Erwein, 2nd Prince of Leyen

On the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806, the County of Hohengeroldseck was raised to a Principality, and his father, Philipp Franz, who had succeeded his father as Count of Hohengeroldseck in 1775, became the 1st Prince of Leyen and of Hohengeroldseck. After the Confederation was dissolved in 1813, the Principality of Leyen was under Allied administration from May 1814. By the Congress of Vienna, it was given to Austria, but was sold to the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1819. His father kept the title of Fürst (Prince), though now without a Principality.^[1]

Upon his father's death in 1829, he inherited the title, Prince of Leyen and of Hohengeroldseck.^[1]

In 1818, Erwein married his double first cousin Sophie Therese of Schönborn-Buchheim (1798–1876), a daughter of Count Franz Philipp von Schönborn-Buchheim and Countess Maria Sophie von der Leyen. Together, they were the parents of:^[3]

• Philipp Franz Erwein Theodor von der Leyen (1819–1882),^[4] who married Princess Adelheid Karoline von Thurn und Taxis, the daughter of Prince Karl Theodor von Thurn und Taxis (a direct descendant of Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis) and Juliane Karoline von Einsiedel.^[5]
• Franz Ludwig Erwein Damian von der Leyen (1821–1875), a Bavarian Major à la suite.^[5]
• Amalie Sophie Marie Erwine Caroline Luise von der Leyen (1824–1857)^[6]

The Prince of Leyen died in Waal, Bavaria on 17 May 1879, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Philipp.^[7]

Through his son Philipp, he was a grandfather of Princess Maria Anna von der Leyen (1857–1936), who married Baron Anton von Aretin; Princess Julie Luise von der Leyen (1860–1930), wife of Count Hans von Franckenstein (son of Georg Arbogast von Franckenstein); Erwein von der Leyen (1863–1938), who married Princess Maria Charlotte of Salm-Reifferscheidt;^[4] and Princess Eugenie von der Leyen (1867–1929), a Roman Catholic mystic.^[8]