Sovereign: Hans Adam II Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (Zürich, Switzerland, February 14, 1945).
Son of Franz Josef II Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (1906-1989) and Gina Countess Wilczek (1921-1989).
Succeeds his father Franz Josef Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (1906-November 13th, 1989).
Inauguration: Castle grounds, Schloss Vaduz, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, August 15th, 1990.
Motto:
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Married (1967): Marie Countess Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau (1940).
Children:
* Alois Hereditary Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (Zürich, Switzerland, June 11th, 1968), married (1993): Sophie Duchess in Bavaria (1967). They have four children: Joseph Wenzel (1995), Marie Caroline (1996), Georg Antonius (1999) and Nikolaus (2000).
* Maximilian Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (1969), married (2000): Angela Brown (1958). They have one son: Alfons (2001).
* Constantin Prince von und zu Liechtenstein (1972), married (1999): Marie Countess Kalnóky (1975). They have two children: Moritz (2003) and Georgina (2005).
* Tatjana Princess von und zu Liechtenstein (1973), married (1999): Philipp von Lattorf (1968). They have one son, Lukas Maria (2000), and four daughters, Elisabeth (2002), Marie (2004), Camilla (2005) and Anna (2007).
Address:
Vaduz Castle
9490 Vaduz
Principality of Liechtenstein
Titles: The sovereign is His Serene Highness, Prince von und zu Liechtenstein, Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, Count of Rietberg, Ostfriesland and Vaduz, Lord of the Kuenringe, Schellenberg, Feldsberg, Kromau and Ostrau. All other members of the dynasty are Prince(ss) von und zu Liechtenstein, Count(ess) of Rietberg.
Succession: The succession of the throne is according to the right of the first born male. If there is no male heir anymore, the throne goes to the princess, who in order of age, is closest to the last Prince. Afterwards the principle of male succession is in force again. Each marriage of a dynast needs the approval of the Prince. It is not needed anymore that the wife of a prince of Liechtenstein is from noble birth. Divorce is not tolerated.
History
The Princes of Liechtenstein perhaps descend from the Donauwörth family, landlords of Bavaria, who probably lived in Lower Austria in the 13th century. The name comes from the Liechtenstein castle in Mödling, southern from Vienna. The family is one of the oldest noble families in Austria. The first known ancestor of the house of Liechtenstein was Hugo of Liechtenstein, mentioned around 1140. His descendants obtained lots of land in the Habsburg Empire. In 1608 they became Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Troppau in 1613, and Prince and Duke of Jägerndorf in 1623. In 1699 Prince Johann Adam, bought Schellenberg and in 1712 the county of Vaduz. Prince Joseph Wenzel exchanged the property for other property with his uncle Anton Florian, who had been the teacher of the later Emperor Karl VI. On January 23rd, 1719, after uniting Schellenberg and Vaduz, the Emperor created the Principality of Liechtenstein , named after its reigning family, which is unique. It is the only state of the Holy Roman Empire in the German branche that still exists. For a long time the Princes reigned the country from their houses in Vienna.
Liechtenstein became fully independent during the French occupation, after becoming a member of the Rhine Alliance in 1806. The first Prince who visited Liechtenstein was Alois II in 1842. The first constitution and the government were given in 1862 by Prince Johann II (who reigned from 1858 to 1929!), who visited his country from time to time and was very interested in the welfare of it. His brother Prince Franz II followed and died in 1938. Prince Franz Joseph II, son of Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and Arch Duchess Elisabeth of Austria, was the first Prince who actually lived in Liechtenstein at Vaduz Castle. Under his reign the country became a modern state. He was able to keep the country neutral in World War II. In 1989 (in 1984 as a regent) he was followed by his son Hans Adam II. He married Marie Countess Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau in 1967. They got four children: Alois (1968), Maximilian (1969), Constantin (1972) and Tatjana (1973). Since 1993 Hereditary Prince Alois is married to Sophie Duchess in Bavaria. They have four children: Joseph Wenzel (1995), Marie-Caroline(1996), Georg Antonius (1999) and Nikolaus (2000).
The Princes of Liechtenstein
| Johann Adam I (1656?-1712) | 1699/1712-1712 |
| Josef Wenzel (1696-1772) | 1718; 1748-1772 |
| Anton Florian (1656-1721) | 1718-1721 |
| Josef Johann (1690-1732) | 1721-1732 |
| Johann Nepomuk Karl (1724-1748) | 1732-1748 |
| Franz Josef I (1726-1781) | 1772-1781 |
| Alois I Josef (1759-1805) | 1781-1805 |
| Johann I (1760-1836) | 1805-1836 |
| Alois II (1796-1858) | 1836-1858 |
| Johannes II (1840-1929) | 1858-1929 |
| Franz I (1853-1938) | 1929-1938 |
| Franz Josef II (1906-1989) | 1938-1989 |
| Hans Adam II (1945- ) | 1989- |