Günther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg (3 June 1860 – 24 March 1926) was the head of the

House of Schwarzburg The House of Schwarzburg was one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia. Upon the death of Prince Friedrich Günther in 1971, a claim to the headship of the house passed under Semi-Salic primogeniture to his elder sister, Princess Marie An ...

and

pretender A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...

to the principalities of

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany, with its capital at Rudolstadt. History Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands. Since th ...

and

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with its capital at Sondershausen. History Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a county until 1697. In that year, it became a principality, which ...

Early life

He was born in

Rudolstadt Rudolstadt is a town in the German federal state Thuringia, with the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north. The former capital of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the town is built along the River Saale inside a wide va ...

as the son of the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Günther, and his second wife, Countess Helene of Reina. She died three days after giving birth to Prince Sizzo and his twin sister, Princess Helene. The mother of Prince Sizzo was the daughter of

Prince George Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau George Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau (21 February 1796 – 16 October 1865), was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Dessau branch. Early life He was born in Dessau on 21 February 1796. He was the second son of Frederick, Heredit ...

by his morganatic wife, Therese Emma von Erdmannsdorff. Although Prince Sizzo's mother had been adopted by her uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt and given the title of Princess of Anhalt on 1 August 1855 by the reigning Duke of

Anhalt-Dessau Anhalt-Dessau was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and later a duchy of the German Confederation. Ruled by the House of Ascania, it was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and finally merged into th ...

, the marriage of his parents was still considered

morganatic Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...

. Because of this, Prince Sizzo was not entitled to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Instead, he was created Prince of Leutenberg on 21 June 1860. In spite of being denied the use of the title of Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Prince Sizzo was granted succession rights to the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts. Although all members of the Rudolstadt branch consented to this, the members of the Sondershausen branch did not, and they also held rights to Rudolstadt.House Laws of Schwarzburg
/ref>

Recognition of rights

On 21 April 1896, Prince Sizzo's succession rights were recognised by all members of the House of Schwarzburg. In addition, he was made a full member of the house and able to use the title of Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement, Prince Sizzo became the

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. ...

, ahead of the Sondershausen princes, and third in line to

behind the reigning prince of Rudolstadt, Prince Günther Victor, who was second and the brother of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Leopold, who was first. Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on 28 March 1909, the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities were united in a

personal union A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, would involve the constituent states being to some extent interlink ...

under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Therefore, Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities. However, his chances of succeeding were ended on 22 November 1918, when Prince Günther Victor abdicated following the

German revolution German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, which deposed all of the German monarchs. Following the death of Prince Günther Victor on 16 April 1925, Prince Sizzo succeeded him as head of the

. His tenure as head of the house would not last long and less than a year later, Prince Sizzo died in Großharthau with his only son, Prince Friedrich Günther, succeeding him as head of the house and pretender to the Schwarzburg principalities.

Marriage and children

Prince Sizzo was married to

Princess Alexandra of Anhalt Princess Alexandra Therese Marie of Anhalt (4 April 1868 - 26 August 1958) was a Princess of Anhalt and member of the House of Ascania by birth. As the wife of Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg, she was a Princess of House of Schwarzburg, Schwarzburg by ...

(1868–1958) on 25 January 1897 in

Dessau Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßlau ...

. Princess Alexandra was the daughter of the reigning Duke of Anhalt,

Friedrich I Frederick I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I, Count of Zolle ...

, and his wife

Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg (17 April 1838 – 13 October 1908) was a princess of Saxe-Altenburg by birth and Duchess of Anhalt by marriage. Biography Antoinette was the second child of Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg (1804-1852) from ...

. Prince Sizzo and Princess Alexandra had two daughters and one son. *

Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg Marie Antoinette, Princess of Schwarzburg (german: Marie Antoinette Prinzessin zu Schwarzburg; 7 February 18984 November 1984) was the eldest child of Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg. Early life and background Marie Antoinette was born at Großh ...

(1898–1984); married Friedrich Magnus V, Count of

Solms-Wildenfels Solms-Wildenfels was a minor County around Wildenfels in south-western Saxony, Germany. The House of Solms had its origins at Solms, Hesse. Solms-Wildenfels was a partition of Solms-Baruth. In 1741 it was partitioned between itself and Solms-Sa ...

; had issue. *Princess Irene of Schwarzburg (1899–1939) * Prince Friedrich Günther of Schwarzburg (1901–1971); married Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; the marriage ended in divorce with no issue.

Honours and awards

* : Grand Cross of the

Albert Order The Albert Order (german: link=no, Albrechts-Orden or Albrechtsorden) was created on 31 December 1850 by King Frederick Augustus II of Saxony to commemorate Albert III, Duke of Saxony (known as Albert the Bold). It was to be awarded to anyone wh ...

, with Golden Star, ''1898''

Ancestry

References

External links

Photo of Prince Sizzo
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schwarzburg, Sizzo, Prince Of 1860 births 1926 deaths People from Rudolstadt German princes House of Schwarzburg Pretenders to the Schwarzburg thrones German twins