Henry IX Reuss, Count of Köstritz (15 September 1711 in Köstritz – 16 September 1780 in

Berlin Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...

) was a member of the

House of Reuss Reuss (german: Reuß , ) was the name of several historical states located in present-day Thuringia, Germany. Several lordships of the Holy Roman Empire which arose after 1300 and became Imperial Counties from 1673 and Imperial Principalities ...

. Henry IX was the founder of the middle branch Köstritz Reuss.

Life

Henry IX was a son of Count Henry XXIV and his wife, Baroness Eleonore of Promnitz-Dittersbach (1688-1776). Henry earned a degree in Law and Political Sciences. After his

grand tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tu ...

, he went to the estates of his mother in

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, where he took up a legal office. Through his family connections he met with the future King

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

. He then took up a position as councillor at the

Kammergericht The Kammergericht (KG) is the '' Oberlandesgericht'', the highest state court, for the city-state of Berlin, Germany. As an ordinary court according to the German Courts Constitution Act (''Gerichtsverfassungsgesetz''), it deals with crimina ...

in Berlin. From 21 January 1752 to 1763 he was the president of the Prussian Supreme Tribunal, then the fourth senate of the Kammergericht. From 1762 to 1769, he was Henry Royal Prussian Postmaster General and Chief of the postal system. He later rose to become directing minister, top civil servant and close personal advisor to

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

. He died in 1780 and was buried in the Garrison Church in Berlin.

Marriage and issue

Henry IX married on 7 June 1743 in Dorth, near

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, to Amalie (1715-1787), a daughter of Count Charles of Wartensleben and Flodroff and his wife Johanna Margarita Huysseman von Cattendyck. With her he had the following nine children: * Emily (1745-1754) * Sophie (1746-1746) * Henry XXXVII (1747-1774) * Henry XXXVIII (1748-1835), Count Reuss of Köstritz * Henry XXXIX (1750-1815) * Henry XLI (1751-1753) * Henry XLIV (1753-1832), Prince Reuss of Köstritz * Louise (1756-1807), married in 1792 to Baron Charles of Knobelsdorff * Henry L (1760-1764)

References

Citations

Sources

*Thomas Gehrlein: ''Das Haus Reuss. Älterer und Jüngerer Linie'', Börde Verlag, 2006, *Friedrich Wilhelm Trebge: ''Spuren im Land'', Hohenleuben, 2005 * Counts of Reuss House of Reuss 1711 births 1780 deaths {{Germany-noble-stub