Place:Hildburghausen, Thüringen, Germany

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Hildburghausen is a district in Thuringia, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Thuringia, the city of Suhl (town), Thuringia, the districts of Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Thuringia and Sonneberg, and the state of Bavaria (districts of Coburg, Haßberge, Bavaria and Rhön-Grabfeld, Bavaria).

History

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Despite its tiny territory this was an autonomous duchy from 1680 to 1826; in 1684 the capital was moved from Heldburg to Hildburghausen, and the mini state became known as Saxe-Hildburghausen. The dukes built a palace, a French-style park and other pompous buildings in Hildburghausen.

In 1810 a princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Therese, was married to king Ludwig I of Bavaria; this event is the (almost forgotten) reason for the Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich (city), Bavaria.

In 1826 the states of Thuringia were reorganised: the last ruler of Saxe-Altenburg died without an heir; the duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became his successor, but he had to cease his own realm to Saxe-Meiningen.

In 1868 four districts were established in the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Hildburghausen was one of these districts, and roughly identical to the former duchy. It remained almost unchanged until 1993, when the former district of Suhl was dissolved and most of its municipalities joined the district.

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