Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg
Landgrafschaft Hessen-Homburg
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Map of Hesse-Homburg (two parts, beige, with Homburg and Meisenheim) and the Middle Rhine
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Capital
| Bad Homburg
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Common languages
| German
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Government
| Landgraviate
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Landgrave
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? 1622?1638
| Frederick I
(first)
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? 1848?1866
| Ferdinand
(last)
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History
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? Established
| 1622
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| 1668
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? Ceded to Darmstadt
| 1806
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| 1815
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| 1866
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? Total
| 430 km
2
(170 sq mi)
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? 1848
| 22,800
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Hesse-Homburg
was a
state
of the
Holy Roman Empire
and a sovereign member of the
German Confederation
. It was formed into a separate
landgraviate
in 1622 by the landgrave of
Hesse-Darmstadt
; it was to be ruled by his son, although it did not become independent of Hesse-Darmstadt until 1668. It was briefly divided into Hesse-Homburg and
Hesse-Homburg-Bingenheim
; but these parts were reunited in 1681.
History
[
edit
]
In 1806, Hesse-Homburg was incorporated into the
Grand Duchy of Hesse
(
Hesse-Darmstadt
); but in 1815, by the
Congress of Vienna
, the latter state was compelled to recognize the independence of Hesse-Homburg, which was increased by the addition of
Meisenheim
. The Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg consisted of two parts, the district of
Homburg
on the right side of the
Rhine
, and the district of Meisenheim, added in 1815, on the left side of the same river. Hesse-Homburg joined the German Confederation as a sovereign state on July 7, 1817. The landgraviate was the only principality that was not one of the founding members of the Confederation, apart from the
Duchy of Limburg
ruled by the King of the Netherlands (added in 1839) and the
Duchy of Schleswig
(1848-1851) ruled by the Danish king. In 1848, the landgraviate had a population of 22,800 and a total land area of 166 square miles, thus making it one of the smallest states in the German Confederation.
[1]
Hesse-Homburg was represented by the Grand Duchy of Hesse in the Inner Council of the
Confederate Diet
, but had a seat of its own on the Plenary Council. The state joined the
Zollverein
in 1835.
[2]
In 1833, baths were opened in Homburg, which brought unexpected wealth and attention to the landgraviate. A casino and gambling saloons soon opened, which also contributed greatly to the state's burgeoning economy. Several legal overtures were made by the diet in an attempt to end gambling, but all attempts failed until after Hesse-Homburg passed into Prussian hands.
[2]
On 24 March 1866, Hesse-Homburg was inherited by the Grand Duke of Hesse, while Meisenheim fell to
Prussia
. On 20 September of that same year, these territories were taken from Hesse-Darmstadt again, and the former landgraviate was combined with the
Electorate of Hesse
,
Duchy of Nassau
, the
Free City of Frankfurt
and some former parts of the
Kingdom of Bavaria
to form the Prussian
Province of Hesse-Nassau
.
[3]
Today, the former Homburg district forms part of the German state of
Hesse
while Meisenheim forms part of
Rhineland-Palatinate
.
Government and administration
[
edit
]
The most important administrative body in Hesse-Homburg was the Privy Council (
Geheimrat
), the members of which were appointed by the landgrave. On 18 February 1818,
Frederick V
founded the State Government, which combined all formerly independent state colleges (consistories, chamber, forestry college, college medicum, and court) into a central authority, divided into three deputations. Hesse-Homburg did not adopt a constitution until 1850, in the wake of the
1848 Revolutions
.
[4]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
A Pictorial Geography of the World: Comprising a System of Universal Geography, Popular and Scientific
. Boston: C.D. Strong. 1848. p. 762.
- ^
a
b
The International Cyclopaedia: A Compendium of Human Knowledge, Volume 7
. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. 1900. p. 515.
- ^
Patrick, David; Geddie, William (1924).
Chambers's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, Volume 5
. London: W. & R. Chambers, Limited. p. 698.
- ^
"Hessen-Homburg: Landesregierung (Bestand)"
[Hesse-Homburg: State government (stock)].
Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek
(in German). Hessian Main State Archives. 1988
. Retrieved
12 November
2022
.
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