The states of the German Confederation were member states of the German Confederation, from 20 June 1815 until 24 August 1866.
On the whole, its territory nearly coincided with that remaining in the Holy Roman Empire at the outbreak of the French Revolution, with the notable exception of Belgium. Except for Austria, Prussia, Holstein, and the western left bank of the Rhine (which France had annexed, with tiny Katzenelnbogen), the other member states (or their precursors) had been within Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine.
Ruler Name Arms Flag Location Franz Joseph Austrian Empire Wilhelm I of Prussia Kingdom of Prussia George V of Hanover Kingdom of Hannover Maximilian II of Bavaria Kingdom of Bavaria John of Saxony Kingdom of Saxony Charles I of Württemberg Kingdom of Württemberg Friedrich I of Baden Grand Duchy of Baden Peter II of Oldenburg Grand Duchy of Oldenburg Charles Alexander of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Frederick Francis II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Wilhelm II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Louis III of Hesse Grand Duchy of Hesse Frederick William of Hesse Electorate of Hesse Adolphe of Nassau Duchy of Nassau William of Brunswick Duchy of Brunswick Ernest II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Bernhard II of Saxe-Meiningen Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen Ernst I of Saxe-Altenburg Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg Leopold IV of Anhalt Duchy of Anhalt Leopold III of Lippe Principality of Lippe Adolphus I of Schaumburg-Lippe Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe Günther Friedrich Karl II of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Friedrich Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt George Victor of Waldeck and Pyrmont Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont Johann II of Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein Heinrich XXII of Reuss-Greiz Principality of Reuss-Greiz Heinrich LXVII of Reuss-Gera Principality of Reuss-Gera The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (still a constitutive state of Germany) The Free City of Frankfurt upon Main The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (still a constitutive state of Germany) The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck
The four free cities were republics by constitution, while all the others were monarchies, some constitutional and some absolutist.
The Duchy of Schleswig was never a member state. But Schleswig was traditionally connected to the duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, which were member states. In 1848-51 (during the First Schleswig War), it was treated by the German states and the short-lived German Empire as a kind of member. In 1864, the Danish king transferred the three duchies to Austria and Prussia (after the Second Schleswig War).
Sources and references Westermann, Großer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte (in German, detailed maps) WorldStatesmen