Waldeck (state)
Waldeck (or later
Waldeck and Pyrmont) was a sovereign principality in the
German Empire and
German Confederation and, until
1929, a constituent state of the
Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day
Hesse and
Lower Saxony (
Germany).
Waldeck was a county within the
Holy Roman Empire from about
1200. In 1655 its seat and the chief residence of its rulers shifted from the castle and small town of
Waldeck, overlooking the
Eder river and first mentioned in
1120, to
Arolsen. In
1625 the small county of
Pyrmont became part of the county through inheritance. In January 1712 the count of Waldeck and Pyrmont was elevated to prince by
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor. For a brief period, 1805 to 1812, Pyrmont was a separate principality as a result of inheritance and partition after the death of the previous prince, but the two parts were united again in 1812. The independence of the principality was confirmed in
1815 by the
Congress of Vienna, and Waldeck and Pyrmont became a member of the German Confederation. From
1868 onward, the principality was administered by
Prussia, but retained its legislative sovereignty. Prussian administration served to reduce administrative costs for the small state and was based on a 10-year contract that was continuously renewed until Waldeck was formally absorbed into Prussia in 1929. In
1871 the principality became a constituent state of the new
German Empire. At the end of
World War I, the prince abdicated and Waldeck and Pyrmont became a Free State within the
Weimar Republic.
On
30 November 1921, following a local plebiscite, the city and district of Pyrmont were detached and incorporated into the Prussian province of
Hanover. The remainder of the Free State of Waldeck was incorporated into Prussia in
1929, following another plebiscite, and became part of the province of
Hesse-Nassau. This territory is today part of the District of
Waldeck-Frankenberg in Hesse.
In 1905, Waldeck and Pyrmont had an area of 1121 km² and a population of 59,000.
The princely house of Waldeck and Pyrmont is closely related to the royal family of the
Netherlands: the last ruling prince, Frederick, was the brother of Dutch Queen
Emma.
|
Coat of Arms of Principality of Waldeck |
* 1712-1728: Friedrich Anton Ulrich; elevated 1712 to hereditary prince by Emperor Charles VI
* 1728-1763: Karl August
* 1763-1812: Friedrich Karl August
* 1812-1813: Georg I
* 1813-1845: Georg II
* 1845-1893: Georg Victor
* 1893-1918: Friedrich; brother of the Dutch Queen
Emma* 1918-1946: Friedrich
* 1946-1967: Josias
* 1967-present: Wittekind
*
Principality of Waldeck (German)*
Waldeck Free State (German)*
Canon law of the regnancy Waldeck, 1556
