Mediatized Houses

The Mediatized Houses (German: Standesherren) were ruling princely and comital-ranked houses which were mediatized in the Holy Roman Empire during the period of 1806–15 as part of the German Mediatization, and were later recognised in 1825-29 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 mediatized 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 predicated with Durchlaucht ("Serene Highness"), which previously possessed a vote in the Bench of Princes; and the Comital houses predicated with Erlaucht ("Illustrious Highness"), which previously possessed a vote in one of the four Benches of Counts. Whilst mediatization occurred in other countries such as France, Italy and Russia, only the certain houses within the former Holy Roman Empire comprised the Mediatized Houses.

Mediatized houses generally possessed greater rights than other houses. Whilst they lost sovereignty and certain rights (such as legislation, taxation, final jurisdiction, and control over policing and conscription) over their territories, they still often retained their private estates and feudal rights, which may have included rights over forestry, fishing, mining, hunting, jurisdiction over policing, and lower jurisdiction over civil and criminal court cases. Mediatised Houses also possessed the right to settle anywhere within the German Confederation. The Congress of Vienna specified that the Mediatised Houses were recognised as the first vassals in their respective states, and were equal in rank to the ruling houses. However the Congress of Vienna did not specify which houses were considered mediatised.

Mediatised sovereign houses possessed a rank higher than other aristocratic houses of equal or higher rank, within the princely or comital rank they possessed.[1] For example, a prince of a mediatized house ranked higher than a duke of a house that never possessed immediacy, even though nominally a duke is of a higher rank than a prince. In effect, this gave the mediatised Princely houses the same rank as the sovereign houses of Europe. This had practical effects in determining whether a marriage was considered morganatic or not and the rights the children of such a marriage would possess.

It was ultimately left up to each of the sovereign states to determine which families were counted as part of the Mediatized Houses and which were not, leading to discrepancies between the roster of the Imperial Diet in 1806 and the houses counted amongst the Mediatized houses. 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 Mediatized Houses. Further discrepancies exist because the houses were mediatized between 1806–14 and the rosters of the Princely and Comital mediatized houses were not drawn up until 1825 and 1829 respectively, during which period some families had become extinct or divested their mediate rights to the territories in question.

From 1836 the Almanach de Gotha began listing the Mediatised Houses in a separate category to both the ruling houses of Europe, and the lower nobility.

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 enforced.

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

List of Princely Mediatized Houses (Durchlaucht)

