Sayn-Altenkirchen

Infobox Former Country
native_name = "Grafschaft Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen"
conventional_long_name = County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen
common_name = Sayn-Altenkirchen|
continent = Europe
region = Central Europe
country = Germany
era = Middle Ages
status = Vassal
empire = Holy Roman Empire
government_type = Principality|
year_start = 1648
year_end = 1803|
event_pre = Death of William III of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
date_pre =
1623
event_start = S-W-S partitioned to
Sayn-Altkirchen and
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg
date_start =
1648
event_end = Mediatised to
Nassau-Weilburg
date_end =
1803|
p1 = Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
image_p1 =
s1 = Nassau-Weilburg
flag_s1 =
image_s1 = |



|


image_map_caption = |
capital = Altenkirchen

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen (sometimes called Sayn-Altenkirchen) was a German county located in what is now Rhineland-Palatinate, near the Sieg River.

When Count William III of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn died in 1623 without clear heirs, the Archbishop of Cologne occupied the vacant County until the succession was settled. It was settled by treaty in 1648, when the County was given jointly to Princesses Ernestine and Johanette, two sisters who were granddaughters of Count William, and their mother Dowager Countess Louise Juliane made regent. But shortly after the treaty, the County was split between the two. Ernestine's portion was called Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg (or Sayn-Hachenburg for short), a title which descended through the female line and is now a title of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Johanette's was Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen. Their mother remained regent for both Counties until 1652, when Johanette and Ernestine separately ruled their respective Counties. Sayn-Altenkirchen was inherited by Duke Johann William of Saxe-Eisenach — Johanette's son — and secondly by Duke William Henry of Saxe-Eisenach — Johanette's grandson. William Henry died childless and Sayn-Altenkirchen was inherited by Charles, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Johanette's great-grandson.

The County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen ended when it was mediatised to Nassau-Weilburg in 1803.

Queen Caroline, wife of George II of the United Kingdom, was co-heiress to this County, but she never inherited it and her grandson George III was compensated for his loss of inheritance to it.

Counts of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen (1648–1803)

* Johanette (1648–1701)
* "Louis Juliane (Regent, 1648–52)"
* William Henry, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (1701–41)
* Charles, "Burgrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach" (1741–1803)

"Mediatised to Nassau-Weilburg 1803