Polity Landgraviate of Hesse-Rheinfels

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When the Landgriave of Hesse, Philip I, died in 1567, Hesse was divided between his four sons from his first marriage. The Hesse-Rheinfels line became extinct in 1583, and was then incorporated into Hesse-Kassel.

Establishment

  • January 1568: After his father's death in 1567, the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided between the four sons of his first marriage. Philip the younger received a portion of about an eighth of his father's territories, mainly the former Lower County of Katzenelnbogen with its four Ämter Rheinfels (with the city of St. Goar and the residence Rheinfels Castle) on the left bank of the Rhine, and Braubach, Reichenberg and Hohenstein on the right bank.

Chronology

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1. Division of Hesse

After the death in 1567 of Philip I, the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided between the four sons of his first marriage.

  • January 1568: After his father's death in 1567, the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided between the four sons of his first marriage. Philip the younger received a portion of about an eighth of his father's territories, mainly the former Lower County of Katzenelnbogen with its four Ämter Rheinfels (with the city of St. Goar and the residence Rheinfels Castle) on the left bank of the Rhine, and Braubach, Reichenberg and Hohenstein on the right bank.

Disestablishment

  • January 1584: Hesse-Rheinfels was created as a cadet line of Hesse for Philip II, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels (1541-1583), landgrave from 1567 until 1583. This line of Hesse-Rheinfels died out in 1583 with the childless Philip II. Hesse-Rheinfels was divided between Hesse-Kassel, which received the main part, and Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Marburg.