Category Archives: German Royals

Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Ernst I was the longest-reigning Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, reigning from 1853 until 1908. He was born Prince Ernst Friedrich Paul Georg Nikolaus of Saxe-Hildburghausen on September 16, 1826, to the future Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and Duchess Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Just two months after his birth, his title changed to Prince of Saxe-Altenburg, when his grandfather Friedrich ceased to be Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. Ernst had two younger brothers:

Ernst attended the University of Jena from 1840 until 1843 along with his brother, Moritz. He then continued his education in Lausanne. In 1845, he began his military training, serving with the Saxe-Altenburg forces and then with the Prussian Army. After completing his education at the University of Leipzig, he became a First Lieutenant in the 1st Foot Guards Regiment in Potsdam.

Ernst’s wife, Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau. source: Wikipedia

Ernst married Princess Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau on April 28, 1853, in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. She was the daughter of Leopold IV Friedrich, Duke of Anhalt and Princess Friederike of Prussia. They had two children:

Ernst I succeeded his father as Duke of Saxe-Altenburg on August 3, 1853. Unlike his predecessors, he left much of the running of the duchy to his ministers, preferring to focus his attention on social issues, and his personal pursuits. However, he remained very active in cultivating the duchy’s relationship with Prussia and the other German states. He joined Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, although his forces were never involved in actual battles. For his efforts, he was given a guarantee of independence for Saxe-Altenburg, at a time when Prussia was annexing other territories, including the Kingdom of Hanover. Again joining the Prussians for the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Ernst joined the military staff of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He later joined the staff of the 4th Army Corps, participating in the siege of Paris and the battles on the Loire.

Jagdschloss Hummelshain. photo: by Michael Sander – Own Work (self photographed), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10112948

Meanwhile, at home, Ernst reorganized the government and helped to develop Altenburg into one of the major industrial cities in Germany. He oversaw the construction of a court theater in 1871 and was instrumental in establishing the Lindenau Museum several years later. An avid huntsman, he spent much of his time at the Jagdschloss Hummelshain, the family’s hunting lodge. After the lodge was destroyed by fire in 1872, Ernst oversaw the construction of a new, much more opulent lodge that was completed in 1885. In 1903, Ernst commissioned the construction of a memorial church in honor of his wife who had died six years earlier. The Duchess Agnes Memorial Church was completed in 1906, and Ernst had his wife’s tomb moved to the crypt there, along with that of their son Georg who had died in infancy.

The Duchess Agnes Memorial Church. photo: by User:WikiABG – Self photographed, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=875509

After a reign of nearly 55 years, Ernst I died in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, on February 7, 1908. He was buried in the crypt at the Duchess Agnes Memorial Church in Altenburg with his wife and son. As he had no living male heir, he was succeeded by his nephew Ernst II, the son of his brother Moritz.

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Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

Marie Luise was the wife of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. Duchess Marie Luise Friederike Alexandrine Elisabeth Charlotte Catherine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was born on March 31, 1803, at Ludwigslust Palace in Ludwgislust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. She was the daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia.

Marie Luise had one older brother:

Marie Luise had three younger half-siblings from her father’s second marriage to Princess Caroline Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach:

Prince Georg of Saxe-Hildburghausen, c1820. source: Wikipedia

On October 7, 1825, in Ludwigslust, Marie Luise married Prince Georg of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He was the son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Marie Luise and her husband had three sons:

A year after their marriage, Georg became the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Altenburg. The Ernestine duchies had been reorganized, and Georg’s father ceded Hildburghausen to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and had instead been created Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. The family left Hildburghausen, and Marie and Georg settled at Christiansburg Castle in Eisenburg. They later moved to Altenburg where, on November 30, 1848, Georg’s brother Joseph abdicated the throne. George and Marie became the new reigning Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg.

Christiansburg Castle. photo: By Wolkenkratzer – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38730308

The new Duchess quickly threw herself into charity work. Through her Marie Foundation, she founded a woman’s association, several schools, and the Lutheran missionary society in Altenburg. After being widowed in August 1853, Marie Luise stayed in Altenburg and maintained a very close relationship with her son and his children.

