Category Archives: German Royals

Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Dorothea of Brandenburg has the distinction of being married to two kings: Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and his successor Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg that reigned in Denmark until 1863. Dorothea was born in 1430 or 1431 in the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, now in the German state of Bavaria. She was the youngest of the three daughters and the youngest of the four children of Johann IV, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmburg (1406 – 1464) and Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg (1405–1465).

Dorothea had three elder siblings:

Dorothea’s first husband Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 12, 1445, 15-year-old Dorothea married 29-year-old Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Two days later, Dorothea was crowned Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The marriage lasted less than three years. In January 1448, 31-year-old King Christopher suddenly died without an heir. Dorothea was proclaimed the regent of Denmark until a new monarch could be elected.

Dorothea’s second husband Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1448, Karl Knutsson, Lord High Constable of Sweden, was elected King of Sweden and reigned as Karl VIII. He was elected King of Norway the following year. In September 1448, Christian of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark and reigned as King Christian I. The Danish Council of State made it a condition that Christian should marry Dorothea of Brandenburg, his predecessor’s widow. Christian and Dorothea were married on October 26, 1449, and two days later, their coronation was held. Eventually, Christian I also became King of Norway and King of Sweden. In 1460, upon the death of his maternal uncle, Christian I inherited the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig.

Christian I and Dorothea had five children. Their two surviving sons and both became kings and their only daughter became a queen consort.

Dorothea had a great influence on her husband and was the regent of his kingdoms when he was away. Her careful frugality helped to pay the debts that Christian had accrued. In gratitude, Christian handed over the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig to her fiefdom.

At this time, before the Reformation, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were still Roman Catholic and Dorothea was a great patron of the church. She supported the Franciscan Observants and built a monastery for them in Køge, Denmark. Dorothea oversaw the construction of the Chapel of the Magi, also known as Christian I’s Chapel, at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark where Christian I and Dorothea were interred. In 1474 – 1475, Christian I and Dorothea made a pilgrimage to Rome where they were received by Pope Sixtus IV. As a widow, Dorothea made another pilgrimage to Rome in 1488.

King Christian I of Denmark died, aged 55, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 21, 1481. He was buried in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral. After Christian’s death, Dorothea preferred to live at Kalundborg Castle (link in Danish) which is now in ruins.

Christian I was succeeded by his elder son Hans. Until her death, Dorothea remained politically active during Hans’ reign. She granted the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to her younger son Frederik but it caused a conflict with her elder son, culminating in the two sons jointly reigning the duchies.

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

On November 10, 1495, Queen Dorothea died at Kalundborg Castle in Kalundborg, Denmark, aged 65. She was buried with her husband King Christian I in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family, in Roskilde, Denmark. While the tombs of King Christian III, King Frederik II, and their queen consorts are in the Chapel of the Magi, the graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea are marked with simple stones because the chapel itself was to be considered their memorial monument.

Grave of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea – Photo Credit  – Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dorothea Af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dorothea Of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-i-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 20 December 2020]
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Доротея Бранденбургская. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%8F_%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

Prince Wolrad of Waldeck-Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit- Wikipedia

Prince Wolrad of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who was killed in action two months after the start of World War I, was the only child of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and his second wife Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, daughter of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe. He was born on June 26, 1892, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse.

Wolrad had seven half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Helena of Nassau. Through his half-sister Emma, he was the uncle of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, the reigning monarch during World War I. He was also the uncle of Charles Edward, the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha during World War I, and Princess Alice of Albany through his half-sister Helena who had married Prince, Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria.

Wolrad grew up without his father, who died one year after his birth. He was raised by his mother and his half-brother Friedrich, the last reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1910, Wolrad accompanied his half-brother Friedrich to the funeral of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Wolrad studied at New College, Oxford, University of Grenoble, and Heidelberg University. Because he showed little interest in his studies, Wolrad was directed toward a military career. He became a Lieutenant in the Dragoon Regiment of the Grand Ducal Hessian Division of the Imperial German Army. During World War I, he fought during the early battles, the Battle of the Frontiers (August 7 – September 6, 1914) and the First Battle of the Marne (September 6 – September 12, 1914).

