Schwarzburg, an old princely family of Germany, which traces its descent from a Thuringian count, Günther, whom St Boniface converted to Christianity. The first to adopt the title of Schwarzburg was Count Sizzo IV., early in the 12th century. Count Günther XXXIX., who introduced the reformation into his states, was the common ancestor of the two existing lines of the Schwarzburg family: his son Johann Günther founded the line of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, and Albert that of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
SCHWARZBURG-RUDOLSTADT, a sovereign principality of the German empire, consists of the upper lordship (283 sq. m. and 79 per cent. of the pop.) in the Thüringer Wald, surrounded by the Saxon duchies of Weimar, Altenburg, and Meiningen, and the lower lordship (80 sq. m. and 21 per cent. of the pop.), lying 40 miles to the north in Prussian Saxony. Pop. 85,863. Both divisions are mountainous; in the lower lordship stands the Kyffhäuser (1545 feet), under which, according to the legend, Frederick Barbarossa sleeps. In the lower lordship agriculture is the mainstay of the people; in the upper manufacturing industry (porcelain, glass, machinery, mathematical instruments, &c.), mining, forestry, and grazing. Education stands at a high level. The constitution is in principle that of a constitutional monarchy, the head of the state being the prince. The national assembly consists of sixteen members, elected every three years. Capital, Rudolstadt.
SCHWARZBURG-SONDERSHAUSEN, a sovereign principality of Germany, consists of the lower lordship (200 sq. m. and 51½ per cent. of pop.) in Prussian Saxony and two separate portions constituting the upper lordship (132 sq. m. and 48½ per cent. of pop.) in the Thüringer Wald, surrounded by the Saxon duchies of Gotha, Weimar, and Meiningen. Pop. 75,510. The occupations are the same as for Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, and distributed in the same way. The government is in the hands of the prince and an assembly of fifteen members, ten elected by the people, five nominated by the prince. Capital, Sondershausen.