On October 26, 1862, the 59-year-old Dowager Duchess died at the Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany. Her body was brought back to Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, and was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery. In 1974, her remains were removed from the mausoleum and reburied elsewhere in the cemetery.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg reigned from 1848 until 1853. He was born Prince Georg Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on July 24, 1796, to Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Georg had 11 siblings:

As a younger son, it was not expected that Georg would one day succeed to the ducal throne. He began a military career early, serving in the Austrian forces in 1804. Ten years later, he was wounded in the Italian Campaign and forced to give up active service. Returning to Hildburghausen, he lived with his brother Joseph at the nearby Charlottenburg Palace. From 1816 until 1820, he studied at the University of Heidelberg and was appointed as a personal adjutant to King Maximilian I of Bavaria. After two years, he returned to Hildburghausen and undertook a project to redesign a castle in nearby Hellingen. He also founded a youth army, and in 1824, founded the municipal savings bank in Hildburghausen.

Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. source: Wikipedia

On October 7, 1825, in Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, Georg married Duchess Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was the daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia. They had three sons:

The following year, his father became the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and moved to Altenburg. Georg and his family, however, remained in Hildburghausen for three more years. Eventually, in 1829, they moved to his father’s new duchy, taking up residence at Christiansburg Castle in nearby Eisenberg.

Christiansburg Castle. photo: by Wolkenkratzer – Own Work, CC-BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38730308

Georg became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg on November 30, 1848, succeeding his brother Joseph who was forced to abdicate. As Duke, he reformed the financial administration of the duchy and founded the George Foundation, which worked to promote and support artists and craftsmen. Georg came significant amounts of his own money to welfare efforts for the poor, earning him the nickname ‘Georg the Good’.

In declining health, Georg handed over much of his role to his son Ernst on May 28, 1853. Just over two months later, Duke Georg died at Jagdschloss Hummelshaim (link in German), now in the German state of Thuringia, on August 3, 1853. He was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in the German state of Thuringia, until 1974. At that time, all the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery.

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.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Amelia of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Amelia of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg source: Wikipedia

Duchess Amalie Therese Luise Wilhelmine Philippine of Württemberg was the wife of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. Born in Wallisfurth, Kingdom of Prussia (now Wolany, Poland) on June 28, 1799, she was the daughter of  Duke Ludwig of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg.

Amalie had four siblings:

Amalie also had one half-brother from her father’s first marriage to Princess Maria Czartoryska:

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

On April 24, 1817, Amalie married Hereditary Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He was the son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The couple married in Kirchheim unter Teck in Württemberg, and had six daughters:

After her marriage, she became involved with charitable causes in her new home. In 1819, she founded the Industrial School for orphaned children in Hildburghausen and founded a Woman’s Association the following year. After her father-in-law became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826, the family moved to Schloss Altenburg, and she continued with her philanthropic work, establishing several schools and institutions in Altenburg.

Amalie with her husband and surviving daughters, painted c1847, by Joseph Karl Stieler, source: Wikipedia

Despite her efforts, Amalie was never very popular with the people of Saxe-Altenburg, who found her very haughty and proud. This contributed to the growing discontent of the working class people, leading up to the Revolution in 1848 which would bring about her husband’s abdication.

The ruins of the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery. photo: geo.viaregia.org

Duchess Amalie of Saxe-Altenburg died on November 28, 1848, in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany. Two days after her death, her husband was forced to abdicate the throne of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg and was succeeded by his younger brother Georg. Amalie was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg Cemetery. In 1974, the remains of those buried in the Mausoleum were removed and reburied on the grounds of the cemetery.

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.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg was born Hereditary Prince Joseph Georg Friedrich Ernst Karl of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Hildburghausen, Duchy of  Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on August 27, 1789. He was the second, but eldest surviving, son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. His godparents included Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, King George III of Great Britain, and King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. Joseph had 11 siblings:

After his initial education at home, he studied at the University of Erlangen. Beginning in 1814, he served in the Prussian Army, serving alongside his brother Georg during the Wars of Liberation. He retired from active service in 1816 but maintained several honorary positions.

