Monthly Archives: August 2017

September 1917: Royalty and World War I

by Susan Flantzer

  • They that go down to the sea in ships
  • Timeline: September 1, 1917 – September 30, 1917
  • A Note About German Titles
  • September 1917 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

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They that go down to the sea in ships

Royal Navy submarine HMS 9; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Submarine warfare began during the American Civil War. During World War I, German and Austro-Hungarian U-boats (Unterseeboot, undersea boat) threatened Atlantic supply convoys on their way to the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. To protect the supply convoys, British and Allied submarines conducted operations in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

The HMS G9 was one of the fourteen submarines of the G-class submarines, specifically designed in response to a rumor that the Germans were building double-hulled submarines. The G-class submarines had a crew of 30 officers and other ranks. The role of the G class was to patrol the North Sea and German Bight in search of U-boats. The HMS G9 was commissioned on August 22, 1916, and was commanded by Lieutenant Commander The Honorable Byron Plantagenet Cary.

Lieutenant Commander The Honorable Byron Plantagenet Cary was the second of the three sons and the fourth of the six children of Lieutenant Colonel Byron Plantagenet Cary, 12th Viscount of Falkland and Mary Reade. Viscount of Falkland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, first created in 1620 for Sir Henry Cary, an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1601 to 1622 and served as a courtier to Elizabeth I, James I, and Charles I. Byron’s elder brother Lucius Plantagenet Cary, who became the 13th Viscount of Falkland upon the death of his father in 1922, also fought in World War I as did Byron’s younger brother Major The Honorable Philip Plantagenet Cary.

In heavy seas and blinding rain squalls on the night of September 16, 1917, the HMS Pasley, a Royal Navy destroyer, was escorting a convoy from Aspö Fjord in Norway to Lerwick, the main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. The Pasley displayed a white light halfway up its mast by night for guidance. Lieutenant Commander Cary sighted Pasley’s light. He had been warned that a U-boat was in the area, so he gave the order to attack. The HMS G9 fired two torpedoes at the Pasley believing it to be a German U-boat. One torpedo missed and the second failed to explode.

Realizing his error too late, Cary ordered the HMS G9 to signal the Pasley. However, it was too late to save the HMS G9 as the Pasley was on course to ram the HMS G9 believing it was a U-boat. The HMS G9 was rammed, cut in two, and sank less than one minute later with the loss of all but one of the 34-man crew, Stoker William Drake. The wreckage of the HMS G9 and the remains of the crew remain on the floor of the North Sea, 70 miles northwest of Bergen, Norway. At the Court of Inquiry held four days after the incident, it was decided no blame could be attributed to the HMS Pasley, concluding “that the process of reasoning which led the captain of HM Submarine G9 to mistake HMS Pasley for a U-boat is, and must remain.”

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Timeline: September 1, 1917 – September 30, 1917

Wounded soldiers at the side of a road after the Battle of Menin Road Ridge; Photo Credit

  • September – October – Operation Albion, a naval operation in the Baltic Sea, German capture of Oesel, Dago and Moon Islands
  • September 1 – 3 – Battle of Jugla in Latvia
  • September 20 – 26 – Battle of the Menin Road Ridge (Second phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) in Ypres Salient, West Flanders, Belgium
  • September 26 – 27 – Battle of Polygon Wood (Second phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) in Polygon Wood, Flanders, Belgium
  • September 28 – 29 – Battle of Ramadi in Ramadi, Mesopotamia (now in Iraq)

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A Note About German Titles

Many German royals and nobles died in World War I. The German Empire consisted of 27 constituent states, most of them ruled by royal families. Scroll down to German Empire here to see what constituent states made up the German Empire. The constituent states retained their own governments, but had limited sovereignty. Some had their own armies, but the military forces of the smaller ones were put under Prussian control. In wartime, armies of all the constituent states would be controlled by the Prussian Army and the combined forces were known as the Imperial German Army.  German titles may be used in Royals Who Died In Action below. Refer to Unofficial Royalty: Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles.

24 British peers were also killed in World War I and they will be included in the list of those who died in action. In addition, more than 100 sons of peers also lost their lives, and those that can be verified will also be included.

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September 1917 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

The list is in chronological order and does contain some who would be considered noble instead of royal. The links in the last bullet for each person is that person’s genealogical information from Leo’s Genealogics Website or to The Peerage website.  If a person has a Wikipedia page or a website page with biographical information, their name will be linked to that page.

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Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Robert William Orlando Manners

Grave of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Robert William Orlando Manners; Photo Credit – http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/blog

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Lieutenant Commander The Honorable Byron Plantagenet Cary

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Sergeant Major The Honorable Jacob John Astley

Note: Jacob Astley must have been the black sheep of his family. Originally, he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the 16th Lancers, but had to resign his commission when he was convicted of fraud in South Africa in 1913. He was convicted of the same offense in England in 1915. At that time, the judge described him as “a thoroughly fraudulent person” and sentenced him to 18 months in prison. When he was released from prison, he volunteered for active service and became Company Sergeant Major of 2nd/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. Sergeant Major is a senior non-commissioned rank.

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James IV, King of Scots

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2017

James IV, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

James IV, King of Scots was the eldest of the three sons of James III, King of Scots and Margaret of Denmark. He was born on March 17, 1473, probably at Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland. At his birth, he was the heir apparent to the throne of Scotland and became Duke of Rothesay and Prince and Steward of Scotland.  James had two younger brothers

James IV’s father, James III, King of Scots, was not a popular king and faced two major rebellions during his reign. The final rebellion occurred in 1488.  Disgruntled nobles set up an army, with the young James as its nominal head, to overthrow the hated king. On June 11, 1488, James III was killed in the Battle of Sauchieburn.  James III’s 15-year-old eldest son succeeded to the throne as James IV, King of Scots. James IV was crowned at Scone Abbey on June 24, 1488, by William Scheves, Archbishop of St. Andrews.  Throughout his reign, James IV wore a heavy iron chain around his waist as penance for his role in his father’s death.

