Heinrich XX, Prince Reuss of Greiz explained

Heinrich XX
Prince Reuss of Greiz
Spouse:Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Princess Caroline of Hesse-Homburg
Issue:Christiane, Princess Hugo of Schönburg-Waldenburg
Prince Heinrich XXI
Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz
Prince Heinrich XXIII
Marie, Countess Friedrich of Ysenburg and Büdingen in Meerholz
House:House Reuss of Greiz
Father:Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz
Mother:Princess Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg
Birth Date:29 June 1794
Birth Place:Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt
Death Place:Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz

Heinrich XX, Prince Reuss of Greiz (German: Heinrich XX Fürst Reuß zu Greiz; 29 June 17948 November 1859) was Prince Reuss of Greiz from 1836 to 1859.

Early life

Heinrich XX was born at Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, younger surviving son of Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz (1747–1817), (son of Heinrich XI, Prince Reuss of Greiz and Countess Conradine Reuss of Köstritz) and his wife,Princess Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg (1765–1837), (daughter of Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg and Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau).

Prince Reuss of Greiz

At the death of his elder brother on 31 October 1836, Heinrich XX succeeded as the Prince Reuss of Greiz because of the Salic law that applied in the German principalities, his brother had died with no male heir.

Heinrich XX kept the principality administration based on absolutist principles at least until 1848 when because of the Revolution, was forced to issue a constitution but never came into force. The Prince, however, distinguished himself in military service in favor of the Austrian Empire.

Marriage

Heinrich XX married on 25 November 1834 at Castle Haid in Haid to Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1809–1838), third daughter of Karl, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and his wife, Countess Sophie Luise of Windisch-Graetz . They had no children.

He married secondly on 1 October 1839 in Homburg vor der Höhe to Princess Caroline Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, eldest daughter of Gustav, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, and his wife, Princess Louise of Anhalt-Dessau.

They had five children:

Notes and sources