Hermann Friedrich Otto (born 30 July 1751 in Lockenhaus (Léka),

Vas County Vas (, ; ; or ; ) is an administrative county (Counties of Hungary, comitatus or ''vármegye'') of Hungary. It was also one of the counties of the former Kingdom of Hungary. It is part of the Centrope Project. Geography Vas County lies in weste ...

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

; died 2 November 1810 in

Hechingen Hechingen (; Swabian: ''Hächenga'') is a town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated about south of the state capital of Stuttgart and north of Lake Constance and the Swiss border. Geography The town lies at the foot of th ...

) was the ruling Prince of

Hohenzollern-Hechingen Hohenzollern-Hechingen () was a small principality in southwestern Germany. Its rulers belonged to the House of Hohenzollern#Swabian branch, Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern dynasty. History The County of Hohenzollern- ...

from 1798 until 1810.

Early life

He was raised in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, where his father, Prince Franz Xaver of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1719–1765), was an imperial officer. From his mother, Countess Anna Maria of Hoensbroech-Geulle ( 8 May 1729 – 26 September 1798), Prince Hermann inherited his Dutch holdings. Hermann succeeded his uncle Josef Friedrich Wilhelm as Prince in 1798.

Career

After the transfer of the left bank of the Rhein to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

as part of war reparations, he tried to find money for the beautification of

and the improvement of roads. All of his activities served to increase the fortune of his House. Prince Hermann was an Imperial-

Field Marshal General ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (; from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire, (''Reichsgeneralfeldmarsch ...

and a Prussian

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

. The situation of the princedom between the time of the

Second Congress of Rastatt The Second Congress of Rastatt, which began its deliberations in November 1797, was intended to negotiate a general peace between the French Republic and the Holy Roman Empire, and to draw up a compensation plan to compensate those princes whose ...

and the end of the Empire, the Prince's debut was actually quite relaxed. Soon after his ascension to power, he held peace talks with the local land holders, and came to a mutual agreement June, 1795 in

with the local land holders. He then disbanded, ''the daily joyful homage festivals from a couple of free movements of all subjects of bondage. The village of

Bisingen Bisingen () is a municipality in the Zollernalbkreis district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. History Bisingen is one of the oldest settlements of the area, verified by several findings of the Neolithic Age, the Bronze Age, the early Iron Age ...

missed out on this because it would not enter into the agreement. In addition the village would not pay homage'' (since that time the Bisingers carry the nickname "Nichthuldiger“ meaning those who don’t pay homage.) The prince confined his hunts to three of his lands, outside of these lands, animals could be hunted by the peasants. The lands not within set borders were parceled out or sold. The serfdom, as far as legal dependents protected by the prince was concerned, was abolished. This weighed heavily upon them, however. The monarchy was appointed five percent of the estate. The subjects obtained the right, in to appoint representatives by general election. These representatives would have the right to control taxes and the right to make to represent the common people. The prince gave Jews, upon the suggestion of his Jewish adviser, Jakob Kaulla (''see also

Karoline Kaulla Karoline (Hebrew language, Hebrew: Chaile) Kaulla née Raphael, known foremost as 'Madame Kaulla' or '"Kiefe" Auerbacher' (1739, in Buchau am Federsee – 18 March 1809, in Hechingen), was a German banker. She was one of the most famous Court Jew ...

'') permission to reside in his princedom for forty years in exchange for remuneration to the high chamber. The prince succeeded in the settlement of the conflicts with his subjects within a few short weeks. Prince Hermann was not generally a man of compromise, he was a bizarre personality, his nature was suspicious and that of a micro-manager; he concerned himself with the external details of administration. He loved, according to the prevailing taste of the time, being alone in nature, particularly in his hunting lodge at Friedrichsthal. He was a businesslike, vigilant patriarch who managed to enjoy one last high point of princely absolutism. The

Confederation of the Rhine The Confederated States of the Rhine, simply known as the Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation, was a confederation of German client states established at the behest of Napoleon some months after he defeated Austrian Empire, Austria ...

