PFEUFFER: The homage to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. of Prussia – 1851
Udo
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The homage to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. of Prussia – 1851
This is about an event that happened 155 years ago here where I live, in a small district in the Southwest of Germany, which once was a small
principality that was named Hohenzollern.
More precisely, it were two principalities in those days, Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. For a better understanding I
want to start with some facts from the beginning.
The Lords of Zollern (from around 1350 on: Hohenzollern) were mentioned in the year 1061 for the first time. Their name has its origin in the alp
“Zoller” on which they had and still have their family seat.
Friedrich III. of Zollern married Sophie, the daughter of the Burgrave of Nuremberg and when his father in law died, he inherited the shire in the
year 1191. When he died about nine years later, both his sons ruled together at first, but in 1214 they split the dominion. Konrad I. took the
Frankish part; the younger Friedrich took the Swabian estate. From that point on two Hohenzollern branches existed, the Frankish and the
Swabian line.
The Frankish branch was able to add to their estate through the years and Friedrich VI.. of Hohenzollern was feoffed with Brandenburg in
1417. They were electors then, in 1618 they got the principality Prussia, in 1701 Elector Friedrich III. crowned himself King Friedrich I. in
Prussia, the Frankish Hohenzollern went to Kings of Prussia, went to Emperors of the second German Empire … blahblah etc.
Map of Prussia – 1815
So as the history told us, the Frankish line evolved very well, what about the Swabian line?
Well, they were not as successful as their Frankish cousins. They could add some small areas to their shire, but in 1576 the shire was split
in three branches:
Hohenzollern-Haigerloch (that’s where I live),
Hohenzollern-Hechingen, and
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
After only 58 years the line Hohenzollern-Haigerloch became extinct in the year 1634, the estate fell to Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Both
remaining shires were arisen to principalities in 1623.
Different factors prevented a further development of the small principalities.
Hohenzollern-Hechingen always was pushed for money and indebted, but above all there was a continuous conflict about soccages, taxes
and shooting rights between the country communities and the lordship for centuries, the dispute couldn’t be settled until 1798!
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen’s problem was the complicated relationship to Austria. When King Ferdinand I. (as Archduke of Austria) feoffed
the shire Sigmaringen to Karl I. of Hohenzollern, they ignored that Sigmaringen wasn’t in possession of the Habsburg house but was a
fiefdom of the Empire. In the 17th and 18th century Austria additionally tried to convert the usurped fiefdom into an Austrian fief which
threatened the position and reputation of the prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The subjects suffered under extraordinary charges up
to a double taxatation.
However, at the beginning of the 19th century both mini states survived the mediatisation through Napoleon and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
could even add to its territories!
How is it that these small principalities were able to escape the rearrangement of the European landscapes while major and much more
important principalities like Thurn and Taxis or Fürstenberg were annexed?
One reason certainly was the relationship to Prussia, but the main reason was another:
The spouse of the Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Princess Amalie Zephyrine and Napoleons spouse Josephine de Beauharnais were
bosom friends and they just arranged it for their husbands!
Prince Anton was a bit embarrassed when he gained the Sovereignty over the Princes of Fürstenberg (which was thrice as large as both of
the Hohenzollern principalities together) and Thurn and Taxis and parts of their territories.
Both principalities became members of the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 and of the German Confederation in 1815.
Map of the German Confederation in 1820 - Hohenzollern was very small compared to Prussia
1848 - Revolution in Germany
After the first uprisings in Hohenzollern, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin (Hechingen) offered his land to Sigmaringen. One year after his
beloved wife Eugenie died, he was fed up anyway, he was tired of ruling his rebellious subjects, and he just wanted to be left alone.
Prince Karl of Sigmaringen only wanted to ask for Prussian protection, but then also decided to give up his sovereignty.
Turbulent times for the government in Sigmaringen/Hohenzollern
So at the end of April they sent Baron of Gaisberg to Berlin but neither did they get protection, nor any other promises that the principalities
will be taken over by Prussia.
