List of rulers of Hesse

This is a list of rulers of Hesse (German: Hessen) during the history of Hesse on west-central Germany. These rulers belonged to a dynasty collectively known as the House of Hesse and the House of Brabant, originally the Reginar. Hesse was ruled as a Landgraviate, Electorate and later as a Grand duchy until 1918.

The title of all of the following rulers was "Landgrave" (German: Landgraf) unless otherwise noted.

Hesse, 1264–1567

Hesse, 1264–1458

• Henry I the Child, 1264–1308
• Otto the Elder, son of Henry I, 1308–1328 in Upper Hesse (Marburg), reunited Hesse in 1311
• John, son of Henry I, 1308–1311 in Lower Hesse (Kassel)
• Henry II the Iron, son of Otto I, 1328–1376
  • Louis the Junker, son of Otto I, 1336–1345 residing in Grebenstein
  • Hermann I the Elder, son of Otto I, 1336–1370 residing in Nordeck
  • Otto the Younger, son of Henry II the Iron, co-regent 1340–1366
• Hermann II the Learned, son of Louis the Junker, 1376–1413, co-regent since 1367
• Louis I the Peaceful 1413–1458

Lower Hesse (Kassel), 1458–1500

• Louis II the Frank, eldest son of Louis the Peaceful, 1458–1471
• William I the Elder, son of Louis II, 1471–1493
• William II the Middle, son of Louis II, 1493–1509, reunited Hesse in 1500

Upper Hesse (Marburg), 1458–1500

• Henry III the Rich, younger son of Louis the Peaceful, 1458–1483
  • Louis III the Younger (died 1478)
• William III the Younger, 1483–1500

1500 reunited with Lower Hesse under William II

Hesse, 1500–1567

• Philip I the Magnanimous, son of William II, 1509–1567. Eldest son William IV the Wise, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel; second son Louis IV Landgraves of Hesse-Marburg; third son Philip the Younger Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels; fourth son George I Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Hesse-Kassel, 1567–1803

  Swedish Royalty
  House of Hesse

Frederick I

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	William IV Wilhelm IV	31 March 1567	25 August 1592	eldest son of Philip the Magnanimous. Called "the Wise."
	Maurice Moritz	25 August 1592	17 March 1627
	William V Wilhelm V	17 March 1627	21 September 1637
	William VI Wilhelm VI	21 September 1637	16 July 1663
	William VII Wilhelm VII	16 July 1663	21 November 1670
	Charles Karl	21 November 1670	23 March 1730
	Frederick I Friedrich I	23 March 1730	25 March 1751	also King of Sweden from 1720. Hesse-Kassel under the regency of his brother, William, later Landgrave William VIII.
	William VIII Wilhelm VIII	25 March 1751	1 February 1760	brother of Frederick I; already regent from 1730
	Frederick II Friedrich II	1 February 1760	31 October 1785
	William IX Wilhelm IX	31 October 1785	15 May 1803	became elector of Hesse as William I in 1803.

Hesse-Rotenburg, 1627–1834

• Herman, third son of Maurice, 1627–1658
• Ernest, fifth son of Maurice, 1658–1693
• William, 1693–1725
• Ernest Leopold, 1725–1749
• Constantine, 1749–1778, inherited Eschwege in 1755
• Emanuel, 1778–1806 (died 1812)

1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse

• Victor Amadeus, 1813–1834

1834 extinct, reunited with Hesse-Kassel

Hesse-Eschwege, 1632-1655

• Frederick, eighth son of Maurice, 1632-1655

1655 extinct, fell to Hesse-Rotenburg

Hesse-Wanfried, ~1700–1755

• Charles, Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried-(Rheinfels) (1649–1711); sovereign ~1700–1711
• William II, Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried-(Rheinfels) (1671–1731); sovereign 1711–1731
• Christian, Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried-(Rheinfels) (1689–1755); sovereign 1731–1755

1755 united with Hesse-Rotenburg

Hesse-Rheinfels, 1627–1658

• Ernest, fifth son of Maurice, 1627–1658

1658 united with Hesse-Rotenburg

Hesse-Philippsthal

• Philip, son of William VI, 1663–1721
• Charles I, 1721–1770
• William, 1770–1806 (died 1810)

1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse

• Louis, 1813–1816
• Ernest Constantine, 1816–1849
• Charles II, 1849–1866

1866 annexed by Prussia

Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld

• William, son of Philip, 1721–1761
• Frederick, 1761–1772
• Adolph, 1772–1803
• Charles, 1803–1806

1806 annexed by the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1813 restored under the supremacy of the Elector of Hesse

• Charles, 1813–1854 (restored)
• Alexis, 1854–1866

1866 annexed by Prussia

Hesse-Marburg, 1567–1604

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	Louis IV Ludwig IV	31 March 1567	9 October 1604	second son of Philip the Magnanimous.

1604 extinct and disputed between Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, 1648 divided between the two lines

Hesse-Rheinfels, 1567–1583

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	Philip II	31 March 1567	20 November 1583	third son of Philip the Magnanimous. Called "the Younger."

