Sayn

For other uses, see Sayn (disambiguation).

Sayn was a small German county of the Holy Roman Empire which, during the Middle Ages, existed within what is today Rheinland-Pfalz.

County of Sayn Grafschaft Sayn
11th century–1605
Coat of arms
Sayn c. 1450
Status	State of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital	Sayn (in German)
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	before 1139 11th century
• To Counts of Sponheim	1247
• Partitioned into S-Sayn     and S-Vallendar	1294
• Partitioned into S-Sayn,     S-Berleburg and     S-Wittgenstein	1605
• S-Wittgenstein partitioned into     S-W-Sayn-Altenkirchen     and S-W-Hachenburg	1648
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Franconia Sayn-Berleburg Sayn-Sayn Sayn-Wittgenstein
Today part of	Germany

There have been two Counties of Sayn. The first emerged in 1139 and became closely associated with the County of Sponheim early in its existence. Count Henry II was notable for being accused of satanic orgies by the Church's German Grand Inquisitor, Conrad von Marburg, in 1233. Henry was acquitted by an assembly of bishops in Mainz, but Conrad refused to accept the verdict and left Mainz. It is unknown whether it was Henry's Knights who killed Conrad on his return to Thuringia, but investigation was foregone due to the cruelty of Conrad, despite Pope Gregory IX ordering his murderers to be punished. With the death of Henry in 1246, the County passed to the Counts of Sponheim-Eberstein and thence to Sponheim-Sayn in 1261.

The second County of Sayn emerged as a partition of Sponheim-Sayn in 1283 (the other partition being Sayn-Homburg). It was notable for its numerous co-reigns, and it endured until 1608 when it was inherited by the Counts of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. A lack of clear heirs of William III of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn led to the temporary annexation of the comital territories by the Archbishop of Cologne until the succession was decided. In 1648 following the Thirty Years' War, the County was divided between Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg.

Territory and possessions

The county of Sayn was located in the area of today's state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The ancestral land, lost in 1605, was on the right bank of the Middle Rhine around Sayn Castle, now part of the town of Bendorf. The much larger territories were in the northern Westerwald and in the middle Sieg Valley. The county had as neighbours:

• in the north, the Lordship of Humburg
• in the east, the County of Nassau-Dillenburg,
• in the south, the County of Wied,
• south of the exclave of Bendorf, the Electorate of Trier,
• north of the exclave of Bendorf, the County of Isenburg
• in the west, the Electorate of Cologne.

• 
  Ruins of the Sayn Castle
• 
  Former Premonstratensian Abbey of Sayn, Hauskloster und Grablege^[1]
• 
  Hachenburg Castle
• 
  Marienstatt Abbey

Rulers of Sayn

House of Sayn

Partitions of Sayn under Sayn rule

County of Sayn (1139-1701) (Homburg branch since 1608)			County of Homburg (1st creation) (1284-1384) renamed County of Wittgenstein (1st creation) (1384-1605)
		County of Kirschgartshausen (1623-1719)	County of Homburg (2nd creation) (1631-1743)	County of Berleburg (1605-1806)
							County of Wittgenstein (2nd creation) (1605-1647) renamed County of Hohnstein (1647-1806)	County of Vallendar (1657-1775)
					County of Karlsburg (1694-1806)	County of Ludwigsburg (1694-1806)
Hachenburg annexed to Manderscheid family; Altenkirchen annexed to Saxony
	County of Neumagen (1623-1806)
	Mediatised to the Landgraviate of Hesse (from 1806)