Prince Karl, forced through the behaviour of the democrats, started a new attempt himself in July and August 1848. Prussia refused again
so he caught up on the terms of an assignment at the new National Assembly in Frankfurt. Karl just had no sympathy for the new political
ideas, he also thought that time was over for the mini states. He wanted to give up his land but rescue the possession of his domains.
His son Karl Anton disagreed with the plans so Karl ceded the reign to his son at the end of August.
After another flare up of uprisings in September, the government in Sigmaringen was forced to escape. Disappointed about the political
development in his principality, Karl Anton started negotiations with Frankfurt. After a draft of an agreement was finished, Prussia sudden
protested!
Left: Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin was fed up with his “grateful” subjects, while ...
Middle: ... Carl Anton wanted to keep his souvereignty, for how long? And ...
Right: ... King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. of Prussia had enough problems on his own
Karl Anton and Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin renewed their claim at in Berlin then, but they were rejected again and again.
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. had no interest in an enlargement of Prussia with Hohenzollern, although inheritance treaties connected the
houses for centuries. But finally his fear that Württemberg or Baden could annex Hohenzollern prevailed. Prussian troops marched in
the principalities in August 1849. The treaty of assignment assured Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin a life annuity of 10.000 Thaler and for
Karl Anton 25.000 Thaler plus the possession of his domains. The statute of the Reunion of Hohenzollern wit Prussia was announced
on Apr.6.1850.
The Prussian King was a real middle age buff, he visited his family seat in 1819 for the first time and already in 1844 he decided to rebuild
the meanwhile tumbledown castle. Certainly that was one more reason why he finally didn’t want to leave Hohenzollern to others.
Burg Hohenzollern, the family seat of the Hohenzollern-Lords as it looks today
Already on Sep.25 Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm’s brother and later King and Emperor) visited the family seat Burg
Hohenzollern to lay the foundation stone for the bottom tower, which was named Wilhelm’s tower.
August 21, 1851 – King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. came through my hometown
Haigerloch / Hohenzollern
A triumphal arch was at the upper St. Anna Church (between the cottonwoods), the town hall was decorated with a large Prussian
eagle, post-haste sewed flags and wreaths were attached everywhere. The King was welcomed with gunshots. A gorgeous album
of homage was given to the King, before he left my town to Hechingen. The people of Haigerloch also participated at the torch parade
of all representatives in Hechingen, where they carried five torches.
Today, 155 years ago, August 23, 1851
Great preparations were made, beside the Regiment Music Corps a company of the 34. Infantry Regiment from Köln and a field battery
of the 8. Artillery Regiment from Frankfurt were commanded to Hechingen, the Chorus of the Berlin Cathedral was also present.
Thousands of people came to Hechingen, about 300 representatives from all townships of Hohenzollern went up to the castle. After a
worship in the catholic chapel and a protestant worship in the hall of knights, the King laid the cap stone at Wilhelm’s tower, the Chorus
of the Berlin Cathedral sang the Te Deum.
Then the King took a seat on the throne under the castle’s lime tree. Right of him Prince Wilhelm, right and left at the bottom stairs of the
throne, the Princes of Thurn and Taxis and Fürstenberg. After the King’s greetings, the Prussian Minister von Manteuffel spoke about the
connection of the two principalities with Prussia, Justizrat (judge) Bürkle spoke for Hohenzollern. After that the adjuration was read out
which was repeated by the representatives with bare heads and upraised hands. 101 gunshots followed which were drown by the cheers
on the King.
“Now my friends, the alliance is completed, forever for life and death” the King said.
To commemorate this event a medal was made by Christoph Carl Pfeuffer, it shows on the obverse the bust of Friedrich Wilhelm IV. On the
reverse the Prussian Eagle wit the big Hohenzollern Shield in the middle.
I’ve read somewhere somewhen that some of them were made in silver for very few VIP participants in that event, but I’ve never seen one.
The other participants however got a bronze example.
My example was terrible mishandled, it was mounted and the mount was removed later but it is the only one I came across within years.
