Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz

Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz (German: Heinrich XIII Fürst Reuß zu Greiz; 16 February 1747 – 29 January 1817) was Prince Reuss of Greiz from 1800 to 1817.

Early life

Heinrich XIII was born at Greiz, Reuss, third child of Heinrich XI, Prince Reuss of Greiz (1722–1800), (son of Count Heinrich II Reuss of Obergreiz and Countess Sophie Charlotte of Bothmer) and his wife, Countess Conradine Reuss of Köstritz (1719–1770), (daughter of Heinrich XXIV, Count Reuss of Köstritz and Baroness Marie Eleonore Emma of Promnitz-Dittersbach).

Prince Reuss of Greiz

At the death of his father on 28 June 1800, he succeeded as the Prince Reuss of Greiz.

After the devastation of Greiz by a fire in 1802, he orderded to rebuilt the city in a neoclassical style, and he moved his residence from the Oberes Schloss (Upper Castle) to the Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle), to be more in contact with the people and social life of the Principality.

Henry also distinguished himself in his military service to Austria as a field marshal, to the point of being considered one of the best friends of the Emperor Joseph II .

Henry XIII joined the Confederation of the Rhine in 1807 and later was a member of the German Confederation. At the Congress of Vienna he was involved in a territorial dispute with the Kingdom of Saxony, from which emerged victorious and won the domain of the cities of Altgommla and Kühdorf.

Marriage

Heinrich XIII married on 9 January 1786 in Kirchheimbolanden to Princess Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg (1765–1837), fourth child and second daughter of Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, and his wife, Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau.

They had three children:

• Prince Heinrich XVIII Reuss of Greiz (31 March 1787 – 31 March 1787)
• Heinrich XIX, Prince Reuss of Greiz (1 March 1790 – 31 October 1836), married in 1822 to Princess Gasparine of Rohan-Rochefort, had issue.
• Heinrich XX, Prince Reuss of Greiz (29 June 1794 – 8 November 1859), married firstly in 1834 to Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim- Rosenberg, no issue, Princess Sophie died in 1838; Married secondly in 1839 to Landgravine Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, had issue.

Titles and styles

• 16 February 1747 – 17 March 1768: His Serene Highness Count Heinrich XIII Reuss of Obergreiz
• 17 March 1768 – 12 May 1778: His Serene Highness Count Heinrich XIII Reuss of Greiz
• 12 May 1778 – 28 June 1800: His Serene Highness Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss of Greiz
• 28 June 1800 – 29 January 1817: His Serene Highness The Prince Reuss of Greiz

Ancestry

Notes and sources

• Genealogics - Leo van de Pas - Heinrich XIII, Fürst Reuss
• L'Allemagne dynastique, Huberty, Giraud, Magdelaine, Reference: I 321
• Gehrlein Thomas, The House of Reuss - Older and Younger line Börde Verlag 2006, ISBN 978-3-9810315-3-9