HESSE-HOMBURG, a former landgraviate of Germany, consisted of two parts, the province of Homburg-vor-der-Höhe, on the right bank of the Rhine, and the lordship of Meisenheim (added in 1815), on the left bank, to the north of Frankfort-on-the-Main. It comprehended an area of 106 square miles; and its population in 1864 was 27,374. Homburg now forms part of the Prussian government district of Wiesbaden, and Meisenheim of the government district of Coblentz.

Hesse-Homburg was formed into a separate landgraviate in 1596, by Frederick I., son of George I. of Hesse-Darmstadt. By his two sons it was divided into the parts Hesse-Homburg and Hesse-Homburg-Bingemheiιn; but the latter returned by inheritance to the original line in 1681. In the reign of Frederick V. (1751-1820) Hesse-Homburg was in 1806 incorporated with Hesse-Darmstadt, hut that state was obliged by the Vienna congress to recognize the independence of Hesse-Homburg, which at the same time was increased by the district of Meisenheim. Frederick V. became a member of the German Confederation in 1817. After his death, his five sons successively filled the throne. The last, Ferdinand Henry Frederick, granted a liberal constitution to his people, but in the reaction of 1850 cancelled it. On his death on March 24, 1866, the landgraviate reverted by inheritance to the grand-duke of Hesse-Darmstadt; but in September of the same year that ruler was forced to cede it to Prussia, in consequence of having supported Austria in the Seven Weeks’ War.