Regents of Thuringia

The Thuringians were one of those Germanic tribes that created large kingdoms during the fifth century. The Thuringian kingdom stretched from the mouth of Elbe to Danube but was destroyed by Franks and Saxons AD 531, its last king was Hermenefried. Later a considerably smaller duchy was created in Thuringia under Frankish suzerainty. This duchy became independent 639 but was subjugated by the Franks in the 8th century. The duchy was restored in the 9th century and since it also was united with a Thuringian margraviate was its regent called mark-duke. However it ceased to be a separate political entity when the duke of Saxony became its mark-duke 909. Its function of defending Germany's eastern border was taken over by the margraves of Ostmark and then the margraves of Meissen. The latter made several attempts to restore the Thuringian ducal title in the 11th century.

c. 450-500 c. 500-530 c. 500-530 c. 500-531	Bisin Baderich Berthachar Hermenefried
Thuringia is conquered by the Frankish kingdom 531 Duchy of of Thuringia (independent from 639)
c. 634-642 c. 642-687 c. 687-689 c. 689-719	Radulf Hetan I Gozbert Hetan II
Thuringia is subjugated by the Frankish kingdom Mark-dukes of Thuringia
c. 849-874 874-880 880-892 892-906 907-908	Thakulf Radulf Poppo Konrad Burchard von Wettin
The duke of Saxony become new mark-duke 909 whereupon Thuringia is united with this land. Dukes of Thuringia
1000-1002 1002-1003 1046-1062 1062-1067	Ekkehard Wilhelm (II) von Weimar Wilhelm (IV) von Weimar Otto von Weimar

During the 11th century did the Ludowingian dynasty acquire several counties in Thuringia and Hesse and these were 1130 transformed into the landgraviate of Thuringia. When the Ludowingian dynasty became extinct 1247 a long war of the succession erupted and it resulted in the separation of Thuringia and Hesse. Thuringia became instead a part of the lands of the house of Wettin, which included the margraviate of Meissen. Albrecht the Decadent sold all of his possessions to the German king Adolf 1293 but the House of Wettin managed to regain these lands after throne wars during the early 14th century.

1031-1056 1056-1123 1123-1140 1140-1172 1172-1190 1190-1216 1216-1227 1227-1241 1241-1247	Ludwig der Bärtige (the Bearded) Ludwig der Springer Ludwig I Ludwig II der Eiserne (the Iron) Ludwig III der Fromme (the Pious) Hermann I Ludwig IV der Heilige (the Holy) Hermann II Heinrich Raspe
House of Wettin
1247-1265 1265-1294	Heinrich der Erlauchte (the Illustrious) Albrecht der Entartete (the Decadent)
Houses of Nassau and Habsburg
1294-1298 1298-1307	Adolf von Nassau Albrecht (I)
House of Wettin
1298-1307 1298-1323 1323-1349 1349-1381	Dietrich (Diezmann) Friedrich der Freidige Friedrich der Ernsthafte (the Serious) Friedrich der Strenge (the Stern) *
1349-1382 1349-1406 1406-1440 1440-1445 1440-1482	Wilhelm der Einäugige (the One-eyed) Balthasar Friedrich der Friedfertige (the Peaceful) Friedrich der Sanftmütige Wilhelm der Tapfere (the Courageous)
1482-1485 1482-1486 1486-1525 1525-1532	Albrecht der Beherzte (the Brave) Ernst Friedrich III der Weise (the Wise) Johann der Beständige (the Steady)
1532-1547 1542-1553 1554-1566 1554-1572	Johann Friedrich der Grossmütige Johann Ernst Johann Friedrich II Johann Wilhelm
1572-1920 1920-1952 1952-1990 1990-	Fragmented in several Saxon duchies German part state Divided in three East German districts German part state