Principality of Fürstenberg

Fürstenberg was a county (Grafschaft), and later a principality (Fürstentum), of the Holy Roman Empire in Swabia, which was located in present-day southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its ruling family was the House of Fürstenberg.

History
The county emerged when Egino IV, Count of Urach by marriage, inherited large parts of the Duchy of Zähringen upon the death of Duke Berthold V in 1218, and it was originally called the county of Freiburg. Egino's grandson, Count Henry, started naming himself after his residence at Fürstenberg Castle around 1250.

The county was partitioned in 1284 between itself and the lower county of Villingen, and then again in 1408 between Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg and Fürstenberg-Wolfach.

Over the centuries, the various rulers expanded their territories to include the Landgraviate of Baar, the County of Heiligenberg, the Lordships of Gundelfingen, Hausen, Höwen, and Meßkirch, and the Landgraviate of Stühlingen in Germany, as well as domains around Křivoklát Castle (Pürglitz), Bohemia, Tavíkovice (German: Taikowitz) in Moravia and Weitra in Austria.

In 1664, Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg was raised to a principality and received a vote at the Reichstag. In 1744, various Fürstenberg territories were reunified to the Principality of Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg, as all lines except one had become extinct.

The Rheinbundakte of 1806 dissolved the state of Fürstenberg. Most of its territory was given to Baden, and smaller parts were given to Württemberg, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and Bavaria.

Geography
As of 1789, the territory consisted of five larger, isolated parts as well as several smaller exclaves. The five larger parts were: The smaller exclaves included the cities of Ennabeuren, Salmendingen, Neufra, Trochtelfingen, Hayingen, and others.
 * The Landgraviate of Baar and the Lordship of Höwen. Cities include Donaueschingen, Hüfingen, Engen, and Neustadt. Also includes Fürstenberg Castle. Bordered by Austria, Württemberg, the Abbacy of St. Blaise, and others. Given to Baden.
 * The Lordship of Hausen. Cities: Hausach, Wolfach, Haslach. Bordered by: Bishopric of Strasbourg, Württemberg, Austria, Hohengeroldseck, Imperial City of Zell, Imperial Valley of Harmersbach. Given to Baden.
 * The Landgraviate of Stühlingen. Cities: Stühlingen. Bordered by: Abbacy of St. Blaise, Switzerland, Landgraviate of Klettgau. Given to Baden.
 * The Lordship of Meßkirch. Cities: Meßkirch. Bordered by: Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Abbacy of Zwiefalten, Austria, Abbacy of Buchau, and others. Given to Baden and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
 * The County of Heiligenberg. Bordered by: Königsegg, Abbacy of Weingarten, Austria, Lake Constance, Bishopric of Constance, Abbacy of Salmannsweiler, Imperial City of Überlingen, Imperial City of Pfullendorf, and others. Given to Baden.

As of 1806, Fürstenberg had an area of 2,000 km2 and a population of 100,000. Its capital was Donaueschingen.

Rulers of Fürstenberg
(Note: The analysis given here will go further back to the origins of the Counts of Urach/Freiburg, from which the Fürstenbergs descended in direct line, and with which shared the coats of arms and still exchanged property in the 13th century. After the fall of the main Freiburg line in 1458, the Fürstenberg branch (separated in 1236) emerged as the main line of the dynasty.)

Table of rulers
(Note: The numbering for this family is somehow hard to ascertain. The numbering here follows two sequences: the sequence of the County of Fürstenberg, and the sequence of the County of Freiburg post-1237. Despite there is a established numbering for the counts Henry of Fürstenberg (which excludes count Henry of Trimberg), the counts named Conrad and John aren't usually numbered in sources, and the numbering for counts named Egon and Frederick is also not simple to follow. Therefore, the numbering here for both numberings is sequential, to avoid holes and other confusions. Any other explanation regarding this matter is given in footnote.)

Mediatized line of Weitra
Weitra line extinct, possessions fell back to Prince Maximilian Egon II as head of the House of Fürstenberg.
 * Joachim Egon (Ruling until 1806; non-ruling 1806–1828)
 * Frederick Egon (1828–1856)
 * John Nepomuk Joachim Egon (1856–1879)
 * Eduard Egon (1879–1932)

Mediatized line of Taikowitz

 * Friedrich Joseph Maximilian Augustus (1759-1814; Ruling until 1806, non-ruling 1806-1814)
 * Joseph Friedrich Franz de Paula Vincenz (1777-1840; 1814-1840)
 * Friedrich Michael Johann Joseph (1793-1866; 1840-1866), the last landgrave of this line and official guardian of Bertha von Suttner

Mediatized line of Pürglitz

 * Karl Egon II, 5th Prince 1806-1854 (1796-1854)
 * Karl Egon III, 6th Prince 1854-1892 (1820-1892)
 * Karl Egon IV, 7th Prince 1892-1896 (1852-1896)
 * Prince Maximilian Egon I of Furstenberg-Pürglitz (1822-1873)
 * Maximilian Egon II, 8th Prince 1896-1941 (1863-1941)
 * Karl Egon V, 9th Prince 1941-1973 (1891-1973), also Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra
 * Prince Maximilian Egon of Fürstenberg (1896-1959)
 * Joachim Egon, 10th Prince 1973-2002 (1923-2002)
 * Heinrich, 11th Prince 2002–present (1950-2024)
 * Christian, Hereditary Prince of Fürstenberg (born 1977)
 * Prince Antonius of Fürstenberg (born 1985)
 * Prince Karl Egon of Fürstenberg (born 1953)
 * Prince Johannes of Fürstenberg-Weitra (born 1958), adopted by Karl Egon V and inherited the Landgraviate of Fürstenberg-Weitra in 1973
 * Prince Vincenz of Fürstenberg-Weitra (born 1985)
 * Prince Ludwig of Fürstenberg-Weitra (born 1997)
 * Prince Johann Christian of Fürstenberg-Weitra (born 1999)
 * Prince Friedrich Maximilian of Fürstenberg (1926-1969)
 * Prince Maximilian of Fürstenberg (born 1962)
 * Prince Friedrich Götz of Fürstenberg (born 1995)