Monthly Archives: March 2013

Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig) was born at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, then the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, on March 22, 1797.  He was the second of the five sons and the second of the nine children of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and Princess Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Wilhelm had eight siblings:

Wilhelm with his parents and siblings, circa 1806; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm and his elder brother Friedrich Wilhelm were first educated together by Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Delbriick, who had previously been the rector of the Magdeburg Educational College.  When Wilhelm was nine years old, he was appointed a lieutenant in the Prussian Army.  Four years later, when Wilhelm was 13 years old, his 34-year-old mother suddenly died from an unidentified illness.

An ivory miniature of 13-year-old Wilhelm made for his first teacher; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1813,  Johann Georg Emil von Brause, a colonel in the Prussian Army, took over Wilhelm’s education.  The next year, Wilhelm saw his first action in battle and continued advancing his rank until he became a lieutenant general in 1820 and commanding general of the III. Army Corps in 1825.

Wilhelm wanted to marry Princess Elisa Radziwill whose family came from Polish nobility.  She was the daughter of  Prince Anton Radziwill and Princess Louise of Prussia, niece of King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia and therefore, a relative of the Prussian Royal Family.  However, Elisa and Wilhelm were not allowed to marry as their match was considered inappropriate.  Instead, at the instigation of his father, Wilhelm was betrothed to Augusta of Saxe-Weimar, daughter of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Maria Pavlovna of Russia. 32-year-old Wilhelm and 18-year-old Augusta were married on June 11, 1829, in the chapel of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin.  To the outside viewer, their marriage was stable, but in reality, it was not very happy.

Lithograph of Augusta and Wilhelm, circa 1830; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm and Augusta had two children:

Wilhelm’s father King Friedrich Wilhelm III died in 1840 and was succeeded by Wilhelm’s brother King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who was childless.  In 1857, Friedrich Wilhelm IV suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and largely mentally incapacitated.  Wilhelm served as regent from 1858 until his brother’s death in 1861 when he acceded to the throne as King Wilhelm I of Prussia.  Wilhelm and Augusta’s coronation was a magnificent ceremony at the church in  Königsberg Castle.  Wilhelm crowned himself and then crowned his queen.

Coronation of King Wilhelm I of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm’s reign was marked by the Second Schleswig War against Denmark in 1864 and the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, and the work of Otto von Bismarck as Prussian Prime Minister which ultimately resulted in the unification of Germany when he then served as Chancellor of the German Empire.  In 1867, the North German Confederation was created.  It was a constitutional monarchy with the Prussian king as the head of state.  In 1870–1871, during the Franco-Prussian War, the south German states of Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Württemberg, and Bavaria joined the confederation. On  January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, Wilhelm was proclaimed German Emperor (Kaiser).

Wilhelm is proclaimed German Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm allowed the policy of the new German Empire (Reich) to be determined by Bismarck.  In accordance with Bismarck, Wilhelm sought peace through alliances with neighboring powers except for France. In September 1872 in Berlin, the League of the Three Emperors between Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary.  The three powers agreed that together they would control Eastern Europe and politically isolate France.

In his old age, Wilhelm, who personified the old Prussia with his simple and austere lifestyle,  was very popular.  After a short illness, Wilhelm I, German Emperor died on March 9, 1888, at the Berlin Palace at the age of 90.  He was buried in the mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace.  1888 was called the Year of the Three Emperors.  Wilhelm I was succeeded by his son Friedrich III. Already ill with throat cancer, Friedrich’s reign lasted only 99 days.  He died on June 15, 1888, and was succeeded by his son, the last German Emperor,  Wilhelm II.

