Rulers of Hesse

Hesse is a region of west-central Germany. Originally the western part of the Landgraviate of Thuringia, in the mid 13th Century it was inherited by the younger son of the Duke of Brabant, and became a distinct political entity. From the late 16th century it was generally divided into several branches, the most important of which were those of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt. During the Napoleonic Period, the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel changed his title to Elector[?] of Hesse (1803), while the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt became the Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine (1806). Electoral Hesse was annexed by Prussia in 1866 after the Six Weeks War[?], but Grand Ducal Hesse lasted until the end of the German monarchies in 1918.

Table of contents 1 Landgraves of Hesse, 1247-1567 2 Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel, 1567-1803 3 Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1567-1806 4 Electors of Hesse, 1803-1866 5 Grand Dukes of Hesse and the Rhine, 1806-1918 6 Heads of the House of Hesse-Kassel since 1866 7 Heads of the House of Hesse and the Rhine, 1918-1968

Landgraves of Hesse, 1247-1567

• Henry I 1247-1308
• John 1308-1311
• Otto I 1308-1328
• Herman I 1328-1370
• Louis I 1328-1345
• Henry II 1328-1376
• Herman II 1376-1413
• Louis I 1413-1458
• Louis II 1458-1471
• William I 1471-1493
• William II 1493-1509
• Philip I 1509-1567

Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel, 1567-1803

• William IV 1567-1592
• Maurice 1592-1627
• William V 1627-1637
• William VI 1637-1663
• William VII 1663-1670
• Charles 1670-1730
• Frederick I 1730-1751
• William VIII 1751-1760
• Frederick II 1760-1785
• William IX 1785-1803

Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1567-1806

• George I 1567-1596
• Louis V 1596-1626
• George II 1626-1661
• Louis VI 1661-1678
• Louis VII 1678
• Ernest Louis 1678-1739
• Louis VIII 1739-1768
• Louis IX 1768-1790
• Louis X 1790-1806

Electors of Hesse, 1803-1866

• William I (IX of Hesse-Kassel) 1803-1806; 1814-1821
• William II 1821-1831
• Frederick William 1831-1866

Grand Dukes of Hesse and the Rhine, 1806-1918

• Louis I (X of Hesse-Darmstadt) 1790-1830
• Louis II 1830-1848
• Louis III 1848-1877
• Louis IV 1877-1892
• Ernest Louis 1892-1918

Heads of the House of Hesse-Kassel since 1866

• Elector Frederick William 1866-1875
• Landgrave Friedrich 1875-1884
• Landgrave Friedrich Wilhelm 1884-1888
• Landgrave Alexander Friedrich 1888-1925 (d.1945)
• Landgrave Friedrich Karl 1925-1940
• Landgrave Philipp 1940-1980
• Landgrave Moritz 1980-present

Heads of the House of Hesse and the Rhine, 1918-1968

• Grand Duke Ernest Louis 1918-1937
• Hereditary Grand Duke Georg Donatus 1937
• Prince Ludwig 1937-1968

In 1968 the House of Hesse and the Rhine became extinct.