Table of rulers

Monarch Born Reign Ruling part Consort Death Notes First House of Sayn Eberhard I [bg] c.1110 First son of Emich II, Count of Dietz [bg] and Diemut of Laurenburg 1139 – 1176 County of Sayn Kunigunde of Isenburg five children 1176 aged 65–66 Henry I c.1110 Second son of Emich II, Count of Dietz [bg] and Diemut of Laurenburg 1139 – 1159 Unmarried 1159 aged 48–49 Henry II [bg] c.1140 First son of Eberhard I [bg] and Kunigunde of Isenburg 1176 – April 1203 County of Sayn Agnes of Saffenberg (1173-27 May 1201) five children April 1203 aged 62–63 Eberhard I [bg] c.1140 Second son of Eberhard I [bg] and Kunigunde of Isenburg 1176 – 1202 Unmarried 1202 aged 61–62 Henry III the Great c.1185 Son of Henry II [bg] and Agnes of Saffenberg April 1203 – 1 January 1247 County of Sayn 1215 one child 1 January 1247 Blankenberg aged 61–62 Died childless. Matilda of Landsberg[2] 1203 Daughter of Henry II [bg] and Agnes of Saffenberg 1 January – 29 August 1247 29 August 1247 – 1291 County of Sayn (in Löwenburg [de] since 29 August 1247) 1291 aged 87–88 Wife and sister of Henry, they were his heiresses. Designated the first heiress by her husband, Matilda left her inheritance to her sister-in-law. The county of Sayn was therefore transmitted through female line. Matilda kept a seat at Löwenburg [de]. Adelaide c.1190 Daughter of Henry II [bg] and Agnes of Saffenberg 29 August 1247 – 1263 County of Sayn Godfrey III, Count of Sponheim 1202 five children 1263 aged 72–73 House of Sayn-Sponheim or Second House of Sayn John (I) c.1205 Son of Godfrey III, Count of Sponheim and Adelaide 1263 – 1266 County of Sayn ? of Altena-Isenberg 1202 five children 1263 aged 58–59 Also Count of Sponheim. Godfrey I [bg] c.1247 Son of John I and ? of Altena-Isenburg 1266 – 1284 County of Sayn Judith of Isenburg-Cleeberg [bg] August 1258 seven children 1284 aged 36–37 John I [bg] c.1260 First son of Godfrey I [bg] and Judith of Isenburg-Cleeberg [bg] 1284 – 23 November 1324 County of Sayn Elisabeth of Hesse (1270-19 February 1293) 1287 five children Kunigunde of Neuerburg (d.1347) 1297 four children 23 November 1324 aged 63–64 Children of Godfrey, divided their inheritance. Engelbert [bg] c.1260 Second son of Godfrey I [bg] and Judith of Isenburg-Cleeberg [bg] 1284 – 1336 County of Homburg Judith of Lower Isenburg (d.1313) 24 February 1286 one child Metza (d.1330) 1313 no children Clarissa (d.1335) 1330 no children 23 November 1324 aged 63–64 Godfrey II [bg] c.1290 Son of John I [bg] and Elisabeth of Hesse 23 November 1324 – 1327 County of Sayn Matilda of the Mark (d.1327) no children 1327 aged 36–37 Children of John I, ruled jointly. John II [bg] c.1300 Son of John I [bg] and Kunigunde of Neuerburg 1327 – 25 December 1360 Elisabeth of Jülich (1315-1389) 29 September 1330 five children 25 December 1360 aged 59–60 Godfrey III [bg] c.1290 Son of Engelbert [bg] and Judith of Lower Isenburg 1336 – 1354 County of Homburg Sophia of Folmestein (d.1323) 24 November 1311 seven children Maria von Dollendorf (d.1364) c.1325 three children 1354 aged 63–64 Salentin [bg] 1314 Homburg Son of Godfrey III [bg] and Sophia of Folmestein 1354 – 1392 County of Homburg (until 1384) County of Wittgenstein (from 1384) Adelaide of Wittgenstein [bg] c.1350 two children Elisabeth von Hirschhorn (d.1380) 23 June 1362 two children 1354 aged 63–64 In 1384 he merged the counties of Wittgenstein (inherited through his wife) and his own. The seat changed to Wittgenstein. John III [bg] c.1330 Son of John II [bg] and Elisabeth of Jülich 25 December 1360 – 25 February 1409 County of Sayn Adelaide of Westerburg [bg] 24 June 1349 seven children 25 February 1409 aged 78–79 John