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 Henry II,
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.
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.