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Arms of Brandenburg

Coat of arms of the Margraviate of Brandenburg.

This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the period of time that Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Mark, or March, of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Holy Roman Empire. It was created in 1157 as the Margraviate of Brandenburg by Albert the Bear, Margrave of the Northern March. In 1356, by the terms of the Golden Bull of Charles IV, the Margrave of Brandenburg was given the permanent right to participate in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor with the title of Elector (German: Kurfürst).

The early rulers came from several different dynasties, but from 1415 Brandenburg and its successor states were ruled by the House of Hohenzollern for over 500 years. From 1618 onward, Brandenburg was ruled in personal union with the Duchy of Prussia. The Hohenzollerns raised Prussia to a kingdom as the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701, and from then on Brandenburg was de facto treated as part of the kingdom even though it was legally still part of the Holy Roman Empire. The titles of Margrave of Brandenburg and Elector of Brandenburg were abolished along with the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and Brandenburg was formally integrated into Prussia. Despite this, the Prussian kings still included the title "Margrave of Brandenburg" in their royal style. From 1871 to 1918 the Hohenzollerns were also German Emperors.

Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg[]

Ascanian Dynasty
Name Reign Comments
Albert I the Bear 1157–1170 Ruler of the Nordmark from 1134. Called "Albert the Bear".
Otto I 1170–1184 Son of Albert I. Ruled together with his father from 1144.
Otto II the Generous 1184–1205 Son of preceding.
Albert II 1205–1220 Brother.
  • 1220–1266
  • 1220-1267
Co-rulers, sons of Albert II.
From 1266 to 1319, Brandenburg was held by the two lines of Brandenburg-Stendal and Brandenburg-Salzwedel, all of whom jointly shared the title of Margrave.
Brandenburg-Stendal Brandenburg-Salzwedel
Co-rulers, sons of John I: Co-rulers, sons of Otto III:
Reunited Brandenburg
1317-1318: Henry I Lackland, Valdemar I the Great
1318-1319: Valdemar I the Great
1319-1320: Henry II the Child
After the extinction of the Ascanian dynasty in 1320, Brandenburg came under the control of the Emperor Louis IV of the House of Wittelsbach, who granted Brandenburg to his eldest son, Louis V of Bavaria.

House of Wittelsbach[]

Ruler Born Reign Death Ruling part Consort Notes
Louis I the Brandenburger LudwigI Wittelsbach Siegesallee May 1315 1323-1351 18 September 1361 Margraviate of Brandenburg Margaret of Denmark
1324
no children

Margaret, Countess of Tyrol
10 February 1342
Meran
four children
In 1351 his brothers Louis and Otto gave up their inheritance in Bavaria, in exchange for the Electoral dignity in Brandenburg.
Louis II the Roman Ludwigvi 7 May 1328 1351-1356 17 May 1365 Margraviate of Brandenburg Cunigunde of Poland
before 1349
no children

Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
1360
no children
Elevated in 1356 by the Holy Roman Emperor as First Elector of Brandenburg.
Louis II the Roman Ludwigvi 7 May 1328 1356-1365 17 May 1365 Electorate of Brandenburg Cunigunde of Poland
before 1349
no children

Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
1360
no children
Elevated in 1356 by the as First Elector of Brandenburg
Otto VII the Lazy OttoV Faule Siegesallee 1340/42 1365-1373 15 November 1379 Electorate of Brandenburg Catherine of Bohemia
19 March 1366
no children
Co-ruler of Brandenburg with his brother from 1351, but as a minor (b. 1346) took no part in administration until his brother's death. Abdicated 1373 but retained Electoral title. Died 1379.

Luxemburg Dynasty[]

Image Name Began Ended Comments
Vasikzfrkronik Wenceslaus
Wenzel
2 October 1373 29 November 1378 Emperor Charles IV forced the last Wittelsbach Elector to abdicate, and then installed his own son, Wenceslaus. As Wenceslaus was still a minor (b. 1361), the Emperor administered the margraviate for him.
Albrecht Dürer 082 Sigismund 29 November 1378 1388 Younger brother of Wenceslaus; took control of Brandenburg on his brother's ascension as King of Germany and Bohemia. Gave up Brandenburg to his cousin Jobst as security for a substantial loan.
Jošt Lucemburský Jobst 1388 16 January 1411 Sigismund's first cousin, nephew of Charles IV. Elected as German King in 1410 in opposition to Sigismund, but died very shortly afterwards.
Albrecht Dürer 082 Sigismund 16 January 1411 30 April 1415 Following Jobst's death, Sigismund regained control of Brandenburg and was elected undisputed King of Germany.

