Almanach de Saxe Gotha - Kingdom of Prussia - Online Royal Genealogical Reference Handbook - Annual Genealogical, Diplomatic, and Statistical summary of European Royalty and Nobility - © 1995-2025. ALMANACH DE SAXE GOTHA - Societe des Amis de l' Almanach de Saxe Gotha - 2022 - Welcome - Willkommen - Bienvenue - Benvenuti - Salvete - to the Official Website of the Almanach de Saxe Gotha - the Online Royal Genealogical Reference Handbook - Der Saxe Gotha Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels. From the 1871 unification of Germany to its defeat in World War I, Prussia comprised almost two-thirds of the territory of the German Empire. It took its name from the territory of Prussia, although its power base was Brandenburg. Since 1618, the Electorate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia were ruled in personal union by the House of Hohenzollern ("Brandenburg-Prussia"). In the course of the Second Northern War, the Treaty of Labiau and the Treaty of Wehlau-Bromberg granted the Hohenzollern sovereignty in the Prussian duchy. Thus, in return for an alliance against France in the War of the Spanish Succession, Elector Frederick III crowned himself "King in Prussia" as Frederick I in 1701. Technically, no kingdoms could exist in the Holy Roman Empire except for Bohemia. However, Frederick took the line that since Prussia had never belonged to the Empire and the Hohenzollerns were fully sovereign over it, he could elevate Prussia to a kingdom. The title "King in Prussia" was adopted because they were still only electors within that portion of Prussia that was still part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was not until 1772 that the title was changed to "King of Prussia." The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings, and emperors of Prussia, Germany, and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near Hechingen. The family uses the motto Nihil Sine Deo (English: Nothing Without God). The family coat of arms, first adopted in 1192, began as a simple shield quarterly sable and argent. A century later, in 1317, Frederick IV, Burgrave of Nuremberg, added the head and shoulders of a hound as a crest. The family split into two branches, the Catholic Swabian branch and the Protestant Franconian branch, known also as the Kirschner line. The Swabian branch ruled the area of Hechingen until the revolution of 1848/49. The Franconian branch was more successful: members of the Franconian branch became Margrave of Brandenburg in 1415 and Duke of Prussia in 1525. Following the union of these two Franconian lines in 1618, the Kingdom of Prussia was created in 1701, eventually leading to the unification of Germany and the creation of the German Empire in 1871. Social unrest at the end of World War I led to the German Revolution of 1918, with the formation of the Weimar Republic forcing the Hohenzollerns to abdicate, thus bringing an end to the modern German monarchy. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 set the final terms for the dismantling of the German Empire. The Present Heir to the Throne of Prussia is HIRH Prince Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (Legal name: Georg Friedrich Ferdinand Prinz von Preußen; born 10 June 1976), who is the current head of the House of Hohenzollern, the former ruling dynasty of the German Empire and of the Kingdom of Prussia. He is the great-great-grandson and historic heir of Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. Family Titles and Styles of the House - Present members of this family bear the title Prince or Princess of Prussia together with the formal appellation of His or Her Royal Highness, the head of the family bears the twin appellation His Imperial and Royal Highness. The Website for the Royal House of Prussia:
http://www.preussen.de/de/heute.html
Almanach de Saxe Gotha Page:
http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id30.html
