Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. The Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen ruled over a small principality in southwest Germany. Unlike the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg, the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringens and their cousins of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, the seniormost branch of the House of Hohenzollern, remained Catholic.

In 1849, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen were annexed by Prussia. The annexation of their state did not, however, mean the end of the importance of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The last Prince, Karl Anton, served as Minister-President of Prussia from 1858 to 1861. Karl Anton's second son, Karl Eitel Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became prince (1866–1881) and then king (1881–1914) of Romania, under the name Carol -- Romanian for 'Karl' -- and the house remained on the throne until the end of the monarchy in 1947. French opposition to the candidacy of Carol's elder brother Prince Leopold for the throne of Spain triggered the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), which led to the founding (January 1871) of the German Empire.

Counts of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 1576–1623

Karl II 1576–1606
Johann 1606–1623

Princes (Fürsten) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 1623–1849

Johann 1623–1638
Meinrad I 1638–1681
Maximilian 1681–1689
Meinrad II 1689–1715
Joseph Franz Ernst 1715–1769
Karl Friedrich 1769–1785
Anton 1785–1831
Karl 1831–1848
Karl Anton 1848–1849

Princes (Fürsten) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern after the annexation of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

Karl Anton 1849–1885 (became Prince of Hohenzollern on the death of the last Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1869)
Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1885–1905
Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1905–1927
Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1927–1965
Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1965–present