Line of succession to the former Hessian throne

The Electorate of Hesse was abolished in 1866 when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia, while the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine came to an end in 1918. Like most former German realms of the Holy Roman Empire the succession in Hessian lands was semi-Salic, with the nearest female kinswoman of the last male inheriting the crown upon extinction of the dynasty in the male line. The current pretender to both Hessian thrones is Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse, from the electoral line of the family, which inherited its claim to the grand duchy following the death of Prince Louis of Hesse and by Rhine in 1968. Donatus became head of the House of Hesse on the death of his father, Prince Moritz, in 2013. Landgrave Donatus is the titular Grand Duke and Elector of Hesse.

Hesse-Kassel[edit]

• Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse (1868-1940)
  • Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse (1896-1980)
    • Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse (1923-2013)
      • Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse (born 1966)
        • (1)Moritz, Hereditary Prince of Hesse (born 2007)
        • (2)Prince August of Hesse (born 2012)
      • (3) Prince Philipp of Hesse (born 1970)
        • (4) Prince Tito of Hesse (born 2008)
  • Prince Christoph of Hesse (1901-1943)
    • (5) Prince Karl Adolf of Hesse (born 1937)
      • (6) Prince Christoph of Hesse (born 1969)
    • (7) Prince Rainer of Hesse (born 1939)

Line of Succession in 1866[edit]

•  Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1720-1785)
  •  William I, Elector of Hesse (1743-1821)
    •  William II, Elector of Hesse (1777-1847)
      •  Frederick William, Elector of Hesse (born 1802)
  • Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel (1747-1837)
    • (1) Prince William of Hesse-Kassel (born 1787)
      • (2) Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel (born 1820)
        • (3) Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel (born 1854)
        • (4) Prince Alexander Frederick of Hesse-Kassel (born 1863)
    • (5) Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassel (born 1790)
    • (6) Prince Georg Karl of Hesse-Kassel (born 1793)

Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld and Hesse-Philippsthal[edit]

The Landgraviate of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld was annexed by Prussia in 1866. The main branch of Hesse-Philippsthal was extinguished in 1925, thus making the Barchfeld branch the only surviving one of the Hesse-Philippsthal line.

• Chlodwig, titular Landgrave 1905–54, inherited Hesse-Philippsthal as well in 1925 (1876–1954)
  • Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1905–1942)
    • Wilhelm, titular Landgrave 1954–present (born 1933)
      • (1) Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 1963)
        • (2) Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 2005)
        • (3) Prince Philipp August of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 2006)
        • (4) Prince Konrad of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 2007)
      • Prince Otto of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1965-2020)
        • (5) Prince Max of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 1999)
        • (6) Prince Moritz of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 2007)
        • (7) Prince Leopold of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 2009)
    • Prince Hermann of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1935-2019)
      • (8) Prince Alexis of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 1977)

Lines of Succession in 1866[edit]

•  Philip, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (1655-1721)
  •  Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (1682-1770)
    •  William, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (1726-1810)
      •  Ernest Constantine, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (1771-1849)
        •  Charles II, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal (born 1803)
          • (1) Hereditary Prince Ernest of Hesse-Philippsthal (born 1846)
  •  William, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1692-1761)
    •  Adolph, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1743-1803)
      •  Charles, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1784-1854)
        •  Alexis, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 1829)
        • (1) Prince William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (born 1831)

Line of Succession to the Grand Duchy of Hesse in November 1918[edit]

•  Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse (born 1868)
  • (1) Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse (born 1906)
  • (2) Prince Louis of Hesse and by Rhine (born 1908)