HohenzollernSigmaringen

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is a Catholic cadet branch of the German princely House of Hohenzollern. The name derives from Sigmaringen, a town and castle in what is now Baden-Württemberg, Germany, around which the line established its territorial identity.

Historically, the family ruled the small sovereign entity known as the Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen within the Holy Roman Empire. The line emerged from the Hohenzollern territory partitions and held Sigmaringen as its seat for centuries. The principality maintained its own government and calendar of succession until its mediatisation in the early 19th century, and its sovereignty effectively ended in 1806, when the territory was incorporated into the Kingdom of Württemberg. The princes retained their titles and certain estates, continuing to play a ceremonial and aristocratic role rather than a ruling one.

A notable aspect of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen lineage is its connection to the Romanian royal family. In 1866, Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was elected ruler of Romania as Carol I; he was later proclaimed King Carol I in 1881, inaugurating the Romanian branch of the family’s influence that lasted until the mid-20th century.

Today, the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen line remains a prominent noble family with its historic seat at Sigmaringen Castle. The house continues to be involved in cultural and charitable activities, while its members no longer exercise sovereign authority.