Category Archives: Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Royals

Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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

Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was the wife of Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt who reigned 1744 – 1767. Born on May 5, 1724, in Weimar, then in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, Bernardina Christina was the seventh of the eight children and the youngest of the four daughters of Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his first wife Eleonore Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Köthen. Bernardian Christina’s paternal grandparents were Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and his first wife Sophie Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst. Her maternal grandparents were Prince Emmanuel Lebrecht of Anhalt-Köthen and Gisela Agnes of Rath, Countess of Nienburg.

Bernardina Christina had seven siblings but only Bernardina and two sisters survived childhood:

  • Wilhelm Ernst, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1717 – 1719), died in early childhood
  • Princess Wilhelmine of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1717 – 1752), twin of Wilhelm Ernst, unmarried
  • Johann Wilhelm, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1719 – 1732), died in his teens
  • Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1720 – 1724), died in childhood
  • Princess Johanna of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1721 – 1722), died in infancy
  • Princess Ernestine Albertine of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1722 – 1769), married (first wife) Philipp, Count of Lippe-Alverdissen, had four children
  • Prince Emmanuel Frederick of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1725 – 1729), died in childhood

In 1726, when Bernardina Christina was only two years old, her 30-year-old mother died. Bernardina Christina’s father was deeply affected by his wife’s death. Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach decided to not marry again, choosing to live quietly with his mistresses. However, in 1732, Ernst August’s only surviving son Johann Wilhelm, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach died and it became necessary for Ernst August to marry again to provide an heir to his throne.

On April 7, 1734, 10-year-old Bernardina Christina got a stepmother when her father married Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Bernardina Christina had four half-siblings from her father’s second marriage:

Bernardina Christina’s husband Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 19, 1744, in Eisenach, then in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, 20-year-old Bernardina Christina married 23-year-old Johann Friedrich, who had become the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt just two months earlier.

Bernadina Christina and Johann Friedrich had six children but only two daughters survived childhood:

Bernadina Christina was active in charitable causes. In 1756, she founded the Bernardina Abbey for noblewomen in Rudolstadt. However, she did not live to see the inauguration of the abbey in 1757. On June 5, 1757, aged 33, Bernadina Christina died in Rudolstadt, then in the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. She was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German), the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) in Schwarzburg, now in the German state of Thuringia.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas where Bernadina Christina and her husband are buried; Credit – Von Michael Sander – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=543007

Bernadina Christina was deeply mourned by her husband Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, who never remarried. Johann Friedrich survived his wife by ten years, dying at the age of 46 on July 10, 1767, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg. In the early 1940s, the remains of Johann Friedrich and Bernardina Christina were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt before the demolition of the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg.

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2023. Johann Friedrich (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Friedrich_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 13 October 2023].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2023. Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Augustus_I,_Duke_of_Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach> [Accessed 13 October 2023].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2023. John Frederick, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frederick,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 13 October 2023].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2023. Princess Bernardina Christina Sophia Of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Bernardina_Christina_Sophia_of_Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach> [Accessed 13 October 2023].
  • Flantzer, Susan,2020. Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/johann-friedrich-prince-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/ [Accessed 13 October 2023].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 13 October 2023].

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was the wife of Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia. She was born Princess Augusta Marie Luise Katharina on September 30, 1811, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, the second daughter of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia.

Augusta had three siblings:

Augusta’s husband, the future Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia in 1848; Credit – Wikipedia

Augusta first met her future husband in 1826 when she was just 15 years old. Wilhelm found her personality to be wonderful but did not find her as attractive as her older sister. However, his father encouraged the marriage. At that time, Wilhelm was in love with a Polish princess, Elisa Radziwill, but marriage would not have been allowed as it was considered unequal. Wilhelm’s father King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia forced him to end that relationship and to marry Augusta. He proposed on August 29, 1828, and the two were formally engaged on October 25, 1828. The marriage took place in the chapel at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on June 11, 1829, and they had two children:

Their marriage was not without struggles. Augusta was deeply in love with Wilhelm, but he was still in love with Elisa Radziwill. Although welcomed in the Prussian court, she soon found the strict protocol stifling. She wanted to get involved in charitable causes but found that her sister-in-law, then Crown Princess Elisabeth Ludovika took precedence over her in such activities.

