Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1057

 REUSS, YOUNGER BRANCH 935

heads of the house, ever since the commencement of the eleventh century, have been called Heinrich. In the year 1701 it was settled, in a family council, that the figures should not run higher than a hundred, beginning afterwards again at one. The present sovereign of Reuss-Greiz has no civil list, but a great part of the territory over which he reigns is his private property.

The Constitution, bearing date March 28, 1867, provides for a legislative body of 12 members, 3 nominated by the sovereign, 2 by the possessors of large estates, 3 elected by towns, and 4 by rural districts. The public revenue and expenditure for 1912 were estimated at 92,203^. There is no public debt.

Area, 122 square miles ; population (1910), 72,769.

The population is mainly Protestant, only 1,205 being Catholic. The capital, Greiz, has (1910) 23,245 inhabitants.

REUSS, Younger Branch.

(FiJRSTENTHUM ReUSS — JtJNGERE LiNIE. )

The reigning Prince is Heinrich XXVII., born Nov 10, 1858 ; the son of Prince Heinrich XIV. and of Princess Agnes ; succeeded his father March 31, 1913 ; married November 11, 1884, to Princess Elise, born September 4, 1864, daughter of Prince Hermann of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Offspriug : I. Princess Victoria, born April 21, 1889. II. Princess Luise Adelheid, born July 17, 1390. III. Prince Heinrich XLIII., born July 25, 1893 ; died May 13, 1912. IV. Prince Heinrich XLV., born May 13, 1895. Sister of the Reigning Prince : Princess Elisabeth, born October 27, 1859 ; married November 17, 1887, to Prince Hermann of Solms-Braunfels ; widow, August 30, 1900.

The reigning house forms a younger branch of the Reuss family. As in Reuss-Greiz, a great part of the territory of the Principality is the private property of the reigning family.

All the princes are called Heinrich, and to distinguish them they have numbers attached to their names, beginning and ending in each century. Number I. is given to the first prince of the branch born in the century, and the numbers follow in the order of birth until the century is finished, when they begin again with number I.

The Principality has a Constitution, proclaimed November 30, 1849, and modified April 14, 1852, and June 20, 1856. Under it restricted legislative rights are granted to a Diet of sixteen members, of whom three are elected by those paying the highest income-tax, and twelve by the inhabitants in general. The head of the collateral Reuss- Kostritz family is hereditarily a member. The Prince has the sole executive and part of the legislative power. In the administration of the State a cabinet of three members acts under his direction. On November 23, 1892, the hereditary prince (Heinrich XXVII.) received authority from the reigning prince to carry on the government in his name, and on April 2, 1910, in consequence of the permanent incapability of the reigning prince, the hereditary prince was appointed Recjent.

The annual estimated revenue, 138,965Z. for the financial period 1911-13, expenditure, 138,965Z. Public debt (1910), 52,027/.

Of the total population (152,752 in 1910), 147,272 were Evangelical, 3,498 Catholic, 779 other Christians, 375 Jews, 828 not included in these sects. The capital, Gera, has (1910) 49,276 inhabitants.

British Vice-Gonstd. — R. M. Tui-ner.