House of Hohenzollern[]

Partitions of Brandenburg under Hohenzollern rule[]

Electorate of Brandenburg
(1415-1440)
Margraviate of Brandenburg
(under Luxemburg rule)
      
       Margraviate of Brandenburg
(1426-1440)
Electorate of Brandenburg and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Brandenburg
(1440-1618)
Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach
(1440-1791)
Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
(1st creation)
(1440-1457)
      
       Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
(2nd creation)
(1486-1495)
      
       Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
(3rd creation)
(1515-1535)
       Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin
(1535-1571)
      
      
       Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
(changed seat from Kulmbach to Bayreuth)
(1603-1769)
Electorate of Brandenburg, Duchy of Prussia and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Brandenburg
(1618-1701)
       Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt
(1692-1788)
Electorate of Brandenburg and Kingdom of Prussia
(1701-1806)
      
      
      
Kingdom of Prussia
(1806-1918)

Table of rulers[]

(Note: Here the numbering of the princes is the same for all principalities, as all were titled Margraves of Brandenburg, despite of the different parts of land and its particular numbering of the rulers. The princes are numbered by the year of their succession.)

Ruler Born Reign Death Ruling part Consort Notes
Frederick I
Friedrich I
Friedrich I Brandenburg Siegesallee Zitadelle 21 September 1371 30 April 1415 - 20 September 1440 20 September 1440 Electorate of Brandenburg Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut
18 September 1401
ten children
Originally Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI. Appointed by King Sigismund in 1415 and enfeoffed in 1417.
1417-1426 Margraviate of Brandenburg In spite of being granted with the Electorate in 1415, the Margraviate was only given to him in 1417, which he abdicate to his son in 1426. In 1420 joined all his ancestors' Nurembergian lands with Brandenburg.
John VI the Alchemist John the Alchemist 1406 1426-1440 16 November 1464 Margraviate of Brandenburg Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg
1416
four children
Received the Margraviate of Brandenburg from his father. However, after the latter's death, Brandenburg was redivided, and from then on retained Kulmbach. Abdicated 1457.
1440-1457 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Frederick II Irontooth
Friedrich II
Friedrich II 300f 19 November 1413 20 September 1440 - 10 February 1471 10 February 1471 Margraviate of Brandenburg and Electorate of Brandenburg Catherine of Saxony
11 June 1441
Wittenberg
three children
Reunited definitely the Margraviate and the Electorate of Brandenburg; however, his father gave to his brothers the lands of Ansbach and Kulmbach.
Albert IV Achilles
Albrecht Achilles
Albrecht Achilles 9 November 1414 1440-1457 11 March 1486 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Margaret of Baden
1446
four children

Anna of Saxony
12 November 1458
Ansbach
thirteen children
Received Ansbach after his father's death. In 1457 inherited Kulmbach from his brother John. On the death of his brother Frederick in 1471, became Elector.
1457-1486 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
10 February 1471 - 11 March 1486 Electorate of Brandenburg
John VII Cicero
Johann Cicero
JohannCicero1500 2 August 1455 11 March 1486 - 9 January 1499 9 January 1499 Electorate of Brandenburg Margaret of Thuringia
15 August 1476
Berlin
six children
Eldest son of Albert Achilles.
Sigismund 27 September 1468 1486-1495 26 February 1495 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Unmarried Received Kulmbach after his father's death. Left no descendants, and Kulmbach returned to Ansbach.
Frederick III the Elder FriedrichII.Markgraf 8 May 1460 1486-1495 4 April 1536 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sophia of Poland
14 February 1479
Frankfurt (Oder)
seventeen children
Received Ansbach after his father's death. In 1495 inherited the land of his brother. In 1515 the lands were separated again.
1495-1515 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
1515-1536 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Joachim I Nestor Joachim I. Nestor 21 February 1484 9 January 1499 - 11 July 1535 11 July 1535 Electorate of Brandenburg Elizabeth of Denmark
10 April 1502
Berlin
five children
Casimir I Hans Süß von Kulmbach 002 27 December 1481 1515-1527 21 September 1527 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Susanna of Bavaria
25 August 1518
Augsburg
five children
Eldest son of Frederick III, received Kulmbach in his father's lifetime.
George of Brandenburg-Ansbach (regent) Cranach, Lucas (II) - Georg der Fromme - Jagdschloss Grunewald - 1564 4 March 1484 1527-1541 27 December 1543 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Beatrice de Frangepan
21 January 1509
Gyula
no children

Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels
9 January 1525
Oleśnica
two children

Emilie of Saxony
25 August 1533
four children
Heir of Frederick III and brother of Casimir, became regent on behalf of his nephew, in 1527.
Albert V Alcibiades the Warlike Andreas Riehl (I) - Bildnis des Markgrafen Albrecht Alcibiades von Brandenburg-Kulmbach 28 March 1522 1541-1557 8 January 1557 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Unmarried Left no descendants, and Kulmbach returned to Ansbach.
Joachim II Hector Joachim II of Brandenburg by Lucas Cranach the Younger 13 January 1505 11 July 1535 - 3 January 1571 3 January 1571 Electorate of Brandenburg Magdalena of Saxony
6 November 1524
Dresden
six children

Hedwig of Poland
29 August/1 September 1535
Kraków
six children
First Protestant Elector of Brandenburg.
John VIII JohannBrandenburgKüstrin 3 August 1513 1535-1571 13 January 1571 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
11 November 1537
Wolfenbüttel
two children
Son of Elector Joachim I. The Margraviate of Küstrin was created for him. After his death without male descendants, Küstrin was annexed again to the Electorate.
George I the Pious Cranach, Lucas (II) - Georg der Fromme - Jagdschloss Grunewald - 1564 4 March 1484 1536-1543 27 December 1543 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Beatrice de Frangepan
21 January 1509
Gyula
no children

Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels
9 January 1525
Oleśnica
two children

Emilie of Saxony
25 August 1533
four children
Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg (regent) Joachim II of Brandenburg by Lucas Cranach the Younger 13 January 1505 1543-c.1548 3 January 1571 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Magdalena of Saxony
6 November 1524
Dresden
six children

Hedwig of Poland
29 August/1 September 1535
Kraków
six children
Regents on behalf of George I's son.
John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony (regent) Lucas Cranach d. Ä. 044 30 June 1503 1543-1547 3 March 1554 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sibylle of Cleves
9 February 1527
Torgau
four children
Maurice, Elector of Saxony (regent) Moritz Sachsen 13 January 1505 1547-c.1548 3 January 1571 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Agnes of Hesse
9 January 1541
Marburg
two children
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (regent) Wartburg-Philipp.von.Hessen 13 November 1504 1543-c.1548 31 March 1567 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Christine of Saxony
11 December 1523
Kassel
ten children

Margarethe von der Saale
14 March 1540
Rotenburg
(bigamous and morganatic)
nine children
George Frederick I the Elder Georg Friedrich Hohenzoller st 5 April 1539 c.1548-1557 25 April 1603 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin
26 December 1558
Küstrin
no children

Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
3 May 1579
Dresden
tno children
In 1557 reunited Kulmbach to Ansbach once more. Left no descendants, and the Margraviates passed to sons of the Elector John George.
1557-1603 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
John George
Johann Georg
JohannGeorg1564 11 September 1525 3 January 1571 - 8 January 1598 8 January 1598 Electorate of Brandenburg Sophie of Legnica
15 February 1545
one child

Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
12 February 1548
Ansbach
eleven children

Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst
6 October 1577
Letzlingen
eleven children
Joachim Frederick
Joachim Friedrich
JoachimFriedrichBrandenburg1600 27 January 1546 8 January 1598 - 18 July 1608 18 July 1608 Electorate of Brandenburg Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin
8 January 1570
Küstrin
eleven children