On the evening of October 17, 1914, Prince Wolrad led a cavalry patrol near Moorslede, Belgium. The patrol came under fire from the advancing British troops. Several of the dragoons were hit and fell off their horses and Prince Wolrad’s horse was also hit. The prince and his aide reached a nearby trench, but then Prince Wolrad saw one of his men lying injured a short distance from the trench. The prince crawled to the wounded man and tried to pull him to safety, but was fatally hit by gunfire and died from his wounds at the age of 22.

Prince Wolrad’s orderly wrote of him: “He took care of his people as if they were his own. He was very popular among us. You cannot imagine how sad the Dragoons were when His Highness fell. He was the best officer in the Regiment. He carried out more patrols than anyone else because he could orient himself so well. Everyone wanted to go on patrol with him.”

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Prince Wolrad was buried in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse, where his father had been buried in 1893 and where his mother would be buried in 1936.

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. 2020. Prince Wolrad of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Wolrad_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-viktor-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2014. October 1914: Royalty And World War I. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/october-1914-royalty-and-world-war-i/> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • New York Times, 1915. German Princes Who Have Fallen In The War. [online] Available at: <https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1915/10/31/101570495.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0> [Accessed 5 December 2020].

Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich, the last reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, was born on January 20, 1865, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. He was the only son and the sixth of the seven children of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Helena of Nassau, daughter of Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau and his second wife Pauline of Württemberg. Friedrich studied law at the University of Göttingen and the University of Leipzig. After his time at university, he served in the Prussian Army in Guards Uhlan Regiment.

Friedrich’s parents with his five elder sisters, circa 1864; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich had six sisters. Through his sister Emma, he was the uncle of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and through his sister Helena, he was the uncle of Charles Edward, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Friedrich’s mother Helena had been in ill health for the last decade of her life and she died on October 28, 1888, aged 57. In 1891, Friedrich’s father Georg Viktor married again to Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who was twenty-seven years younger.

Friedrich had one, much younger half-brother from his father’s second marriage:

Upon the death of his father on May 12, 1893, Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Friedrich’s half-brother Wolrad grew up without his father, who died one year after his birth. Friedrich took on much responsibility for his half-brother’s upbringing.

Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 9, 1895, in Náchod, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, Friedrich married Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe, daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe and Bathildis of Anhalt-Dessau.

Friedrich and Bathildis had four children:

During World War I, Friedrich served as a Cavalry General in the Imperial German Army. After the defeat of the German Empire in World War I and the end of all the German monarchies, Friedrich abdicated on November 13, 1918. However, he was the only German prince who refused to sign an abdication agreement. Philipp Scheidemann, the Social Democratic Mayor of Kassel, jokingly called him “Friedrich the Defiant” because of his resistance. Friedrich negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and the Arolsen Forest.

Friedrich’s eldest son Josias; Credit – Wikipedia

Both Friedrich and his wife Bathildis lived through World War II. While neither Friedrich nor Bathildis joined the Nazi Party, their eldest son Josias, his wife Altburg, and their eldest child Margarethe were members of the Nazi Party. Josias joined the Nazi Party in 1929 and by 1930, he was a member of the Schutzstaffel, better known as the SS. The SS was the primary agency of security, surveillance, and terror in Nazi Germany and German-occupied Europe. In September 1930, Josias became the Adjutant and Staff Chief of Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany, and the main architect of the Holocaust. Josias rose through the ranks of the SS, eventually attaining the rank of General of the Waffen-SS, the military branch of the SS. Members of the Waffen-SS were involved in numerous atrocities. At the Nuremberg Trials (1945 – 1946), the Waffen-SS was judged to be a criminal organization because of its direct involvement in numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Josias (in black) as a defendant at the Buchenwald Trial in 1947; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 13, 1945, Josias was taken prisoner by American forces. For a period of time, Josias had supervisory authority over the Buchenwald concentration camp. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes in connection to the Buchenwald concentration camp by an American court in Dachau, Germany during the Buchenwald Trial on August 14, 1947. In 1948, Josias’ sentence was reduced to twenty years. He was released early from the Landsberg War Crimes Prison for health reasons in 1950.