Name

Title

Listed by

Notes

ArenbergDukeAustria, Prussia, HanoverThe 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
AuerspergPrinceAustriaThe county of Thengen mediatized 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 SteinfurtPrince
Count before 1817
Austria, Hanover, PrussiaCounty of Steinfurt mediatized 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)
Bentheim-TecklenburgPrince
Count before 1817
Austria, Hanover, PrussiaCounty of Limburg and lordship of Rheda mediatized by Berg in 1806. Awarded to Prussia 1815
Castell-CastellPrince
Count before 1901
BavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Castell-RüdenhausenPrince
Count before 1901
BavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Colloredo-MansfeldPrinceAustria, WürttembergPurchased lordship of Limpurg-Gröningen in 1804. Mediatized by Württemberg in 1806, and rights to this territory sold to it in 1837. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
CroÿDukeAustria, PrussiaThe 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. Mediatized to Arenberg in 1806. Annexed by France 1810. Awarded to Prussia 1815
DietrichsteinPrinceAustria, WürttembergLordship of Tarasp, exempt under Austria, ceded to Graubünden in 1801. Received the lordship of Neu-Ravensburg in 1803. Mediatized by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1864
Erbach-SchönbergPrince
Count before 1903
Hesse-DarmstadtMediatized by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Esterházy de GalánthaPrinceAustria, BavariaObtained princely county of Edelstetten in 1804. Mediatized to Bavaria in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories. Held mediate in Baden the lordship of Gallingen but not predicated as mediatized
Fugger-BabenhausenPrinceAustria, BavariaExempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-GlöttPrince
Count before 1913
BavariaExempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
FürstenbergPrinceAustria, Baden, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, WürttembergMostly mediatized by Baden in 1806. Lordship of Trochtelfingen mediatized by Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1806. Lordships of Gundelfingen and Neufra mediatized by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-NeuensteinPrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-IngelfingenPrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-KirchbergPrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-LangenburgPrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-BartensteinPrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-SchillingsfürstPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Kaunitz-RietbergPrinceAustria, PrussiaMediatised by Westphalia in 1807. Extinct 1848
Khevenhüller-MetschPrinceAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
LeiningenPrinceAustria, Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-DarmstadtMediatised by Baden in 1806
LeyenPrinceAustria, BadenMediatised by Austria in 1815. Ceded to Baden in 1819
LobkowiczPrinceAustriaPrincely 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-FreudenbergPrinceBaden, Bavaria, WürttembergCounty 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-RosenbergPrinceAustria, Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, WürttembergMediatised by Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prince-Primate and Württemberg in 1806
Looz-CorswaremDukeAustria, Hanover, PrussiaThe territories of Looz-Corswarem were annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordships of Rheina and Wolbeck in 1803. Mediatised by the Grand Duchy of Berg in 1806
Metternich-WinneburgPrinceAustriaLordship 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
Orsini and RosenbergPrinceAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Öttingen-SpielbergPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Öttingen-WallersteinPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Quadt-IsnyPrince
Count before 1901
WürttembergLordship of Wykradt 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-KyrburgPrinceAustria, PrussiaThe 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-HorstmarPrince
Count before 1817
Austria, PrussiaFormerly the county of Salm-Grumbach. Mediatised by Berg in 1806
Salm-Reifferscheid-DyckPrince
Count before 1816
Austria, Baden, PrussiaLordships 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-KrautheimPrince
Count before 1804
Austria, BadenLordships 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
Salm-Reifferscheid-RaitzPrinceAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Salm-SalmPrinceAustria, PrussiaThe 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-BerleburgPrinceAustria, PrussiaMediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Sayn-Wittgenstein-HohensteinPrinceAustria, Prussia, WürttembergCounty 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-HartensteinPrinceAustria, SaxonyExempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-WaldenburgPrinceAustria, SaxonyExempt to Saxony from 1740
SchwarzenbergPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergPrincipality 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-BraunfelsPrinceAustria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia, WürttembergMediatised by Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1813
Solms-Hohensolms-LichPrinceAustria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia, WürttembergMediatised by Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in 1806. Ceded to Prussia in 1813
StarhembergPrinceAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Stolberg-RosslaPrince
Count before 1893
Hesse-Darmstadt, PrussiaExempt to Prussia in 1714
Stolberg-StolbergPrince
Count before 1893
Hanover, PrussiaExempt to Saxony in 1738. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Stolberg-WernigerodePrince
Count before 1890
Hesse-Darmstadt, Hanover, PrussiaExempt to Saxony in 1738. Ceded to Prussia in 1815
Thurn and TaxisPrinceAustria, Bavaria, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, WürttembergMediatised to Bavaria, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Württemberg in 1806
Trauttmansdorff-WeinsbergPrinceAustriaCounty 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-WaldseePrinceAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Waldburg-Zeil-TrauchburgPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806; Lordship of Alt-Trauchburg by Bavaria in 1806
Waldburg-Zeil-WurzachPrinceAustria, Bavaria, WürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806; Lordship of Marstetten east of the Iller (Ferthofen) by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1903
Wied-NeuwiedPrinceAustria, Nassau, PrussiaLordship of Runkel east of the Lahn mediatised by Berg in 1806; rest mediatised by Nassau in 1806
Windisch-GrätzPrinceAustria, WürttembergCounty of Eglofs mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Ysenburg and BüdingenPrinceAustria, Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-DarmstadtFormerly the principality of Isenburg-Birstein. Mediatised by Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Darmstadt in 1815
Ysenburg and Büdingen in BüdingenPrince
Count before 1840
Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-DarmstadtFormerly the county of Isenburg-Büdingen. Mediatised by Isenburg-Birstein in 1806
Ysenburg and Büdingen in WächtersbachPrince
Count before 1865
Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-DarmstadtFormerly the county of Isenburg-Wächtersbach. Mediatised by Isenburg-Birstein in 1806

List of Comital Mediatized Houses (Erlaucht)