In 1837, the family took up residence in a new palace in Berlin, which became known as the Kaiser Wilhelm Palais, and later the Altes Palais (Old Palace). This would remain Augusta’s primary residence for the rest of her life. In 1850, the couple moved to Koblenz, where her Wilhelm served as Governor-General of the Rhine Province. Augusta flourished in Koblenz, away from the strict court life of Berlin. They remained there until 1858 when Wilhelm was named Regent for his older brother, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV who was ill. They returned to Berlin and their increased responsibilities. In January 1861, the King died, and Wilhelm and Augusta became the new King and Queen of Prussia. The new Queen was more interested in politics than many of her predecessors and did not hesitate to voice her opinion. She despised Otto von Bismarck, who her husband had appointed, and the feeling was mutual. Ten years later, Wilhelm was named the first German Emperor (Kaiser), with Augusta as his Empress (Kaiserin). During their reign, Augusta founded the National Women’s Association and numerous hospitals and schools throughout Prussia to help those in need.

Mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace. photo: Von Manfred Brueckels – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4833730

Augusta’s husband died on March 9, 1888, and was succeeded by their son Friedrich III. Friedrich was terminally ill with throat cancer, died just 99 days later, and was succeeded by his eldest son Wilhelm II, who became the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. Despite having been in ill health for nearly 10 years, Augusta continued to participate in official duties. Shortly after a New Year’s reception, Augusta died at the Altes Palais in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany on January 7, 1890, at the age of 78. She was buried in the mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, alongside her husband.

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

Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; source: Wikipedia

Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen was the last Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, as the second wife of Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. She was born Princess Feodora Karola Charlotte Marie Adelheid Auguste Mathilde on May 29, 1890, in Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, the eldest child of Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She was named for both her paternal grandmother and great-grandmother, the latter being Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Feodora had five younger siblings:

Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. source: Wikipedia

On January 14, 1910, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in the German state of Thuringia, Feodora married Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. The marriage was encouraged by Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia, as he was a close friend of Wilhelm Ernst, who had been widowed several years earlier. Feodora and Wilhelm Ernst had four children:

Feodora’s arrival in Weimar, 1910. source: Wikipedia

The marriage was unhappy, and Feodora struggled to cope with the strict etiquette and protocol of the Weimar court. She soon began to throw herself into charity work, working with organizations that helped the poor. She founded several asylums and hospitals and served as Patroness of the Patriotic Institute of Women’s Associations. She also served as head of the central directorate of the Women’s Club of the Red Cross. Her efforts in these areas brought her great respect from the people of the Grand Duchy.

When the monarchy ended and her husband abdicated in November 1918, the family went into exile in Heinrichau, Silesia (now Henryków, Poland), where her husband died several years later. When the area fell under Soviet occupation in World War II, the family was again forced to flee, losing their estates and many of their assets. As a means of negotiating with the authorities, Grand Duchess Feodora agreed to sign over the Goethe and Schiller Archive (link in German), on the condition that it would be converted into a private foundation, and the family’s assets would be returned. Despite the written agreement, the government did not return many of the family’s assets, and the dispute continues to this day.

Grand Duchess Feodora settled in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, where she died on March 12, 1972. She is buried in Bad Krozingen, Germany.

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

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Caroline Reuss of Greiz, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Caroline Reuss of Greiz, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; source: Wikipedia

Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz was the first wife of Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. She was born Caroline Elisabeth Ida on July 13, 1884, in Greiz, the daughter of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe. Caroline had five siblings:

Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. source: Wikipedia

On April 30, 1903, Caroline married Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach at Schloss Bückeburg. The wedding was attended by the groom’s second cousin, Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia and his wife, Augusta Viktoria, as well as his first cousin, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her husband, Prince Hendrik. Caroline was against the arranged marriage, and it was only through the insistence of Wilhelm and his wife that she went through with the ceremony. They had no children.

After a honeymoon in Austria, Caroline and her husband returned to Weimar in June 1903. Caroline planned to redecorate her apartments in the palace, removing much of the old furniture and bringing in new and more modern pieces. Her court, mostly older women who had worked for years in the Saxe-Weimar household, insisted that it would be inappropriate, and they were supported by her husband. This would be the first of several times that her husband refused to support her. After several weeks of this, Caroline left and fled to Switzerland. She was quickly followed by her husband who tried to get her to return to Weimar, but she refused to return until he removed the women from her court and agreed to let her control her own household. After several weeks, the couple returned and silenced the rumors and scandal over her quick departure.

Caroline was a strong supporter of the arts and became much-admired by the people of the grand duchy for her work with charitable and social organizations. Despite this public affection, however, she remained miserable due to the stifling protocol of the court.