Amalie of Württemberg. source: Wikipedia

Joseph married Duchess Amalie of Württemberg on April 24, 1817, in Kirchheim unter Teck, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. She was the daughter of Duke Ludwig of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg. Together, they had six daughters:

As Hereditary Prince, Joseph had basically ruled alongside his father for the last few years of his father’s reign. In 1833, acting on his father’s behalf, he reinstated the Saxe-Ernestine Ducal Order along with the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. He became Duke upon his father’s death on September 29, 1834. His reign saw the construction of several prominent buildings in Altenburg and the construction of a Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery. He also continued with the restoration of Altenburg Castle, a project begun by his father upon arriving in Altenburg in 1826.

As a ruler, Joseph was very conservative and against any sort of reform. With unrest spreading through Europe in 1848, Joseph quickly brought in troops to squash the growing demands for a free state in Altenburg. Despite his attempts, the people refused to back him and Joseph was forced to abdicate on November 30, 1848, just two days after the death of his wife. As he had no male heirs, he was succeeded by his younger brother, Georg.

Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft, c1864. source: Wikipedia

Joseph moved to Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft, his castle in Wolfersdorf, where he spent the next fifteen years restoring and expanding the estate. He lived for nearly 20 years after his abdication, dying in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in the German state of Thuringia, on November 25, 1868, and was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery. Per his wishes, his heart was buried at Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft. In 1974, all of the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery.

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.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausensource: Wikipedia

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the wife of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen – later the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. She was born in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany on November 17, 1769, the eldest child of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. Charlotte had nine siblings:

She also had a half-brother, from her father’s second marriage to her mother’s sister, Charlotte:

Charlotte was raised in Hanover, where her father served as Governor for his brother-in-law, King George III of the United Kingdom, who was the Elector of Hanover She was very close with her sisters, particularly Friederike, and they were considered to be the most beautiful and eligible princesses of their time.

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 3, 1785, Charlotte married Friedrich, then the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and took up residence at Schloss Hildburghausen. The marriage was unhappy from the beginning, and Friedrich mostly ignored his wife who was far more intelligent than he was. Despite this, the couple had 12 children:

Charlotte, c1815, painting by Heinrich Vogel. source: Wikipedia

Despite her husband’s disinterest, Charlotte became much loved by the people of Saxe-Hildburghausen. She gave very generously to causes and charities that helped the poor and funded numerous programs that provided education and training to the less fortunate. Charlotte also supported the arts and brought many musicians and artists to court. She also became known as one of the best singers of her time. Having taken lessons as a girl in Hanover, the Duchess often sang in both court and church events.

Charlotte’s tomb in the City Cemetery in Hildburghausen. photo: by XHBNx – Own Work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4876170

Eight years before her husband became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Charlotte died after a long illness in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany on May 14, 1818. Per her wishes, she was to be buried in the new city cemetery (Stadtfriedhof) in Hildburghausen. She was initially buried in the Hildburghausen Castle Church in the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany. Her remains were moved to the Hildburghausen Stadtfriedhof in 1819, the first burial in the new cemetery. Her tomb, a large bronzed pillar atop what is known as the Ducal Mound, was completed in 1824. The mound is now also the burial site of several of the previous Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen and their wives. Other members of the Saxe-Altenburg family are buried elsewhere in the cemetery.

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.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg was born in Hildburghausen, Duchy of  Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, as The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen on April 29, 1763, the only son of Ernst Friedrich III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and his third wife, Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar. He had two sisters:

Friedrich also had two half-sisters from his father’s first two marriages, both of whom had died in infancy.

Friedrich was educated privately at home and later spent some time at the court in Gotha learning about the workings of government. He was presented to the Austrian court in 1779 and served in the Austrian military. At just 17 years old, he became Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen upon his father’s death in 1780. Because of his youth, a Regency was established, led by his great-grand-uncle Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The Regency continued even after he reached his majority, ending only with Joseph’s death in 1787.