Name

Title

Listed by

Notes

BentinckCountOldenburgMediatised by Oldenburg in 1807. Obtained 'Erlaucht' recognition in 1845
Erbach-ErbachCountBavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, WürttembergMediatized by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Erbach-FürstenauCountHesse-DarmstadtMediatized by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Fugger-Kirchberg-WeissenhornCountBavariaExempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-KirchheimCountBavariaExempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
Fugger-NordendorfCountBavariaExempted under Bavaria 1806, weeks before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine
GiechCountBavariaInherited half of Wolfstein in 1740. Exempt to Prussia in 1791. Annexed by Bavaria in 1806
Harrach zu Rohrau und ThannhausenCountAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories. Extinct 1886
Königsegg-AulendorfCountWürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Küfstein-GreillensteinCountAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Leiningen-BilligheimCountBadenFormerly 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-NeudenauCountBadenFormerly 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-AltleiningenCountHesse-DarmstadtReceived the lordship of Ilbenstadt in 1803. Mediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Leiningen-Westerburg-NeuleiningenCountNassauReceived the lordship of Engelthal in 1803. Mediatised by Berg in 1807. Ceded to Nassau in 1815
NeippergCountWürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Ortenburg-TambachCountBavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
PappenheimCountBavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Was not a member of the Imperial Diet; recognised by Bavaria as a mediatised house in 1831
Platen-HallermundCountHanoverMediatised by Westphalia in 1807. Ceded to Hanover in 1813
Pückler and LimpurgCountWürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Rechberg and RothenlöwenCountWürttembergMediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Was not a member of the Imperial Diet; recognised by Württemberg as a mediatised house
Rechteren-LimpurgCountBavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Schaesberg-TannheimCountWürttembergCounty 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 GörtzCountHesse-DarmstadtMediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Schönborn-BuchheimCountAustria, BavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Held mediate to Austria several minor territories
Schönborn-WiesentheidCountBavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806
Schönburg-HinterglauchauCountSaxonyExempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-RochsburgCountSaxonyExempt to Saxony from 1740
Schönburg-WechselburgCountSaxonyExempt to Saxony from 1740
Solms-LaubachCountHesse-DarmstadtMediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Solms-RödelheimCountHesse-Cassel, Hesse-DarmstadtMediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Solms-WildenfelsCountHesse-DarmstadtMediatised by Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806
Stadion-ThannhausenCountBavariaMediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Extinct 1908
Stadion-WarthausenCountAustria, WürttembergMediatised by Bavaria in 1806. Was not a member of the Imperial Diet; recognised by Austria and Württemberg as a mediatised house. Extinct 1906
StarhembergCountAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Sternberg-ManderscheidCountAustria, WürttembergCounties 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-GutenzellCountWürttembergCounty 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 BassenheimCountBavaria, Nassau, WürttembergCounty 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-PyrmontCountWürttembergWaldeck-Limpurg mediatised by Württemberg in 1806
Wallmoden-GimbornCountMecklenburgLordship of Gimborn-Neustadt mediatised by Berg in 1807
Wurmbrand-StuppachCountAustriaHeld mediate to Austria several minor territories
Ysenburg and Büdingen in MeerholzCountHesse-Cassel, Hesse-Darmstadt, WürttembergFormerly 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 PhilippseichCountHesse-DarmstadtAppanage 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

Listed below are houses that for one reason or another were not counted amongst the Mediatized Houses. Usually this is because they became extinct before the formalisation of the Mediatised Houses in 1825/9, they divested their immediate territories just prior to the German Mediatisation in 1806, or they surrendered their mediate rights before 1825/9.

Name

Title

Notes

Abensperg and TraunCountEglofs sold to Windisch-Grätz in 1804
Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-HoymCountMediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1812
Aspremont-LyndenCountRekem (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-BömelbergBaronInherited 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[2]). Mediatised by Berg in 1806. Extinct 1826/31
Heydeck-BretzenheimPrinceThe 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
Limburg-StyrumCountImperial 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 Mediatized 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 mediatized houses.
NesselrodeCountMediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1824
Nostitz-RieneckCountRieneck sold to Colloredo-Mansfeld in 1803
OsteinCountMyllendonk 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-MietingenCountWittem annexed by France and ceded by the Empire in the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. Received the lordship of Mietingen and Sullmingen in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1813
SinzendorfPrinceRheineck 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-RothCountReceived the county of Roth in 1803. Mediatised by Württemberg in 1806. Extinct 1818
Wied-RunkelPrinceLordship of Runkel east of the Lahn mediatised by Berg in 1806; rest mediatised by Nassau in 1806. Extinct 1824

References and notes

  1. http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id62.html
  2. 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)
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