IV [bg] 1385 Son of Salentin [bg] and Adelaide of Wittgenstein [bg] 1392 – 1436 County of Wittgenstein Catherine of Solms [bg] July 1386 seven children 1436 aged 50–51 Gerhard I [bg] c.1360 Son of John III [bg] and Adelaide of Westerburg [bg] 25 February 1409 – 15 September 1419 County of Sayn Sophia of Stein-Löwenberg (d.1395) 1385 one child Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] June 1409 two children 15 September 1419 aged 58–59 Regency of Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] (1419-1429) Left no children. The county was inherited by his brother. Dietrich [bg] 7 August 1415 First son of Gerhard I [bg] and Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 15 September 1419 – 2 August 1452 County of Sayn Margaret of Nassau-Dillenburg [bg] 1435 no children 2 August 1452 aged 36–37 George [bg] 1420 Son of John IV [bg] and Catherine of Solms [bg] 1436 – 7 May 1472 County of Wittgenstein Elisabeth of the Mark (1400-1474) 1 March 1436 eight children 7 May 1472 aged 51–52 Gerhard II [bg] 1417 Second son of Gerhard I [bg] and Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 2 August 1452 – January 1493 County of Sayn Elisabeth of Zirk (6 March 1435 - 20 July 1489) 1453 sixteen children January 1493 aged 75–76 Eberhard [de] 1440 Son of George [bg] and Elisabeth of the Mark 7 May 1472 – 1494 County of Wittgenstein Margaret of Rodemachern (1450-22 June 1509) c.1470 seven children 1494 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 53–54 Gerhard III [bg] 9 February 1454 First son of Gerhard II [bg] and Elisabeth of Zirk January 1493 – 26 January 1506 County of Sayn Johanna of Wied (1480-1529) 1493 six children 26 January 1506 aged 51 Children of Gerhard II, ruled jointly. Sebastian I [bg] 20 January 1464 Fifth son of Gerhard II [bg] and Elisabeth of Zirk January 1493 – 12 November 1498 Maria of Limburg-Breuch (1465-7 June 1525) 1482 four children 12 November 1498 aged 34 William the Elder [de] 24 August 1488 Homburg Castle First son of Eberhard [de] and Margaret of Rodemachern 1494 – 18 April 1570 County of Wittgenstein (Southern part) Johannetta, Countess of Isenburg-Neumagen (1500-8 August 1563) 1522 seven children 18 April 1570 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 81–82 Children of George, divided the rule. John didn't have surviving children, and the county eventually reunited. John V [de] 1489 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Second son of Eberhard [de] and Margaret of Rodemachern 1494 – 2 April 1551 County of Wittgenstein (Northern part) Agnes von Eza no children Margaret of Henneberg 1534 three children 2 April 1551 Berleburg Castle [de] aged 61–62 John VI [bg] 1491 Son of Sebastian I [bg] and Maria of Limburg-Breuch 26 January 1506 – 1529 County of Sayn (at Sayn proper) Agnes von Heekeren no children Ottilie of Nassau-Saarbrücken (26 December 1492 - 1 March 1554) 1 January 1516 three children 1529 aged 37–38 John VII [bg] 1518 First son of John VI [bg] and Ottilie of Nassau-Saarbrücken 1529 – 20 March 1560 County of Sayn (half 1) Elisabeth of Holstein-Schauenburg (1520-19 January 1545) 1538 five children Anna of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg [bg] 1549 one child 15 September 1419 aged 58–59 Children of John VI, divided their inheritance. Sebastian II [bg] c.1360 Second son of John VI [bg] and Ottilie of Nassau-Saarbrücken 1529 – 1 January 1573 County of Sayn (half 2) Unmarried 1 January 1573 aged 58–59 Louis I the Elder 7 December 1532 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Son of William [de] and Johannetta, Countess of Isenburg-Neumagen 18 April 1570 – 2 July 1605 County of