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Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. The Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen ruled over a small principality in southwest Germany. Unlike the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg, the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringens and their cousins of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, the seniormost branch of the House of Hohenzollern, remained Roman Catholic.

In 1849, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen were annexed by Prussia. The annexation of their state did not, however, mean the end of the importance of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The last Prince, Karl Anton, served as Minister-President of Prussia from 1858 to 1861. Karl Anton's second son, Karl Eitel Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became prince (1866–1881) and then king (1881–1914) of Romania, under the name Carol -- Romanian for 'Karl' -- and the house remained on the throne until the end of the monarchy in 1947. French opposition to the candidacy of Carol's elder brother Prince Leopold for the throne of Spain triggered the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), which led to the founding (January 1871) of the German Empire.

Contents 1 Counts of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 1576–1623 2 Princes (Fürsten) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 1623–1849 3 Princes (Fürsten) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern after the annexation of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 4 Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen Princes of Romania, 1866-1881 5 Kings of Romania, 1881-1947 (Princes to 1881)

• Karl II 1576–1606
• Johann 1606–1623

• Johann 1623–1638
• Meinrad I 1638–1681
• Maximilian 1681–1689
• Meinrad II 1689–1715
• Joseph Franz Ernst 1715–1769
• Karl Friedrich 1769–1785
• Anton Aloys 1785–1831
• Karl 1831–1848
• Karl Anton 1848–1849

• Karl Anton 1849–1885 (became Prince of Hohenzollern on the death of the last Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1869)
• Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1885–1905
• Prince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1905–1927
• Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1927–1965
• Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 1965–present
  • Karl Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern b. 1952

• Carol I 1866–1881

• Carol I 1881–1914
• Ferdinand 1914–1927
• Michael 1927–1930; 1940–1947
• Carol II 1930–1940

See also: Sigmaringen, Line of succession to the Romanian throne