Gunther Friedrich Charles II (Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen)

Prince Gunther Friedrich Charles II is the son of Prince Gunther Friedrich Karl I of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and his wife Karolina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1774-1854), daughter of Prince Frederick Karl of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt . Carolina's mother had a significant influence on the upbringing of her son, with whom he repeatedly traveled abroad. The Duke of Gunther grew up an enlightened and progressively minded person. He inherited his father in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen after his abdication on August 17, 1835, and a few years later began state reforms. The Principality as early as 1835 joined the German Customs Union . On the day of his 40th birthday, September 24, 1841, Gunther Friedrich Karl gave the principality a constitution. In accordance with it, the first Landtag was convened on September 7, 1843. However, during the 1848 revolution, a wave of uprisings swept through Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, affecting mainly both the large cities of Arnstadt and Sondershausen, as well as Hehren and Ebeleben , which led to the occupation of the principality by the Prussian and Saxon-Thuringian troops. According to the results of the revolution, on December 12, 1849, a new liberal constitution came into force in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, restricting the rule of the prince. The constitution did not last in this form for long, on July 8, 1857, it was revised with the restoration of the previous order. With age, the views of Prince Gunther Friedrich Karl became more conservative. In 1866, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen voted against Austria's demand for mobilization for a war with Prussia and joined the North German Union . Thus, the principality transferred the supreme military power to Prussia. In 1868, the prince received the rank of major general of the Prussian army , since 1871 he was the chief of the 71st infantry regiment. In the same year he was promoted to lieutenant general , and then in 1879 - to the general from infantry .

With the formation of the German Empire in 1871, the principality became a part of it. Under Prince Gunther, Frederick Charles II, industrialization began in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The first section of the railway connected in 1867 Arnstadt with Erfurt, which in 1869 was extended to the capital of the Principality of Sondeshausen. Industrialization led to an economic upsurge in the principality, which gradually turned from a poor agricultural state into at least partially industrial, although it remained one of the most backward parts of Thuringia.

Under Prince Gunther, Frederick Charles II, active construction unfolded in Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The palace-residence in Sondershausen, the prince decided to rebuild in the then fashionable neoclassical style under the leadership of Karl Sheppig , a student of Karl Friedrich Schinkel . Due to financial difficulties and the divorce of the princely couple, these plans were only partially realized. Prince Gunther Friedrich Charles II, who reached an advanced age and suffered from eye disease, transferred power to Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to his son Karl Gunther .

Prince Gunther Frederick Charles II was married twice. His first wife on March 12, 1827 was Carolina Irena Maria (1809-1833), daughter of Karl Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. The spouses were born:

• Gunter Friedrich Karl Alexander (1828-1833)
• Elizabeth Carolina Louise (1829-1893)
• Karl Gunther (1830-1909), Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, married to Maria Gasparin of Saxe-Altenburg , daughter of Prince Edward of Saxe-Altenburg
• Leopold (1832-1906)

For the second time, the prince married on May 29, 1835, Matilda (1814-1888), daughter of Augustus of Hohenlohe-Ehringen . Their divorce was issued on May 5, 1852. In this marriage were born:

• Maria (1837-1921)
• Hugo (1839-1871)

• HF Apfelstedt: Das Haus Kevernburg-Schwarzburg von seinem Ursprunge bis auf unsere Zeit ISBN 3-910132-29-4
• Dr. Kamill von Behr: Genealogie der in Europa regierenden Fürstenhäuser , Leipzig 1870