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. source: Wikipedia

On September 3, 1785, Friedrich married Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the daughter of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. The marriage was happy at first, but soon Friedrich realized that his wife was far more intelligent than he was, and began to ignore her. Despite this, the couple had 12 children:

Upon taking control of his government in 1787, he quickly established a trade agreement with Saxe-Meiningen and Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He improved the education system and established several schools in Hildburghausen. He also worked to improve the duchy’s financial situation. Due to his father’s poor fiscal policies, the Duchy was under the official administration of the Imperial Debit Commission and horribly in debt. Joining the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 saw a marked positive change in the duchy’s financial state. This was further enhanced by joining the German Confederation in 1815. By the time he issued a new constitution in 1818, both the Duchy and the Duke himself were in a greatly improved financial position.

Along with his wife, the much-loved Charlotte Georgine, Friedrich worked to bring art and culture to Saxe-Hildburghausen, turning it into one of the cultural centers in Germany. He made sure to remain close to his subjects, often inviting people of all classes to his palaces, visiting inns and workshops around the duchy, and bringing about initiatives that helped the poor. Charlotte Georgine, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen died eight years before her husband became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany on May 14, 1818, after a long illness.

Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826. After Friedrich IV, the last Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha), and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

Leaving Hildburghausen after living there for 63 years was very difficult for Friedrich, but he moved to Altenburg in November 1826. He took up residence at the Hummelshain Hunting Lodge (Jagdschloss Hummelshain) while a massive restoration was undertaken at Altenburg Castle. Keeping to his promise to the people of his new duchy, Friedrich enacted a constitution in April 1831, improved the infrastructure, streamlined the government, and reinforced trade with the other German states.

Jagdschloss Hummelshain. photo: By Michael Sander – Own work (selbst fotografiert), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10112948

Eight years after becoming Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Friedrich died on September 29, 1834, at the Hummelshain Hunting Lodge in Hummerlshain, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg Cemetery in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany. In 1974, all the remains were removed from the mausoleum and were buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery

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.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Viktoria Luise Adelheid Mathilde Charlotte of Prussia was the last Duchess of Brunswick through her marriage to Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick. She was born on September 13, 1892, at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, the youngest child and only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Viktoria Luise had six older brothers:

Viktoria Luise with her parents and siblings, c1896. source: Wikipedia

The young princess was christened on October 22, 1892, and named for her great-grandmother Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her great-great-grandmother Queen Luise of Prussia. As the youngest child and only daughter, she was her father’s favorite and could do no wrong in his eyes. She was educated privately at home, studying religion and music and developing a love of athletic pursuits. From a young age, she became an accomplished hunter and rider. In 1900, the Hamburg-American Line named a ship in her honor. The Prinzessin Viktoria Luise would be the world’s first cruise ship.

Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick; Credit – Wikipedia

Viktoria Luise met her future husband in 1912 when he came to Berlin to personally thank the Emperor for sending two of his sons to the funeral of Ernst August’s brother. While there, the couple met and quickly fell in love. However, there was political tension between Prussia and Hanover, as Ernst August’s father, also named Ernst August, Duke of Cumberland, refused to relinquish his claims to the Hanoverian throne. For this reason, the Emperor had not allowed him to succeed to the Duchy of Brunswick, to which he was also the rightful heir. Finally, after months of negotiations, a compromise was reached that would allow Viktoria Luise and Ernst August to marry. The Duke of Cumberland renounced his rights to the throne of Hanover for himself and his heirs. He also ceded his rights to the Duchy of Brunswick, which allowed the younger Ernst August to become reigning Duke. After all these negotiations, Viktoria Luise and Ernst August were engaged on February 11, 1913.