Acts rescued the independent existence of the Hechinger Princes, however he was in no way given an extension of power, neither based on landowner nor on rights of sovereignty. He perceived this as an affront and as discrimination against him, the eldest line of his House. Prince Hermann Friedrich was reportedly deeply afflicted by the humiliation of

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

and

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

Personal life

Prince Hermann Friedrich Otto was married three times. His first spouse, Countess Louise of Merode-Westerloo, died after only one year of marriage. From his second wife, Princess Maximiliane of Gavre, Marquise d'Aysseau, he inherited one billion Francs. In 1779, Prince Hermann married his third wife, the Countess Maria Antonia of Waldburg-Zeil zu Wurzach.

First marriage

On 18 November 1773, he married Countess Louise of Merode-Westerloo (1747–1774), the daughter of Jean Guillaume von Merode-Westerloo and Princess Eleonore Louise Constance of Rohan-Rochefort. Before her death, they were the parents of one daughter: * Princess Luise Juliane Konstantine (1774–1846), who married Baron Ludwig Heer von der Burg in 1806.

Second marriage

On 15 February 1775, he married Princess Marie Maximiliane of Gavre (1753–1778), daughter of

Charles I Alexandre, 1st Prince de Gavre Charles Emmanuel Joseph, 1st Prince de Gavre, 4th Marquess of Ayseaux, Count of the Empire (1694 - 1773) was the first Prince de Gavre, created by Emperor Charles VI in 1736. He was the son of Lords_of_Ayseau#House_of_Gavre, Rasse II François of ...

and Baroness Marie Amour Désirée de Rouveroit. Before her death in 1778, they were the parents of one son: *

Friedrich Hermann Otto, Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen ''Friedrich'' Hermann Otto of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (born 22 July 1776 in Namur; died 13 September 1838 at Schloss Lindich in Hechingen) was the penultimate Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. Friedrich was the only child of Hermann, Prince of Ho ...

(1776–1838), who married Princess Pauline Biron of Courland, Princess of Sagan.

Third marriage

Prince Hermann married his third wife, Countess Maria Antonia Monika of Waldburg-Zeil zu Wurzach (1753–1814), on 26 July 1779. The widow of Count Joseph Anton Damian Albert of Oettingen-Baldern-Katzenstein, she was a daughter of Count Franz Ernst Joseph Anton of Waldburg-Zeil-Wurzach and Countess Maria Eleonore of Königsegg-Rothenfels. Her brother was

Eberhard, 1st Prince of Waldburg-Zeil-Wurzach Eberhard, 1st Prince of Waldburg-Zeil-Wurzach (20 December 1730 – 23 September 1807) was a German prince. Early life He was the son of Count Francis Ernest von Waldburg-Wurzach (1704–1781) and Countess Maria Eleonora von Königsegg-Rothenfels ...

. Together, they were the parents of: * Princess Maria Antonia Philippine (1781–1831), who married Count Friedrich Ludwig von

Waldburg-Capustigall Waldburg-Capustigall was a Steward (office), Stewardship of the House of Waldburg – later a County – located in East Prussia. Waldburg-Capustigall was a partition of Waldburg-Trauchburg and was raised to a County in 1686, before being annexed ...

in 1803. * Princess Maria Theresia Franziska (1784–1784) * Princess Franziska Theresia Karoline (1786–1810) * Princess Maria Maximiliane Antonie (1787–1865), who married Count Eberhard von

Waldburg-Wurzach Waldburg-Wurzach was a County and later Principality within Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the House of Waldburg, located on the southeastern border of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Wurzach (located about west of Bad Waldsee). Waldbur ...

in 1811. After his death in 1814, she married Count Klemens Josef von Lodron-Laterano in 1817. * Princess Josephine (1790–1856), who married Count Ladislaus Festetics de Tolna in 1811. Prince Hermann Friedrich Otto died on 2 November 1810.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hermann Of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, Prince House of Hohenzollern-Hechingen Princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen People from Oberpullendorf District German expatriates in Hungary German expatriates in Belgium 1751 births 1810 deaths