Eleanor of Prussia
2 November 1603
Berlin
one child
Joachim Ernest Joachim Ernst 02 IV 13 2 0026 01 0369 a Seite 1 Bild 0001 22 June 1583 1603-1625 7 March 1625 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sophie of Solms-Laubach
1612
Ansbach
three children
Son of Elector John George. Received Ansbach
Christian ChristianvonBrandenburg-Bayreuth01 30 January 1581 1603-1655 30 May 1655 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Maria of Prussia
29 April 1604
Kulmbach
nine children
Son of Elector John George. Received Kulmbach. In 1604 moved the capital of the Margraviate to Bayreuth. From 1604 on, Brandenburg-Kulmbach changed its name to Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
John Sigismund
Johann Sigismund
Johann Sigismund Grunewald 8 November 1572 18 July 1608 - 3 November 1619 23 December 1619 Electorate of Brandenburg Anna of Prussia
30 October 1594
Königsberg
eight children
Duke of Prussia from 1618.
George William I
Georg Wilhelm
GeorgWilhelm.1635.Ausschnitt 13 November 1595 3 November 1619 - 1 December 1640 1 December 1640 Electorate of Brandenburg Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
24 July 1616
Heidelberg
four children
His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War. Also Duke of Prussia.
Frederick IV 1 May 1616 1625-1634 6 September 1634 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Unmarried Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.
Albert VI Albrecht von Brandenburg-Ansbach (aka) 18 September 1620 1634-1667 22 October 1667 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Henriette Louise of Württemberg-Mömpelgard
31 August 1642
Stuttgart
three children

Sophie Margarete of Oettingen-Oettingen
15 October 1651
Oettingen
five children

Christine of Baden-Durlach
6 August 1665
Durlach
no children
Frederick William I the Great Elector
Friedrich Wilhelm
Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg 2 16 February 1620 1 December 1640 - 29 April 1688 29 April 1688 Electorate of Brandenburg Louise Henriette of Nassau
7 December 1646
The Hague
six children

Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
13 July 1668
Gröningen
seven children
Also Duke of Prussia.
Christian Ernest Christian Ernst Brandenburg-Bayreuth um 1685 001 6 August 1644 1655-1712 20 May 1712 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Erdmuthe Sophie of Saxony
29 October 1662
Dresden
no children

Sofie Louise of Württemberg
8 February 1671
Stuttgart
six children

Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg
30 March 1703
Potsdam
nine children
Son of Erdmann August, son of Christian I.
John Frederick Johann-Friedrich-Markgraf 001 18 October 1654 1667-1686 22 March 1686 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach
26 January 1673
Durlach
five children

Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
4 November 1681
Eisenach
three children
Appointed regency (1686-1692)
Christian Albert 18 September 1675 1686-1692 16 October 1692) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Unmarried Died as a minor; he was succeeded by his brother.
Frederick V
Friedrich I
Friedrich I of Prussia 11 July 1657 29 April 1688 - 25 February 1713 25 February 1713 Electorate of Brandenburg Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel
13 August 1679
Potsdam
one child

Sophia Charlotte of Hanover
8 October 1684
Herrenhausen
two children

Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
28 November 1708
Berlin
no children
Also Duke of Prussia. In 1701 became the first King in Prussia, as Frederick I.
George Frederick II GeorgFriedrBrandAnsb 3 May 1678 1692-1703 29 March 1703 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Unmarried Died without descendants; he was succeeded by his brother.
Philip William Philipp William margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt 19 May 1669 1692-1711 19 December 1711 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau
25 January 1699
Oranienbaum
six children
Son of Elector Frederick William I. The Margraviate of Schwedt was created for him.
William Frederick WilliamFrederickBrandenburgAnsbach 8 January 1686 1703-1723 7 January 1723 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental
28 August 1709
Stuttgart
three children
Frederick William II Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt 17 November 1700 1711-1771 4 March 1771 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
10 November 1734
Potsdam
five children
Left no male descendants. The title passed to his brother, Frederick Henry.
George William II George William, Margrave Bayreuth 26 November 1678 1712-1726 18 December 1726 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels
16 October 1699
Leipzig
five children
Frederick William III the Soldier-King
Friedrich Wilhelm I
Antoine pesne friedrich wil 14 August 1688 25 February 1713 - 31 May 1740 31 May 1740 Electorate of Brandenburg Sophia Dorothea of Hanover
28 November 1706
Berlin
fourteen children
Also King of Prussia as Frederick William I.
Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental (regent) 110Christiane Charlotte 20 August 1694 1723-1729 25 December 1729 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach William Frederick
28 August 1709
Stuttgart
three children
Charles William Frederick the Wild Margrave Charles William, margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach 12 May 1712 1729-1757 3 August 1757 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Friederike Luise of Prussia
30 May 1729
Berlin
two children
George Frederick Charles Georg Friedrich Carl 30 June 1688 1726-1735 17 May 1735 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Princess Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
17 April 1709
Reinfeld
five children
Frederick VI Friedrich von Brandenburg-Bayreuth 10 May 1711 1735-1763 26 February 1763 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Wilhelmine of Prussia
17 April 1709
Berlin
one child

