When the German Empire collapsed in 1918 at the end of World War I, it was a federal union made up of three free cities and 22 kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies and principalities, with an emperor, Wilhelm II, at its head. All of the 22 ruling monarchs – including Wilhelm, who was also King of Prussia – abdicated in November 1918 during the early weeks of the German revolution of 1918–1919.

The term German Empire (Deutsches Kaiserreich) commonly refers to Germany from its foundation as a unified nation-state on 18 January 1871 until the abdication of its last Kaiser, Wilhelm II, was proclaimed on 9 November 1918. Germans, when referring to the Reich in this period under the Kaisers, 1871 to 1918, typically use the term Kaiserreich.Harper's magazine, Volume 63. Pp. 593. While the term Reich does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people, the term Kaiserreich literally denotes an empire - particularly a hereditary empire led by a literal emperor, though Reich has been used in German to denote the Roman Empire because it had a weak hereditary tradition. In the case of the German Empire, the official name Deutsches Reich is properly translated as "German Realm"; under its constitution the King of Prussia, as head of state, officially "presided" over a confederation of German states, and held "the title of German Emperor" in the sense of an emperor who was German, rather than emperor of a German state.

Federal prince (Bundesfürst) was the generic term for the royal heads of state (monarchs) of the various states making up the German Empire. The empire was a federal state, with its constituent states remaining sovereign states. In total, there were 22 federal princes of the German Empire and additionally three republican heads of state and the steward of the imperial territory ruled by Alsace-Lorraine. The states became part of the Kaiserreich by an 1871 treaty. The Kaiser as head of the empire was granted the title German Emperor (the style "Emperor of Germany" being deliberately avoided due to revanchist connotations), and was simultaneously a federal prince as King of Prussia, the sovereign of its largest federal state. Of the princely heads of state, 4 held the title King (König) (the Kings of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg), 6 held the title Grand Duke (Großherzog), 5 held the title Duke (Herzog), and 7 held the title Prince (i.e. Sovereign Prince, Fürst).

Following the unilateral proclamation of the abdication of Wilhelm II on 9 November 1918 by German Chancellor Maximilian von Baden and the German Revolution of 1918–19, the German nobility and royalty as legally defined classes were abolished on 11 August 1919 with the promulgation of the Weimar Constitution, under which all Germans were made equal before the law, and the legal rights and privileges, and all following German Houses, titles, insignia and ranks of nobility were abolished.

The list does not include local rulers in German colonies such as Yuhi V of Rwanda, Mwambutsa IV of Burundi and Aweida of Nauru.

Ruler Name Arms Flag Location Wilhelm II of Germany Kingdom of Prussia Ludwig III of Bavaria Kingdom of Bavaria Frederick Augustus III of Saxony Kingdom of Saxony William II of Württemberg Kingdom of Württemberg Friedrich II of Baden Grand Duchy of Baden Frederick Augustus II of Oldenburg Grand Duchy of Oldenburg William Ernest of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Frederick Francis IV Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Ernest Louis of Hesse Grand Duchy of Hesse Ernest Augustus of Brunswick Duchy of Brunswick Charles Edward of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Bernhard III of Saxe-Meiningen Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen Ernst II of Saxe-Altenburg Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg Joachim Ernst of Anhalt Duchy of Anhalt Leopold IV of Lippe Principality of Lippe Adolphus II of Schaumburg-Lippe Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe Günther Victor of Schwarzburg Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich of Waldeck and Pyrmont Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont Heinrich XXIV of Reuss-Greiz Principality of Reuss-Greiz Heinrich XXVII of Reuss-Gera Principality of Reuss-Gera

November Revolution abdications Throughout the month of November 1918, all 22 monarchs within the German Empire were either forced to abdicate, or stepped down of their own accord. Duke Ernest Augustus of Brunswick was the first to do so on 8 November. The next day, the Emperor and King of Prussia Wilhelm II, went into exile in the Netherlands, and his abdication (which he would not officially confirm until 28 November, see below) was announced by his Chancellor and Prussian Minister President Maximilian of Baden. MSPD co-chairman Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed the new "German Republic" from the Reichstag building to gathered crowds, while two hours thereafter Spartacist leader Karl Liebknecht proclaimed the "Free Socialist Republic of Germany" at Berlin Palace. Neither proclamation of the republic was constitutional, and the political situation remained chaotic for several more months, with a short civil war erupting between radical leftist revolutionaries and the more moderate post-imperial social democrat government that would emerge victorious and form the Weimar Republic. Nevertheless, the proclamations and Wilhelm II's abdication triggered a powerful domino effect: the same day a number of other princes stepped down, and within a week most monarchs in Germany had followed suit. The last to abdicate was King William II of Württemberg on 30 November 1918.

Date Title and name State9 November 1918 Emperor and King Wilhelm II German Empire,Kingdom of Prussia13 November 1918 King Ludwig III Kingdom of Bavaria 13 November 1918 King Frederick Augustus III Kingdom of Saxony30 November 1918 King William II Kingdom of Württemberg 22 November 1918 Grand Duke Frederick II Grand Duchy of Baden9 November 1918 Grand Duke Ernest Louis Grand Duchy of Hesse14 November 1918 Grand Duke Frederick Francis IV Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 14 November 1918 Regent Frederick Francis Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 11 November 1918 Grand Duke Frederick Augustus II Grand Duchy of Oldenburg 9 November 1918 Grand Duke William Ernest Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach12 November 1918 Duke Joachim Ernst Duchy of Anhalt8 November 1918 Duke Ernest Augustus Duchy of Brunswick13 November 1918 Duke Ernst II Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg 14 November 1918 Duke Charles Edward Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 10 November 1918 Duke Bernhard III Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen 12 November 1918 Prince Leopold IV Principality of Lippe 15 November 1918 Prince Adolf II Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe 22 November 1918 Prince Günther Victor Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen 13 November 1918 Prince Friedrich Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont 10 November 1918 Prince Heinrich XXIV Principality of Reuss-Greiz 11 November 1918 Prince Heinrich XXVII Principality of Reuss-Gera

Imperial statement of abdication (1918)

I herewith renounce for all time claims to the throne of Prussia and to the German Imperial throne connected therewith.

At the same time I release all officials of the German Empire and of Prussia, as well as all officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the navy and of the Prussian army, as well as the troops of the federated states of Germany, from the oath of fidelity which they tendered to me as their Emperor, King and Commander-in-Chief. I expect of them that until the re-establishment of order in the German Empire they shall render assistance to those in actual power in Germany, in protecting the German people from the threatening dangers of anarchy, famine, and foreign rule. Proclaimed under our own hand and with the imperial seal attached. Amerongen, 28 November 1918. Signed WILLIAM.Statement of Abdication (1918). As translated and appearing in the 1923 Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, edited by Charles F. Horne.

See also German nobility in Nazi Germany German Emperor History of Germany History of Prussia Hohenzollern Castle Crown of William II King in Prussia List of German monarchs Year of the Three Emperors List of monarchs of Prussia List of rulers of Saxony List of rulers of Württemberg Kings of Germany family tree

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