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

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

) was a member of the

House of Reuss 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 Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Imperial ...

. 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, he went to the estates of his mother in

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

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

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself '' King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prus ...

. He then took up a position as councillor at the

Kammergericht The Kammergericht (KG) is the , 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 criminal and civil cases, super ...

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 (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself ''King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prussia ...

. 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