Almanach de Saxe Gotha - Princely House of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen - Schwarzburg Dynasty

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a county until 1697, in that year it became a principality, and lasted until the fall of the German monarchies in 1918, during the German Revolution of 1918-1919. After which it became a republic. In 1920 it joined with other small states in the area to form the new state of Thuringia. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen had an area of 862 km² and a population of 85,000 (1905). Towns placed in the state were: Arnstadt, Sondershausen, Gehren, Langewiesen, Großbreitenbach, Ebeleben, Großenehrich, Greußen and Plaue.

The House of Schwarzburg is one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia. Upon the death of Prince Friedrich Günther in 1971, the headship of the house passed under Semi-Salic primogeniture to his elder sister, Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg who married Friedrich Magnus V, Count of Solms-Wildenfels. The House of Schwarzburg subsequently became a personal union with the House of Solms-Wildenfels. Reigning over the County of Schwarzburg and founded by Sizzo I of Schwarzburg (died 1160), the family split in the 16th century into the lines of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, which were not reunified until 1909.

The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. It was ruled by counts from the House of Schwarzburg. Schwarzburg Castle was first mentioned in 1071 deed. In 1123 Count Sizzo III of Käfernburg (Kevernburg), mentioned by the medieval chronicler Lambert of Hersfeld and according to the Annalista Saxo a grandson of Prince Yaropolk Izyaslavich of Turov by his mother, rebuilt the castle calling himself a "Count of Schwarzburg". Sizzo also established Georgenthal Abbey and in 1157 he accompanied Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa during his campaign against High Duke Bolesław IV the Curly of Poland.

In 1197 Sizzo's grandson Heinrich II divided the common heritage with his brother Günther III and made Schwarzburg Castle his residence. His territory then also comprised the nearby castle of Blankenburg. The Schwarzburg lands were again divided among his successors until in 1538 Count Günther XL the Rich was able to unite the territories including Frankenhausen and Rudolstadt under his rule. He was succeeded by his eldest son Günther XLI, however after his death in 1583 his younger brothers again divided the county: John Günther I received the territory around Arnstadt, later called Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, while Albrecht VII inherited the lands of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. The partition was finally confirmed by the 1599 Treaty of Stadtilm.

Succession to the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt - Following the death in 1971 of Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg (5 March 1901 - 9 November 1971) in Munich the House of Schwarzburg became extinct. However the Schwarzburg principalities operated under Semi-Salic primogeniture which means that in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts, as happened with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther, females can inherit. Therefore, applying Semi-Salic law then the current heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg is Friedrich Magnus, Count of Solms-Wildenfels (born 1927) the son of Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898–1984), sister of Prince Friedrich Günther.

Alternatively another claimant could be Prince Philip of Stolberg-Wernigerode (born 1967). Prince Philip's claim is based on a pact made by Count Heinrich of Schwarzburg and his son whereby if his male line became extinct then Count Botho of Stolberg and the Counts of Hohenstein should share the majority of his territories with the Counts of Stolberg inheriting Kelbra and Heringen alone and not share them with the Counts of Hohenstein. With the extinction of the House of Hohenstein the houses of Schwarzburg and Stolberg renewed the pact on January 28, 1594. Should the pact still be valid then Prince Philip as senior male line descendant of Count Botho could be seen as the rightful heir.

The Family Titles and Styles - The members of this family bore the title of Prince or Princess of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, together with the formal appellation of His or Her Serene Highness.

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