The Grand Duchess lying in state, 1905. source: Wikipedia

Grand Duchess Caroline died in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on January 17, 1905, at just 20 years old. Officially, the cause of death was pneumonia, but there were many rumors that she died by suicide. She was buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery of Weimar in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany, the last member of the grand ducal family to be interred there.

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 when the Duchy of Saxe-Eisenach and the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar merged. The Congress of Vienna elevated Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach to a Grand Duchy in 1815.  As the German Empire was crumbling at the end of World War I, Wilhelm Ernst, the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918. He was stripped of his throne and his properties and forced into exile. With his family, he took up residence at Schloss Heinrichau, the family’s estate in Heinrichau, Silesia, now Henryków, Poland. Today the territory that encompassed the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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

Wilhelm Ernst, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach source: Wikipedia

Wilhelm Ernst was the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. He was born Prince Wilhelm Ernst Karl Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard Albert Georg Hermann on June 10, 1876, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, the son of Karl August, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Princess Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Wilhelm Ernst had one younger brother:

Wilhelm Ernst became heir to his grandfather, Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in 1894 when his father died. He received a private education and military training and served in the Prussian army. He became Grand Duke upon his grandfather’s death on January 5, 1901.

Caroline Reuss of Greiz. source: Wikipedia

Wilhelm Ernst married Princess Caroline Reuss of Greiz on April 30, 1903, in Bückeburg, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in the German state of Lower Saxony. She was the daughter of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe. They had no children, and Caroline died less than two years later.

Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen. source: Wikipedia

Wilhelm Ernst remarried on January 21, 1910, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in the German state of Thuringia, to Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen. She was the daughter of Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Wilhelm Ernst and Feodora had four children:

As Grand Duke, Wilhelm Ernst worked to promote the arts and culture. He established the new town center in Weimar, rebuilding the University of Jena and several of the town’s theaters. Despite these efforts, the Grand Duke was not very popular with the people of the Grand Duchy or with many others throughout Europe. He was especially unpopular in the Netherlands, where the people feared he could ascend to the Dutch throne.

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. source: Wikipedia

From 1897 until 1909, Wilhelm Ernst was also the heir presumptive to the Dutch throne. King Willem III of the Netherlands died in 1890, leaving the throne to his ten-year-old daughter Wilhelmina. As a grandson of Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, the younger sister of King Willem III, Wilhelm Ernst was the next person in the line of succession. This caused great panic in the Netherlands, where the people feared German influence or the potential of being annexed by Germany. Several attempts were made to change the succession, or limit Wilhelm Ernst to holding only one throne should he succeed in the Netherlands. The succession crisis was lessened in 1909 when Wilhelmina gave birth to her daughter, the future Queen Juliana. Some years later, in 1922, the Dutch constitution was amended to limit the succession to the descendants of Queen Wilhelmina, thus eliminating the Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach family from any claim to the throne.

As the German Empire was crumbling, Wilhelm Ernst was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918. He was stripped of his throne and his properties and forced into exile. With his family, he took up residence at Schloss Heinrichau, the family’s estate in Heinrichau, Silesia, now Henryków, Poland. He died there less than five years later, on April 24, 1923, and is buried in the park at Schloss Heinrichau.

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Sophie of the Netherlands, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Sophie of the Netherlands, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. source: Wikipedia

Princess Sophie of the Netherlands was the wife of Grand Duke Karl Alexander of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. She was born Princess Wilhelmine Marie Sophie Luise on April 8, 1824, at Lange Voorhout Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the youngest child of King Willem II of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia.

Sophie (second from right) with her parents and siblings, painted by Jan Baptist van der Hulst, 1832. source: Wikipedia

Sophie had four elder siblings:

Karl Alexander of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. source: Wikipedia

At the Kneuterdijk Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands, on October 8, 1842, Sophie married Karl Alexander. The two were first cousins as their mothers were both daughters of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia. Sophie and Karl Alexander had four children:

In her new homeland, Sophie quickly threw herself into charity work. With her own significant wealth, she founded numerous schools and hospitals throughout the grand duchy. These included the first girls’ high school in Weimar, a training school for nurses, an institute for the blind and deaf, and numerous schools and shelters. She also – much more privately – supported countless churches and religious organizations.

