Margrave of Bayreuth

The Principality of Bayreuth (in German, Fürstentum Bayreuth) was established at the death of Burgrave Friedrich V of Nürnberg on 21 January 1398, when his lands were partitioned between his two sons. The elder son, Johann III, received Bayreuth and the younger, Friedrich VI, received Ansbach. The two principalities were reunited under the younger son, Friedrich, after Johann's death on 11 June 1420. Friedrich had become Margrave of Brandenburg as Friedrich I in 1415, and on his death, 21 September 1440, his territories were divided between his sons; Bayreuth went to the eldest, Johann, while the second, Friedrich, received Brandenburg and Ansbach passed to the third son Albrecht Achilles. Johann, who was known as "the Alchemist", renounced his rights in 1464, whereupon Bayreuth passed to his brother the Margrave of Brandenburg. Thereafter the Principality of Bayreuth was held by cadet branches of the house of the Margraves of Brandenburg, the rulers being commonly known as the Margraves of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (though Bayreuth is nowhere near Brandenburg). In 1655 Bayreuth was itself partioned into Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Brandenburg-Kulmbach, but the lands were reunited in 1726. The last line of Brandenburg-Bayreuth died out on 20 January 1769 with the death of Margrave Friedrich Christian, and Bayreuth passed to Christian Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. On 2 December 1791, he sold the sovreignty of his principalities to the King of Prussia, and from 28 January 1792 Bayreuth was ruled by Prussian-appointed Governors.

Princes (known as Margraves) of Bayreuth

• 1397: Johann III of Nürnberg
• 1420: Friedrich I of Brandenburg
• 1440: Johann IV "the Alchemist"
• 1464: Friedrich II of Brandenburg
• 1467: Albrecht I Achilles (also Margrave of Brandenburg from 1470)
• 1486: Sigismund
• 1495: Friedrich VIII (also Margrave of Ansbach as Friedrich I)
• 1515: Kasimir
• 1527: Albrecht II Alcibiades
• 1553: Georg Friedrich (also Margrave of Ansbach)
• 1603: Christian
• 1655: Christian Ernst
• 1712: Georg Wilhelm
• 1726: Georg Friedrich Karl (previously Margrave of Kulmbach from 1708)
• 1735: Friedrich IX
• 1763: Friedrich Christian
• 1769: Christian Friedrich Karl Alexander (to 1791; also Margrave of Ansbach)

Sources:

• http://www.worldstatesmen.org/German_States1.hmtl
• http://genealogy.euweb.cz/hohz/hohenz1.html
• http://genealogy.euweb.cz/hohz/hohenz2.html
• http://www.tacitus.nu/historical-atlas/regents/germany/nurnberg.htm