Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn


Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was a county of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, comprising the lands of the region of Sayn. It was created as a partition of Sayn-Wittgenstein in 1607, although it was not until the next year that it obtained fully the Countship of Sayn. The succession was never clear, leading to the annexation of the county in 1623 by the Archbishop of Cologne. It was not until a treaty in 1648 that it was decided the county would pass to the sisters Ernestine and Johanette of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, under the regency of their mother Louise Juliane von Erbach. They partitioned the county into Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg soon after.

Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, First Creation

Count William III's sons from his second marriage with Anna Ottilie of Nassau-Weilburg became Counts of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. The branch became extinct in 1846 with the death of Count Gustaf zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.

Princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn

Count Ludwig Franz II of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg-Ludwigsburg founded a branch which in 1834 became Prussian princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg-Ludwigsburg and in 1861 princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. The present head of this branch is Alexander, Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, the 7th prince.

Line of succession