This is a list of German monarchs of all ranks in 1918, the final year of the First World War and the year in which monarchy in Germany was abolished. The term German Empire (German: Deutsches Kaiserreich) commonly refers to Germany, from its foundation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of its last Kaiser, Wilhelm II, on November 9, 1918. The defeat of Kaiser Wilhelm II in World War I also brought about the depositions or abdications of the majority of European crowned heads from rule of the states within the German Empire. These included the German Emperor, and German kings, princes, grand dukes and dukes. These events brought an end to monarchy in Germany. Germans, when referring to the Reich in this period under the Kaisers, 1871 to 1918, typically use the term Kaiserreich.
Emperor of Germany (1918)[]
Emperor | Styles | Empress | Symbols | German Empire 1871 – 1918 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1859 – 1941 |
His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia Wilhelm II Her Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Empress, Queen of Prussia Augusta Victoria |
1858 – 1921 |
House of Hohenzollern 1871 – 1918 |
Kingdoms Prussia. Bavaria. Saxony. Württemberg. Grand Duchies Baden. Hesse. Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Oldenburg. Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Duchies Anhalt. Brunswick. Saxe-Altenburg. Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Saxe-Meiningen. Principalities Lippe. Reuss, junior line. Reuss, senior line. Schaumburg-Lippe. Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Waldeck-Pyrmont. Free Hanseatic cities Bremen. Hamburg. Lübeck. Imperial territory ( Reichsland ) Alsace-Lorraine. |
Commanded by Emperor: During times of war in Germany, all military forces came under the direct command of the German Emperor, via Article 60 of the Constitution of the German Reich (1871). From 1871 to 1918, the forces of the Emperor included those of the kingdoms of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Wurttemberg, with all other states commanded by, or merged with his Prussian army.
Kings and Kingdoms (1918)[]
Ruler | Title | Arms – Flag | House – State | Location | Spouse – Children | ||||||||||||||
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Kaiser Wilhelm II 1859 – 1941 |
House of Hohenzollern C.11th – 1918 Kingdom of Prussia 1701 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein (2) Hermine Reuss of Greiz Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Wilhelm II
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King Ludwig III 1845 – 1921 |
House of Wittelsbach 1180–1918 Kingdom of Bavaria 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Maria Theresia of Austria-Este Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Ludwig III
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File:FA3 of Saxony.png | King Frederick Augustus III 1865 – 1932 |
House of Wettin 900 – 1918 Kingdom of Saxony 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Frederick Augustus III
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King Wilhelm II 1848 – 1921 |
House of Württemberg 1081 – 1918 Kingdom of Württemberg 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont (2) Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of William II of Württemberg
|
Princes and Principalities (1918)[]
Ruler | Title | Arms – Flag | House – State | Location | Spouse – Children | ||||||||||||||
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Prince Leopold IV 1871 – 1949 |
House of Lippe 1123 – 1918 Principality of Lippe 1123 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Bertha of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (2) Princess Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Leopold IV
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File:AdolfSchaumburgLippe.jpg | Prince Adolph II 1883 – 1936 |
House of Lippe 1123 – 1918 Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe 1643 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Ellen Bischoff-Korthaus (1894–1936) | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Adolf II
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Prince Victor Gunther 1852 – 1925 |
House of Schwarzburg 11?? – 1918 Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1599 – 1919 Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1909–1920) |
Spouse (1) Princess Anna Louise of Schönburg-Waldenburg | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Günther Victor
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File:PrinceFRIEDRICHPyrmont.jpg | Prince Friedrich 1865 – 1946 |
House of Waldeck and Pyrmont 1815 – 1918 Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont 1180 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Friedrich I
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Prince Heinrich XXIV 1878 – 1927 |
House of Reuss (Elder Line) 1778 – 1918 Principality of Reuss-Greiz 1778 – 1918 |
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Ancestors of Heinrich XXIV
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File:HeinrichXXVII.jpg | Prince Heinrich XXVII 1858 – 1928 |
House of Reuss (Younger Line) 1913 – 1918 Principality of Reuss-Gera 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Heinrich XXVII
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Prince Frederich Charles 1868 – 1940 |
House of Hesse House of Brabant C.13th – 1918 Grand Duchy of Hesse 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Margaret of Prussia Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Frederick Charles
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Grand Dukes and Grand Duchies (1918)[]
Ruler | Title | Arms – Flag | House – State | Location | Spouse – Children | ||||||||||||||
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File:GrandDukeFriedrichII.jpg | Grand Duke Friedrich II 1857 – 1928 |
House of Zähringen C.10th – 1918 Grand Duchy of Baden 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Hilda of Nassau | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Ernest Augustus
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File:ErnstLouisHesse.jpg | Grand Duke Ernest Louis 1868 – 1937 |
House of Hesse-Darmstadt 1806 – 1918 Grand Duchy of Hesse by Rhine 1806 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2) Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Ernest Louis
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File:Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.jpg | Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV 1882 – 1945 |
House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1131 – 1918 Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1815 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Frederick Francis IV
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Grand Duke Friedrich Augustus 1852 – 1931 |
House of Holstein-Gottorp (Oldenburg) 1544 – 1918 Grand Duchy of Oldenburg 1814 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, (2) Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Frederick Augustus II
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File:GrandDukeWILHELM.jpg | Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernest 1876 – 1923 |
House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 1741 – 1918 Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 1809 – 1920 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz, (2) Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of William Ernest
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Dukes and Duchies (1918)[]
Ruler | Title | Arms – Flag | House – State | Location | Spouse – Children | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Duke Joachim Ernst 1901 – 1947 |
House of Ascania 1036 – 1918 Duchy of Anhalt 1863 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Elisabeth Strickrodt, (2) Editha Marwitz Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Joachim Ernst
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File:ERNSTAUGUSTofHannover1.jpg | Duke Ernest Augustus 1845 – 1923 |
House of Hanover 1635 – 1918 Duchy of Brunswick 1815 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Thyra of Denmark Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Ernest Augustus
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File:Ernstii.jpg | Duke Ernst II 1871 – 1955 |
House of Wettin 900 – 1918 Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg 1826 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Adelaide of Schaumburg-Lippe, (2) Maria Triebel (morganatic) Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Ernst II
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Duke Charles Edward 1884 – 1954 |
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1826 – 1918 Duchy of Saxe-Coburg Gotha 1826 – 1918 |
Spouse: (1) Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein Children: | |||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Charles Edward
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Duke Bernhard III 1851 – 1928 |
House of Saxe-Meiningen (Wettin) 1680 – 1918 Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen 1680 – 1918 |
File:Map-DR-Saxe-Meiningen.svg | Spouse: (1) Princess Charlotte of Prussia Children: | ||||||||||||||||
Ancestors of Bernhard III
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See also[]
- German Empire
- German Emperor
- History of Germany
- History of Prussia
- Hohenzollern Castle
- Crown of William II
- King in Prussia
- List of German monarchs
- Year of the Three Emperors
- List of monarchs of Prussia
- List of rulers of Saxony
- List of rulers of Württemberg
- Kings of Germany family tree
References[]
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911) "William II (Germany)" Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.) Cambridge University Press
The original article can be found at List of German monarchs in 1918 and the edit history here.