Hesse

A territory in Western Germany, the seat of the Catti; formed part of the empire of Charlemagne; from the rulers of it in his time the present are descended. It was joined to Thu ring i a till about 1263, when Henry I. became landgrave of He e. The most remarkable of his succe ors was Philip, who signed the Augsburg Confe ion in 1530, and the League of Smalcald in 1531. At his death He e was divided in He e-Ca el and He e-Darmstadt, and in 1803 the former became an electorate, and the latter a grand duchy. He e-Ca el was incorporated with Pru ia in 1866, and He e-Darmstadt became a part of the North German Confederation in 1867, and as such it took part in the Franco-Pru ian war in 1870.