 In 1816, the Principality of Lichtenberg, a newly created exclave of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (which as of 1826 became the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) came into being, comprising the cantons of Sankt Wendel, Baumholder and Grumbach.These cantons were split into "Bürgermeisterämter" (“mayoral offices”).One of these was called Burglichtenberg (a fusion of the German name for Lichtenberg Castle, "Burg Lichtenberg"), to which belonged the villages of Thallichtenberg, Ruthweiler, Pfeffelbach, Reichweiler and Schwarzerden.