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, died on May 26, 1946, at the age of 81 in Arolsen, Germany. His son Josias became Head of the House of Waldeck-Pyrmont while in custody. Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe, the last Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, survived her husband by sixteen years, dying on April 6, 1962, aged 88, in Arolsen, West Germany, now in Germany. She was buried with her husband in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, now in the German state of Hesse.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Bathildis Zu Schaumburg-Lippe. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathildis_zu_Schaumburg-Lippe> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Josias, Hereditary Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josias,_Hereditary_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Bathildis Of Schaumburg-Lippe. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Bathildis_of_Schaumburg-Lippe> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-viktor-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 4 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 4 December 2020].
  • Petropoulos, Jonathan, 2009. Royals And The Reich. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was born in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse, on January 14, 1831. He was the fourth of the five children and the second but the eldest surviving of the three sons of Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, daughter of Viktor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym and Amelia of Nassau-Weilburg.

Georg Viktor had four siblings:

On May 15, 1845, Georg Viktor’s father died and his mother Emma served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until he reached his majority in 1852. One of Emma’s first acts was to reform the Waldeck-Pyrmont forces of the German Federal Army, which collectively defended the German Confederation, of which Waldeck-Pyrmont was a member, from external enemies. This was implemented in 1845 by Prussian army officers. The Revolutions of 1848 took place during Emma’s regency leading to a new constitution and a new parliament being convened. When Georg Viktor was to assume his powers as reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont on his 21st birthday, he refused to recognize the constitution that had been instituted as a result of the Revolutions of 1848. Georg Viktor took over the reigning only after a constitutional amendment that was acceptable to him passed on August 17, 1852.

Georg Viktor and Helena of Nassau; Credit – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430445676888607858/

On September 26, 1853, in Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, now in the German state of Hesse, Georg Victor married Helena of Nassau, daughter of Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau and his second wife Pauline of Württemberg. Helena proved to be very successful in finding suitable marriages for their children by making contacts with various European royal houses. Because of her efforts, the relatively poor House of Waldeck-Pyrmont was linked to the richer ruling dynasties of Würtemberg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Georg Viktor and Helena are the ancestors of the Dutch royal family through their daughter Emma and the Swedish royal family through their daughter Helena.

Georg Viktor and Helena with their five elder daughters circa 1864; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Viktor and Helena had six daughters and one son:

In the Prussian-Austrian War (1866) Georg Viktor sided with the Kingdom of Prussia and then joined the North German Confederation, a group of German monarchies controlled and led by the largest and most powerful member, the Kingdom of Prussia. Due to a treaty, from 1868 onward, the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont was administered by Prussia but retained its legislative sovereignty. This reduced administrative costs for the small principality and was based on a ten-year contract that was repeatedly renewed for the duration of the principality’s existence. In 1871, the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont became a constituent state of the new German Empire.

Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Viktor’s wife Helena had been in ill health during the last decade of her life. She died on October 28, 1888, aged 57, in Pyrmont, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in the German state of Lower Saxony. On April 29, 1891, at Schloss Luisenlund in Güby, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Georg Viktor married Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who was twenty-seven years younger. Louise was the daughter of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe.