Their wedding, held in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on May 24, 1913, was one of the largest gatherings of royalty in Germany since the establishment of the German Empire in 1871. It would also be one of the last large social events before World War I, attended by 1,200 guests, including the British King and Queen and the Russian Emperor and Empress. Six months later, Ernst August was formally created Duke of Brunswick. He and Viktoria Luise took up residence in Brunswick, where they had five children:

Viktoria Luise and Ernst August, c1918. source: Wikipedia

After World War I, Viktoria Luise’s husband was forced to abdicate on November 8, 1918, when the monarchies in Germany were abolished. The following year, he also lost his British title as a Prince of the United Kingdom under the Titles Deprivation Act. 1918 also saw the abdication of Viktoria Luise’s father, who lived the rest of his life in exile at Huis Doorn in Doorn, Netherlands. The couple lived at several of their estates, including Blankenburg Castle, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where Viktoria Luise continued her support of philanthropic causes, promoted restoration projects for several of the old palaces, and indulged in her love of horses and hunting. When Blankenburg was taken by the Soviets in 1945, Viktoria Luise and her family were forced to flee. Under orders of her second cousin King George VI of the United Kingdom, British army troops were sent to Blankenburg to transport all of their belongings to Marienburg Castle in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, the couple’s privately owned property, where they lived for the next eight years.

Viktoria Luise was widowed in 1953, and the following year her son turned Marienburg Castle into a museum, uprooting Viktoria Luise and causing a rift between mother and son. The relationship became further strained over their disagreement over her public role. Her son wanted her to retire quietly but Viktoria Luise had no intention of that. Her son offered her several residences, but instead, she moved to the Riddagshausen district of Brunswick, moving into a home provided to her by a group called the Brunswick Circle of Friends. With the support of this group, she continued to be involved in her charitable works and maintained her position in society. After living many years in Brunswick, her health began to fail in the fall of 1980, and she moved to the Friederikestift, a hospital in Hanover.

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The Dowager Duchess of Brunswick died in Hanover, Germany on December 11, 1980, at the age of 88. She was the last surviving child of Wilhelm II, having outlived her siblings by over 22 years. Viktoria Luise is buried beside her husband, in front of the Royal Mausoleum in the Berggarten at Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, Germany.

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Brunswick Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Ernst August III of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Brunswick: The Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a subdivision of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the Congress of Vienna turned Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel into an independent country called the Duchy of Brunswick in 1815. Ernst August III, the last Duke of Brunswick was forced to abdicate on November 8, 1918, as the German Empire came to an end. Today the land that encompassed the Duchy of Brunswick is in the German state of  Lower Saxony. Since 1866, the senior heir of the House of Hanover has been the pretender to the throne of the Kingdom of Hanover.

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Ernst August III of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick; Credit –  Wikipedia

Ernst August of Hanover was the last reigning Duke of Brunswick and the pretender to the throne of Hanover. He was born Prince Ernst August Christian Georg on November 17, 1887, in Penzig, Austria, the youngest child of Ernst August II, Crown Prince of Hanover and Princess Thyra of Denmark. He had five siblings:

Ernst August’s father was heir to the Duchy of Brunswick and should have succeeded as Duke following the death of the reigning Duke of Brunswick in 1884. However, in 1866, Hanover was annexed by Prussia, and the Crown Prince refused to renounce his claim to the throne. The German Chancellor Otto von Bismark persuaded the Federal Council to decree that it would not be in the interests of Germany for the Crown Prince to gain the throne of Brunswick and instead installed a Regent, Prince Albrecht of Prussia. The regency continued after Albrecht’s death in 1906, with Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin named as his successor.

The situation severely strained the relationship between the Hanovers and the German Emperor. However, this would change in 1912, when Ernst August’s eldest brother Georg was killed in a car crash. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia sent condolences to the Crown Prince, who in turn sent his youngest and only surviving son Ernst August, to Berlin to personally thank the Emperor. While there, Ernst August met and quickly fell in love with, the Emperor’s only daughter, Princess Viktoria Luise.

Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Ernst August and Viktoria Luise became engaged on February 11, 1913. At that time, Ernst August took an oath of loyalty to the Emperor and was commissioned as a cavalry officer and company commander in the Zieten-Hussars, a Prussian Army regiment that had previously included his grandfather and great-grandfather as Colonels. With the Emperor’s blessing and the required consent from the British King George V, the couple was married in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Hanover, on May 24, 1913. The wedding was one of the last large gatherings of European royalty before World War I began the following year, attended by 1,200 guests including numerous reigning monarchs. Ernst August and Viktoria Luise had five children:

Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick, c1916.  photo: Wikipedia

Just over five months after the wedding, Ernst August’s father renounced his claim to the Duchy of Brunswick, in favor of his son. The Federal Council voted to allow the younger Ernst August to become reigning Duke, which he did on November 1, 1913. His reign would be rather short. He was forced to abdicate on November 8, 1918, when the German Empire came to an end.