Wittgenstein Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 14 August 1559 Dillenburg Castle three children Elisabeth of Solms-Laubach [bg] 13 January 1556 Laubach seventeen children 2 July 1605 Altenkirchen aged 72 Adolf [bg] 1538 First son of John VII [bg] and Elisabeth of Holstein-Schauenburg 1 January 1573 – 15 September 1419 County of Sayn (in Sayn half 1 until 1573) Maria of Mansfeld-Eisleben [bg] 1 September 1560 Eisleben one child 15 September 1419 aged 58–59 Children of John VII, shared their inheritance, and added their uncle's part in 1573. Henry IV 1539 Second son of John VII [bg] and Elisabeth of Holstein-Schauenburg 1 January 1573 – 17 January 1606 Jutta von Mallinckrodt February 1574 no children 17 January 1606 Sayn Castle aged 58–59 Herman [bg] 1543 Third son of John VII [bg] and Elisabeth of Holstein-Schauenburg 1 January 1573 – 17 March 1588 Elisabeth of Erbach [bg] 8 September 1571 one child 17 March 1588 aged 44–45 Anna Elisabeth 1 February 1572 Daughter of Herman [bg] and Elisabeth of Erbach [bg] 17 January 1606 – 11 March 1608 County of Sayn William II [bg] 1 June 1591 two children 11 March 1608 Hachenburg aged 36 Heiress of her uncle. George II [bg] 30 April 1565 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Son of Louis I and Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 18 April 1570 – 2 July 1605 County of Berleburg Elisabeth of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 26 August 1627 Schwalbach Castle [de] two children 16 December 1631 aged 66 Children of Louis I, divided their inheritance. William II [bg] 14 March 1569 Wittgenstein Castle [de] First son of Louis I and Elisabeth of Solms-Laubach [bg] 17 January 1606 – 29 October 1623 County of Sayn (jure uxoris) Anna Elisabeth 1 June 1591 two children Anna Ottilia of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 18 November 1609 Weilburg seven children 29 October 1623 aged 54 Louis II the Younger [de] 15 March 1571 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Second son of Louis I and Elisabeth of Solms-Laubach [bg] 2 July 1605 – 14 December 1634 County of Wittgenstein Elisabeth Juliana of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 17 October 1598 Berleburg fourteen children 14 December 1634 Frankfurt am Main aged 72 Ernest [bg] 26 August 1594 Son of William II [bg] and Anna Elisabeth 29 October 1623 – 22 May 1632 County of Sayn Louise Juliane of Erbach 19 January 1624 six children 22 May 1632 Frankfurt am Main aged 37 Children of William II, divided their inheritance. Regency of Anna Ottilia of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] (1623-1635) Louis Albert [bg] 8 September 1617 Second son of William II [bg] and Anna Ottilia of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 29 October 1623 – 22 October 1664 County of Neumagen Johannetta Maria of Wied (7 August 1615 – 1715) 1650 three children 22 October 1664 aged 47 Christian [bg] 11 September 1621 Third son of William II [bg] and Anna Ottilia of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 29 October 1623 – 29 October 1675 County of Kirschgarthausen [de] [Anna Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg [bg] 25 December 1646 Dillenburg no children Philippine of Isenburg-Offenbach [bg] 25 February 1651 Offenbach am Main six children 29 October 1675 Vienna aged 54 Louis Casimir [de] 30 April 1598 Bad Berleburg Second son of George II [bg] and Elisabeth of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 16 December 1631 – 6 June 1643 County of Berleburg Elisabeth of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 12 June 1596 eight children Maria Anna Juliana of Nassau-Dillenburg [bg] 7 November 1608 