Georg Viktor and Louise had one son:

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

A year after the birth of his son Wolrad, Georg Viktor, aged 62, died from pneumonia on May 12, 1893, in the spa town Marienbad, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. He was buried with his first wife Helena in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Georg Viktor’s second wife Louise survived him by 43 years, dying on July 2, 1936, aged 78, in Marburg an der Lahn, Germany, and was buried in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden with her husband and his first wife.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg Viktor (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Viktor_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Helene Von Nassau. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_von_Nassau> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Victor, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Victor,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Helena Of Nassau. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Helena_of_Nassau> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-ii-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].

Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Regent of Waldeck-Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2021

Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym; Credit – Wikipedia

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

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Princess Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym was the wife of Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. She was born at Schaumberg Castle in Schaumburg, Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, on May 20, 1802. Emma was the third of the four children, all daughters, of Viktor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1767 – 1812) and Amelia of Nassau-Weilburg (1776 – 1841).

Through their mother, Emma and her sisters were descendants of King George II of Great Britain and Willem IV, Prince of Orange. Emma had two older sisters and one younger sister. All three of her sisters died in their early twenties.

Hoym Castle where Emma grew up; Credit – Von F.baumgarten – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19217416

Emma’s father Viktor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym died in 1812, after a reign of six years, while his daughters were still children. As he had no sons, Viktor was succeeded by his half-uncle Friedrich, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. Throughout Viktor’s reign, his half-uncle claimed he had a right to co-reign because the laws of primogeniture were never formally installed in Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. Emma and her sisters grew up at Hoym Castle (link in German), in Hoym, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. After her father’s death, Emma’s mother Amelia of Nassau-Weilburg married Baron Friedrich von Stein-Liebenstein-Barchfeld in 1813.

Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 26, 1823, at Schaumburg Castle in Schaumburg, Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Emma married Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Emma and Georg had had five children. Through their son Georg Viktor, they are ancestors of the Dutch royal family.

On May 15, 1845, Georg II died at the age of 55 and Emma served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until her son Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont reached his majority in 1852. One of Emma’s first acts was to reform the Waldeck-Pyrmont forces of the German Federal Army, which collectively defended the German Confederation from external enemies. This was implemented in 1845 by Prussian army officers. The Revolutions of 1848 took place during Emma’s regency and this led to a new parliament being convened. Emma’s regency was viewed as important because of the complete overhaul of the government’s organization.

From 1853 until her death, Emma lived at the Neues Schloss (New Castle – link in German), which was originally built for Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, her husband’s grandmother, as her widow’s seat, near the main Waldeck-Pyrmont main residence, the Residenzschloss Arolsen (link in German), in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Emma had the Neues Schloss redesigned in the classic style.

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Emma survived her husband by thirteen years, dying on August 1, 1858, in Pyrmont, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, aged 56. She was buried with her husband in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Emma was the grandmother of Princess Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont who became Queen of the Netherlands when she married King Willem III of the Netherlands. Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont was born the day after her grandmother died and was named in her honor.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Emma Von Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_von_Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym> [Accessed 4 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg II. (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_II._(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George II, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_II,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Emma Of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Emma_of_Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym> [Accessed 4 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Victor II, Prince Of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_II,_Prince_of_Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym> [Accessed 5 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-ii-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].

Georg II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

Georg II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

*******************

Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont was born on September 20, 1789, in Weil am Rhein, Margraviate of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. He was the second but the eldest surviving of the eight sons and the third of the thirteen children of Georg I, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Augusta of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

Georg had twelve siblings but seven of them died either in childhood or in their early twenties:

  • Christiane of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1787 – 1806), Abbess of Schaaken, died at age 19
  • Karl of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1788 – 1795), died in childhood
  • Friedrich of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1790 – 1828), morganatically married Ursula Polle who was created Countess of Waldeck, had four children
  • Christian of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1792 – 1795), died in early childhood
  • Augusta of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1793 – 1794), died in infancy
  • Johann of Waldeck- Pyrmont (1794 – 1814), died at age 20
  • Ida of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1796 – 1869), married Georg Wilhelm Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, had nine children
  • Wolrad of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1798 – 1821), died at age 23
  • Mathilde of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1801 – 1825), married Eugen of Württemberg, had three children, died during her fourth pregnancy
  • Karl Christian of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1803 – 1846), married Amalie of Lippe-Biesterfeld, had one child
  • Karoline Christiane of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1804 – 1806), died in early childhood
  • Hermann of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1809 – 1876), married Agnes Teleki de Szék, had no children