The Goethe-Schiller Archive, Weimar. photo by Michael Sander – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6502671

In 1885, Sophie inherited the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, following the death of his youngest grandson, and she established the Goethe Society in Weimar. Four years later, she also inherited the works of Friedrich von Schiller from his descendants. She established the Goethe and Schiller Archive and had a large building constructed on the banks of the Ilm river to house and display the works.

Dowager Queen Emma and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, 1890. source: Wikipedia

When Sophie’s brother, King Willem III of the Netherlands, died in 1890, the Dutch throne passed to his young daughter, Queen Wilhelmina. As Wilhelmina was only ten years old and had no younger siblings, Grand Duchess Sophie was first in line to inherit the Dutch throne. She was very close to her niece Wilhelmina, and her sister-in-law, Queen Emma, and made regular visits to the Netherlands to see them. Both Wilhelmina and Emma viewed Sophie as one of their closest confidantes and advisors, and took comfort in knowing that the throne would pass to her should something happen to Wilhelmina. However, that sense of comfort did not extend to Sophie’s grandson, the future Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Following Sophie’s death, he became heir-presumptive until the birth of Wilhelmina’s daughter, Juliana in 1909.

Sophie and Karl Alexander on their 50th anniversary, 1892. source: Wikipedia

In a way, Sophie was also instrumental in the marriage of her niece. It was at Sophie and Karl Alexander’s 50th-anniversary celebrations in 1892 that Wilhelmina first met her future husband, Duke Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. His elder half-brother was married to Sophie’s daughter, Elisabeth. Wilhelmina and Heinrich went on to marry in 1901.

After the death of her son in 1894, Sophie’s health began to deteriorate. The Grand Duchess died in Weimar,  Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany, on March 23, 1897. She was buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar.

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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.

Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 when the Duchy of Saxe-Eisenach and the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar merged. The Congress of Vienna elevated Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach to a Grand Duchy in 1815.  As the German Empire was crumbling at the end of World War I, Wilhelm Ernst, the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918. He was stripped of his throne and his properties and forced into exile. With his family, he took up residence at Schloss Heinrichau, the family’s estate in Heinrichau, Silesia, now Henryków, Poland. Today the territory that encompassed the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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

Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; Credit Wikipedia

Grand Duke Karl Alexander was born in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany on June 24, 1818, the second son of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. He had three siblings:

Karl Alexander was taught at home by Swiss educator Frédéric Soret. A good student, he excelled in foreign languages, becoming fluent in several at a very young age. He then studied at the universities in Leipzig and Jena, receiving his law degree in 1841.

Sophie of the Netherlands. source: Wikipedia

On October 8, 1842, at the Kneuterdijk Palace in The Hague, Karl Alexander married Princess Sophie of the Netherlands. She was the daughter of King Willem II of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia. As their mothers were sisters, Karl Alexander and Sophie were first cousins.

They had four children:

Karl Alexander became Grand Duke upon his father’s death in 1853. He was a supporter of the arts and developed numerous friendships with some of the greatest writers, poets, and musicians of the day. These included Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, Fanny Lewald, and Hans Christian Andersen. His friendship with Andersen ended in the late 1840s due to Karl Alexander’s support for Germany’s acquisition of Schleswig-Holstein from Denmark.

Karl Alexander worked to preserve the classic look of Weimar’s old town and founded the Grand Ducal School of Art in 1860 and the Weimar School of Music in 1876. He later established the Carl Alexander Library in Eisenach in 1889. His reign is often referred to as the Silver Age of Weimar.

Karl Alexander in later life. source: Wikipedia

Grand Duke Karl Alexander died in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany on January 5, 1901. He is buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar. As his son had predeceased him, he was succeeded by his grandson Wilhelm Ernst, the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; source: Wikipedia

Maria Pavlovna of Russia was the wife of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. She was born at Pavlovsk Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia on February 16, 1786, the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg.

Paul I of Russia and his family. Maria is depicted in the center, playing the harp. source: Wikipedia

Maria had nine siblings:

Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. source: Wikipedia

After the marriages of her two elder sisters, the focus turned to finding a suitable husband for Marie. By 1800, there were already discussions about a marriage to the Saxe-Weimar heir, Karl Friedrich. The two met in July 1803 when he came to St. Petersburg, and after getting acquainted and spending time together, their engagement was announced.

Maria married Karl Friedrich, then the Hereditary Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach, at the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia on August 3, 1804. In May of the following year, they returned to Weimar, where they were greeted with great celebrations.

