Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

Fürstentum (Principality) of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
*Grafschaft (County) Schwarzburg-Sondershausen*
	Fürstentum (Principality) of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen; Grafschaft (County) Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
	State of the Holy Roman Empire,; State of the Confederation of the Rhine,; State of the German Confederation,; State of the North German Confederation,; State of the German Empire,; State of the Weimar Republic
Flag	Coat of arms
	Schwarzburg-Sondershausen within Thuringia
Capital	Sondershausen
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
- Partitioned from; Schwarzburg	1599
- Raised to Principality	1697
- German Revolution	1920
- Merged into Thuringia	1920
	Area
- 1905	862 km2 (333 sq mi)
	Population
- 1905 est.	85,000
Density	98.6 /km2 (255.4 /sq mi)

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.

History

Karl Gunther, the last Prince of Schwarzburg-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.

Rulers of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, 1552–1918

Counts of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

1552–1586 John Günther I
1586–1631 Günther XLII, with Anton Henry, John Günther II and Christian Günther I
1631–1638 Günther XLII, with Anton Henry and Christian Günther I
1638–1642 Günther XLII, with Christian Günther I
1642–1643 Günther XLII, with Anton Günther I
1643–1666 Anton Günther I
1666–1697 Christian William, with Anton Günther II

Raised to Principality in 1697

Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

1697–1716: Anton Günther II
1697 – 10 May 1721: Christian William
10 May 1721 – 28 November 1740: Günther XLIII
28 November 1740 – 6 November 1758: Henry XXXV
6 November 1758 – 14 October 1794: Christian Günther III
14 October 1794 – 19 August 1835: Günther Friedrich Karl I
19 August 1835 – 17 July 1880: Günther Friedrich Karl II
17 July 1880 – 28 March 1909: Karl Günther

United under Prince Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

28 March 1909 – November 1918: Prince Günther

Heads of the princely house of Schwarzburg

On the death of the childless Prince Günther Victor in 1925 he was succeeded by Prince Sizzo (1860–1926) who was the son of Prince Friedrich Günther (1793–1867) from his second, morganatic marriage. Prince Sizzo was recognised as a full member of the House of Schwarzburg in 1896.