Editing Hesse (section)

==== French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars ====
In 1789 the [[French Revolution]] began and in 1794, during the [[War of the First Coalition]], the [[First French Republic|French Republic]] occupied the [[Left Bank of the Rhine]], including part of Lower Katzenelnbogen ({{lang|de|{{ill|Niedergrafschaft Katzenelnbogen|de}}}}, Hesse-Kassel's part of the former [[County of Katzenelnbogen]] which was held by the [[appanage]] [[Landgraviate of Hesse-Rotenburg|Hesse-Rotenburg]]). [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Francis II]] formally recognised the annexation of the Left Bank in the 1801 [[Treaty of Lunéville]]. This led in 1803 to the {{lang|de|[[Reichsdeputationshauptschluss]]}}, a substantial reorganisation ([[German mediatisation|mediatisation]]) of the states and territories of the Empire. Several [[exclave]]s of [[Electorate of Mainz|Mainz]] were mediatised to [[Hesse-Kassel]] and [[Hesse-Darmstadt]], and Hesse-Darmstadt also gained the [[Duchy of Westphalia]] from [[Electorate of Cologne|Cologne]], the parts of [[Prince-Bishopric of Worms|Worms]] on the right-bank of the Rhine, and the former [[Free Imperial City|Free City]] of [[Friedberg, Hesse|Friedberg]]. [[Nassau-Weilburg]] gained the right-bank territories of [[Electorate of Trier|Trier]] among other territories. [[Principality of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau]] gained the [[Prince-Bishopric of Fulda]] (as the [[Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda]]). The [[Landgrave]] of Hesse-Kassel was also elevated to the status of [[Prince-Elector]] ({{lang|de|Kurfürst}}), with his state thereby becoming the [[Electorate of Hesse]] or Electoral Hesse ({{langx|de|Kurhessen|link=no}}, {{lang|de|Kur}} being the German-language term for the Empire's [[Electoral College (Holy Roman Empire)|College of Electors]]).{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In July 1806 Hesse-Darmstadt, Nassau-Weilburg, [[Nassau-Usingen]], and the newly merged [[Principality of Isenburg]] became founding members of [[Napoleon]]'s [[Confederation of the Rhine]]. Hesse-Darmstadt expanded further in the resulting mediatisation, absorbing numerous small states (including [[Hesse-Homburg]] and much of the territory of the Houses of {{ill|House of Solms|lt=Solms|de|Solms (Adelsgeschlecht)}}, {{ill|House of Erbach|de|lt=Erbach|Erbach (Adelsgeschlecht)}} and [[Sayn-Wittgenstein]]). It was also elevated by Napoleon to the status of [[Grand Duchy]], becoming the [[Grand Duchy of Hesse]]. Orange-Nassau, which refused to join the Confederation, lost [[Nassau-Siegen|Siegen]], [[Nassau-Dillenburg|Dillenburg]], [[Nassau-Hadamar|Hadamar]] and [[Beilstein, Hesse|Beilstein]] to [[Grand Duchy of Berg|Berg]] and Fulda to the [[Prince-primate#Germany - Confederation of the Rhine|Prince-Primate]] of the Confederation (and former Elector of Mainz) [[Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg|Karl Theodor von Dalberg]]; the remainder of its territory was merged with that of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in August 1806 to form the [[Duchy of Nassau]]. [[Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont|Waldeck]] also joined the Confederation in 1807.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

[[Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire|The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in August 1806]], rendering Hesse-Kassel's electoral privilege meaningless. Hesse-Kassel was occupied by the French in October 1806 and the remainder of Lower Katzenelnbogen was annexed to the [[First French Empire|French Empire]] as {{lang|fr|{{ill|Pays réservé de Catzenellenbogen|de}}}}. The rest of its territory was annexed to the [[Kingdom of Westphalia]] in 1807; [[Hesse-Hanau]] (a [[secundogeniture]] of Hesse-Kassel) was annexed to the [[Grand Duchy of Frankfurt]] in 1810 along with the other territories held by the Prince-primate: Frankfurt, Fulda, [[Principality of Aschaffenburg|Aschaffenburg]] and [[Wetzlar#Free Imperial City|Wetzlar]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

As a result of the [[German campaign of 1813]] the Kingdom of Westphalia and the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt were dissolved and Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau were restored; Orange-Nassau was also restored in its territories previously lost to Berg.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

As a result of the 1815 [[Congress of Vienna]] Hesse-Kassel gained Fulda (roughly the western third of the former Prince-Bishopric, the rest of which went to [[Kingdom of Bavaria|Bavaria]] and [[Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]]) from Frankfurt and part of Isenburg, while several of its small northern [[exclave]]s were absorbed into [[Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover]], some small eastern areas were ceded to Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Lower Katzenelnbogen was ceded to Nassau. Hesse-Darmstadt lost the Duchy of Westphalia and the Sayn-Wittgensteiner lands to the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]]n [[Province of Westphalia]] but gained territory on the left bank of the Rhine centred on Mainz, which became known as [[Rhenish Hesse]] ({{lang|de|Rheinhessen}}), and the remainder of Isenburg. Orange-Nassau, whose ruler was now also King [[William I of the Netherlands|William I]] of [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands|the Netherlands]] and Grand Duke of Luxembourg, was ceded to Prussia but most of its territory aside from Siegen was then ceded on to Nassau. Hesse-Homburg and the [[Free City of Frankfurt]] were also restored.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

While the other former Electors had gained other titles, becoming either Kings or [[Grand Duke]]s, the Elector of Hesse-Kassel alone retained the anachronistic title of Prince-Elector; a request to be recognised as "King of the [[Chatti]]" ({{lang|de|König der Katten}}) was rejected by the Congress.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Following mediation, the Congress of Vienna had significantly fewer states remained in the region that is now Hesse: the Hessian states, Nassau, Waldeck and Frankfurt. The Kingdoms of Prussia and Bavaria also held some territory in the region. The Congress established the [[German Confederation]], of which they all became members. Hesse-Hanau was (re-)absorbed into Hesse-Kassel in 1821.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}