Salm (state)


Salm is the name of several historic countships and principalities in present Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

History

Origins and first division

The County of Salm arose in the tenth century in Vielsalm, in the Ardennes region of present Belgium. It was ruled by a junior branch of the House of Ardenne–Luxembourg, called the House of Salm.
In 1165, it was divided into the counties of Lower Salm, in the Ardennes, situated in Belgium and Luxembourg, and the county of Upper Salm, situated in the Vosges mountains, present France.

Upper Salm

In 1246 the County of Upper Salm was split up, and the County of Salm-Blankenburg came into existence, next to it.
In 1431 the County of Upper Salm was split up again, and the County of Salm-Badenweiler came into existence, next to it.
The County of Upper Salm was inherited by the Wild- and Rhinegraves in 1475, who then called their fief the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Upper Salm.
In 1499 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm was divided up into two entities, the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Kyrburg and the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Dhaun.

Salm-Blankenburg

The county became extinct in 1506, and was inherited by the House of Lorraine.

Salm-Badenweiler

In 1520 the County of Salm-Badenweiler was split up, and the County of Salm-Neuburg came into existence, next to it. In 1653 the fief was inherited by the Austrian House of Sinzendorf, but the House of Salm kept using the title until 1784, when the last lord died.
The county was annexed by the House of Lorraine from 1600 until 1608, when it came back into the family. 1670 the territory was finally annexed by France.

Salm-Brandenbourg

In 1490, Anne d'Haraucourt, Dame of Brandenbourg married Count Johann VI of Salm. As the only child of her parents, she inherited Brandenbourg and brought it into the House of Salm. It was first inherited by her childless grandson, Count Claudius of Salm, who left the territory to his younger brother, Count Paul of Salm. His only surviving child, Christina of Salm, was his sole heir. In 1600, she also inherited Badenweiler possessions of her uncle. After that, a division took place: some of her possessions were kept with her and later inherited by the House of Lorraine; another half was kept within the House of Salm. From this Salm half later emerged the Principality of Salm.

Salm-Kyrburg

In 1607 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Kyrburg was divided in three by splitting off the Wild- and Rhinagraviate of Salm-Mörchingen and the Wild- and Rhinagraviate of Salm-Tronecken from the original Wild- and Rhinegraviate. In 1637 the lord of Salm-Tronecken died and his territories were joined with.... In 1681 the last lord of Salm-Kyrburg died, and his territories were joined with Salm-Mörchingen.
In 1688 the last lord of Salm-Mörchingen died. His territories were joined with....
In 1743 a completely new territory of Salm-Kyrburg was created, this time the Principality of Salm-Kyrburg. It was shortly annexed by France in 1811 and mediatised in 1813. But the family kept using the titles.

Salm-Dhaun

In 1561 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Neuweiler and the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Grumbach were split off Salm-Dhaun.
In 1697 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Püttlingen was split off Salm-Dhaun.
In 1748 the Salm-Dhaun branch of the family became extinct, its territories went to the branch of Salm-Püttlingen.
Salm-Püttlingen
Salm-Püttlingen became extinct in 1750. Their territories passed to Salm-Dhaun. Caroline of Salm was the heiress and, after her, her grandson Dominic Constantine, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort.
Salm-Neuweiler
In 1610 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm was split off Salm-Neuweiler. It was elevated to the Principality of Salm in 1623.
In 1803, when the Bishopric of Münster was secularized, part of it was given to the princes of Salm-Salm who by then already were in possession of the Lordship of Anholt. This new Principality of Salm, covering the area around Borken, Ahaus and Bocholt, was a member of the Confederation of the Rhine. In 1810 it was annexed by France, as a part of the Imperial département of Lippe. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, it was mediatized to Prussia. The family branch exist until today.
In 1696 Salm-Neuweiler was divided in two, the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Leuze and the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Hoogstraten. Their lands were incorporated into Belgium. The branches became extinct in 1887 and 1186.
Salm-Grumbach
In 1668 the Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Rheingrafenstein-Grenzweiler was split off Salm-Grumbach. It was mediatised and incorporated into Prussia. The branch extinction occurred in 1819.
In 1803 Salm-Grumbach was annexed by France. The lords of Salm-Grumbach received the Principality of Salm-Horstmar as compensation in 1803. It was mediatised in 1813. The family branch sold its titles to Salm-Salm in 1892.

