Kingdom of Württemberg

Württemberg
1495–1918
Flag of the Kingdom of Württemberg
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Württemberg
Württemberg, shown within the German Empire (1871–1918)
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire (until 1806)
CapitalStuttgart
Common languagesSwabian German
Religion
Lutheran
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
• ca 1089–1122 (first count)
Conrad I
• 1457–96
    (first duke from 1495)
 
Eberhard I (V)
• 1797–1816
    (first king from 1806)
 
Frederick I (III)
• 1891–1918
    (last king, died 1921)
 
William II
Standesherren
Abgeordnetenhaus
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• County founded
    by Conrad I
 
before 1081
• Treaty of Nürtingen
    divides county
 
1442 1495
• Treaty of Münsingen
    reunites county
 
1482
• Raised to duchy
1495
• Raised to electorate
1803
• Raised to kingdom
1806
• Monarchy overthrown
November 9, 1918 1918
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Swabia
Free People's State of Württemberg

Württemberg [ˈvʏɐtɛmˌbeɐk], formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia. It was originally a Duchy but was raised to a Kingdom in 1806.

King William abdicated on 30 November 1918, following Germany's defeat in the First World War, ending a dynasty that had lasted 837 years. The kingdom was replaced with the Free People's State of Württemberg. After World War II, Württemberg was divided between the American and French occupation zones and became part of two new states: Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern. These two states merged with South Baden in 1952 to become the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg within the Federal Republic of Germany.[1]

Geography

The borders of the Kingdom of Württemberg, as defined in 1813, lay between 47°34' and 49°35' north and 8°15' and 10°30' east. The greatest distance north to south was 225 kilometres (140 mi) and the greatest east to west was 160 km (99 mi). The border had a total length of 1,800 km (1,100 mi) and the total area of the state was 19,508 km2 (7,532 sq mi).


The kingdom had borders with Bavaria on the east and south, with Baden in the north, west, and south. The southern part surrounded the Prussian province of Hohenzollern on most of its sides and touched on Lake Constance.

References

  1. "25. April 1952 – Die Entstehung des Landes Baden-Württemberg". Archived from the original on 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2 September 2022.