Following his father’s death in 1923, Ernst August became head of the House of Hanover. However, he could not inherit his father’s British Duke of Cumberland title. The British government suspended the title under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917. Ernst August and his family were able to remain in Hanover and lived at the family’s various properties, including Cumberland Castle (link in German) in Gmunden, Austria, Marienburg Castle in Hanover, and Blankenburg Castle in Harz.

Graves of Ernst August and Viktoria Luise, in front of the Mausoleum. photo: By Vivimeri – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16765011

Ernst August III of Hanover, the last Duke of Brunswick, died at Marienburg Castle in Hanover, Germany on January 30, 1953. He and his wife are buried in front of the Mausoleum (link in German) in Herrenhausen Gardens.

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Brunswick Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Brunswick: The Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a subdivision of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the Congress of Vienna turned Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel into an independent country called the Duchy of Brunswick in 1815. Ernst August III, the last Duke of Brunswick was forced to abdicate on November 8, 1918, as the German Empire came to an end. Today the land that encompassed the Duchy of Brunswick is in the German state of  Lower Saxony.

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Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm was the second Duke of Brunswick, reigning from 1830 until 1884. He was born Prince Wilhelm August Ludwig Maximilian Friedrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in Brunswick, Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, on April 25, 1806, the younger son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Princess Marie of Baden.

Wilhelm had one older brother:

Following the death of his mother in 1808, and then his father in 1815, Wilhelm and his brother were placed under the guardianship of The Prince Regent, the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. From an early age, Wilhelm had a military career in both Prussian and Hanoverian regiments, later reaching the ranks of General and Field Marshal.

Upon their father’s death, Wilhelm and his brother Karl inherited their father’s estates in Oels, a town in Silesia, now in Szczodre, Poland. After Karl reached his majority and took control of the government in Brunswick, he ceded the Oels estates to Wilhelm who would spend a large part of his life there.

Wilhelm, c1870. source: Wikipedia

When his brother Karl II was forced to flee Brunswick in September 1830, Wilhelm came to the Duchy and took the helm of the government as Regent. The following year, in May 1831, the German Confederation declared that Karl was no longer able to govern and that Wilhelm was his successor. While this cleared the way for Wilhelm to become the reigning Duke of Brunswick, it did not address the possibility of any heirs that Karl may have. This was resolved by a family law within the House of Guelph which formally made Wilhelm the reigning Duke, backdated to September 10, 1830, the day after his elder brother had fled.

Under Wilhelm’s regency, the Duchy of Brunswick was granted a new constitution that extended significant fundamental rights to the people. He quickly became much more popular than his brother had ever been. He let his government do much of the ruling, leaving his ministers to handle most of the government business, and spending much of his time at his estates in Oels.

Sibyllenort Castle, photographed in 1932. photo: by Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-13153 / CC-BY-SA, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5480895

Wilhelm died at Sibyllenort Castle in Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia now in Szczodre, Poland, on October 18, 1884. He is buried in the crypt at Brunswick Cathedral in Brunswick, Duchy of Brunswick, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. As he had no heir, the ducal throne should have passed to Ernst August II, the last Crown Prince of Hanover. However, because Ernst August refused to renounce his claim to the throne of Hanover which had been annexed by Prussia in 1866, Wilhelm I, King of Prussia (later also German Emperor) refused to allow him to succeed as Duke of Brunswick. Despite this, Wilhelm passed all his personal possessions to Ernst August II upon his death. Two regents, Prince Albrecht of Prussia (1885-1906) and Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1906-1913), ruled over Brunswick for the next 23 years. In 1913,  Ernst August II’s son Ernst August III married Princess Viktoria Luise, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. Ernst August II renounced his rights to the Duchy of Brunswick in favor of his son Ernst August III, who took his place as Duke of Brunswick.

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.

Brunswick Resources at Unofficial Royalty