This is about an event that happened 155 years ago here where I live, in a small district in the Southwest of Germany, which once was a small
principality that was named Hohenzollern.
More precisely, it were two principalities in those days, Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. For a better understanding I
want to start with some facts from the beginning.
The Lords of Zollern (from around 1350 on: Hohenzollern) were mentioned in the year 1061 for the first time. Their name has its origin in the alp
“Zoller” on which they had and still have their family seat.
Friedrich III. of Zollern married Sophie, the daughter of the Burgrave of Nuremberg and when his father in law died, he inherited the shire in the
year 1191. When he died about nine years later, both his sons ruled together at first, but in 1214 they split the dominion. Konrad I. took the
Frankish part; the younger Friedrich took the Swabian estate. From that point on two Hohenzollern branches existed, the Frankish and the
Swabian line.
The Frankish branch was able to add to their estate through the years and Friedrich VI.. of Hohenzollern was feoffed with Brandenburg in
1417. They were electors then, in 1618 they got the principality Prussia, in 1701 Elector Friedrich III. crowned himself King Friedrich I. in
Prussia, the Frankish Hohenzollern went to Kings of Prussia, went to Emperors of the second German Empire … blahblah etc.
Map of Prussia – 1815
So as the history told us, the Frankish line evolved very well, what about the Swabian line?
Well, they were not as successful as their Frankish cousins. They could add some small areas to their shire, but in 1576 the shire was split
in three branches:
Hohenzollern-Haigerloch (that’s where I live),
Hohenzollern-Hechingen, and
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
After only 58 years the line Hohenzollern-Haigerloch became extinct in the year 1634, the estate fell to Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Both
remaining shires were arisen to principalities in 1623.
Different factors prevented a further development of the small principalities.
Hohenzollern-Hechingen always was pushed for money and indebted, but above all there was a continuous conflict about soccages, taxes
and shooting rights between the country communities and the lordship for centuries, the dispute couldn’t be settled until 1798!
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen’s problem was the complicated relationship to Austria. When King Ferdinand I. (as Archduke of Austria) feoffed
the shire Sigmaringen to Karl I. of Hohenzollern, they ignored that Sigmaringen wasn’t in possession of the Habsburg house but was a
fiefdom of the Empire. In the 17th and 18th century Austria additionally tried to convert the usurped fiefdom into an Austrian fief which
threatened the position and reputation of the prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The subjects suffered under extraordinary charges up
to a double taxatation.
However, at the beginning of the 19th century both mini states survived the mediatisation through Napoleon and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
could even add to its territories!
How is it that these small principalities were able to escape the rearrangement of the European landscapes while major and much more
important principalities like Thurn and Taxis or Fürstenberg were annexed?
One reason certainly was the relationship to Prussia, but the main reason was another:
The spouse of the Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Princess Amalie Zephyrine and Napoleons spouse Josephine de Beauharnais were
bosom friends and they just arranged it for their husbands!
Prince Anton was a bit embarrassed when he gained the Sovereignty over the Princes of Fürstenberg (which was thrice as large as both of
the Hohenzollern principalities together) and Thurn and Taxis and parts of their territories.
Both principalities became members of the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 and of the German Confederation in 1815.
Map of the German Confederation in 1820 - Hohenzollern was very small compared to Prussia
1848 - Revolution in Germany
After the first uprisings in Hohenzollern, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin (Hechingen) offered his land to Sigmaringen. One year after his
beloved wife Eugenie died, he was fed up anyway, he was tired of ruling his rebellious subjects, and he just wanted to be left alone.
Prince Karl of Sigmaringen only wanted to ask for Prussian protection, but then also decided to give up his sovereignty.
Turbulent times for the government in Sigmaringen/Hohenzollern
So at the end of April they sent Baron of Gaisberg to Berlin but neither did they get protection, nor any other promises that the principalities
will be taken over by Prussia.
Prince Karl, forced through the behaviour of the democrats, started a new attempt himself in July and August 1848. Prussia refused again
so he caught up on the terms of an assignment at the new National Assembly in Frankfurt. Karl just had no sympathy for the new political
ideas, he also thought that time was over for the mini states. He wanted to give up his land but rescue the possession of his domains.