James IV secured his position as king by allowing the rebel lords to have power in the government. He quickly proved an effective ruler and a wise king. James IV defeated another rebellion in 1489, took a direct interest in the administration of justice, and finally brought the Lord of the Isles under control in 1493. For a time, he supported Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne, and carried out a brief invasion of England on his behalf in September 1496. James IV saw the importance of building a fleet that could provide Scotland with a strong maritime presence. He founded two new dockyards for this purpose and acquired a total of 38 ships for the Royal Scots Navy.

James IV was the last Scottish monarch to speak fluent Gaelic. He was well educated and was said to have spoken ten languages fluently: Scots, English, Gaelic, Latin, French, German, Italian, Flemish, Spanish, and Danish. His interest in Gaelic culture was shown by the fact that he often invited bards and musicians from the Scottish Highlands to the court. His court became a center of art and culture, where Latin and Scottish literature were specifically promoted.

In 1474, James IV had been betrothed to Cecily of York, a daughter of King Edward IV of England. The marriage never occurred but an interest in an English marriage remained. On January 24, 1502, England and Scotland concluded the Treaty of Perpetual Peace, agreeing to end the warfare between England and Scotland that had occurred over the previous two hundred years. As part of the treaty, a marriage was arranged between 28-year-old King James IV of Scotland and twelve-year-old Margaret Tudor, the eldest daughter of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch, and Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England.

A proxy marriage was held on January 25, 1503, at Richmond Palace in England with Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell standing in for King James IV. Margaret was exactly the same age as her paternal grandmother Margaret Beaufort had been when she married Edmund Tudor. Margaret Beaufort was determined that her granddaughter not consummate her marriage at such an early age and insisted that Margaret must remain in England until she was older. After the proxy marriage, Margaret was officially Queen of Scotland and received the precedence and honor due to a Queen.

King James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1503, just a few months after the childbirth death of her mother Elizabeth of York, Margaret left London with her father to make the journey to Scotland. Her formal court farewell was held at her paternal grandmother’s home Collyweston Palace near Stamford, Northamptonshire, England. After two weeks of celebrations, Margaret rode out to her new life with only one relative, Sir David Owen, the illegitimate son of her great-grandfather Owen Tudor. On August 3, 1503, at Dalkeith Castle in Midlothian, Scotland, Margaret first met King James IV. The couple was married in person on August 8, 1503, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Margaret and James had four sons and two stillborn daughters. Only one of their children survived infancy.

Margaret and James IV’s only surviving child King James V of Scotland by Corneille de Lyon, circa 1536; Credit  – Wikipedia

James IV also had several illegitimate children. Five are known to have reached adulthood:

With Margaret Boyd:

With Lady Margaret Drummond:

With Janet Kennedy:

With Isabel Stewart, daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan:

In 1509, Margaret’s father King Henry VII of England died and was succeeded by his son King Henry VIII. Despite the great hopes of peace between England and Scotland as symbolized by the marriage of Margaret and James IV, Margaret’s brother Henry VIII did not have his father’s diplomatic patience and was heading toward a war with France. James IV was committed to his alliance with France and invaded England. Henry VIII was away on campaign in France and Flanders in 1513 and he had made his wife Catherine of Aragon regent in his absence. It was up to Catherine to supervise England’s defense when Scotland invaded. Ultimately, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Flodden near Branxton, Northumberland, England on September 9, 1513, and 30-year-old King James IV was killed in the battle. Catherine sent Henry VIII the blood-stained coat of his defeated and dead brother-in-law. James IV’s seventeen-month-old son succeeded his father as James V, King of Scots.

Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre discovered the body of James IV on the battlefield. Dacre took the body to Berwick-upon-Tweed, where according to Hall’s Chronicle, it was viewed by captured Scottish courtiers who acknowledged it was King James IV. The body was then embalmed and placed in a lead coffin. It was taken to Newcastle upon Tyne and then to York. Eventually, the body was brought to Sheen Priory near London where it was supposedly buried. Sheen Priory was destroyed in 1539 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII.

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.

Works Cited

  • Ashley, M. and Lock, J. (2012). The mammoth book of British kings & queens. London: Constable & Robinson.
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Jakob IV. (Schottland). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_IV._(Schottland) [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Battle of Flodden. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Flodden [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). James IV of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Scotland [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/margaret-tudor-queen-of-scotland/ [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • Williamson, D. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

Diana, Princess of Wales – 20th Anniversary

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries received in a car accident on August 31, 1997, twenty years ago. To remember Diana, here is a selection of our articles about her and the Spencer family.

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Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret of Denmark was the wife of James III, King of Scots. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 23, 1456, Margaret was the only daughter and the fourth of the five children of King Christian I of Denmark and Dorothea of Brandenburg.  Following the death of the childless King Christopher of Denmark, Sweden and Norway in 1448, Margaret’s father Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, King of Norway in 1450, and King of Sweden in 1457. The House of Oldenburg has occupied the Danish throne ever since.  Christian I ruled under the Kalmar Union,  a personal union from 1397 to 1523 in which a single monarch ruled the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Margaret had three older brothers and one younger brother. Her two eldest brothers died in early childhood. Both her surviving brothers became King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

James III, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

A marriage between Margaret and James III, King of Scots had been suggested as a way to end the conflict between Denmark and Scotland that had been going on since 1426. In 1266, Scotland and Norway signed the Treaty of Perth, ending the military conflict over the sovereignty of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The treaty recognized Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4,000 marks and an annual payment of 100 marks to Norway. In 1426, Scotland stopped the annual payment.

