Heinrich XIV
Prince Reuss Younger Line
Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line (German: Heinrich XIV Fürst Reuß jüngere Linie; 28 May 1832 – 29 March 1913) was Prince Reuss Younger Line from 1867 to 1913. Heinrich XIV was born at Coburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, sixth child of Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line (1789–1867), (son of Heinrich LXII, Prince Reuss Younger Line, and Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg) and his wife, Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf (1800–1880), (daughter of Heinrich LI, Prince Reuss of Ebersdorf and Countess Luise of Hoym). At the death of his father on 11 July 1867 he inherited the throne of the Principality. He became regent of Reuss Elder Line from 1902, because of a physical and mental disability of Prince Heinrich XXIV due to an accident in his childhood, at his death, his son continued the regency Prince Heinrich XXVII until the abolition of the German monarchies in 1918. Heinrich XIV married on 6 February 1858 at Karlsruhe to Duchess Agnes of Württemberg (1835–1886), younger child of Duke Eugen of Württemberg by his second marriage with Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. He married secondly in a morganatic marriage on 14 February 1890 at Gera to Friederike Graetz (1851–1907), daughter of Johann Philipp Graetz and Augusta Neiss.
The 20th (2nd Württemberg) Uhlans "King William I" (Ulanen-Regiment "König Wilhelm I." (2. Württembergisches) Nr. 20) was a cavalry regiment of the Army of Württemberg. The regiment was formed as dragoons in 1809, and was reorganized as uhlans in 1871. The regiment took part in Napoleon's Russian campaign, the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian war. In World War I it served as divisional cavalry for the 26th (1st Württemberg) Division. Formally disbanded on May 1, 1919, the regiment existed until September 1920 as Abwicklungsstelle. The 1st Squadron/18th Horse bore the regiment's tradition in the new Reichsheer. This particular regiment was also known as the "Queen's Guard", as the Queen was the "Colonel-In-Chief" of the regiment. Uhlan regiments were used in close attack or pursuit of an enemy. Lances adorned with banners and streamers were used when routing the enemy from the field. The troopers were also typically issued with a single action carbine rifle, a pistol and a dress sabre (which had the regiment, unit number and insignia engraved into the blade). On release from service, an officer was responsible for his own clothing for the trip home. If he had brought his own clothing in, he was expected to wear it out. Equipment and saddlery belonged to the army, but could be purchased.
The Principality of Reuss-Gera (German: Fürstentum Reuß-Gera), called the Principality of the Reuss Junior Line (German: Fürstentum Reuß jüngerer Linie) after 1848, was a sovereign state in modern Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. It was one of the successor states of the Imperial County of Reuss. The Counts Reuss, with their respective capitals and Residenzen at Gera, Schleiz, Lobenstein, Köstritz and Ebersdorf, were all elevated to the title of prince (Fürst) in 1806. Their successor branch heads shared that title, while their cadets were also each titled prince (Prinz). Thus all males of the family were properly "Prince Heinrich (Roman numeral) Reuss, J.L.", without use of a nobiliary particle, although for convenience their branch names remained in colloquial use (for example, "Prince Heinrich I Reuss of Köstritz"). The territories of four separate branches of the Junior Line amalgamated between 1824 and 1848, at which time the senior branch of Gera retained sovereignty over the surviving cadet branches, which retained succession rights to the princely throne. In 1905, the principality of Reuss Junior Line had an area of 827 km2 (319 square miles) and a
population of 145,000, with Gera as its capital. The House of Reuss practises a unique system of naming and numbering the male members of the family, every one of whom for centuries has borne the name "Heinrich", followed by a Roman numeral. While most royal and noble houses assign a regnal number only to the ruling head of the house, and that in the sequential order of their reigns, the Reuss Junior Line ("Reuss, J.L.") used a numbering sequence for all male family members which began afresh with the first son born in each century. The male children within a single nuclear family need not bear sequential numbers, as all members of the larger family share the common numbering system.
Awards: Insignia and sash of the Reussian Cross of Honour, Collar and star of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, Stars of the Order of the Rue Crown and the Saxe-Ernestine House Order.