In 1807, Georg’s father joined the Confederation of the Rhine, a group of German client states of Napoleon’s First French Empire. Because of Waldeck-Pyrmont’s close relationship with the First French Empire, Georg spent two years in training at Napoleon’s court in Paris and Versailles. He then studied law at the University of Leipzig.

On September 24, 1812, after the death of his unmarried and childless elder brother Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Georg’s father succeeded him as Georg I, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. However, Georg I’s reign lasted a little less than one year, and upon his death on September 9, 1813, his twenty-three-year-old son succeeded as Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 26, 1823, at Schaumburg Castle in Schaumburg, Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Georg married Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, daughter of Viktor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym and Amalie of Nassau-Weilburg.

Georg and Emma had five children. Through their son Georg Viktor, they are ancestors of the Dutch royal family.

Since 1645, Waldeck and Pyrmont had been ruled jointly in a personal union. Georg attempted to unite Waldeck and Pyrmont under constitutional law. However, there was much political resistance, and this was not accomplished until 1849, four years after Georg’s death. In 1815, after the fall of Napoleon, Waldeck-Pyrmont joined the German Confederation, an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states created by the Congress of Vienna as a replacement for the former Holy Roman Empire, which had been dissolved in 1806.

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

On May 15, 1845, Georg II died at the age of 55, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. He was buried in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. His wife Emma, served as Regent for their fourteen-year-old son Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont until 1852. She survived her husband by thirteen years, dying on August 1, 1858, in Pyrmont, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, aged 56, and was buried with her husband in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg II. (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_II._(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George II, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_II,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Regent of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christiane-henriette-of-zweibrucken-birkenfeld-princess-of-waldeck-pyrmont-regent-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 1 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Georg I, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-i-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • Lagis-hessen.de. 2020. Waldeck And Pyrmont, Georg Friedrich Heinrich Fürst Von – Biografie : Erweiterte Suche : LAGIS Hessen. [online] Available at: <https://www.lagis-hessen.de/pnd/104311886> [Accessed 3 December 2020].
  • Waldecker-muenzen.de. 2020. Georg II, Fürst Von Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <http://www.waldecker-muenzen.de/regent_detail.php?rnr=32&menu=1.2> [Accessed 3 December 2020].

Georg I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Georg I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont had a short reign, from September 24, 1812  to September 9, 1813. Born on May 6, 1747, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse, he was the fourth of the five sons and the fourth of the seven children of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, daughter of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.

Georg’s parents and siblings in 1756; Credit – Wikipedia

Through their mother, Georg and his six siblings were the first cousins of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

Georg’s wife Auguste of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 12, 1784, at Otterwisch Castle in Otterwisch, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, Georg married Princess Auguste of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, daughter of Prince August of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, the grandson of Christian Wilhelm I, a reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, and Princess Christine of Anhalt-Bernburg.