Map showing the location of the Hebrides, Isle of Man, Orkney Islands, and the Shetland Islands; Credit – By © Sémhur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2918974

The marriage contract was signed on September 8, 1468. King James III agreed to give Margaret a third of the royal possessions and income, including Linlithgow Palace, Stirling Castle, and Doune Castle. King Christian I pledged a dowry of 60,000 Rhenish florins with a payment of 10,000 florins due before Margaret left Copenhagen. However, King Christian I was only able to raise 2,000 florins. The Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were pledged by King Christian in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the dowry. However, the money was never paid, and the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were annexed by the Kingdom of Scotland in 1472.

James III and Margaret of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 13, 1469, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland, 13-year-old Margaret married 17-year-old James III, King of Scots.

The couple had three sons:

Margaret, a popular queen, was described as beautiful, gentle, and reasonable. Many later historians called her far better qualified to rule than her husband. During the crisis of 1482, when her husband was deprived of power for several months, Margaret showed a greater interest in the welfare of her children than that of her husband, leading to the couple’s alienation.

Margaret died on July 14, 1486, at the age of 30 at Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland, and was buried at Cambuskenneth Abbey. After her death, there were suspicions that she had been poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell, a confidant of James III, although no evidence was found to support the charge. At the request of James III, Pope Innocent VIII commissioned an investigation of Margaret’s virtues and alleged miracles for possible canonization, but without result.

Memorial of Margaret and James III, King of Scots marking the site of their graves, funded by Queen Victoria; Photo Credit – By Adtrace at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2531316

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.

Works Cited

  • Ashley, M. and Lock, J. (2012). The mammoth book of British kings & queens. London: Constable & Robinson.
  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margrete af Danmark (1456-1486). [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margrete_af_Danmark_(1456-1486) [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margarethe von Dänemark. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarethe_von_D%C3%A4nemark [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). James III of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_III_of_Scotland [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Denmark,_Queen_of_Scotland [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • Williamson, D. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

James III, King of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

James III, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

James III, King of Scots was the eldest of the four sons and the eldest of the six children of James II, King of Scots and Mary of Guelders. His birth date and birthplace are uncertain: either May 1452 at St. Andrew’s Castle or July 10, 1451 or July 20, 1451 at Stirling Castle. At birth, James was heir to the throne and became Duke of Rothesay and Prince and Steward of Scotland.

James had six siblings:

In 1460, James II, King of Scots besieged Roxburgh Castle near the English border in support of King Henry VI. On August 3, 1460, 29-year-old James II, King of Scots was accidentally killed when a cannon nearby where he was standing exploded. As with the start of the reigns of James I and James II, Scotland once again had a child king. Mary of Guelders served as the regent for her nine-year-old son until her death three years later. The later Scottish Stuarts, James IV, James V, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI, would also be child monarchs. James II’s death also continued the violent deaths of the Scottish Stuarts which started with the assassination of his father James I and continued with the deaths in battle of James III and James IV and the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots.

James III was crowned on August 10, 1460, at Kelso Abbey by James Kennedy, Bishop of St. Andrews.  Bishop Kennedy and his brother Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy served as regents with Mary of Guelders, the young king’s mother. The Kennedys’ mother had been a daughter of Robert III, King of Scots. After the death of Mary of Guelders in 1463 and Bishop Kennedy in 1465, Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd became regent.

In 1466, while James III was at Linlithgow Castle, he was taken by force to Edinburgh Castle in a conspiracy with Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd and Boyd’s brother Sir Alexander Boyd. The 14-year-old king was forced to state to Parliament that he had given his royal assent to the abduction. Parliament then made Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd Governor of the Realm, Great Chamberlain, and Lord Justice General. Robert Boyd also arranged the marriage of his eldest son Thomas Boyd, created Earl of Arran for that occasion, and Mary, elder sister of James III. The marriage aroused the jealousy of the other nobles and James III considered the marriage an insult he could not forgive.

A marriage between James III and Margaret of Denmark, the only daughter of King Christian I of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and Dorothea of Brandenburg had been suggested as a way to end the conflict between Denmark and Scotland that had been going on since 1426. In 1266, Scotland and Norway signed the Treaty of Perth which ended military conflict over the sovereignty of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The treaty recognized Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4,000 marks and an annual payment of 100 marks to Norway. Scotland had stopped the annual payment in 1426.

Map showing the location of the Hebrides, Isle of Man, Orkney Islands, and the Shetland Islands; Credit – By © Sémhur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2918974

The marriage contract was signed on September 8, 1468. King James III pledged to Margaret a third of the royal possessions and income, including Linlithgow Palace, Stirling Castle, and Doune Castle. King Christian I of Denmark pledged a dowry of 60,000 Rhenish florins with a payment of 10,000 florins due before Margaret left Copenhagen. However, King Christian I was only able to raise 2,000 florins. The Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were pledged by King Christian in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the dowry. However, the money was never paid, and the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were annexed by the Kingdom of Scotland in 1472.

James III and Margaret of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 13, 1469, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland, 13-year-old Margaret of Denmark married 17-year-old James III, King of Scots.

James and Margaret had three sons:

At the time of his marriage, James III assumed all the powers of the crown. He never forgot his abduction by the Boyds and his sister’s marriage to a Boyd. The Boyds were found guilty of treason. Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd fled to England and died within the year. His son Thomas Boyd was warned by his wife Mary and fled to the European continent. Their marriage was annulled. Lord Boyd’s brother Sir Alexander Boyd was not so fortunate. He was arrested and executed.

From 1471 to 1473, James III pursued unrealistic plans for territorial expansion on the European continent. He proposed the conquest or annexation of the Duchy of Brittany, Saintonge, a French province on the west-central Atlantic coast, and the Duchy of Guelders. These planned projects led to violent criticism in the Scottish Parliament, mainly because the king was more inclined to devote himself to art and occultism rather than domestic politics.

In 1474, James III allied with the English King Edward IV. James III’s son, the future King James IV, was to be married to Edward IV’s daughter Cecily of York. This alliance with the enemy of Scotland and the taxes raised for financing the wedding were just some of the reasons that made James III very unpopular with the nobles. The marriage never happened.