Sophie Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
20 September 1759
Brunswick
no children
Left no male descendants; the title passe to Frederick Christian, from a collateral Bayreuth line.
Frederick VII the Great
Friedrich II
Antoine Pesne - Friedrich der Große als Kronprinz (1739) 24 January 1712 31 May 1740 - 17 August 1786 17 August 1786 Electorate of Brandenburg Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern
12 June 1733
Wolfenbüttel
no children
Also King of Prussia as Frederick II. King in Prussia to 1772; after annexations of Polish Prussian territory, "King of Prussia". Left no descendants. The title passed to his nephew, Frederick William II of Prussia.
Charles Alexander CharlesAlexanderofBrandenburgAnsbach 24 February 1736 1757-1769 5 January 1806 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach Frederica Caroline of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
22 November 1754
Coburg
no children

Elizabeth Craven
13/30 October 1791
Lisbon
morganatic
no children
In 1769 reunited both Margraviates of Ansbach and Bayreuth.
Frederick Christian Frederick Christian of Brandenburg-Bayreuth 17 July 1708 1763-1769 20 January 1769 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Victoria Charlotte of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym
26 April 1732
Schaumburg
two children
Great-grandson of Christian I and cousin of his predecessors. Left no male descendants; Bayreuth was reunited to Ansbach.
Charles Alexander CharlesAlexanderofBrandenburgAnsbach 24 February 1736 1769-1791 5 January 1806 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Frederica Caroline of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
22 November 1754
Coburg
no children

Elizabeth Craven
13/30 October 1791
Lisbon
morganatic
no children
In 1791 sold both Margraviates to the Kingdom of Prussia.
Frederick Henry Frederick Henry margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt 21 August 1709 1771-1788 12 December 1788 Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau
13 February 1739
two children
Left no male descendants. Schwedt went back to the Electorate.
Frederick William IV
Friedrich Wilhelm II
Frederick Wilhelm II 25 September 1744 17 August 1786 - 16 November 1797 16 November 1797 Electorate of Brandenburg Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
14 July 1765
Salzdahlum
(annulled 18 April 1769)
one child

Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
14 July 1769
Berlin
eight children

Julie von Voss
7 April 1787
Berlin
(morganatic and bigamous)
no children

Sophie von Dönhoff
11 April 1790
Berlin
(morganatic and bigamous)
two children
Nephew of Frederick the Great, as son of Augustus William, his brother. Also King of Prussia as Frederick William II.
Frederick William V
Friedrich Wilhelm III
FWIII 3 August 1770 16 November 1797 - 6 August 1806 7 June 1840 Electorate of Brandenburg Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
24 December 1793
Berlin
ten children

Auguste von Harrach
9 November 1824
Berlin
(morganatic)
no children
King of Prussia (as Frederick William III) and last Elector of Brandenburg. The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, after which Frederick William ruled as independent King of Prussia (including Brandenburg) to his death in 1840.


Titular Margraves of Brandenburg after 1806[]

This includes Kings of Prussia with the title of Margrave of Brandenburg (1806–1918) and pretenders to the throne of Prussia (1918–present)

Margrave Portrait Lifespan Reign start Reign end
Frederick William III
Friedrich Wilhelm III
FWIII 3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840 6 August 1806 7 June 1840
Frederick William IV
Friedrich Wilhelm IV
FWIV 15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861 7 June 1840 2 January 1861
William I
Wilhelm I
Kaiser Wilhelm I. 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888 2 January 1861 9 March 1888
Frederick III
Friedrich III
Friedrich III as Kronprinz - in GdK uniform by Heinrich von Angeli 1874 18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888 9 March 1888 15 June 1888
William II
Wilhelm II
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941 15 June 1888 Prussian monarchy abolished on 28 November 1918
4 June 1941
William III
Wilhelm III
File:William, German Crown Prince.jpg 6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951 4 June 1941 20 July 1951
Louis Ferdinand I
Ludwig Ferdinand I
Louis ferdinand c1930 9 November 1907 – 26 September 1994 20 July 1951 26 September 1994
George Frederick I
Georg Friedrich I
Georg Friedrich Prinz von Preussen 10 June 1976 – present 26 September 1994 Incumbent

Upper Presidents of Brandenburg[]

In 1815 Brandenburg was constituted as the Prussian Province of Brandenburg without a sovereign ruler, but with Upper Presidents appointed by the central Prussian government. The upper president carried out central prerogatives on the provincial level and supervised the implementation of central policy on the lower levels of administration.

