Reuss Older Line
(1813-1871: Reuß ältere Linie)
The Principality of Reuss Senior Line, (sometimes called Reuss Greiz) a small German state in Thuringia since 1673, was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866. The principality allied with Austria in 1866, and barely escaped annexation with an indemnity of 100,000 Thalers. Actually they were annexed but with the help of several relative heads of states they escape that fate with the payment of the fine. Half of the fine came out of the Royal coffers. – After the Austro-Prussian War, it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867. The Reuss military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 26 June 1867. It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.
Prince Heinrich XXII died in 1902, and his son Heinrich XXIV was judged mentally incapable of ruling the principality. A regent, Heinrich XXVII, was appointed from the Junior Line and ruled all of Reuss until the end of the war. Prince Heinrich XXII opposed everything Prussia wanted when he could with his single vote in the Bundesrat. He developed the nickname of Henry the naughty throughout the Prussian press.
The form of government was a hereditary constitutional monarchy. There was one chamber of parliament known as the Landtag. The 12 members of this chamber included three who were appointed by the monarch; the landowners elected universally elected seven; and two were elected from the clergy. The principality electors were known as a difficult group in the Bundesrat. The conservative principality frequently went against the Prussian party line.
The population was 74,000 in 1914, and 98 percent was Protestant. The capital was Greiz. The principality was 223 km². The soldiers were concentrated among other small states in 7. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 96 of the Prussian army.