Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg

Günther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg (3 June 1860 - 24 March, 1926) was the head of the House of Schwarzburg and pretender to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

Biography

He was born in Rudolstadt the son of the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Günther and his second wife Countess Helene of Reina. Countess Helene died three days after giving birth to Prince Sizzo and his sister Princess Helene. The mother of Prince Sizzo was the daughter of Prince Georg of Anhalt by his morganatic wife Therese Emma von Erdmannsdorf. [http://www.btinternet.com/~allan_raymond/Mecklenburg_Strelitz_Royal_Family.htm#24.7336 Monarchies of Europe] ]

Although Prince Sizzo's mother had been adopted by her uncle Prince Wilhelm of Anhalt and given the title of Princess of Anhalt on August 1, 1855 by the reigning Duke of Anhalt-Dessau, the marriage of his parents was still considered morganatic. Because of this, Prince Sizzo was not entitled to use the title Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, instead he was created Prince of Leutenberg on June 21, 1860. In spite of being denied the use of the title of Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Sizzo was granted succession rights to the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts. Although all members of the Rudolstadt branch consented to this the members of the Sondershausen branch did not and they also held rights to Rudolstadt. [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/HGSchwarzburg.htm#Extinction House Laws of Schwarzburg] ]

Recognition of rights

On April 21, 1896 Prince Sizzo's succession rights were recognised by all members of the House of Schwarzburg and was in addition made a full member of the house and able to use the title Prince of Schwarzburg. Following the agreement Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt ahead of the Sondershausen prince's and third in line to Schwarzburg-Sondershausen behind the reigning prince of Rudolstadt, Günther who was second and the brother of the reigning prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Leopold who was first.

Following the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on March 28, 1909 the Sondershausen branch became extinct and the Schwarzburg principalities was united in a personal union under Prince Günther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Therefore Prince Sizzo became the heir presumptive to the two principalities.

His chances of succeeding however were ended on November 22, 1918 when Prince Günther abdicated following the German revolution which deposed all of the German monarchs. Following the death of Prince Günther on April 16, 1925 Prince Sizzo succeeded him as head of the House of Schwarzburg. His tenure as head of the house would not last long and less than a year later Prince Sizzo died in Großharthau with his only son Prince Friedrich Günther succeeding him as head of the house and heir to the Schwarzburg principalities.

Marriage and children

Prince Sizzo was married to Princess Alexandra of Anhalt (1868-1958) on January 25, 1897 in Dessau. [ [http://www.thepeerage.com/p241.htm#i2403 The Peerage, Prince Sizzo] ] Princess Alexandra was the daughter of the reigning Duke of Anhalt, Friedrich I and his wife Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. Prince Sizzo and Princess Alexandra had two daughters and one son.

*Princess Marie-Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898 - 1984)
*Princess Irene of Schwarzburg (1899 - 1939)
*Prince Friedrich Günther of Schwarzburg (1901 - 1971)

References

External links

* [http://www.royaltyguide.nl/images-families/schwarzburg/schwarzburgrudolstadt2/1860%20Sizzo-02.jpgPhoto of Prince Sizzo]
* [http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/schwarzburg.html Online Gotha]
* [http://genealogy.euweb.cz/schwburg/schwburg1.html Genealogy of the House of Schwarzburg]