Grave of Wilhelm I, German Emperor; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Henry IV of England

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013

King Henry IV of England; Credit – Wikipedia

King Henry IV of England, who usurped the throne from his first cousin King Richard II of England, and became the first Lancaster king, was the eldest surviving son of John of Gaunt (third surviving son of King Edward III of England) and his first wife Blanche of Lancaster, Duchess of Lancaster.  He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, England, and was called Henry Bolingbroke.  The date of his birth is not certain, although April 15, 1367, is generally the date used.  However, various sources list his birth date as  April 3, April 4, April 15, and May 30 and the years 1366 and 1367.  Historian Ian Mortimer wrote an article about this topic.  The abstract of the article says, “The date of Henry IV’s birth has proved problematic for two key reasons. The failure of any contemporary chronicler to note the date is one. Another is the assumption that medieval people assigned their birthdays to a specific calendar date. This note argues that Henry IV was born on a movable feast – Maundy Thursday 1367 – and celebrated his birthday accordingly. In addition, it suggests that the origin of the custom of the sovereign’s age-related donations, on Maundy Thursday, lies in Henry’s own attempt to draw attention to the fact that he, like Richard II, was born on a religious feast day.”  In 1367, Maundy Thursday was April 15.

Henry was the sixth of his parents’ seven children and their only surviving son:

Henry had two half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Constance of Castile:

Henry had four half-siblings from his father’s relationship with Katherine Swynford.  John of Gaunt married Katherine in 1396, and their children were eventually legitimized.

When Henry IV was still a young child, his mother Blanche died, possibly of the plague or due to childbirth complications, at age 23, on September 12, 1368.  On July 27, 1380, at Arundel Castle, 13-year-old Henry married an 11-year-old heiress, Mary de Bohun. Mary was the second daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Northampton. Upon his death in 1373, his estate was divided between his two surviving daughters. Henry and Mary had six children, but Mary died giving birth to their last child at the age of 25.

In 1377, Henry’s grandfather King Edward III died and he was succeeded by another grandson, King Richard II, the only child of King Edward III’s eldest son Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince), who had predeceased his father.  In 1387, Henry participated in the rebellion of the Lords Appellant,  a group of nobles who wanted to restrain some of King Richard II’s favorites from the power they held.  The Lords Appellant were successful for a time until John of Gaunt’s support (Richard’s uncle and Henry’s father) enabled Richard to regain power.

In 1398, Henry quarreled with Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, who accused him of treason.  The two men planned to duel, but instead, King Richard II banished them from England.  Henry went to France, and on a visit to the court of Brittany, he met his future second wife Joan of Navarre, the widow of Jean V, Duke of Brittany.  John of Gaunt died on February 3, 1399, and Richard confiscated the estates of his uncle and stipulated that Henry would have to ask him to restore the estates.  Henry returned to England while his cousin Richard was on a military campaign in Ireland and began a military campaign of his own, confiscating the land of those who had opposed him.  King Richard II eventually was abandoned by his supporters and was forced by Parliament on September 29, 1399, to abdicate the crown to his cousin Henry.  King Henry IV was crowned in Westminster Abbey on October 13, 1399.  Richard was imprisoned at Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire where he died on or around February 14, 1400. The exact cause of his death, thought to have been starvation, is unknown.

Henry of Bolingbroke, flanked by the lords spiritual and temporal, claims the throne in 1399. From a contemporary manuscript, British Library, Harleian Collection; Credit – Wikipedia

Joan of Navarre had not forgotten Henry.  Apparently, Henry had made a good impression on her and she became determined to marry him if the opportunity should arise. In 1402, after Joan’s son came of age and could rule Brittany on his own, she sent an emissary to England to arrange a marriage with Henry.  Henry was agreeable to the marriage and a proxy marriage was held on April 3, 1402, with Joan’s emissary standing in for the bride.  Joan left France for England in January of 1403 with her two youngest daughters and then traveled to Winchester where Henry met her and they were married at Winchester Cathedral on February 7, 1403. They eventually traveled to London where Joan’s coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on February 26, 1403.  At the time of their marriage, Henry was about 37 and Joan was about 35, but they had no children together. Joan got along well with her stepchildren especially Henry of Monmouth, Prince of Wales, the future King Henry V of England.

During much of King Henry IV’s 13-year reign, he was occupied with war.  Owain Glyndŵr‘s fight for Welsh independence took 10 years to put down.  The French attacked along England’s south coast and the Scots kept Henry’s armies busy in the north.  The Percy family, led by Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur), and their supporters made three attempts to overthrow Henry.

