Württemberg, a kingdom of Germany, lying between Baden on the west and Bavaria on the east, and touching Switzerland (Lake of Constance) on the south. It entirely surrounds Hohenzollern, in which state, as well as in Baden, it owns several detached portions of territory. Area, 7529 sq. m. (a little larger than Wales); pop., which is nearly stationary, 2,080,898 in 1895. Chief town, Stuttgart (q.v.); Ulm, Heilbronn, Esslingen, and Cannstatt have each more than 20,000 inhabitants. The Black Forest, rising to 3776 feet, lies along its western boundary; whilst the Swabian Alb (3327 feet) stretches right across the country from west to east, forming the watershed between the Neckar and the Danube, the principal rivers of the kingdom; the northern portions belong to the Bavarian plateau. Mineral springs are plentiful. The numerous fertile valleys, favoured by a genial and temperate climate, produce wine and fruit in abundance. The breeding of live-stock is of more than average importance, 18½ per cent. of the area being grass and meadows. Forests occupy some 31 per cent. of the area. Iron, salt, and turf are extracted. The industries, varied and extensive, employ 41 per cent. of the population, the more notable branches being gold and silver work, hardware, iron-casting, machinery, philosophical and musical instruments, watches, bricks, chemicals, toys, printing and publishing, paper, tanning, brewing, silk and wool spinning, embroidery, &c. The country has for many ages been noted for its high educational standard. The national university is at Tübingen; Stuttgart is the seat of an excellent polytechnic, Hohenheim of an agricultural academy. Of the total population 68 per cent. are Protestants.
The hereditary sovereign is assisted by two houses of parliament, one an assembly of princes and the heads of certain noble families; the other consisting of twenty-three privileged members and seventy elected directly by the people for a period of six years. The national income and expenditure balance at about £3,600,000 per annum; the national debt amounts to £23,000,000, nearly all incurred for building railways. Famous Württembergers were Schiller, Uhland, Wieland, Hauff, Kerner, Ecolampadius, Schelling, Hegel, Baur, Strauss, Kepler, Dannecker, &c.
Württemberg, then occupied by the Suevi, was conquered in the 1st century by the Romans. In the 3d century it was overrun by the Alemanni, who in their turn were subdued by the Franks. The Frankish emperors included part of their territories in the Duchy of Swabia, and eventually, in or before the 13th century, conferred upon a local family the dignity of Counts of Württemberg. Count Eberhard the Illustrious (1279-1325) greatly extended the possessions and power of the family, and made Stuttgart his principal residence. Eberhard II. (1344-92) waged a long and finally successful feud against the towns of the Swabian league. From 1442 to 1482 the county was divided between two branches of the family; but in 1495 Count Eberhard V. (1480-96) was created a duke of the empire. Ulrich (1498-1552), who began to rule when only sixteen, is perhaps the best known of the dukes: his extravagance and love of display occasioned the 'Poor Conrad' peasant revolt (1514); he caused Ulrich von Hutten's cousin to be slain, whereby he roused a host of enemies—the knightly orders of the empire, the Bavarian dukes, the towns of the Swabian league, and the emperor. The ban of the empire being proclaimed against him, he was driven into exile. On his return he introduced the Reformation into his duchy; and the policy thus begun was energetically furthered by Ulrich's son Christopher (1550-68), who was likewise the author of important legislative reforms. During 1547-99 Württemberg was constrained to rank as a fief of the Austrian royal house. Though it took no direct part in the Thirty Years' War until 1634, the country suffered very greatly from the various hostile armies, especially the Imperialists, and it took all the energy and statecraft of Duke Eberhard III. (1628-74) to repair the damages and recuperate the resources of his country. Under Eberhard Ludwig (1677-1733) the French, in repeated invasions, helped the mistresses of the extravagant duke to impoverish the land anew; nor did his cousin and successor do anything to improve its condition. Karl Eugen (1737-93), the next duke, aped Louis XIV., built castles, waged war against Frederick the Great, violated the constitution by arbitrary acts, but did much in his later years to foster education and science. Frederick II. (1797-1816) brought upon himself the vengeance of Moreau in 1800, but on going over to the French was rewarded with 850 sq. m. of new territory and an addition of 125,000 subjects, as well as the dignity of Elector. In the war that Napoleon began against Austria in 1805 the Elector of Württemberg threw in his lot with the French, and his troops fought on that side down to 1813; in return for which he acquired the kingly title and an increase of territory that more than doubled the number of his subjects. The reign of the next sovereign, King William I. (1816-64), was chiefly occupied with the reorganisation of the new state and in the political conflicts that grew out of the democratic movements of 1848-49. Throwing in her lot with Austria in 1866, Württemberg was beaten at Königgrätz and Tauberbischofsheim, and her king (Charles, 1864-91) compelled to purchase peace from Prussia at the cost of an indemnity of £800,000. The successes of 1870-71 against the French called forth a more friendly feeling towards Prussia, and led to Württemberg's incorporation in the new German empire.
See the official Das Königreich Württemberg (3 vols. 1882-86); and P. Stälin, Geschichte Württembergs (1882 et seq.).