1583 extinct and divided between Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Marburg and Hesse-Darmstadt

Hesse-Darmstadt, 1567–1806

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	George I Georg I	31 March 1567	7 February 1596	fourth son of Philip the Magnanimous
	Louis V Ludwig V	7 February 1596	27 June 1626	son of George I.
	George II Georg II	27 June 1626	11 June 1661	son of Louis V.
	Louis VI Ludwig VI	11 June 1661	24 April 1678	son of George II
	Louis VII Ludwig VII	24 April 1678	31 August 1678	first son of Louis VI
	Ernest Louis Ernst Ludwig	31 August 1678	12 September 1739	second son of Louis VI
	Louis VIII Ludwig VIII	12 September 1739	17 October 1768	son of Ernest Louis
	Louis IX Ludwig IX	17 October 1768	6 April 1790	son of Louis VIII
	Louis X Ludwig X	6 April 1790	13 August 1806	son of Louis IX. Became Grand Duke of Hesse 1806.

Hesse-Butzbach, 1609–1643

• Philip III, second son of George I of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1609–1643

Hesse-Homburg, 1622–1866

• Frederick I, third son of George I of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1622–1638
• William Christoph, 1638–1681, sold Homburg to his brother George Christian in 1669, but retained Bingenheim (Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg-Bingenheim)
  • Margareta Elisabetha of Leiningen-Westerburg-Schaumburg, Regent 1638–1648
• George Christian, 1669–1671 Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

Under mortgage to two merchants (1671–1673) and the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt (1673–1679)

• Frederick II, son of Fredrick I, 1679–1708, Commander general of the army of Brandenburg (The Prince of Homburg), redeemed Homburg in 1679, regained Bingenheim in 1681
• Frederick III Jacob, 1708–1746, Cavalry general in the Netherlands
• Frederick IV, 1746–1751
• Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, 1751–1806
  • Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels, Regent 1751–1766

1806 Annexed by Hesse-Darmstadt, 1815 restored on the Congress of Vienna

• Frederick V, 1815–1820 (restored)
• Frederick VI, 1820–1829, Cavalry general in Austria
• Louis William, 1829–1839, Infantry general in Prussia
• Philip, 1839–1846, Field marshal in Austria
• Gustav, 1846–1848, Cavalry general in Austria
• Ferdinand, 1848–1866, Cavalry general in Austria

1866 annexed by Prussia

Hesse-Braubach, 1625–1651

• John, son of Louis V, 1626–1651

Hesse-Itter, 1661–1676

• George III, second son of George II, 1661–1676

Electors of Hesse (-Kassel), 1803–1866

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	William I Wilhelm I	15 May 1803	28 August 1807	previously Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel as William IX; deposed
to the Kingdom of Westphalia, 1807-1813
	William I Wilhelm I	30 October 1813	27 February 1821	restored
	William II Wilhelm II	27 February 1821	20 November 1847	His son Frederick William acted as regent from 30 September 1831
	Frederick William Friedrich Wilhelm	20 November 1847	20 September 1866	regent for his father from 30 September 1831. The electorate was annexed by Prussia in 1866

1866 annexed by Prussia

Grand Dukes of Hesse (-Darmstadt) and by Rhine, 1806–1918

Image	Name	Start term	End term	Note
	Louis I Ludwig I	13 August 1806	6 April 1830	previously Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt as Louis X from 1790
	Louis II Ludwig II	6 April 1830	16 June 1848
	Louis III Ludwig III	16 June 1848	13 June 1877
	Louis IV Ludwig IV	13 June 1877	13 March 1892
	Ernest Louis Ernst Ludwig	13 March 1892	9 November 1918

Heads of the non-reigning House of Hesse

Hesse-Kassel since 1866

• Frederick William I, the former Elector, 1866–1875
• Landgrave Frederick William II of Hesse-Kassel, 1875–1884, son of Prince William of Hesse-Kassel.
• Landgrave Frederick William III of Hesse, 1884–1888
• Landgrave Alexander Frederick, 1888–1925 (abdicated, d. 1945)
• Landgrave Frederick Charles, 1925–1940, elected King of Finland with the name (Fredrik) Kaarle I in 1918 but renounced the throne the same year
• Landgrave Philip, 1940–1980
• Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse (born 1926), 1980–present

Hesse-Philippsthal 1866-1925

• Charles II the former Landgrave, 1866–1868
• Ernest 1868-1925

1925 the Line of Hesse-Philippsthal became extinct

Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld since 1866, Hesse-Philippsthal since the extinction of the main line 1925

• Alexis the former Landgrave, 1866–1905
• Chlodwig 1905-1954, head of the house of Hesse-Philippsthal since 1925
• Wilhelm 1954–present

Hesse-Darmstadt 1918–1968

• Ernest Louis the former Grand Duke, 1918–1937
• George Donatus 1937
• Louis 1937–1968

In 1968 the Line of Hesse-Darmstadt became extinct; the last Prince adopted the head of the Hesse-Kassel as his heir

See also

• Line of succession to the Hesse Throne
• List of Hessian consorts

External links

• The History Files: Rulers of Hesse
• Genealogy of the Hessian noble family