Dillenburg seven children 6 June 1643 Wetter aged 45 Children of George II, divided their inheritance. George III [bg] 25 January 1605 Fifth son of George II [bg] and Elisabeth of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 16 December 1631 – 10 December 1680 Elisabeth Juliana of Nassau-Weilburg (27 March 1598 - 18 April 1682) 27 August 1647 no children 10 December 1680 aged 75 Ernest [fr] 8 April 1599 Bad Berleburg Third son of Louis I and Anna of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 16 December 1631 – 20 March 1649 County of Homburg Elisabeth of Sayn-Wittgenstein [bg] 1635 five children Christine of Waldeck-Wildungen [fr] 11 September 1642 three children 20 March 1649 Homburg Castle aged 66 Regency of Louise Juliane of Erbach (1632-1636) Louis died as a minor, and his mother prolonged the regency to his sisters. Louis III 1628 Son of Ernest [bg] and Louise Juliane of Erbach 22 May 1632 – 16 July 1636 County of Sayn Unmarried 16 July 1636 aged 7–8 John VIII [de] 14 October 1601 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Son of Louis II [de] and Elisabeth Juliana of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 14 December 1634 – 2 April 1657 County of Wittgenstein (until 1647) County of Hohenstein (from 1647) Anna Augusta of Waldeck-Wildungen [bg] 30 June 1627 Wittgenstein Castle [de] fifteen children 2 April 1657 aged 56 Regency of Louise Juliane of Erbach (1636-1652) Louis Juliane had a harder regency this second time, as she faced her in-laws for possession of the main county of Sayn. However, she was skillful enough to keep it to her daughters, sisters of Louis III. Ernestine and Johannetta divided the county, and each part was inherited by their respective descendants. Ernestine Salentine 23 April 1626 Hachenburg First daughter ofErnest [bg] and Louise Juliane of Erbach 16 July 1636 – 13 October 1661 County of Sayn (at Hachenburg) Salentin Ernest, Count of Mandersheid-Blankenheim [bg] 21 October 1651 seven children 13 October 1661 aged 35 Johannetta 27 August 1632 Wittgenstein Castle Second daughter ofErnest [bg] and Louise Juliane of Erbach 16 July 1636 – 28 September 1701 County of Sayn (at Altenkirchen) John of Hesse-Braubach 30 September 1647 no children John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach 29 May 1661 Wallau eight children 28 September 1701 Jena aged 69 Hachenburg inherited by Manderscheid family; Altenkirchen inherited by the House of Wettin For their successors see, respectively Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen Regency of Christine of Waldeck-Wildungen [fr](1649-1658) William Frederick [bg] 16 August 1640 Son of Ernest [fr] and Elisabeth of Sayn-Wittgenstein [bg] 20 March 1649 – 25 October 1698 County of Homburg Anna Maria Magdalena of Sayn-Wittgenstein [bg] 8 September 1673 four children 25 October 1698 aged 58 Louis Christian [de] 17 January 1629 Wittgenstein Castle [de] First son of John VIII [de] and Anna Augusta of Waldeck-Wildungen [bg] 2 April 1657 – 25 January 1683 County of Hohenstein Elisabeth Margaret of Solms-Braunfels [bg] 27 May 1656 Greifenstein no children Anna Elisabeth Wieg 1682 no children 25 January 1683 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 54 Children of John VIII, divided their inheritance. Gustav Otto [de] 14 April 1633 Frankfurt am Main Fourth son of John VIII [de] and Anna Augusta of Waldeck-Wildungen [bg] 2 April 1657 – 15 October 1701 Anne Hélène de La Place (1634 - 24 February 1705) 12 August 1657 thirteen children 15 October 1701 Marburg aged 68 Frederick William [bg] 20 November 1647 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Seventh son of John VIII [de] and