This is a list of monarchs of Württemberg, containing the Counts, Dukes, Electors, and Kings who reigned over different territories named Württemberg from the beginning of the County of Württemberg in the 11th century to the end of the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1918.
County of Württemberg (1482-1495) Raised to: Duchy of Württemberg (1495-1803)[2] (Urach line until 1495; Stuttgart line until 1498) (Montbéliard line until 1733)
His mother was a sister of Conrad I. He served as marshal of Swabia[4] and advocate of the town of Ulm, and had large possessions in the valleys of the Neckar and the Rems. Based on the similarity between their coats of arms, it is believed that Conrad II belonged to the family of the Counts of Veringen (Veringenstadt).
Sons of Louis II, ruled jointly since 1194. Hartmann inherited Veringen estates through his marriage. Hartmann's children founded a branch of counts of Grüningen-Landau.
Sons of Ulrich III, ruled jointly. Ulrich IV usually stood in the shadow of his elder brother Eberhard II. Because of that, he temporarily strove towards the division of the realm, which motivated Eberhard to force his brother to sign a treaty that stipulated the indivisibility of the county on December 3, 1361. On May 1, 1362, Ulrich IV relinquished his participation in the government.
Grandson of Eberhard II. His reign was noted by a peace-preserving policy of alliances with neighboring principalities and imperial towns. Examples are an alliances with 14 Upper-Swabian towns, concluded 27 August 1395 and the Marbachs alliance in 1405. Acquired the County of Montbéliard marrying his son to its heiress.
Sons of Eberhard IV, co-ruled with their mother as regent until 1433. However, they agreed in dividing the county in 1442. Louis also inherited Montbéliard from his mother in 1444, and remodeled Urach into his residence and implemented an active policy to strengthen the monasteries in his realm of power. On his part, Ulrich inherited Stuttgart.
The Treaty of Nürtingen divided the County of Württemberg into two separate lines. Württemberg-Stuttgart, containing the northern and eastern parts of the old county, with the capital Stuttgart; and Württemberg-Urach, containing the southern and western parts, with the capital Urach.
Reunited the counties of Württemberg under his rule in 14 December 1482. His title was elevated to Duke in 1495. Founded the University of Tübingen, but expelled the Jews from his lands. He left no descendants, and the duchy passed to the deposed count of Stuttgart.
Children of Ulrich V. Henry received Montbéliard (and other Württemberg possessions on the left bank of the Rhine) from his cousin Eberhard V in 1473, following the Treaty of Urach. In the course of a dispute between Charles the Bold and Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry became Charles' prisoner in 1474-1477.[7] By the 1482 Treaty of Reichenweier, Henry gave the county of Montbéliard to his brother. Eberhard VI, as the eldest son, succeded his father in 1480, also with his brother Henry (recently freed) as claimant. Eberhard VI was deposed by his namesake cousin, who reunited the county and raised it to duchy, but as Eberhard V didn't have children, Eberhard VI became again heir and then Duke of Wurttemberg. But he soon ran into trouble with the nobility, who disempowered him. He fled to Ulm, but as he didn't find support, he was forced to accept the Arbitration of Horb in 1498, which deposed and banished him, in exchange for an annual pension of 6,000 guilders.
Infamous for his violent tendencies, which caused marital problems, and which, at a greater extent, had him deposed in January 1519 and the duchy annexed to Austria. In exile, and away from his wife, who fled to Bavaria, he befriended Philip, landgrave of Hesse. Restored in May 1534, he aimed to bring the Reformation to the Duchy and, as Henry VIII of England was doing in his country, he also supported the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
He re-organized the entire administration of the church and state. He also reformed and supported the educational system. He also reconstructed the Altes Schloss in Stuttgart and hosted many celebrations. His mother, who had fled from his father, returned to her widow's seat in Nürtingen.
Children of Frederick I, divided their inheritance, which was officialized in 1617. John Frederick restored the constitution and councils abolished by his father. The stepmother, Ursula, as widow of Louis the Pious, had her widow's seat at Nürtingen. After Frederick Achilles' death without descendants, his duchy was briefly reannexed to the main Württemberg.
His reign was marked by the Thirty Years War. Following a major defeat of Württemberg troops in the battle of Nördlingen (1634), Württemberg was severely looted and plundered; Eberhard fled to Strasbourg, while many territories had already been passed on by the Emperor to other parties to push forward Catholicism in the region. The Duchy of Württemberg was reinstated after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. Only then, Eberhard returned and could divide the duchy with his brothers, in the following year.
Children of Julius Frederick. Roderick died without descendants and was succeeded by a younger brother, Manfred. Silvius, a middle child, inherited by marriage another duchy for the family, in Silesian land.
Under his rule the French occupied his lands. In 1684, refused an oppurtunity to return to the duchy, and it was then administered by Duke Frederick Charles of Winnental until his own death. Only then George returned, but died a year later.
Divided their inheritance. Silvius died without children, and Christian Ulrich of Bernstadt took his place; Bernstadt passed to the Juliusburg ruler, who moved to Bernstadt.
For his time, Eberhard Louis was a very tolerant ruler, commonly noted by modern scholars as "enlightened." Left no surviving descendants, and thus the main line went extinct. The duchy passed to Winnental branch.
In 1803, the Duke of Württemberg was raised to the rank of Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1806, the Empire was dissolved, and the Elector of Württemberg became an independent monarch with the title of King.
The Holy Roman Empire came to an end in 1806. The Elector of Württemberg, allied to Napoleon, anticipated its dissolution by becoming the ruler of an independent Kingdom of Württemberg in 1806.
Because of a lack of male heirs under Salic law, on the death of Wilhelm II in 1921 the royal house had to reach back to the descendants of Friedrich II Eugen (ruled 1795–97). The line of the Duke of Urach was excluded because of a morganatic marriage back in 1800 by its forebear Duke William, and so the succession devolved to the younger branch of Altshausen.
Another morganatic descendant of Friedrich II Eugen was Mary of Teck (1867–1953), who married the British king George V when he was Duke of York.
^This fact is from coins produced under his premiership - details are available here
^Probably styled I in reference to the numbering in the county of Montbéliard; there was only one Louis, who ruled in the 11th century and to whom no numbering is usually attributed. Louis should be numbered IV in Württemberg.
^ abWhen raised as dukes, the counting of the rulers restarted.
^During captivity, Henry was treated very badly, allegedly including a mock execution.
^Some authors inexplicably give him the number III, which would only be applicable if numberings of counts were valid for the dukes, which doesn't seem to be the case, as seen with the dukes named Eberhard.
^Numbered II as Duke of Oels; Charles Frederick I (of Podebrady) was the father-in-law of Silvius I Nimrod.
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