The Almanach de Gotha and GHDA
 

I want to buy a genealogy book that covers the royal houses. So you have then two choices: the Almanach de Gotha or the german Genealogisches handbuch des Adels.

Which is the best?? Does anyone here has one of these books?? Are they easy to use??

Hi....I just received my first GHdA 2004 Der Furstlichen Hauser after ordering it over a month ago. Of course, it is in German. However, it is only an update on certain houses. From what I understand, you would have to have many of these books from different years to have the entire genealogy.

I get by reading German and haven't had time to really look at it. You just look up the family you want.....Say Hohenlohe...it is from page 188 to 223.

I have to look at it more to really say but I think it is okay at first glance. However, if you are interested in a particular family, you may have to go backwards in time and buy several to get the whole genealogy.

I live in USA and it cost $60.00 with shipping. Hope this helps.

Hailey

You would probably find the Almanach de Gotha more readable (English) and it contains just about all Royal and Mediatised families.

Have you considered borrowing some of the books (different years) from a library before you actually purchase? Maybe that would make it easier for you to take your decision.

I just bought my first gotha and i found it really interesting however i sent it back because it didn't have info that i wanted in it. Like felipe and fred's weddings and the fourth kid of mc and p. i didn't see any of that in there but i will be buying the 2005 ed. :D

Here is the link to the Almanach de Gotha web site. It's worth having a look if you are into genealolgies.

http://www.almanachdegotha.com/site/hhw.htm

I suspect that a book like that will always be a bit outdated by the time you get it.

what kind of book is this?

The Almanach de Gotha
 

The Almanach de Gotha is the chronicle of European genealogy for the detailed membership of the European Royal, Princely and Mediatised families. It has been published since 1763, lost 50-odd years and reappeared in 1998. It has given its name to the general term for European Royal/Princely society: "the Gotha".

It is deliberatley a small size (though thick) so that it can be carried around for easy reference when checking the eligibility of potential marriage partners for oneself or one's children.

More seriously it gives the details of every living member of the various Houses. It is divided into three sections: Part I: Reigning and formerly reigning Royal Houses of Europe and South America; Part II: Mediatised Sovereign Houses of the Holy Roman Empire; Part III: among others, the descendents of unequal or unrecognised marriages (you don't want to be demoted to Part III!).

The Almanach is one of the essential books for any Royal genealogist.
.

GDHA is better, more detailed, and accurate. The "Micael Kennedy" Gotha( since 1998) is in the opinion of many geneoligists, a poor rendition of the original Almanach de
Gotha.

I actually like them both. :) However, the Almanach de Gotha is best for the older geneologies.

It has a lot of incorrect information, though, and was founded by a rather questionable individual...

The original and 'real' gotha was an excellent resource, though. You can buy old originals online, going back to the 19th century. My oldest one is from 1867.

The "Real Gotha" is the best!!

What do you mean Sean?

It has a lot of mistakes.

I don't have time to list all the stuff on Kennedy, but it is all pretty well known stuff. If you're interested, you can read an old discussion on atr. Here's the link.

http://tinyurl.com/88m93

I find an almanach of the gotha on Internet :

The Almanach de Saxe Gotha , Volume I , Page One , A Register of The Reigning Imperial and Royal Sovereign Houses of Europe .

The Almanach de Gotha , Volume IV , The Complete Listing of The Imperial Nobility of The Holy Roman Empire .

I've a question: who is "H.I.&.R.H. Prince Karl Friedrich von Deutschland, de jure Emperor Charles VIII of Germany, Hereditary Sovereign Chancellor and Grand Master of the Imperial Order"??? I've never heard him before...

We already discussed last year about this website. It is a bad copy of the "real" Almanach de Gotha (please note the difference in the name, the site is Almanach de Saxe Gotha...) with existing noble families but also with many fake families, who are not noble. I remember Tosca wrote about a Count Luciano Pavarotti from Modena, we know for sure that Luciano Pavarotti never received a title...
At the moment the best "Almanach" available are the GHdA in German language and the "Almanach de Gotha" published in the uk, a copy of the old one where, at least, there are no fake families...

Are there any books that talk about the people in the Gotha. Profiles of titled people or deposed royals ? All the good royal books seem to only be printed in French