Anna Augusta of Waldeck-Wildungen [bg] 2 April 1657 – 10 November 1685 County of Vallendar Charlotte Louise of Leiningen-Hardenburg [bg] 1671 eight children 10 November 1685 Vallendar aged 37 Regency of Johannetta Maria of Wied (1664-1676) Charles Louis Albert [bg] 20 July 1658 Son of Louis Albert [bg] and Johannetta Maria of Wied 22 October 1664 – 16 September 1724 County of Neumagen Concordia of Sayn-Hohenstein [bg] 20 June 1681 two children Charlotte of Sayn-Hohnstein [bg] 20 June 1689 two children 16 September 1724 aged 66 Charles Louis [bg] 1655 Son of Christian [bg] and Philippine of Isenburg-Offenbach [bg] 29 October 1675 – 21 October 1699 County of Kirschgarthausen [de] Anna Metta von Brockdorff (d.6 January 1718) 1683 one child 21 October 1699 aged 43–44 George William [bg] 28 September 1636 Bad Berleburg Son of Louis Casimir [de] and Elisabeth of Nassau-Weilburg [bg] 10 December 1680 – 25 May 1684 County of Berleburg Amélie Marguerite de la Place (1635 - 16 February 1669) 28 September 1657 Düsseldorf seven children Sophia Elisabeth of Wied [bg] 13 November 1669 three children Charlotte Amalie of Isenburg-Offenbach [bg] 24 June 1674 Offenbach am Main four children 25 May 1684 Bad Berleburg aged 47 Louis Francis I [de] 17 April 1660 Bad Berleburg Son of Louis Casimir [de] and Amélie Marguerite de la Place 25 May 1684 – 25 November 1694 County of Berleburg Hedwig Sophie of Lippe-Brake [bg] 27 October 1685 Lemgo six children 25 November 1694 Bad Berleburg aged 34 Regency of Charlotte Louise of Leiningen-Hardenburg [bg] (1685-1694) John Frederick 1676 Son of Frederick William [bg] and Charlotte Louise of Leiningen-Hardenburg [bg] 10 November 1685 – 27 April 1718 County of Vallendar Maria Anna von Wieser (4 February 1675 - 8 October 1759) 1699 at least two children 27 April 1718 Vallendar aged 41–42 Regency of Hedwig Sophie of Lippe-Brake [bg] (1694-1712) and Rudolph, Count of Lippe-Brake [de] (1694-1707) Casimir [de] 31 January 1687 Bad Berleburg First son of Louis Francis I [de] and Hedwig Sophie of Lippe-Brake [bg] 25 November 1694 – 5 June 1741 County of Berleburg Maria Charlotte of Isenburg-Wächtersbach [bg] 18 December 1711 Wächtersbach three children Esther Maria Polyxena of Wurmbrand-Stupach (17 December 1696 - 14 March 1755) 6 May 1717 Saalburg-Ebersdorf five children 5 June 1741 Bad Berleburg aged 54 Charles William [bg] 4 April 1693 Bad Berleburg Second son of Louis Francis I [de] and Hedwig Sophie of Lippe-Brake [bg] 25 November 1694 – 18 January 1749 County of Karlsburg Johanna Louise of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (8 June 1696 - 1 November 1735) 28 December 1727 two children Charlotte Louise Henkel von Donnersmark (3 April 1709 - 25 March 1784) 21 November 1737 Pölzig six children 18 January 1749 Rheda aged 55 Louis Francis II [bg] 31 January 1687 Bad Berleburg Third son of Louis Francis I [de] and Hedwig Sophie of Lippe-Brake [bg] 25 November 1694 – 24 February 1750 County of Ludwigsburg Helena Emilia of Solms-Baruth [bg] 17 March 1722 Baruth ten children 24 February 1750 Bad Berleburg aged 54 Charles Frederick [bg] 1674 Son of William Frederick [bg] and Anna Maria Magdalena of Sayn-Wittgenstein [bg] 25 October 1698 – 27 March 1723 County of Homburg Maria Wilhelmina Elisabeth von Schönburg-Mertola (1700-1762) 1723 four children Diane Françoise Marie de Cholette 1706 no children 20 March 1649 Homburg Castle aged 66 Philip William [bg] 5 September 1688 Son of Charles Louis [bg] and Anna Metta von Brockdorff 21 October 1699 – 6 May 1719 County of Kirschgarthausen [de] Anna Sophia of Isenburg-Birstein [bg] 9 November/December 1712 Birstein four children 6 May 1719 