His son Karl Anton disagreed with the plans so Karl ceded the reign to his son at the end of August.
After another flare up of uprisings in September, the government in Sigmaringen was forced to escape. Disappointed about the political
development in his principality, Karl Anton started negotiations with Frankfurt. After a draft of an agreement was finished, Prussia sudden
protested!
Left: Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin was fed up with his “grateful” subjects, while ...
Middle: ... Carl Anton wanted to keep his souvereignty, for how long? And ...
Right: ... King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. of Prussia had enough problems on his own
Karl Anton and Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin renewed their claim at in Berlin then, but they were rejected again and again.
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. had no interest in an enlargement of Prussia with Hohenzollern, although inheritance treaties connected the
houses for centuries. But finally his fear that Württemberg or Baden could annex Hohenzollern prevailed. Prussian troops marched in
the principalities in August 1849. The treaty of assignment assured Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin a life annuity of 10.000 Thaler and for
Karl Anton 25.000 Thaler plus the possession of his domains. The statute of the Reunion of Hohenzollern wit Prussia was announced
on Apr.6.1850.
The Prussian King was a real middle age buff, he visited his family seat in 1819 for the first time and already in 1844 he decided to rebuild
the meanwhile tumbledown castle. Certainly that was one more reason why he finally didn’t want to leave Hohenzollern to others.
Burg Hohenzollern, the family seat of the Hohenzollern-Lords as it looks today
Already on Sep.25 Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm’s brother and later King and Emperor) visited the family seat Burg
Hohenzollern to lay the foundation stone for the bottom tower, which was named Wilhelm’s tower.
August 21, 1851 – King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. came through my hometown
Haigerloch / Hohenzollern
A triumphal arch was at the upper St. Anna Church (between the cottonwoods), the town hall was decorated with a large Prussian
eagle, post-haste sewed flags and wreaths were attached everywhere. The King was welcomed with gunshots. A gorgeous album
of homage was given to the King, before he left my town to Hechingen. The people of Haigerloch also participated at the torch parade
of all representatives in Hechingen, where they carried five torches.
Today, 155 years ago, August 23, 1851
Great preparations were made, beside the Regiment Music Corps a company of the 34. Infantry Regiment from Köln and a field battery
of the 8. Artillery Regiment from Frankfurt were commanded to Hechingen, the Chorus of the Berlin Cathedral was also present.
Thousands of people came to Hechingen, about 300 representatives from all townships of Hohenzollern went up to the castle. After a
worship in the catholic chapel and a protestant worship in the hall of knights, the King laid the cap stone at Wilhelm’s tower, the Chorus
of the Berlin Cathedral sang the Te Deum.
Then the King took a seat on the throne under the castle’s lime tree. Right of him Prince Wilhelm, right and left at the bottom stairs of the
throne, the Princes of Thurn and Taxis and Fürstenberg. After the King’s greetings, the Prussian Minister von Manteuffel spoke about the
connection of the two principalities with Prussia, Justizrat (judge) Bürkle spoke for Hohenzollern. After that the adjuration was read out
which was repeated by the representatives with bare heads and upraised hands. 101 gunshots followed which were drown by the cheers
on the King.
“Now my friends, the alliance is completed, forever for life and death” the King said.
To commemorate this event a medal was made by Christoph Carl Pfeuffer, it shows on the obverse the bust of Friedrich Wilhelm IV. On the
reverse the Prussian Eagle wit the big Hohenzollern Shield in the middle.
I’ve read somewhere somewhen that some of them were made in silver for very few VIP participants in that event, but I’ve never seen one.
The other participants however got a bronze example.
My example was terrible mishandled, it was mounted and the mount was removed later but it is the only one I came across within years.
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Interesting metal, I like.
Any idea on how many were made ??
Herb
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Dan
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One vote for post-of-the-day!
Thanks
DPOTD-3
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Don
Thanks, Udo, and congratulations on the DPOTD
Well deserved
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