List of states

  • 1019–'1165 : County of Salm
  • * 1165–1416 : County of Lower Salm / 1416–1628 : County of Salm-Reifferscheid / 1628-1639 Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid
  • ** 1639–1803 : Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedburg
  • *** 1803–1804 : Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim
  • **** 1804–1806 : Principality of Salm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim
  • *** 1734–1790 : County of Salm-Reifferscheid-Raitz
  • **** 1790–1811 : Principality of Salm-Reifferscheid-Raitz
  • *** 1734–1811 : County of Salm-Reifferscheid-Hainsbach
  • ** 1639–1806 : Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck
  • * 1165–1475 : County of Upper Salm / 1475-1499 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Upper Salm
  • ** 1210–1500 : County of Salm-Blankenburg
  • ** 1431–1670 : County of Salm-Badenweiler
  • *** 1490–1600 :County of Salm-Brandenbourg
  • *** 1520–1784 : County of Salm-Neuburg
  • ** 1499–1748 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Dhaun
  • *** 1697–1750 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Püttlingen
  • *** 1561–1696 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Neuweiler
  • **** 1574-1738 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Salm
  • ***** 1738–1810 : Principality of Salm-Salm
  • **** 1696–1742 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Leuze
  • ***** 1742–1743 : Principality of Salm-Leuze
  • **** 1696–1738 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Hoogstraten
  • *** 1561–1803 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Grumbach
  • **** 1803–1813 : Principality of Salm-Horstmar
  • **** 1668-????' Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Rheingrafenstein-Grenzweiler
  • ** 1499–1681 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Kyrburg
  • *** 1607-1637 : Wild and Rhinegraviate of Salm-Tronecken
  • *** 1607–1688 : Wild- and Rhinegraviate Salm-Mörchingen
  • ** 1743–1810' : Principality of Salm-Kyrburg

    Rulers

[House of Salm]

The successors of the House of Salm: the Reiffersheidt family

The counts of Lower Salm became extinct in 1416, and the county was inherited by the House of Reifferscheid-Dyck. In 1628 the county was elevated to an altgraviate, and henceforth the fief was renamed the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid.
In 1639 the Altgraviate was divided up into the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedburg, to the Northwest of Cologne, and the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck, Neuss.
House of Reifferscheidt-Dyck
House of Reifferscheidt-Dyck
  • Erik Adolf
  • Francis William
  • Charles Anthony
  • Sigismund
  • Francis William, reign last altgrave, first prince died 1831

    Salm-Reifferscheidt-Raitz and Salm-Reifferscheidt-Hainsbach

In 1734 the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedburg was divided in three by splitting off the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Raitz, from Bohemian descent, and the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Hainsbach from the original altgraviate.
In 1803 the, smaller, Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedburg was renamed the Altgraviate of Salm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim. In 1804 it was raised to a principality, und existed until 1806, when it was mediatised.
House of Reifferscheid-Dyck
House of Reifferscheidt-Dyck
  • Leopold Anthony
  • Francis Wenceslaus, died 1832

    Titular princes post-Prussian mediatization (1806/11-)

House of Salm

Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Kyrburg

  • Frederick IV, first mediatised prince
  • Frederick V
  • Frederick VI Louis

    Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Salm

  • Constantin Alexander, first mediatised prince
  • Florentin
  • Alfred I
  • Nicolas Leopold II
  • Alfred II
  • Nicolas Leopold III
  • Charles-Philip
  • * Emanuel, heir

    House of Reifferscheidt

Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck

  • Joseph in pretence
  • Alfred, title to branch of Salm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim

    Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim

  • Francis William, 1806-1831
  • Constantin, title in pretence
  • Francis Charles
  • Leopold
  • Alfred

    Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Hainsbach

  • Francis Wenceslaus, title in pretence
  • Francis Vincent
  • John
  • Francis Joseph
  • Alois

    Post-mediatized princes of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Raitz

  • Hugh I Francis, title in pretence
  • Hugh II Charles
  • Hugh III
  • Hugh IV
  • Hugh V Leopold
  • Hugh VI
  • Hugh VII