Kirschgarthausen [de] aged 30 Left no male descendants. His county merged in Neumagen. Kirschgarthausen annexed to Neumagen Henry Albert [de] 6 December 1658 The Hague First son of Gustav Otto [de] and Anne Hélène de La Place 15 October 1701 – 23 November 1723 County of Hohenstein Sophia Juliana of Lippe-Biesterfeld (6 December 1676 - 2 June 1705) 23 October 1694 no children Sophia Elisabeth of Sayn-Homburg (20 August 1675 - 27 August 1712) 8 December 1705 no children Sophia Florentina of Sayn-Berleburg (4 April 1688 - 16 June 1745) 19 November 1712 no children 23 November 1723 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 64 Left no descendants. The county passed to his brother. Francis Frederick Hugo 1701 First son of John Frederick and Maria Anna von Wieser 27 April 1718 – 1769 County of Vallendar Anna Maria of Leiningen-Neuleiningen (20 October 1741 – 1830) c.1750? at least one child 1769 Vallendar aged 67–68 Children of John Frederick, ruled jointly. However, as they left no descendants, Vallendar was reabsorbed in Hohenstein after their deaths. John William c.1705 Second son of John Frederick and Maria Anna von Wieser 27 April 1718 – 1775 Unmarried 1775 Vallendar aged 69–70 Vallendar re-merged in Hohenstein Frederick Charles 6 March 1716 Son of Charles Frederick [bg] and Maria Wilhelmina Elisabeth von Schönburg-Mertola 27 March 1723 – 15 October 1743 County of Homburg Saloma Johanna von Dist (1723-1761) 1741 no children 15 October 1743 aged 27 Left no descendants. The county re-merged in Berleburg. Homburg re-merged in Berleburg August David [de] 14 April 1663 Klettenberg [de] Third son of Gustav Otto [de] and Anne Hélène de La Place 23 November 1723 – 27 August 1745 County of Hohenstein Concordia Friederike of Sayn-Vallendar (1679 - 6 June 1709) 1703 Weilburg two children Albertina Amalia of Leiningen-Schaumburg (12 October 1686 - 26 March 1723) 3 January 1715 four children 27 August 1745 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 82 Co-ruling with his brother since 1719. Louis Alexander [bg] 26 December 1694 Third son of Charles Louis Albert [bg] and Charlotte of Sayn-Hohnstein [bg] 16 September 1724 – 22 May 1768 County of Neumagen Friederika Wilhelmina von Wendesen (25 October 1700-1780) 1 January 1724 eight children 22 May 1768 aged 73 Married morganatically, and his children could not succeed in the county, which passed to his brother. Louis Ferdinand [de] 1 January 1712 Bad Berleburg Son of Casimir [de] and Maria Charlotte of Isenburg-Wächtersbach [bg] 5 June 1741 – 12 February 1773 County of Berleburg Friederike Christine of Isenburg-Philippseich (22 July 1721 - 16 August 1772) 26 July 1744 Dreieich four children 12 February 1773 Bad Berleburg aged 61 Frederick [de] 19 January 1708 Berlin Son of August David [de] and Concordia Friederike of Sayn-Vallendar 27 August 1745 – 9 June 1756 County of Hohenstein Auguste Amalie Albertine of Nassau-Siegen (5 September 1712 - 22 February 1742) 6 May 1738 Siegen two children Elisabeth Hedwig of Nassau-Siegen (19 April 1719; † 10 January 1789) 12 June 1743 Siegen no children 9 June 1756 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 82 Adolph William Louis 30 June 1740 Son of Charles William [bg] and Charlotte Louise Henkel von Donnersmark 18 January 1749 – 12 July 1806 County of Karlsburg Sarah Tamminga du Tour (10 August 1751 - 16 February 1811) 27 September 1778 no children 13 November 1814 aged 74 In 1806, the county was mediatized to Hesse. Karlsburg was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse Christian Louis Casimir 13 July 1725 Bad Berleburg Son of Louis Francis II [bg] and Helena Emilia of Solms-Baruth [bg] 24 