Georg and Auguste had thirteen children. Seven of their children died either in childhood or in their early twenties:

  • Christiane of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1787 – 1806), Abbess of Schaaken, died at age 19
  • Karl of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1788 – 1795), died in childhood
  • Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1789 – 1845), married Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, had five children
  • Friedrich of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1790 – 1828), morganatically married Ursula Polle who was created Countess of Waldeck, had four children
  • Christian of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1792 – 1795), died in early childhood
  • Augusta of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1793 – 1794), died in infancy
  • Johann of Waldeck- Pyrmont (1794 – 1814), died at age 20
  • Ida of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1796 – 1869), married Georg Wilhelm Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, had nine children
  • Wolrad of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1798 – 1821), died at age 23
  • Mathilde of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1801 – 1825), married Eugen of Württemberg, had three children, died during her fourth pregnancy
  • Karl Christian of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1803 – 1846), married Amalie of Lippe-Biesterfeld, had one child
  • Karoline Christiane of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1804 – 1806), died in early childhood
  • Hermann of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1809 – 1876), married Agnes Teleki de Szék, had no children

The Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont was heavily in debt during the reign of Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Georg’s unmarried elder brother. In 1805, Friedrich Karl August unsuccessfully attempted to sell the Pyrmont as a cost-cutting measure. Instead, he decided to divide the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, giving his brother Georg Pyrmont, while he kept Waldeck.

Princely Mausoleum (on the right) and Cemetery; Credit – www.findagrave.com

On September 24, 1812, after the death of his childless elder brother, 65-year-old Georg succeeded him, and Waldeck and Pyrmont were reunited. Because of his age and perhaps illness, Georg knew he would not be able to reign for long and he decided to stay in Pyrmont where he died on September 9, 1813. He was buried in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Georg’s wife Auguste survived him by thirty-six years, dying on December 26, 1849, aged 81, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. She was buried with her husband in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg I. (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_I._(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George I, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_I,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Regent of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christiane-henriette-of-zweibrucken-birkenfeld-princess-of-waldeck-pyrmont-regent-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 1 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Karl August, Prince of Waldek-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-august-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 1 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].

Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont,  abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont was born on October 25, 1743, in Zweibrücken, Palatinate of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, his mother’s homeland, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. He was the second but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the second of the seven children of Karl August, the reigning Prince of Waldek-Pyrmont and Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, daughter of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.

Through their mother, Friedrich Karl August and his six siblings were the first cousins of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

Friedrich Karl August’s family in 1756; Credit – Wikipedia

In his teens, Friedrich Karl August studied in Lausanne, Switzerland for a year, and then embarked on a grand tour of Italy and France. On August 29, 1763, his father died and Friedrich Karl August succeeded him as reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. However, his mother Christiane Henriette served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until 1766.

Friedrich Karl August had an affair with Charlotte Hermann, the daughter of one of the Waldeck-Pyrmont government councilors, and he wanted to marry her. Charlotte was neither royal nor noble and so Friedrich Karl August’s mother unsuccessfully attempted to have the Holy Roman Emperor ennoble her. The resistance of both Friedrich Karl August’s relatives and Charlotte Hermann’s father prevented even a morganatic marriage and Friedrich Karl August never married.

Like his father and two of his brothers, Friedrich Karl August had a military career. Beginning in 1757, when he was fourteen years old, Friedrich Karl August served in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire with the rank of Imperial Lieutenant Colonel. He was promoted to Imperial Lieutenant General in 1766. In 1772, Friedrich Karl August moved to the Dutch Army, where he was awarded the rank of Major General. His father had agreed for three Waldeck-Pyrmont battalions to serve with the Dutch Army so Friedrich Karl August’s switch was unsurprising. In 1767, he ordered a fourth Waldeck-Pyrmont battalion to serve with the Dutch Army. After serving in 1793 – 1794 in the Dutch Army with a fifth Waldeck-Pyrmont battalion in support of the Dutch over French revolutionaries, Friedrich Karl August retired from active military service.

After a visit to England in 1775 to learn how to modernize Waldeck-Pyrmont, Friedrich Karl August instituted plans for road construction, agriculture improvements, wool and linen production, and iron mining. The education system was improved and a gymnasium, the term for a German secondary school was constructed in Korbach.

