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Principality of Reuss-Greiz - Wikipedia

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Principality of Reuss-Greiz
(1778–1848)
Fürstentum Reuß-Greiz

Principality of the Reuss Elder Line
(1848–1918)
Fürstentum Reuß älterer Linie

1778–1918

Flag

Coat of arms

Motto: Ich bau auf Gott
(German for 'I build on God')

Anthem: Gott, erhalt in deiner Gnaden unsern Fürsten, deinen Knecht
"God, preserve in your grace our prince, your servant"

Reuss-Greiz within the German Empire

Reuss-Greiz within Thuringia

Capital

Government

• 1778–1800

• 1800–1817

• 1817–1836

• 1836–1859

• 1859–1902

• 1902–1918

• 1782–1833

Franz von Grün (first)

• 1901–1918

Ernst von Meding (last)

History

• Established

12 May 1778

• Disestablished

11 November 1918

Preceded by

Succeeded by

Imperial County of Reuss

People's State of Reuss

Today part of

Germany

The Principality of Reuss-Greiz (German: Fürstentum Reuß-Greiz), officially called the Principality of the Reuss Elder Line (German: Fürstentum Reuß älterer Linie) after 1848, was a state in the German Empire, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz and Upper-Greiz (German: Reuß zu Greiz, Untergreiz und Obergreiz) were elevated to princely status in 1778 and thereafter bore the title of Prince Reuss, Elder Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Similarly to the more numerous Reuss Junior Line, the male members of this house were all named "Heinrich", in honour of Emperor Heinrich VI, who had benefited the family. They were numbered sequentially by birth, rather than by reign, with the last series beginning with Heinrich I (born 1693) and ending with Heinrich XXIV (1878–1927).

The territory had an area of 317 km² and over 72,000 inhabitants in 1910.

Reuss-Greiz preserved the Frankfurt Parliament flag, which later became the flag of Germany.

In 1919, in the aftermath of World War I, the territory of the Elder Line was merged with that of the Junior Line as the People's State of Reuss, which was incorporated into the new state of Thuringia in 1920. The Elder Line died out in 1927 with the death of the childless Heinrich XXIV, after which its claims were passed to the Junior Line.

The Upper Castle at Greiz
The Lower Castle at Greiz

Princes of Reuss-Greiz (1778–1918)

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Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, second wife of former German Emperor Wilhelm II
Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz, wife of Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen, Generalfeldmarschall of the Holy Roman Empire

Flag of Germany, whose modern colors match those of the Reuss-Greiz principality