Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern

Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (German: ; 7 September 1811 – 2 June 1885) was the last reigning prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen before the territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1849. Afterwards, he continued to be titular prince of his house and – with the death of the last prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen in 1869 – of the entire Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern. He served as Minister President of Prussia from 1858 to 1862, the only Hohenzollern prince to hold that post. His second son, Karl, became king of Romania. The offer of the throne of Spain to his eldest son, Leopold, was one of the causes of the Franco-Prussian War, which led to the unification of Germany and the creation of the German Empire.

Family and studies Karl Anton was born at Krauchenwies Castle in Sigmaringen, the second child of Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1785–1853) and the French princess Marie Antoinette Murat (1793–1847). Karl Anton studied law in Geneva, at the Universities of Tübingen and Göttingen, and at the Humboldt University of Berlin. After finishing school he was active in the Estates Assembly (a form of parliament) and in the administration of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.

On 31 October 1834 he married Princess Josephine of Baden (21 October 1813 – 19 June 1900), daughter of Grand Duke Carl of Baden. They had six children: Leopold (22 September 1835 – 8 June 1905) – was offered but did not take the throne of Spain Stephanie (15 July 1837 – 17 July 1859) – married Peter V of Portugal Karl (20 April 1839 – 10 October 1914) – King of Romania Anton (7 October 1841 – 6 August 1866) – died in battle during the Austro-Prussian War Friedrich (25 June 1843 – 2 December 1904) Marie (17 November 1845 – 26 November 1912) – married Prince Philippe of Belgium and became the mother of King Albert I of Belgium. Princeship and abdication

On 27 August 1848, in the face of the events surrounding the German revolutions of 1848–1849, Prince Karl resigned in favor of his son, Karl Anton, who originally intended to renounce the sovereign rights of the state. He negotiated with the provisional government of the Frankfurt Parliament, but the negotiations did not lead to any results. Within the principality, the revolutionary movement became increasingly radicalized, leading to a dispute with the estates over the princely domains that forced Karl Anton to temporarily leave Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. On 7 December 1849, Prince Karl Anton signed the state treaty with Prussia,

Ancestry