The couple had four children:

Grand Duchess Maria in later life. source: Wikipedia

Maria strongly supported and promoted the arts in Weimar, and her patronages included the noted composer Franz Liszt who was appointed to her court. She maintained lifelong correspondences with several prominent writers, poets, and musicians, including Vasily Zhukovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Schiller. She also focused much of her efforts on social welfare, establishing hospitals and homes for the poor and unwell. She also helped to establish the Falk Institute in Weimar.

The Russian Orthodox Chapel (with the Weimarer Fürstengruft seen behind it). photo: by © R.Möhler – Originally posted to Panoramio as Russisch-Orthodoxe Kapelle, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5252819

Following her husband’s death in 1853, Maria retired from public life. Two years later, she returned to Russia for the last time, for the coronation of her nephew Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. The Dowager Grand Duchess died at Schloss Belvedere in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, on June 23, 1859. A new Russian Orthodox Chapel was built adjoining the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar. In the early 1900s, the foundation wall between the two buildings was opened, creating a passageway.  Grand Duchess Maria’s tomb lies in this passageway, just next to her husband’s, each placed beneath their individual mausoleums.

Maria Pavlovna’s tomb is in the far back on the left, in the area where the foundation was excavated. Just in front of her tomb is the tomb of her husband. photo: Klassic Stiftung Weimar

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 when the Duchy of Saxe-Eisenach and the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar merged. The Congress of Vienna elevated Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach to a Grand Duchy in 1815.  As the German Empire was crumbling at the end of World War I, Wilhelm Ernst, the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918. He was stripped of his throne and his properties and forced into exile. With his family, he took up residence at Schloss Heinrichau, the family’s estate in Heinrichau, Silesia, now Henryków, Poland. Today the territory that encompassed the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach is located in the German state of Thuringia.

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

Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach source: Wikipedia

Karl Friedrich was Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach from 1828 until 1853. He was born in Weimar in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, now in Thuringia, Germany on February 2, 1783, the eldest son of Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Luise Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.

He had three siblings who lived past birth:

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. source: Wikipedia

After finishing his education, Karl Friedrich embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe. While visiting St. Petersburg in July 1803, Karl Friedrich met his future wife Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. She was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg. They married at the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia on August 3, 1804, and had four children:

As Grand Duke, Karl Friedrich instituted the first savings bank in the Grand Duchy and promoted many charitable and welfare organizations. He also promoted trade, joined the German Customs Union, and was instrumental in building the Thuringian Railway in collaboration with the Kingdom of Prussia and the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. During his reign, he was forced to issue a more liberal constitution and introduce many new reforms, including freedom of the press.

Grand Duke Karl Friedrich – source: Wikipedia

Grand Duke Karl Friedrich died at Schloss Belvedere in Weimar in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, now in Thuringia, Germany on July 8, 1853. He is buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar.

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

source: Wikipedia

Luise Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt was the first Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach through her marriage to Grand Duke Karl August. She was born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany on January 30, 1757, the daughter of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken. Luise had seven siblings:

Karl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. source: Wikipedia

In the early 1770s, Luise’s mother took Luise and two of her sisters to St. Petersburg to be presented to the Russian Empress Catherine the Great as potential brides for her son and heir Paul. Luise’s sister Wilhelmine was chosen, but on the journey home, Luise’s future would be arranged thanks to a chance meeting with Anna Amalia of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach, who was serving as Regent for her young son, Karl August. An engagement was soon arranged, and Luise and Karl August were married in Karlsruhe on October 3, 1775, just a month after he reached his majority. Luise became the Duchess of Saxe-Weimar and Duchess of Saxe-Eisenach upon her marriage, and the couple had four children:

The arranged marriage was purely dynastic and there was not much love between the two. Karl August had a long-term and very public affair with an actress and gave his wife little emotional support. Despite this, she was devoted to her husband’s position, as well as her new homeland. When French forces advanced on Weimar in 1806, Luise stood firm and remained there while most of the family fled or were off fighting in the war. She would take it upon herself to stand up to Napoleon himself and protect Weimar and its people from the fighting. Her efforts were successful, and Weimar remained mostly untouched. Several years later, at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Luise’s efforts ensured that the duchy did not have to cede any territory, and was instead elevated to a Grand Duchy. Those efforts also earned her the love and complete devotion of the people.

Luise stepped away from public duties after being widowed in 1828. The Dowager Grand Duchess died nearly two years later, on February 14, 1830, at the age of 73. She is buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia.

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-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty