SCHWARZBURG is a German principality consisting of two con siderable portions detached from each other, of which the southern most in called the Upper County (Ober-herrschaft), and the northernmost the Lower County (Unter-herrschaft). The Upper County (which has an area of 423 square miles) lies on the north side of the Thiiriuger-Wald, between 50° 34' and 50° 55' N. 1st, 10° 50' and 11° 20' E. long. It is bounded by the Prussian territory and the Saxon duchies, and is traversed by the rivers Gera, Sado, Ilm, and Schwarze. The Lower County (area 274 square miles) lies between 51° 13' and 25' N. lat., 10" 30' and 10° 17' E. long. It is almost surrounded by the Prussian territories. It is watered by the rivers Wipper and Helbe. The total area of the two counties is 697 square miles, and the total population at the end of 1S52 amounted to 129,835. The surface of the country is diversified with mountains, valleys, and plains, and is on the whole fertile. The Lower Connty is however more productive than the Upper, which is traversed by a part of the Thiiringer-Wald. In the Lower County is the Kyffligurser, 1458 feet high, and the Hainleite, a wooded mountain chain which begins at the river Unstrutt and extends S leagues to the west. The natural productions are corn, fruit, pota toes, flax, and pulse. The forests furnish timber for every purpose, and abound in game. The mineral productions are silver, copper, iron, lead, vitriol, sulphur,.alum, saltpetre, salt, marble, alabaster, freestone, elite, potters'-clay, porcelain-clay, and lime. Oxen and swine aro numerous; the breed of sheep has been much improved.
The family of the princes of Schwarzburg is very ancient, and is mentioned in the earliest period of the middle ages. It is now divided into two branches, Rudolatadt and Sondershausen, between which the two counties are thus divided :— Scliworzbero-Rudolatadt had a revenue of 720,693 florins in 1854.
The portion of the Upper County possessed by the prince is called the lordship of RudoIstadt, from Its capital, a well-built town in a valley on the Seale. Within the walls is Ludwigsburg, the prince's palace, which contains some considerable scientific collections. There are in Rudolatadt two churches, a gymnasium, a theological seminary, and about 5000 inhabitants. In the Lower County the prince of Itudol stadt powesses the lordship of Frankenliausen, so named from its capital, which is situated on an arm of the Wipper, has two churches within the walls and two without, a palace, a Latin school, and 4700 inhabitants.
SeAworstraro-Seedershenuos has a revenue of 501,000 thalers. The distinctive title of this branch is taken from the lordship of Sondem Assam, which comprises the prince's portion of the Lower County, and is named from Its chief town, which Is situated In a pleasant valley on the Wipper. The palace, situated on an eminence, contains a good cabinet of natnral history. The town has a theatre, a gymna sium, an orphan asylum, an hospital, and other public institutions. The population Is 4000. In the Upper County the prince has the lordship of Arm:lat. This town has also a palace, a gymnasium, four churches, two hospitals, and 5000 inhabitants, who have some trade in timber and corn, and considerable breweries.
Both these little states have their court. and their ministries; and Austria. Prussia, and Switzerland have accredited envoys to Rudol atadt. They belong to the German Confederation ; and have, with Oldenburg and Anhalt, the fifteenth place In the select council, and in the full council one vote each. The contingent of Sondershausen to the federal army is 451 men, and that of Itudolstadt 539 men. Rudol sti•1t has had ever since 1816 a representative constitution with en assembly of states, consisting of 18 deputies.