In his last years, Henry suffered from a disfiguring disease (possibly leprosy, syphilis, or psoriasis) and had severe attacks (possibly from epilepsy or cardiovascular disease).   On March 20, 1413, while in prayer at the shrine of Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, Henry suffered a fatal attack, possibly a stroke.  He was carried to the Jerusalem Chamber, a room in the house of the abbot, where he died at age 45.  Henry was not buried at Westminster Abbey but instead requested that he be buried at Canterbury Cathedral, presumably because of an affinity towards St. Thomas Becket whose shrine was there.

Tomb of Henry IV and his second wife Joan of Navarre in Canterbury Cathedral; Credit: © Susan Flantzer

England: House of Lancaster Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Patricia of Connaught, Lady Patricia Ramsay

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Princess Patricia of Connaught; Credit – Wikipedia

Known as Patsy in the family, Princess Patricia of Connaught was born on March 17, 1886, at Buckingham Palace in London, England.  She was the youngest of the three children of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, son of Queen Victoria, and Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia. Patricia had an elder sister and brother:

On May 1, 1886, the infant princess was christened at St. Anne’s Church near her parent’s home Bagshot Park in Bagshot, England.  She was given the names Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth, after her three godmothers: her grandmother Queen Victoria, her paternal aunt Princess Helena, and her maternal aunt, born Princess Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, and St. Patrick, the saint of her birthday.

Princess Patricia spent two years in India while her father the Duke of Connaught, who served in the British Army, was posted there.  In 1911, the Duke of Connaught was appointed Governor-General of Canada and Patricia accompanied her parents there.  She became popular with the Canadian people during the five-year period she lived in Canada.  In 1917, her picture appeared on the Dominion of Canada one-dollar note.

In 1914, at the start of World War I, Canada had insufficient military forces, and Captain Andrew Hamilton Gault offered the Canadian government $100,000 to help raise and equip an infantry battalion.  Lieutenant-Colonel Francis D. Farquhar, Military Secretary to Canada’s Governor-General, then the Duke of Connaught, asked the Duke of Connaught for permission to name the regiment after his daughter.  Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry was formed and Princess Patricia was named Colonel-in-Chief on February 22, 1918, and held that appointment until her death in 1974.  She personally designed the badge and colors for the regiment and the regiment attended and played their march at her wedding in 1919.  Besides World War I, the regiment has served in World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Afghanistan, as well as in numerous NATO operations and United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Princess Patricia inspecting the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in 1919; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

There was much speculation about whom Princess Patricia would marry and she was matched with a number of foreign royals, but ultimately she chose a commoner, albeit the son of a peer, The Honorable Alexander Ramsay, then a Captain in the Royal Navy and the third son of John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie, and his wife, Lady Ida Bennet, daughter of Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville.  Alexander had been a naval aide-de-camp to the Duke of Connaught in his early years as Governor-General of Canada.  The marriage proposal occurred at the fishing lodge of J. K. L. Ross, a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist, on St. Anns Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey on February 27, 1919.  This was the first major royal event after World War I and the first royal wedding at Westminster Abbey since the 1382 wedding of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. The bridal party consisted of eight bridesmaids and two train-bearers:

Photo Credit – Bain News Service – Library of Congress

Upon her marriage Princess Patricia, voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of Lady Patricia Ramsay. She was not obligated to renounce her royal title but she wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband. The decision was made with the agreement of her father The Duke of Connaught and her first cousin King George V.  Lady Patricia remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and coronations.

The couple had one child:

Lady Patricia and her son; Photo Credit – Wikipedia, Bain News Service – Library of Congress

Lady Patricia was an accomplished watercolor artist and was made an honorary member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.

At the age of 91, Alexander Ramsay died at his home Ribsden Holt in Windlesham, Surrey, England on October 8, 1972, and was buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, in Windsor, England. Fourteen months later, on January 12, 1974, Lady Patricia died at Ribsden Holt at the age of 87 and was buried alongside her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.