  • 1815–1824: Georg Friedrich Christian von Heydebreck (1765–1828)
  • 1825–1840: Friedrich Magnus von Bassewitz (1773–1858)
  • 1840–1842: vacancy
  • 1842–1848: August Werner von Meding (1792–1871)
  • 1848–1849: Robert von Patow (1804–1890), per pro
  • 1849–1850: vacancy
  • 1849–1850: August Hermann Klemens Freiherr Wolff von Metternich (1803–1872), per pro
  • 1850–1858: Eduard Heinrich von Flottwell (1786–1865)
  • 1859–1862: Eduard Heinrich von Flottwell (1786–1865)
  • 1862: Werner Ludolph Erdmann von Selchow (1806–1884)
  • 1862–1879: Gustav Wilhelm von Jagow (1813–1879)
  • 1879–1899: Heinrich von Achenbach (1829–1899)
  • 1899–1905: Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg (1856–1921)
  • 1905–1909: August von Trott zu Solz (1855–1938)
  • 1909–1910: Friedrich Wilhelm von Loebell (1855–1931)
  • 1910–1914: Alfred von Conrad (1852–1914)
  • 1914–1917: Rudolf von der Schulenburg (1860–1930)
  • 1917–1919: Friedrich Wilhelm von Loebell (1855–1931)
  • 1919–1933: Adolf Maier (1871–1963)
  • 1933–1936: Wilhelm Kube (1887–1943)
  • 1937–1945: Emil Stürtz (1892–1945), since 1936 per pro

Land Directors of Brandenburg[]

Since 1875, with the strengthening of self-rule within the provinces, the urban and rural counties elected representatives for the provincial diets (Provinziallandtage). These parliaments legislated within the competences transferred to the provinces. The provincial diet of Brandenburg elected a provincial executive body (government), the provincial committee (Provinzialausschuss), and a head of province, the land director (Landesdirektor).[1] Self-rule was abolished under the Nazi dictatorship.

  • 1876–1896: Albert Erdmann Karl Gerhard von Levetzow (1827–1903), German Conservative Party
  • 1896–1912: Otto Karl Gottlob von Manteuffel (1844–1913), German Conservative Party
  • 1912–1930: Joachim von Winterfeldt-Menkin (1865–1945)
  • 1930–1933: Hugo Swart (1885–1952)

Post-monarchy[]

Brandenburg Wappen
Preußischer Adler (1871-1914)

History of Brandenburg and Prussia
Northern March
pre-12th century
Old Prussians
pre-13th century
Margraviate of Brandenburg
1157–1618 (1806)
Ordensstaat
1224–1525
Duchy of Prussia
1525–1618
Royal (Polish) Prussia
1466–1772
Brandenburg-Prussia
1618–1701
Kingdom in Prussia
1701–1772
Kingdom of Prussia
1772–1918
Free State of Prussia
1918–1933
Klaipėda Region
(Lithuania)
1920-39 / 1945-present
Free State of Prussia
1933–1947
Brandenburg
(Germany)
1947–1952 / 1990–present
Recovered Territories
(Poland)
1918/45-present
Kaliningrad Oblast
(Russia)
1945-present

After the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, Brandenburg, which had previously been merely a province of Prussia, re-emerged as a German Land.

Prime Minister of Brandenburg, 1945–1952[]

  • Karl Steinhoff (SPD/SED), 1945–1949.
  • Rudolf Jahn (SED), 1949–1952.

After being abolished in a reorganization of the territories administered by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the Land Brandenburg was restored in the prelude to German unification in 1990.

Ministers President of Brandenburg, 1990 to date[]

  • Manfred Stolpe (SPD), 1990–2002.
  • Matthias Platzeck (SPD), 2002–2013
  • Dietmar Woidke (SPD), since 2013.

Notes[]

  1. ^ In other Prussian provinces the same office used to be called Landeshauptmann (about in English: land captain). Cf. article: "Landesdirektor", in: Der Große Brockhaus: Handbuch des Wissens in zwanzig Bänden: 21 vols.; Leipzig: Brockhaus, 151928–1935; Bd. 11 (1932), p. 71.

See also[]

  • List of rulers of Prussia


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at List of rulers of Brandenburg. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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