House of Schwarzburg

The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. It was ruled by counts from the House of Schwarzburg.

The family is one of the oldest dynasties in Thuringia, originating from the counts of Käfernburg The earliest certain ancestor is Sizzo III, who died in 1160 and is named Graf von Schwarzburg. His two sons Heinrich I and Günther III shared his possessions, the older taking Schwarzburg and the younger Käfernburg. Heinrich died childless, and his brother Günther's sons divided the possessions again: the eldest son Heinrich II founded the line of Schwarzburg, while the younger son Günther founded the house of Käfernburg.

Schwarzburg Castle was first mentioned in 1071 deed. In 1123 Count Sizzo III of Käfernburg rebuilt the castle calling himself a "Count of Schwarzburg". Sizzo also established Georgenthal Abbey and in 1157 he accompanied Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa during his campaign against High Duke Boleslaw IV the Curly of Poland.

Schloss Schwarzburg

• A1 -- Siger, Graf von Käfernburg, Count in Thuringia;
  • B1 -- Sizzo I, Graf von Käfernburg, lvd:1000, m. Hungarian princess;
    • C1 -- Sizzo II, Graf von Käfernburg;
      • D1 -- Günther II, Graf von Käfernburg, d:1109, m. Machthild of Turov;
        • E1 -- Sizzo III, Graf von Schwarzburg, lvd:1093/1160, m. Gisela von Berg;
          • F1 -- Günther III, Graf von Schwarzburg, lvd:1135/1197, m. Gertrud von Meissen;
            • G1 -- Heinrich II, Graf von Schwarzburg, d:1236, m. Irmgard von Orlamünde;  ==>  Markgrafs of Brandenburg
              • H1 -- Günther IV, Graf von Schwarzburg, d:1275;
                • I1 -- Heinrich IV, Graf von Schwarzburg, d:1287, m. Sophie of Halicz;  ==>  Rurik Dynasty
                  • J1 -- Jutta, lvd:1289/1329, m. Heinrich I Vogt von Plauen;  <==  House of Reuss