These investments led to an increase in the principality’s debt. In an attempt to increase funds, Friedrich Karl August sent Waldeck-Pyrmont troops as mercenaries to support the British in the American War of Independence. However, the debt continued to increase which necessitated Friedrich Karl August going to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna to declare bankruptcy. In 1805, Friedrich Karl August unsuccessfully attempted to sell the Pyrmont as a cost-cutting measure. Instead, he decided to divide the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, giving his brother Georg Pyrmont, while he kept Waldeck. In 1807, at the suggestion of his brother Georg, he joined the Confederation of the Rhine and was given a seat in the College of Princes of the Federal Assembly.

Church of St. Mary; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl August died at age 68 on September 24, 1812, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. He was first buried at the Stadt-Kirche Bad Wildungen (link in German) in Bad Wildungen now in the German state of Hesse. In 1962, his remains were transferred to the Princely Burial Chapel of St. Nicholas at the Church of St. Mary (link in German) in Netze, a district of Waldeck, now in the German state of Hesse. Because Friedrich Karl August was unmarried, his brother Georg succeeded him and Waldeck and Pyrmont were reunited.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Karl August (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Karl_August_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Karl August, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Karl_August,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Regent of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christiane-henriette-of-zweibrucken-birkenfeld-princess-of-waldeck-pyrmont-regent-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 1 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Karl August, Prince of Waldek-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-august-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 1 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • GbR, S., 2020. Friedrich Karl August, Fürst Von Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Waldecker-muenzen.de. Available at: <http://www.waldecker-muenzen.de/Regent_Beschreibung_Friedrich%2BKarl%2BAugust%2Bals%2Bselbst%E4ndiger%2BRegent_29_1.2.html> [Accessed 2 December 2020].
  • It.wikipedia.org. 2020. Federico Carlo Augusto Di Waldeck E Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Carlo_Augusto_di_Waldeck_e_Pyrmont> [Accessed 2 December 2020].

Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Regent of Waldeck-Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

by Susan Flantzer

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess and Regnet of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, was born on November 16, 1725, in Ribeauvillé in the Alsace region of France which was heavily contested over the centuries between France and various German states. At the time of Christiane Henriette’s birth, Ribeauvillé was in the hands of the Counts Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. Christiane Henriette was the younger of the two daughters and the youngest of the four children of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.

Christiane Henriette had three elder siblings:

Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 19, 1741, in Zweibrücken, Palatinate of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Christiane Henriette married her first cousin, Karl August, the reigning Prince of Waldek-Pyrmont, son of Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Luise of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.

Christiane Henriette and her family in 1756; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple had seven children including two reigning Princes of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Through Christiane Henriette, her children were the first cousins of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

Christiane Henriette was well-educated and was greatly interested in the arts and sciences. She was a close friend of Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, a German physician, naturalist, physiologist, and anthropologist. When Karl August died on August 29, 1763, he was succeeded by his son Friedrich Karl August. Christiane Henriette served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until Friedrich Karl August reached his majority.

Neues Schloss; Credit – Von GLSystem – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11973441

Between 1763 – 1778, the Neues Schloss (New Castle – link in German), was built for Christiane Henriette as her widow’s seat, near the Residenzschloss Arolsen in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Her art and natural history collections and her 6,000-book library found places at the Neues Schloss. A large English-style palace park was created. Exotic conifers from Christiane Henriette’s natural history collection and a large, terraced fruit and vegetable garden were planted. A travel guide from 1785 described the “Princess Garden” as a special beauty. Christiane Henriette survived her husband by fifty-three years, dying on February 11, 1816, aged 90, at her home, the Neues Schloss. She was buried in the park of Neues Schloss which she dearly loved. Christiane Henriette left a considerable debt, requiring parts of her library and art collection to be auctioned in 1820.

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.

Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christiane Henriette Von Pfalz-Zweibrücken. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiane_Henriette_von_Pfalz-Zweibr%C3%BCcken> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karl August Friedrich (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_August_Friedrich_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Neues Schloss (Bad Arolsen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neues_Schloss_(Bad_Arolsen)> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Countess Palatine Christiane Henriette Of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_Palatine_Christiane_Henriette_of_Zweibr%C3%BCcken-Birkenfeld> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karl August, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_August,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-august-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].

Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, circa 1740; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was born on September 24, 1704, in Hanau, County of Hanau, now in the German state of Hesse. He was the second but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the fourth of the eleven children of Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Luise of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.

Karl August had ten siblings:

  • Christian Philipp (1701 – 1728), unmarried
  • Friederike Magdalene (1702 – 1713), died in childhood
  • Henriette (1703 – 1785), Abbess at Schaaken Abbey
  • Ernestine Luise (1705 – 1782), married Friedrich Bernhard, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen, had two daughters
  • Ludwig Franz Anton (1707 – 1739), unmarried
  • Johann Wilhelm (1708 – 1713), died in childhood
  • Sofie Wilhelmine Elisabeth (1711 – 1775), unmarried
  • Franziska Christiane Ernestine (1712 – 1782), unmarried
  • Luise Albertine Friederike (1714 – 1794), Abbess of Schaaken Abbey
  • Josef (1715 – 1719), died in childhood

As the second son, Karl August was destined for a military career. He served briefly in a French regiment and then entered the Prussian military in 1725. In 1728, Karl August temporarily left military service to travel through Italy. The Waldeck-Pyrmont family was very interested in the ancient world and collected old art treasures. Upon his father’s death on January 1, 1728, his elder brother Christian Philipp briefly was Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont until his death on May 17, 1728. Karl August then became the reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 19, 1741, in Zweibrücken, County of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Karl August married his first cousin Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, daughter of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.

The couple had seven children including two reigning Princes of Waldeck-Pyrmont:

Karl August and his family in 1756; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite being the reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Karl August continued his military career. In the War of the Polish Succession (1733 – 1735), he served as Imperial Sergeant General in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire and was wounded twice in battle. During the War of Austrian Succession (1740 – 1748), Karl August served for a period as Commander of the Dutch Army. In 1746 he was appointed Imperial General Field Marshal in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire. During the minority of Johann Ludwig, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (link in German), Karl August served as Regent of the County of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein.

Karl August, 1748; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl August had been left a great deal of debt due to his father’s ambitious building projects and he tried to limit the debt burden in his small country. However, he and his wife had the Residenzschloss Arolsen redesigned and expanded in the Rococo style. Karl August issued letters of protection to Jewish families provided they could prove that they had assets of at least 1,000 thalers, thereby allowing the immigration of Jewish residents into the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

Tomb of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont; Credit – Von Friedhelm Dröge – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73542168

Karl August died on August 29, 1763, aged 58, at the Residenzschloss Arolsen in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. He was buried in a Baroque-style tomb at the Stadt-Kirche Bad Wildungen (link in German) in Bad Wildungen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Karl August’s wife Christiane Henriette survived him by fifty-three years, dying on February 11, 1816, aged 90, at Neues Schloss (New Castle – link in German), built for Christiane Henriette as her widow’s seat, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse, and was buried in the park of Neues Schloss.

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Waldeck-Pyrmont Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christiane Henriette Von Pfalz-Zweibrücken. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiane_Henriette_von_Pfalz-Zweibr%C3%BCcken> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Anton Ulrich (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Anton_Ulrich_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karl August Friedrich (Waldeck-Pyrmont). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_August_Friedrich_(Waldeck-Pyrmont)> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Countess Palatine Christiane Henriette Of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_Palatine_Christiane_Henriette_of_Zweibr%C3%BCcken-Birkenfeld> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karl August, Prince Of Waldeck And Pyrmont. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_August,_Prince_of_Waldeck_and_Pyrmont> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/friedrich-anton-ulrich-prince-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Waldeck-Pyrmont. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/principality-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-waldeck-pyrmont/> [Accessed 30 November 2020].