The Principality of Reuss-Gera (German: Fürstentum Reuß-Gera), after 1848 called Reuss junior line (German: Reuß jüngerer Linie), was a sovereign state in modern Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Gera, of Schleiz, of Lobenstein, of Köstritz and of Ebersdorf, each became princes in 1806, and they and their reigning successors bore the title Prince of Reuss-Gera. One may also refer to them using their branch names (for example: Prince Reuss of Köstriz).
Territory
Reuss Younger Line in the 19th century
The territories of four separate branches of the Younger Line amalgamated between 1824 and 1848.
In 1905 the Principality of Reuss Younger Line had an area of 827 km2 (319 square miles) and a population of 145,000, with Gera as its capital.
In the aftermath of World War I the territory of the Younger Line merged with that of the Elder Line in 1919 as the Republic of Reuss, which in its turn became part of the new state of Thuringia on 1 May 1920.
The princely house
The House of Reuss practises an unusual system of naming and numbering the male members of the family, every one of which for centuries has borne the name "Heinrich". While most royal and noble houses give numbers only to the reigning head of the house, and that in the order of his reign, the Reuss Younger Line used a numbering sequence for all male family members which began and ended roughly as centuries began and ended. In consequence of this naming system, certain heads of the Reuss Younger Line have had the highest numbers attached to their name of any European nobility. Note also that the male children within a single nuclear family need not bear sequential numbers, as all members of the larger family use a common numbering system. For example, the sons of Prince Heinrich LXVII Reuss of Schleiz, in order of their births, used the names Heinrich V, Heinrich VIII, Heinrich XI, Heinrich XIV, and Heinrich XVI.
The designation "younger line" fell into abeyance in 1930; the "elder line" had become extinct as its last member, Heinrich XXIV, renounced his rights in 1918 and died unmarried in 1927.
Princes of Reuss-Gera (1806–1918)
Heinrich I, Lord of Reuss-Schleiz 1666-1673, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1673-1692 (1639-1692)
Heinrich XI, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1692-1726 (1669-1726)
Heinrich I, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1726-1744 (1695-1744)
Heinrich XII, Count of Reuss-Schleiz 1744-1784 (1716-1784)
Heinrich XLII, Count of Reuss-Schleiz from 1784, 1st Prince 1806-1818 (1752-1818)
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