In 1479, James III’s two brothers Alexander, Duke of Albany and John, Earl of Mar caused trouble and were imprisoned. The Earl of Mar died under suspicious circumstances, possibly killed on orders of James III. The Duke of Albany escaped to France having been accused of treason. In 1479, the alliance with England collapsed, and from 1480, there were intermittent border wars. King Edward IV of England launched an invasion of Scotland in 1482 led by his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III ), and James III’s brother Alexander, who had ambitions to seize the throne of Scotland as Alexander IV.

As James III was planning a defense against the invasion, he was arrested in July 1482 by dissatisfied nobles, most likely allies of his brother Alexander.  James III was imprisoned at Edinburgh Castle. In the autumn of 1482, a new government under Alexander, as Lieutenant-General, took power. In the meantime, the English army had run out of money, was unable to take Edinburgh Castle, and returned to England.

James III regained power by bringing members of Alexander’s interim government over to his side with bribery. Alexander unsuccessfully attempted to claim his dead brother’s earldom of Mar. In January 1483, Alexander retired to his lands in Dunbar. After the death of his patron, King Edward IV, in April 1483, Alexander no longer had any influence and fled to England. From there he undertook another invasion of Scotland in 1484, which failed. In 1485, Alexander left Scotland for good. Later in the same year, Alexander was killed in a duel by the Duke of Orléans, the future King Louis XII of France.

Although James III could have been murdered or executed during his imprisonment in Edinburgh Castle, he did not change his behavior. He was still convinced he could form an alliance with England and favored a group of friends who were unpopular with the more powerful nobles. He refused to travel through the country to exercise the necessary judicial power and instead remained in Edinburgh.

James was alienated from his wife Margaret, who lived in Stirling Castle, and increasingly also from his eldest son. Margaret was a popular queen and was described as beautiful, gentle, and reasonable. Many later historians called her far better qualified to rule than her husband. During the crisis of 1482, when her husband was deprived of power for several months, Margaret showed a greater interest in the welfare of her children than that of her husband, leading to the couple’s alienation. Margaret died on July 14, 1486, at the age of 30, and was buried at Cambuskenneth Abbey. After her death, there were suspicions that she had been poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell, a confidant of James III, although no evidence was found to support the charge.

The political quarrels reached their climax in 1488. Disgruntled nobles set up an army to overthrow the hated king. On June 11, 1488, James was killed in the Battle of Sauchieburn. The circumstances of James III’s death were greatly exaggerated and romanticized by the 16th-century chroniclers. Supposedly, he was murdered when he went to seek refuge in a cottage shortly after the battle in Milltown near Bannockburn. Most likely, James III, King of Scots had already died on the battlefield. He was then buried in Cambuskenneth Abbey. James III’s eldest son succeeded to the throne as James IV, King of Scots, and reigned for 25 years until he was killed in the Battle of Flodden. Throughout his reign, James IV wore a heavy iron chain around his waist as penance for his role in his father’s death.

Memorial of Margaret and James III, King of Scots marking the site of their graves, funded by Queen Victoria; Photo Credit – By Adtrace at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons

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.

Works Cited

  • Ashley, M. and Lock, J. (2012). The mammoth book of British kings & queens. London: Constable & Robinson.
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Jakob III. (Schottland). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_III._(Schottland) [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). James III of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_III_of_Scotland [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Denmark,_Queen_of_Scotland [Accessed 18 Jul. 2017].
  • Williamson, D. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

 

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby were married on August 25, 2001, at the Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway.

Haakon’s Early Life

Left to right: Crown Princess Sonja of Norway, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, King Olav V of Norway, Crown Prince Harald holding Prince Haakon and Princess Astrid of Norway, 1974; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway was born on July 20, 1973, at the Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway. Haakon is the son of King Harald V and Sonja Haraldsen and has an older sister, Princess Märtha Louise. He was born during the reign of his grandfather, King Olav V of Norway.

Haakon was raised at the Skaugum Estate in Asker, which is the traditional home of the Crown Prince, and attended primary and secondary school in Oslo. He enrolled in the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, graduating in 1995. The following year, he moved to the United States to attend the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1999 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He served as a member of Norway’s third delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 and then enrolled in a program for diplomats at the Foreign Ministry. He completed his education in 2003, graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Master’s Degree in development studies, specializing in International Trade and Africa.

Mette-Marit’s Early Life

Mette-Marit as a child; Photo Credit – http://www.adressa.no

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was born August 19, 1973, in Kristiansand, Norway, the daughter of Sven Høiby, a journalist, and Marit Tjessem. Mette-Marit has an older sister Kristin and two older brothers, Espen and Per. Her parents divorced when she was 11 years old and they both remarried. After her parents’ divorce, Mette-Marit lived with her mother, stepfather, and siblings and visited her father regularly on weekends.

Mette-Marit attended secondary school in Kristiansand and Australia, followed by some courses at Agder University College. After her marriage, Mette-Marit studied for a Masters Degree in Executive Management which she received in 2012. She has a son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, born in 1997.

The Engagement

 

Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit first met in the mid-1990s at a garden party during the Quart Festival, Norway’s largest music festival, in her hometown of Kristiansand. The two met at the Quart Festival again in 1999 and began a relationship. On December 1, 2000, the couple’s engagement was announced, but it was not without controversy. Mette-Marit was a commoner, had a child born out of wedlock, and was surrounded by rumors of a party-girl past and alleged drug use. The couple was living together which did not sit well with the Church of Norway. Surveys at that time reported that most Norwegians did not mind the couple living together or that she was a single mother. However, public support for the monarchy suffered as the details emerged about Mette-Marit’s drug past and there were calls for Haakon to relinquish his place in succession if he chose to marry Mette-Marit. The couple did, however, have the support of the King and Queen, and after a series of public interviews, they also regained the support of the Norwegian people.