February 1750 – 6 May 1797 County of Ludwigsburg Amalie Ludowika Finck von Finckenstein (3 February 1740 - 15 December 1771) 13 July 1763 no children Anna Petrovna Dolgorukova (1742 - 8 July 1789) 14 February 1774 seven children 6 May 1797 Rheda aged 71 John Louis [de] 3 August 1740 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Son of Frederick [de] and Auguste Amalie Albertine of Nassau-Siegen 9 June 1756 – 27 March 1796 County of Hohenstein Friederika Carolina Louise von Pückler-Limpurg (9 June 1738 - 27 July 1772) 21 March 1761 Burgfarnbach eight children Wilhelmina Henrietta Carolina von Pückler-Limpurg (30 August 1746 - 20 March 1800) 9 November 1772 Burgfarnbach four children 27 March 1796 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 55 Frederick Charles [bg] 15 March 1703 Fourth son of Charles Louis Albert [bg] and Charlotte of Sayn-Hohnstein [bg] 22 May 1768 – 19 June 1786 County of Neumagen Sophia Ferdinanda of Sayn-Karlsburg (21 August 1741 - 22 June 1774) 18 March 1765 five children 19 June 1786 aged 83 Christian Henry [de] 12 September 1753 Bad Berleburg Son of Louis Ferdinand [de] and Friederike Christine of Isenburg-Philippseich 12 February 1773 – 4 October 1800 County of Berleburg (until 1792) Principality of Berleburg(from 1792) Charlotte Friederike Franziska of Leiningen-Altleiningen (19 August 1759 - 22 January 1831) 17 April 1775 Grünstadt twelve children 4 October 1800 Röspe [de] aged 47 Regency of Sophia Ferdinanda of Sayn-Karlsburg (1786-1790) In 1806, the county was mediatized to Hesse. Frederick Charles Louis Adolf [bg] 20 November 1772 Second son of Frederick Charles [bg] and Sophia Ferdinanda of Sayn-Karlsburg 19 June 1786 – 12 July 1806 County of Neumagen Johanna Philippina Marburg (27 May 1782 – 6 November 1815) c.1810 one child 10 October 1827 aged 47 Neumagen was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse Frederick Charles [de] 23 February 1766 Wittgenstein Castle [de] Son of John Louis [de] and Friederika Carolina Louise von Pückler-Limpurg 27 March 1796 – 12 July 1806 County of Hohenstein (until 1801) Principality of Hohenstein (from 1801) Friederika Albertina of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (15 July 1773 - 25 July 1806) 31 May 1796 Coswig five children Louisa Langenbach (23 November 1790 - 18 June 1864) 4 April 1807 (morganatic) four children 8 April 1837 Wittgenstein Castle [de] aged 71 In 1806, the principality was mediatized to Hesse. Hohenstein was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse Louis Adolph Peter 17 January 1769 Pereiaslav Son of Christian Louis Casimir and Amalie Ludowika Finck von Finckenstein 6 May 1797 – 12 July 1806 County of Ludwigsburg Antonia Cäcilie Snarska (1779-1855) 27 June 1798 eleven children 11 June 1843 Lviv aged 74 In 1806, the county was mediatized to Hesse. Berleburg was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse Albert [de] 12 May 1777 Bad Berleburg Son of Christian Henry [de] and Charlotte Friederike Franziska of Leiningen-Altleiningen 4 October 1800 – 12 July 1806 Principality of Berleburg Christiana Charlotte Wilhelmina of Ortenburg 18 August 1830 Ortenburg four children 11 November 1851 Bad Berleburg aged 74 In 1806, the county was mediatized to Hesse. Berleburg was annexed to the Electorate of Hesse

See also

The old and the new castle at Sayn

• Sayn-Homburg
• Sayn-Wittgenstein
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hachenburg
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Karlsburg
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Ludwigsburg
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen
• Sayn-Wittgenstein-Vallendar
• Sponheim-Sayn