Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line (10 November 1858 – 21 November 1928) was the last reigning Prince Reuss Younger Line from 1913 to 1918. Then he became Head of the House of Reuss Younger Line from 1918 to 1928.

Early life

Heinrich XXVII was born at Gera, into the Reuss of Schleiz, younger branch of an ancient House of Reuss, as the eldest child of Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line (1832–1913), (son of Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line, and Princess Adelheid Reuss-Ebersdorf) and his wife, Duchess Agnes of Württemberg (1835–1886), (daughter of Duke Eugen of Württemberg and Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg).

Prince Reuss Younger Line

At the death of his father on 29 March 1913 he inherited the throne of the Principality. He also continued as regent of Reuss Elder Line, because of a physical and mental disability of Prince Heinrich XXIV due to an accident in his childhood. Prince Heinrich XXVII abdicated on 11 November 1918 after the first stage of the German Revolution, likewise all German monarchies which are also abolished (except the last king of Württemberg who abdicated only at the end of the month, on 30 November). With the death of Heinrich XXIV in 1927, the Elder Line became extinct and its titles passed to Heinrich XXVII, who thus became the sole Prince Reuss.

Marriage and issue

Heinrich XXVII married on 11 November 1884 at Langenburg to Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1864–1929), member of the House of Hohenlohe, second child and elder daughter of Hermann, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and his wife, Princess Leopoldine of Baden. They had five children:

Death

Heinrich XXVII died in Gera, on 21 November 1928, aged 70. He is buried in the Reuss family mausoleum, in the park of Schloss Ebersdorf, Thuringia, Germany.

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