th Count (b.1939) Mediatised by Westphalia in 1807. Ceded to Hanover in 1813
Pückler and Limpurg Count Württemberg Extinct Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1963
Rechberg and Rothenlöwen Count Württemberg Bernhard, 7th Count (b.1956) Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Was not a member of the Imperial Diet; recognised by Württemberg as a mediatised house
Rechteren-Limpurg Count Bavaria Adolph, 9th Count (b.1931) Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Schaesberg-Tannheim Count Württemberg Johannes, 7th Count (b.1960) County of Kerpen and Lommersum annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Tannheim in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Schlitz genannt von Görtz Count Hesse-Darmstadt Rudiger, 7th Count (b.1939, last male heir) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Schönborn-Buchheim Count Austria, Bavaria Friedrich Karl, 7th Count (b.1938) mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Schönborn-Wiesentheid Count Bavaria Paul, 8th Count (b.1964) Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Schönburg-Forderglauchau Count Saxony Alexander, 6th Count (b.1969) Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-Hinterglauchau Count Saxony Extinct Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-Rochsburg Count Saxony Extinct Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-Wechselburg Count Saxony Extinct Exempt to Saxony from 1740
Solms-Laubach Count Hesse-Darmstadt Karl, 11th Count (b.1963) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Solms-Rödelheim Count Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt Philipp, Count of Solms-Rödelheim (b.1964) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Solms-Wildenfels Count Hesse-Darmstadt Friedrich Magnus, Count of Solms-Wildenfels (b.1945) Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Stadion-Thannhausen Count Bavaria Extinct Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1908
Stadion-Warthausen Count Austria, Württemberg Extinct Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Was not a member of the Imperial Diet; recognised by Austria and Württemberg as a mediatised house. Extinct 1906
Starhemberg Count Austria Georg Adam, 6th Prince (b.1961) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Sternberg-Manderscheid Count Austria, Württemberg Extinct Counties of Blankenheim, Gerolstein, Kayl and Manderscheid annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the counties of Schussenried and Weissenau in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1830
Törring-Gutenzell Count Württemberg Hans Veit, 4th Count (b.1935) County of Gronsfeld annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the county of Gutenzell in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1860; collateral branch given mediatised rights in 1888
Waldbott von Bassenheim Count Bavaria, Nassau, Württemberg Carl Ludwig, 8th Count (b.1938, last male heir) County of Pyrmont annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the county of Heggbach in 1803. Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Inherited Buxheim in 1809
Waldeck-Pyrmont Count Württemberg Extinct Waldeck-Limpurg mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Wallmoden-Gimborn Count Mecklenburg Extinct Lordship of Gimborn-Neustadt mediatised by Berg in 1807
Wurmbrand-Stuppach Count Austria Ernst Gundaccar, 5th Count (b.1946) Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Ysenburg and Büdingen in Meerholz Count Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt, Württemberg Extinct Formerly the county of Isenburg-Meerholz. Mostly mediatised by Isenburg-Birstein in 1806. 1/4 portion of the Solms-Assenheim part of Limpurg-Gaildorf meditised to Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1939
Ysenburg and Büdingen in Philippseich Count Hesse-Darmstadt Extinct Appanage branch of the princely line of Isenburg-Birstein. Recognised by Hesse-Darmstadt as a mediatised house despite not possessing immediacy or a vote in the Imperial Diet

List of Houses not considered as part of the mediatised houses

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Listed below are houses that for one reason or another were not counted amongst the mediatised houses. Usually this is because

  • they became extinct before the formalisation of the mediatised houses in 1825/9,
  • they divested their immediate territories just before the German mediatisation in 1806, or
  • they surrendered their mediate rights before 1825/9.

The formal list of the mediatised Houses generally does not include the families of imperial immediacy bearers belonging to old Imperial States outside the German Confederation (France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands).

Name Title Notes
Abensperg und Traun Count Eglofs sold to Windisch-Grätz in 1804
Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym Prince Mediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1812
Aspremont-Lynden Count Rekem (Reckheim) annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the county of Baindt in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Sold in 1812
Boyneburg-Bömelberg Baron Inherited the immediate lordship of Gemen in 1800, after extinction of the Limburg-Styrum-Gemen branch. Unclear however if the Imperial Diet vote associated to Gemen was also inherited (some state that it was transferred to the only surviving Limburg-Styrum branch, that of Styrum[1]). Mediatised by Berg in 1806. Extinct 1826/31
Heydeck-Bretzenheim Prince The lands of Bretzenheim were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the principality of Lindau in 1803. Ceded to Austria in 1804. Extinct 1863
Grävenitz Count Imperial Lordship of Welzheim was forcefully sold in 1735 by Grävenitz family for 65.000 Gulden to Württemberg. Descendants of the last ruler, Count Friedrich Wilhelm von Grävenitz (1679-1754), who later unsuccessfully tried to reclaim rights to it, went extinct.
Ligne Prince Compensation for loss of the Imperial County of Ligne (Fagnolles, since that barony had become seat of the county in 1789) as a result of the Peace of Lunéville consisted of substitution of the secularized Imperial abbey of Edelstetten, with an individual vote guaranteed in the Imperial College of Princes in 1803. That principality was, however, sold to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy on 22 May 1804, before the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Edelstetten had been a constituent Imperial state, in 1806.
Limburg-Styrum Count Imperial Diet vote lost in 1800 (Gemen), but still possessed the immediate lordship of Styrum, which was mediatised in 1806 and which is formally cited in the Treaty of the Confederation of the Rhine. Nevertheless, Limburg-Styrum was not listed by any member of the German Confederation as a mediatised House in 1825, given they had sold their German properties and left to their lands in the newly created kingdoms of the Netherlands and Belgium. The family is however generally counted as part of the mediatised houses.
Nesselrode Count Mediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1824
Nostitz-Rieneck Count Rieneck sold to Colloredo-Mansfeld in 1803
Ostein Count Myllendonk annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Buxheim in 1803. Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1809
Plettenberg-Mietingen Count Wittem annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Mietingen and Sulmingen in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1813
Sickingen-Sickingen Count Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1834
Sinzendorf Prince Rheineck annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the burgraviate of Winterrieden in 1803. Mediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1822
Wartenberg-Roth Count Their possessions on the left bank of Rhine were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. As a compensation, they received the county of Roth in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. The family went extinct in 1818
Wied-Runkel Prince Lordship of Runkel east of the Lahn mediatised by Berg in 1806; rest mediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1824

References and notes

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  1. ^ Duke and Prince Jean Engelbert d'Arenberg, "The Lesser Princes of the Holy Roman Empire in the Napoleonic Era" dissertation, Washington, DC, 1950, published as Les Princes du St-Empire à l'époque napoléonienne (Louvain, 1951)