The diamond and ruby ring that Haakon gave to Mette-Marit originally belonged to his paternal grandmother Crown Princess Märtha, who died before her husband became King Olav V. It was the same ring Haakon’s father King Harald V gave to his fiancée Sonja Haraldsen. Queen Sonja continued the tradition, giving the ring to her son when he proposed to Mette-Marit. The ring was composed of diamonds and two crescent-shaped rubies set in yellow gold.

The engagement ring; Photo Credit – http://lovelolaheart.com

Pre-Wedding Festivities

 At the private party at the Skaugum Estate: Bridesmaid Linda Tånevik, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, King Harald, and Princess Märtha Louise

 

On August 23, 2001, Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby held a private party at the Skaugum Estate in Asker near Oslo attended by many royal guests. King Harald gave the estate as a wedding gift to his son Haakon, and his soon-to-be wife Mette-Marit, and the estate became their family home.

Guests on the boat trip around the Oslo Fjord: Máxima Zorreguieta, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

 

In the afternoon of August 24, 2001, Haakon and Mette-Marit invited royal, Norwegian, and foreign guests for a boat trip around the Oslo Fjord on the Royal Yacht Norge. Later in the evening, the Norwegian government held a dinner for the bride and groom at the Akershus Castle in Oslo attended by 300 guests including many royal guests, heads of state, and Norwegian politicians.

The Wedding Guests

Approximately 800 guests attended the wedding ceremony at Oslo Cathedral.

 King Harald and Queen Sonja, the groom’s parents, arrive for the wedding

 

Crown Prince Haakon’s Family

  • King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, parents of the groom
  • Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, sister of the groom
  • Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen and Erling S. Lorentzen, aunt and uncle of the groom
  • Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner and Johan Martin Ferner, aunt and uncle of the groom

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby’s Family

  • Marit Tjessem and Rolf Berntsen, mother of the bride and her second husband
  • Sven O. Høiby, father of the bride and his partner Jorunn Wold who was a singing star in the 1960s
  • Espen Høiby and Hege Skatvig Høiby, brother of the bride and his wife
  • Per Høiby and Wenche Lindal Høiby, brother of the bride and his wife
  • Kristin Høiby Bjørnøy and Per Olav Bjørnøy, sister of the bride and her husband

 Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden arrives with her siblings Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine

 

Royal Guests

  • King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians
  • Prince Philippe of Belgium, Duke of Brabant
  • Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
  • Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra of Denmark
  • Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
  • Hereditary Prince Gustav zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Count Flemming and Countess Ruth of Rosenborg
  • King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
  • Princess Alexia of Greece and Carlos Morales Quintana
  • Prince Nikolaos of Greece
  • Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
  • Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg
  • Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
  • Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg
  • Willem-Alexander, The Prince of Orange and his fiancée Máxima Zorreguieta
  • Hereditary Prince Albert of Monaco
  • Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands
  • Queen Sofia of Spain
  • Felipe, Prince of Asturias
  • King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
  • Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
  • Prince Carl Philip of Sweden
  • Princess Madeleine of Sweden
  • Prince Carl and Princess Kristine Bernadotte
  • The Prince of Wales
  • The Earl and Countess of Wessex

Other guests

  • President Ólafur Ragnar Grimsson of Iceland and his fiancée Dorrit Moussaieff
  • President Tarja Halonen of Finland and her husband Pentti Arajärvi

The Wedding Attendants

http://nrk.no/nyheter

Best Man

  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, third cousin and friend of the groom

 The Best Man, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark on left, waits for the bride’s arrival with the groom

 

Bridesmaid

  • Linda Tånevik, a close friend of the bride

Bridesmaid Linda Tånevik assists the bride as she enters the cathedral with her groom; Photo Credit – http://www.seher.no/

Flower Girls

  • Betina Swanstrøm, age 8, twin of Emilie, daughter of Queen Sonja’s nephew Dag Swanstrøm
  • Emilie Swanstrøm, age 8, twin of Betina, daughter of Queen Sonja’s nephew Dag Swanstrøm
  • Kamilla Bjørnhøy, age 12, niece of the bride
  • Anniken Bjørnhøy, age 7, niece of the bride
  • Tuva Høiby, age 4, niece of the bride

 Marius Borg Høiby, the bride’s son

 

Pageboy

  • Marius Borg Høiby, age 4, son of the bride

The Wedding Attire

 

Mette-Marit’s wedding gown was designed by the Norwegian designer Ove Harder Finseth and sewn by seamstress Anna Bratland. The gown was a simple and romantic full-length ecru-colored silk crepe dress with fitted long sleeves, a modest neckline, a corset waist and a 6 1/2 foot/2 meter train. The gown was nearly a replica of the dress Queen Maud, Prince Haakon’s great-grandmother, wore at her wedding to King Haakon VII.

The bride’s hair was pulled back in a simple chignon. Mette-Marit wore a 20 foot/6 meter long veil of silk tulle and a diamond tiara dating back to 1910, a gift from King Harald and Queen Sonja. Instead of a traditional bouquet, Mette-Marit carried a long garland of green leaves woven with purple and white flowers, also similar to the bouquet Queen Maud carried on her wedding day.

Crown Prince Haakon wore the gala uniform of the Norwegian Army with the sash of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with Atar, the star of the Swedish Order of the Seraphim and the Star of the Danish Order of the Elephant. Around his neck, he wore the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

The Crown Prince wore the following medals:

  • The Knight’s Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
  • The Knight’s Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
  • The Defence Service Medal with Laurel Branch
  • Olav V’s Commemorative Medal
  • Olav V’s Jubilee Medal
  • The National Service Medal (Navy)

The Wedding Ceremony

 

The Lutheran wedding ceremony was held on August 25, 2001, at 5:00 pm in the Oslo Cathedral (Oslo-Dom), the main church for the Church of Norway Diocese of Oslo, and conducted by Gunnar Stålsett, Bishop of Oslo.

The music was provided by:

  • Organist: Kåre Nordstoga
  • Choir: Oslo Dom-Choir, conductor Terje Kvam
  • Trumpets: Arnulf Naur Nilsen, Jonas Haltida, Hans Petter Stangnes and Terje Mitgård
  • Trombones: Thorbjørn Lønmo and Ola Rønnow
  • Tuba: Arild Ovrum

Order of service

  • Introductory organ music by L.M. Lindeman, Oscar Borg, J. Haarklou and J. G. Wernicke
  • Entrance – Bridal March, Composer: Nils Henrik Aasheim
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr. 698
  • Introductory speech
  • God’s word about marriage
  • Jan Garbarek, Norwegian jazz musician, plays «Eg vil binda blomekransa» on his saxophone
  • Speech by the Bishop
  • Exchanging of the vows
  • Mari Boine sings «Mitt hjerte alltid vanker» (My heart always wanders) in the Samish language, the language of Sami people, the indigenous people traditionally known in English as Lapps or Laplanders, accompanied by Roger Ludvigsen on guitar
  • Reading from Isaiah, chapter 58, verse 5-8 by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
  • The Lord’s Prayer
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr.710
  • Crown Princess Victoria reads the prayer of Francis of Assisi (in Swedish)
  • Choir: Versikkel for choir and organ, Composer: Trond Kverno
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr. 733
  • Blessings
  • Departure: Utmars Gamal wedding march from northern Gudbrandsdal, performed and arranged for saxophone by Jan Garbarek, arrangement for organ by Kåre Nordstoga

Breaking with tradition, Haakon did not wait for his bride at the altar. Instead, he waited outside the door of the church because Mette-Marit wanted to walk down the aisle alongside Haakon instead of on her father’s arm. After bowing to Haakon’s parents, the couple took their seats and the Bishop of Oslo welcomed not just the guests in the cathedral but also the Norwegian people. During his speech, Bishop Stålsett moved Mette-Marit to tears when he said, “You are beginning a new chapter, with pages still unwritten. You do this with dignity. Today you are better equipped to understand others, young and old, who are in pain. Your love for your son shows both tenderness and determination. As a single mother, you have set an example in the way you have cared for your child.”

Photo Credit – http://www.seher.no

Tears could be seen on Haakon’s face just before he had to say “I do” to Mette-Marit and slip the wedding band onto her finger. When he finally did say, “I do,” the crowd outside the cathedral cheered. The newlyweds left the cathedral around 5:55 p.m. They kissed several times  In front of the cathedral, watched by a very enthusiastic crowd. Then the couple left in an open limousine and drove back to the Royal Palace, slowly passing thousands of cheering people along the route.

The Wedding Reception

 

At 6:45 pm, Haakon and Mette-Marit appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace, and to the delight of the thousands of people in the square below, they kissed each other several times. Also appearing on the balcony were the parents of the couple and the wedding party.

Four hundred guests were divided into two groups: the royal guests had dinner with other important guests at the Royal Palace while the others ate at the Oslo Militære Samfund (Oslo Military Society). After dinner, the guests at the Oslo Militære Samfund joined the other guests at the Royal Palace.

At 11:00 pm, the bride, groom, and their families appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace to watch the fireworks. The other guests watched from the windows of the Royal Palace. At 11:15 pm, Haakon and Mette-Marit cut the wedding cake and then they opened the ball with the bridal waltz, “Around the World.”

Menu

  • Grilled scallops on Norwegian bacon
  • Truffle honey vinaigrette
  • Rucola salad and toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Peregrine pie
  • Oven-baked turbot with soy and ginger
  • Cauliflower purée sprinkled with finely chopped chives
  • Lamb fillet and creamy cantaloupe
  • Baked mini-squash
  • Snowy yogurt ice parfait with raspberry, blueberries, and blackberries

The Honeymoon

Haakon and Mette-Marit spent their honeymoon in the United States and they were in the USA on September 11, 2001, when a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks with airplanes by Islamic terrorists occurred. The couple had left for the United States shortly after their wedding but fortunately were not in New York City at the time of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Haakon and Mette-Marit had spent time in New York City with Mette-Marit’s son Marius and were photographed in a Manhattan sidewalk café on August 29. Then they went to stay at Gurney’s Inn, a luxury spa-hotel in Montauk, New York on Long Island, just over 100 miles outside of New York City. It was at Gurney’s Inn that they first heard the news about the terrorist attacks. Haakon and Mette-Marit, along with thousands of other dazed, shocked, and stranded travelers (including the author of this article), waited several days until the United States opened its airports and allowed air travel to resume.

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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. Wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Haakon,_Crown_Prince_of_Norway,_and_Mette-Marit_Tjessem_H%C3%B8iby [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Gibbs, W. Uncommon Royal Couple Exchange Vows in Norway. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/world/uncommon-royal-couple-exchange-vows-in-norway.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Hoge, W. (2017). Norway’s Thoroughly Modern Royal Pair. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/05/world/norway-s-thoroughly-modern-royal-pair.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Kongehuset.no. Kongeleg bryllaup 2001. [online] Available at: http://www.kongehuset.no/artikkel.html?tid=29240 [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Nettyroyal.nl. Netty Royal. [online] Available at: http://www.nettyroyal.nl/en/non_pro/specials_weddings_2001_haakon_mettemarit.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/crown-prince-haakon-of-norway/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/featured-royal-date-august-19-1973-birth-of-mette-marit-tjessem-hoiby-crown-princess-of-norway/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Us.hellomagazine.com. A MODERN FAIRYTALE AS CROWN PRINCE HAAKON MARRIES HIS METTE-MARIT. [online] Available at: http://us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2001/08/25/norwegianmarriage/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Us.hellomagazine.com. PRINCE HAAKON AND HIS BRIDE WELCOMED HOME AFTER HONEYMOON IN U.S.. [online] Available at: http://us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2001/09/18/haakon/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].

Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony. source: Wikipedia

Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, was the wife of King Friedrich August III, the last King of Saxony. She was born in Salzburg, Austria on September 2, 1870, and given the following names – Luise Antoinette Maria Theresia Josepha Johanna Leopoldine Caroline Ferdinande Alice Ernestine. Luise was the second child of Ferdinando IV, the last Grand Duke of Tuscany, and his second wife, Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma.

Luise had one half-sister from her father’s first marriage to  Princess Anna of Saxony, who died in 1859:

Luise had nine siblings:

  • Archduke Leopold Ferdinand (1868-1935) – married (1) Wilhelmine Adamovicz, no issue; (2) Maria Magdalena Ritter, no issue; (3) Clara Hedwig Pawlowski, no issue
  • Archduke Josef Ferdinand (1872-1942) – married (1) Rosa Kaltenbrunner, no issue; (2) Gertrud Tomanek, had issue
  • Archduke Peter Ferdinand, Prince of Tuscany (1874-1948) – married Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had issue
  • Archduke Heinrich Ferdinand (1878-1969) – married Maria Ludescher, had issue
  • Archduchess Anna Maria Theresia (1879-1961) – married Johannes, Prince of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, had issue
  • Archduchess Margareta (1881-1965) – unmarried
  • Archduchess Germana (1884-1955) – unmarried
  • Archduke Robert (1885-1895) – died in childhood
  • Archduchess Agnes (1891-1945) – unmarried

Friedrich August. source: Wikipedia

In her youth, Luise was seen as a potential bride by several foreign royals, including the future King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, and Prince Pedro Augusto of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, but the spoiled young Luise found no attraction to any of them. Then, in the summer of 1887, she met Prince Friedrich August of Saxony at Pillnitz Castle. in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony. He was the son of the future King Georg of Saxony and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. The two fell in love and married in Vienna, Austria on November 21, 1891. They went on to have six children:

Luise and Friedrich August with some of their children, c1901. source: Wikipedia

From the beginning of her marriage, Luise was unhappy. She was unwilling to conform to the strict Saxony court which often caused conflicts with her father-in-law and others in the royal family. However, she was immensely popular with the people of Saxony and often overshadowed other members of the family which further added to their frustration with her. She sought refuge in several affairs, including her children’s French tutor, André Giron. Her affair with Giron was discovered when a telegram she sent him was intercepted.

This was the last straw for her father-in-law, who threatened to have her committed to a mental asylum. With the help of two of her maids, Luise, pregnant with her youngest child, fled Dresden and headed toward Lake Geneva where she met her brother Leopold Ferdinand, before reconnecting with André Giron. As news of the scandal reached Saxony, Luise’s in-laws were hurt, embarrassed, and angry.  King Georg established a special court to end the marriage between Luise and Friedrich August. Meanwhile, Luise and Giron stayed in Geneva, and were often seen in public. Their relationship ended just a few days before Luise’s divorce was announced on February 11, 1903.

When her daughter Anna Monika Pia was born several months later, the child’s paternity was questioned. After an examination by a maternity doctor from Dresden, he stated that the baby was, in fact, the child of the Crown Prince. Friedrich August willingly acknowledged the child as his own. In July 1903, King Georg granted Luise an allowance and the title Countess of Montignoso. In exchange, he demanded that the child be brought back to Dresden to be raised with the other children. Luise, of course, refused.

Over the next year, Luise moved frequently, living in France, England, Switzerland, and Italy. She tried to negotiate an increase in her allowance in exchange for returning her daughter. However, at the last minute, she changed her mind.

In September 1907, Luise married for a second time. Her new husband was Enrico Toselli, an Italian musician, twelve years younger. They had a son Carlo, born in May 1908. Soon after this marriage, her first husband found their daughter and had her brought back to Dresden. Luise also separated from her second husband, and they were divorced four years later.

Luise caused even more of a scandal in 1911 when her memoirs were published, detailing her time in Saxony, her marriage, and her fall from grace. She blamed her father-in-law and the Saxon courtiers who feared her influence when she became Queen. She claimed that the royal family was jealous of her popularity, a fact that is without question. As Crown Princess, Luise was immensely popular with the Saxon people, partially because she refused to conform to the strict etiquette and protocol of the Court. While her book brought her much sympathy and support, it also brought her further rejection. Many, particularly in royal circles, felt that she brought disgrace to the monarchy by airing her dirty laundry in such a manner.

After World War I, Luise found herself virtually penniless. She had lost all of her Austrian titles and assets upon her second marriage, and with the end of the Austrian Empire, lost the little financial support that she had continued to receive from a few relatives. She spent some time living in Spain with an uncle before moving to Belgium where she spent the remainder of her life.

Church of the Redeemer, Hedinger Monastery, Sigmaringen. photo by Andrzej Otrębski – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38409030

The former Crown Princess Luise of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany died in Brussels, Belgium on March 23, 1947. At the time, she was working as a flower seller to survive. Her urn was placed in the Hedingen monastery in Sigmaringen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, the traditional burial place of the House of Hohenzollern.

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.

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich August III, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Saxony: The rulers of the Electorate of Saxony of the House of Wettin had held the title of Elector for several centuries. Friedrich August III, Elector of Saxony was not involved in the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine, which brought about the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Staying out of politics, he was drawn in when Napoleon advanced into German territory, siding with Prussia. The Saxony forces suffered significant losses and Friedrich August soon surrendered. He was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine and had to cede territory to the Kingdom of Westphalia. However, the trade-off was Saxony’s elevation to a kingdom. So on December 20, 1806, Friedrich August became King Friedrich August I of Saxony. On November 13, 1918, the last King of Saxony, Friedrich August III formally abdicated the Saxony throne, bringing about the end of the monarchy. Today, the land that was once the Kingdom of Saxony is located in the German state of Saxony, in the east of Germany, bordering Poland and the Czech Republic.

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Friedrich August III, King of Saxony- Source: Wikipedia

King Friedrich August III was the last King of Saxony, reigning from 1904 until 1918. He was born Friedrich August Johann Ludwig Karl Gustav Gregor Philipp on May 25, 1865, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, the eldest son of King Georg of Saxony and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. He had seven siblings:

Archduchess Luise of Austria. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August began his military career at age 12, entering the Saxony Army as a second lieutenant, and serving with various regiments over the next 27 years before his accession to the throne. On November 21, 1891, he married Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, the daughter of Ferdinando IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma. They had seven children:

Friedrich August’s marriage quickly broke down, as Luise was unwilling to conform to the strict protocols of the Saxony court, and Friedrich August failed to stand up for her or support her. Luise began an affair with their children’s tutor and caused quite a scandal. Friedrich August’s father threatened to have her interned at a mental asylum in 1902, which led to Luise fleeing the country while pregnant with their youngest child. The marriage ended in divorce, by royal decree of King Georg in 1903.

Friedrich August became King of Saxony upon his father’s death on October 15, 1904. Much more popular than his father had been, he worked to strengthen the Saxony economy and increase the right to vote for all citizens. By the end of World War I, unrest had reached most of the major cities in Saxony. Unlike many of his peers, Friedrich August refused to suppress the uprisings by military force. Instead, on November 13, 1918, he released the allegiance of his military, and formally abdicated the Saxony throne, bringing about the end of the monarchy.

Friedrich August III with his children, c1914. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August retired to Sibyllenort Castle in Lower Silesia (now Poland) where he would live the rest of his life. He spent his time hunting and traveling around the world. King Friedrich August III died at Sibyllenort on February 18, 1932, after suffering a stroke. His remains were brought to Dresden where he was buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony), Dresden, Saxony, Germany.

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.

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony; Credit – Wikipedia

Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal was the wife of the future King Georg of Saxony but she died before he became king. She was born Infanta Maria Ana Fernanda Leopoldina Micaela Rafaela Gabriela Carlota Antónia Júlia Vitória Praxedes Francisca de Assis Gonzaga in Lisbon, Portugal on August 21, 1843, the daughter of Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Maria Ana had ten siblings:

Maria Ana, circa 1856. source: Wikipedia

Maria Ana was just ten years old when her mother died, and her elder brother Pedro became King of Portugal. Despite her young age, she served as the leading lady of the Portuguese court until Pedro married Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1858.

The following year, on May 11, 1859, Maria Ana married Prince Georg of Saxony at Belém Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. He was the son of King Johann of Saxony and Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, and at the time was second in the line to the Saxon throne, behind his older brother Albert. The couple had eight children:

Prince Georg of Saxony, c1860. source: Wikipedia

Despite their large family, the marriage proved to be an unhappy one. Georg made little effort to support his wife in her new country and failed to live up to her expectations. Very pious and preferring private life to that of the court, Maria Ana’s primary focus was raising her family, and supporting several religious and social organizations.

Maria Ana died in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now Saxony, Germany, on February 5, 1884, after several months of caring for her youngest son Albert, who had been in poor health for some time. She is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony). She was survived by six of her children, and her husband who remained unmarried for the rest of his life. Eighteen years after Maria Ana’s death, Georg became King of Saxony, reigning just two years. Her eldest son became King Friedrich August III, the last King of Saxony.

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.

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Georg, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Saxony: The rulers of the Electorate of Saxony of the House of Wettin had held the title of Elector for several centuries. Friedrich August III, Elector of Saxony was not involved in the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine, which brought about the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Staying out of the politics, he was drawn in when Napoleon advanced into German territory, siding with Prussia. The Saxony forces suffered significant losses and Friedrich August soon surrendered. He was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine and had to cede territory to the Kingdom of Westphalia. However, the trade-off was Saxony’s elevation to a kingdom. So on December 20, 1806, Friedrich August became King Friedrich August I of Saxony. On November 13, 1918, the last King of Saxony, Friedrich August III formally abdicated the Saxony throne, bringing about the end of the monarchy. Today, the land that was once the Kingdom of Saxony is located in the German state of Saxony, in the east of Germany, bordering Poland and the Czech Republic.

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Georg, King of Saxony – source: Wikipedia

King Georg of Saxony was born Prince Friedrich August Georg Ludwig Wilhelm Maximilian Karl Maria Nepomuk Baptist Xaver Cyriacus Romanus, on August 8, 1832, in Dresden,  Kingdom, now in the German state of Saxony. He was the second son of King Johann of Saxony and Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria. Georg had eight siblings:

Georg studied at the University of Bonn before beginning a military career which saw him fight in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, and the Franco-Prussian War. In 1871, he represented Saxony at the Palace of Versailles for the proclamation of Prussian King Wilhelm I as the first German Emperor. In addition to his military career, Georg also chaired the Saxon Antiquities Association from 1855 until his accession in 1902. The organization was dedicated to the preservation of monuments and buildings in Saxony.

Infanta Maria Ana. source: Wikipedia

On May 11, 1859, at the Belém Palace in Lisbon, Portugal Georg married Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. She was the daughter of the former Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and a sister of King Pedro V of Portugal. Despite an unhappy marriage, they had eight children:

As his elder brother Albert had no children, Georg was heir-presumptive to the Saxony throne from the time of Albert’s accession in 1873. Albert died in 1902, and Georg became King of Saxony at nearly 70 years old. Because of his age, many people felt he should step down and let the throne pass to his son, Friedrich August. His unpopularity increased during the textile workers’ strike in Crimmitschau in 1903-1904. Refusing to give in to the demands for higher wages and better working conditions, the King sent military forces into the city to force the end of the strike.

Georg’s reign lasted only two years. After falling ill with influenza earlier in the year, King Georg died in Pillnitz on October 15, 1904. He is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral,  formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony) in Dresden,  Kingdom, now in the German state of Saxony.

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.

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty