Category Archives: Saxony Royals

Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony was the second wife of Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Born at the Royal Palace in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, on April 27, 1796, Maria Ferdinanda was the second of the seven children and the second of the four daughters of Maximilian, Hereditary Prince of Saxony and Princess Carolina of Parma. She was given the names Maria Ferdinanda Amalia Xaveria Theresia Josepha Anna Nepomucena Aloysia Johanna Vincentia Ignatia Dominica Franziska de Paula Frances de Chantal. Maria Ferdinanda’s paternal grandparents were Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony, and Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria. Her maternal grandparents were Ferdinando, Duke of Parma and Maria Amalia of Austria.

Maria Ferdinanda had six siblings:

Engraving of Maria Ferdinanda in 1822, the year of her wedding; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Ferdinanda’s younger sister Maria Anna was to marry the future Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, son of Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany. However, Maria Anna was so terrified at the idea of meeting her bridegroom that she refused to leave Saxony unless her sister Maria Ferdinanda accompanied her. During the wedding celebrations, Maria Ferdinanda caught the eye of the groom’s father Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany who was twenty-seven years older than Maria Ferdinanda.

husband Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany; Credit – Wikipedia

Four years later, when his son Leopoldo and his wife Maria Anna had not produced any children, Ferdinando decided to marry twenty years after the death of his first wife Luisa of Naples and Sicily. He chose Maria Ferdinanda as his second wife and they were married on May 6, 1821, in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy. Ferdinando hoped to have more children but his marriage to Maria Ferdinadna remained childless. Three years after his second wedding, Ferdinando I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, aged 55, died on June 18, 1824, in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy.

Maria Anna of Saxony, sister of Maria Ferdinanda; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Ferdinanda became a widow at the age of twenty-eight but she never remarried. After Ferdinando III’s death, his son Leopoldo succeeded him and Maria Ferdinanda’s sister Maria Anna became the new Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Maria Anna and Leopoldo eventually had children – three daughters who could not succeed to the throne of Tuscany. After Maria Anna died in 1832 from tuberculosis, Leopoldo married Princess Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies and the couple had ten children including Leopoldo’s heir and the last Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand IV.

In 1859, the Grand Ducal family was forced to flee Florence because of the wars caused by the Italian unification movement, and the family, including Maria Ferdinanda, took refuge in Austria. On July 21, 1859, Leopoldo II abdicated in favor of his son Ferdinand IV who was Grand Duke of Tuscany in name but never really reigned. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860, as a part of the unification of Italy. In 1861, Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy.

Maria Ferdinanda lived partly in the Kingdom of Bohemia, part of the Austrian Empire, and also in Dresden at the court of her brother King Johann of Saxony. She had a very close relationship with her unmarried sister Amalie, a comedic opera composer under the pen name A. Serena, and a dramatist under the name Amalie Heiter.

Maria Ferdinanda survived her husband Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany by forty-one years, dying on January 3, 1865, aged 68, at the Chateau Brandýs nad Labem, a private property of the former Tuscany grand ducal family, in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. She was buried in the Ferdinand Vault at the Imperial Crypt in the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria where her husband’s first wife was also buried.

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. 2021. Princess Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Maria_Ferdinanda_of_Saxony> [Accessed 26 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Ferdinando I, King of the Two Sicilies. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ferdinando-i-king-of-the-two-sicilies/> [Accessed 26 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ferdinando-iii-grand-duke-of-tuscany-archduke-of-austria/> [Accessed 26 September 2021].
  • It.wikipedia.org. 2021. Maria Ferdinanda di Sassonia – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Ferdinanda_di_Sassonia> [Accessed 26 September 2021].
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew, 1995. The Habsburgs. New York: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter, 2016. Heart of Europe – A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Anna of Saxony, Princess of Orange, 2nd wife of Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Three years after the death of his first wife, Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange married again. On August 25, 1561, he married Anna of Saxony. However, the marriage would not end happily, and neither would Anna’s life. Anna was born on December 23, 1544, in Dresden, Duchy of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany. She was the only surviving child and heiress of Maurice, Elector of Saxony and his wife Agnes of Hesse, the eldest daughter of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.

Anna had one younger brother who lived for only six months:

  • Albert of Saxony (1545 – 1546), died in infancy

Anna’s father died in 1553 in battle during Second Margrave War. In 1555, her mother remarried but died due to a miscarriage six months later. The eleven-year-old Anna was sent to live at the court of her uncle Augustus, Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

Since Anna was her father’s only heir, she was a wealthy young woman and attracted a number of royal suitors. The future King Eric XIV of Sweden made an unsuccessful marriage proposal, but it was Willem I, Prince of Orange who caught her attention. Anna’s dowry of 100,000 thalers was a very large amount of money. Willem was especially interested in the wealth and support he would acquire from Anna’s family in Saxony, Hesse-Kassel, and the Palatine. However, there was resistance to the marriage from Anna’s family. They thought she could get a husband with more status and they were concerned with the lack of Willem’s financial resources. Eventually, Willem’s persistent involvement in the marriage negotiations proved successful.

Willem and Anna had five children but only three survived to adulthood:

Within a few months of the marriage, the couple began quarreling. By 1565, it was common knowledge at all the courts in Germany and in the Netherlands that the marriage was unhappy. After the death of her first son Maurits in 1566, Anna suffered severe depression. She tried to drown her grief with alcohol. The situation between Anna and Willem was strained and they often lived apart.

In early 1571, Anna realized she was pregnant. Immediately, the paternity was controversial. Two possibilities were discussed: either Anna’s husband Willem, who had visited Anna and his children during Christmas 1570, was the father or the lawyer Jan Rubens (the future father of the painter Peter Paul Rubens), who spent a lot of time with Anna as her legal adviser, was the father. A daughter, Christine, was born in August 1571.

Willem knew that his non-recognition of the child as his daughter would be a pretext for divorce by accusing Anna of adultery. Wilhelm accused Rubens of having had an adulterous relationship with his wife and of being the biological father of Christina. Rubens was imprisoned and threatened with execution. He confessed to adultery under torture and was pardoned on the intercession of his wife. Anna also admitted the adultery, but she denied that Rubens was the father. On December 14, 1571, Anna was forced to agree to a divorce. Christine, who had been given Dietz as a surname, was not recognized by Willem as his child and he did not have to pay any further maintenance for her.

In 1572, Anna was sent to her family in Saxony where they imprisoned her as an adulteress. The windows of her room were walled up and fitted with additional iron bars. A square hole was made in the door through which food and drink were given to her. An iron gate was installed on the outside of the door prohibiting any attempt to escape. Anna died on December 18, 1577, at the Palace of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, shortly before her 33rd birthday. She was buried in Meissen Cathedral in Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany, near her ancestors in a nameless tomb.

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.

Christina of Saxony, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Christina of Saxony was born in Torgau, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony on December 25, 1461. She was the eldest of the seven children and the eldest of the two daughters of Ernst, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.

Christina had six younger siblings:

King Hans of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

When she was sixteen-years-old, Christina was betrothed to Hans, the future King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. In 1478, Christina left her home in Torgau and traveled to the port of Rostock on the Baltic Sea. There she was met by a large Danish entourage and traveled by ship to Copenhagen, Denmark. On September 6, 1478, at Copenhagen Castle, Christina and Hans were married. The wedding was a sumptuous occasion with Christina wearing a gold dress with red embroidery and traveling in a golden carriage.

Christina and Hans had six children:

Wall sculpture at St. Canute’s Cathedral depicting King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son Prince Frans who died from the plague; Credit – Wikipedia

Hans’ father King Christian I died in 1481. At that time, the monarchies of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden elected their kings. Only Hans’ succession to the Danish throne went smoothly. In Norway, after some negotiations, Hans was recognized as King of Norway in 1483. In Sweden, a power-play game occurred with Hans for six years. Eventually, Hans saw an opportunity to strike, and after his forces defeated Swedish forces in 1497, he was finally crowned King of Sweden. However, in 1501, an uprising in Sweden caused Hans to lose the Swedish crown.

Hans and Christina were visiting Sweden in 1501 before the uprising. During that visit, Hans began a long-term affair with Edel Jernskjæg, one of Christina’s ladies-in-waiting. The affair caused a scandal and a de facto termination of their marriage. From that time on, the marriage of Hans and Christina was one in name only.

During the Swedish uprising, Hans fled Stockholm, Sweden, and left Christina at Stockholm Palace. She bravely defended the palace for eight months but was forced to surrender in May 1502 after her 1,000-man army defending the palace was reduced by deaths to only 70. Christina spent more than a year under guard as a prisoner in the Vadstena Monastery, finally being released in 1503.

After her return to Denmark, Christina lived with her youngest son Frans, separately from King Hans, on her dower lands at Næsbyhoved Castle (link in Danish) and in Odense. Christina was a devout Catholic (the Reformation had not yet occurred in Denmark) and shortly after her return to Denmark, she founded convents for the nuns of the Poor Clares in Copenhagen and Odense. Christina made various pilgrimages in Denmark and made visits to her daughter Elisabeth and her sister Margarete. Sadly, her youngest son thirteen-year-old Frans died of the plague in 1511.

In January 1513, King Hans was on his way to Aalborghus Castle (link in Danish) when he was thrown by his horse. He became increasingly weaker and on February 20, 1513, at his birthplace Aalborghus Castle, King Hans died from his injuries at the age of 58. He was buried in the Gråbrødre Church of the Franciscan monastery in Odense, Denmark which Queen Christina had chosen as the burial site for her husband and herself. Queen Christina commissioned the famous German sculptor Claus Berg to create a burial chapel in the church of the Franciscan monastery for her and her husband. Berg’s intricately carved and gilded altarpiece is a Danish national treasure. The altarpiece depicts the passion and the crucifixion of Jesus, and the crowning of the Virgin Mary. The base shows members of the royal family including  King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son King Christian II.

Claus Berg’s altarpiece; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Christina survived her husband by eight years, dying on December 8, 1521, aged 59, in Odense, Denmark. She was buried wearing the habit of a Poor Clares nun with her husband. Their son King Christian II was also interred in the burial chapel in the church of the Franciscan monastery. In 1807, the former Franciscan church was demolished, and Berg’s magnificent altarpiece and the remains of King Hans, his wife Christina, and their son King Christian II were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral, also in Odense, Denmark. Christian’s wife Isabella was originally buried in St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. In 1883, thanks to the efforts of the Danish government, Isabella’s remains and those of her son Hans were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral.

Queen Christina’s grave in St. Canute’s Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

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. Christine Af Sachsen. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_af_Sachsen> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christina Von Sachsen (1461–1521). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_von_Sachsen_(1461%E2%80%931521)> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christina Of Saxony. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Saxony> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/hans-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 21 December 2020].

Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

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

Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony

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

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

Luise had nine siblings:

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

Friedrich August. source: Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

In September 1907, Luise married for a second time. Her new husband was Enrico Toselli, an Italian musician 12 years younger. They had a son, Carlo, born in May 1908. Soon after this marriage, her first husband found their daughter and had her brought back to Dresden. She also separated from her second husband, and they were divorced four years later.

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

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

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

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

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich August III, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

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

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

Friedrich August III, King of Saxony- Source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August III, King of Saxony

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

Archduchess Luise of Austria. source: Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony ;source: Wikipedia

 

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

Maria Ana, c1856. source: Wikipedia

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

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

Prince Georg of Saxony, c1860. source: Wikipedia

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

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

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Georg, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

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

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

Georg, King of Saxony – source: Wikipedia

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

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

Infanta Maria Ana. source: Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony – source: Wikipedia

Queen Carola was the wife of King Albert of Saxony, and the last Queen of Saxony. She was born Princess Karolina Fredrika Franciska Stefania Amalia Cecilia of Vasa on August 5, 1833, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Austria. Her parents were Gustav, Prince of Vasa (formerly Crown Prince of Sweden) and Princess Luise Amelie of Baden, and she had one older sibling – Prince Louis – who was born and died in March 1832.

Despite her title, Carola was not actually a member of the Vasa dynasty. Her grandfather King Gustaf IV Adolf of Sweden had been forced to abdicate the throne in 1809 and was eventually replaced by his uncle King Karl XIII. Karl had no children and this led to the choosing of Jean Baptiste Bernadotte to succeed him, thus establishing the Bernadotte dynasty which remains on the Swedish throne today. The family was forced to leave Sweden. Carola’s father and his siblings settled in Austria, where he went on to serve in the Austrian forces. No longer permitted to be styled a Prince of Sweden, he took on the title Prince of Vasa, a nod to the dynasty that had previously ruled Sweden in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Carola was christened two days after her birth. Her godparents included Franz I, Emperor of Austria, Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria, Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden, and Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg. Her early years were spent primarily at Eichhorn Castle in what is now Brno, Czech Republic. After her parents divorced in 1844, Carola and her mother moved to the Morawetz Castle in Morawetz (link in Czech), also now in the Czech Republic. Given a strict education, Carola developed a love of drawing and painting and a deep compassion for those less fortunate. This strong desire to help others continued for her entire life.

Carola was known as one of the most beautiful of the European princesses and had numerous suitors. Plans for a marriage to the French Emperor Napoléon III were refused by her father, who was strongly opposed to the Napoleonic monarchy and concerned by the unstable political situation in France.

Crown Prince Albert of Saxony. source: Wikipedia

In November 1852, Carola and her mother received a visit from Crown Prince Albert of Saxony, the son of King Johann of Saxony and Amalie Auguste of Bavaria. Albert was on a quest to find a suitable bride, and having been turned down by several others, set his sights on Carola. They became engaged on December 5, 1852. The following month, Carola and her mother moved to Brno, where Albert visited often. In June 1853, she made her way to the Kingdom of Saxony, arriving in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, accompanied by Albert, to a grand welcome from the people of Saxony. They married in the Dresden Cathedral on June 18, 1853. After two weeks of celebrations, they took up residence in the Taschenbergpalais in Dresden. Carola and Johann never had children. Between 1853 – 1860, Carola had ten miscarriages.

Crown Princess Carola, c1865. source: Wikipedia

As Crown Princess, Carola quickly became involved in charity work. She visited field hospitals in Vienna and founded the Albert Commission, which supported military care during the War of 1870-1871. She took over the patronage of several organizations that supported widows and orphans and provided food and medical care for wounded soldiers. She founded several hospitals and nursing schools. In recognition of her work, Carola was awarded several orders including the Saxon Order of Sidonia and the Prussian Order of Luise.

These activities increased further after her husband ascended the Saxony throne on October 29, 1873. In addition to supporting organizations that provided medical care, she was also instrumental in establishing several organizations to provide training for a growing workforce due to an increase in industrialization. Through her efforts, homes were built for families who needed housing, nurses received more proper training, and advances were made in the care and treatment of tuberculosis within Saxony. Schools and nursing homes were established, along with several women’s organizations that provided vocational training. Queen Carola is often credited for greatly contributing to the increasing professional independence of women.

Queen Carola, c1902. source: Wikipedia

Carola was widowed in 1902 and retired to her country home in Strehlen, Kingdom of Saxony, now Strzelin, Poland, appearing in public only occasionally. She continued working with several of her patronages, but most were passed on to the new Queen. Living a relatively simple life in Strehlen, the Dowager Queen spent several years working on, and constantly revising, her will which would end up giving a large part of her estate to charity. Her health began to decline, as a result of diabetes, which she had suffered from for several years. She died on the morning of December 15, 1907, at her villa in Strehlen. After laying in state at her villa, her coffin was taken to the Dresden Cathedral in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany where she is buried beside her husband in the Wettin Crypt.

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Albert, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

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

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

Albert, King of Saxony – source: Wikipedia

King Albert of Saxony was born Prince Friedrich August Albert Anton Ferdinand Joseph Karl Maria Baptist Nepomuk Wilhelm Xaver Georg Fidelis on April 23, 1828, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany. He was the eldest son of King Johann of Saxony and Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, and had eight siblings:

Albert attended the University of Bonn, but his education was primarily designed for his military career. He served in the First Schleswig War, the Austro-Prussian War, and the Franco-Prussian War and was a distinguished military officer. He became Crown Prince of Saxony upon his father’s accession in 1854 and continued to serve with the Saxon and Prussian forces.

Carola of Vasa. source: Wikipedia

On June 18, 1853, in Dresden, Albert married Princess Carola of Vasa. She was the daughter of Gustaf, Prince of Vasa (formerly The Crown Prince of Sweden) and Princess Luise Amelie of Baden. The couple had no children.

Albert’s father died on October 29, 1873, and he succeeded him as King of Saxony. For the most part, his reign was quiet and uneventful, as he focused primarily on military affairs and did not involve himself much in politics. Perhaps his greatest contribution was the establishment of the Albertstadt, a suburb in Dresden. In the late 1890s, he was appointed to serve as an arbitrator in the dispute over succession in the Principality of Lippe.

After a reign of nearly 29 years, King Albert died at Sibyllenort Castle in Sibyllenort, Kingdom of Prussia, now Szczodre, Poland, on June 19, 1902, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Georg. Like his predecessors, he is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony), in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony.

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Amalie was the wife of King Johann of Saxony. She was born Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria in the Electorate of Bavaria, later the Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, on November 13, 1801, the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife Princess Karoline of Baden.

Amalie had six siblings including her twin sister Elisabeth Ludovika

From her father’s first marriage to  Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt, Amalie had five half-siblings:

Prince Johann of Saxony, c1832. source: Wikipedia

On November 21, 1822, in Dresden, Amalie married Prince Johann of Saxony, the son of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and Princess Caroline of Parma. At the time, Johann was fourth in the line of succession for the Saxony throne, with little expectation that he would ever become King. From all accounts, the marriage was a happy one, and the couple had nine children:

Amalie’s husband became the heir presumptive to the Saxony throne in 1836, when King Anton died and was succeeded by Johann’s elder brother King Friedrich August II. Amalie and her husband were close with the King and his wife (who was Amalie’s younger sister), and the two women worked together to support numerous charities and institutions. In 1851, Amalie became Chairwoman of the Women’s Association of Dresden, founded by her sister some years earlier.

Upon King Friedrich August II’s death in August 1854, the throne passed to Johann, and Amalie succeeded her own sister as Queen of Saxony. Her husband would reign until his death on October 29, 1873, succeeded by the couple’s eldest son, King Albert.

Queen Amalie Auguste – source: Wikipedia

Queen Amalie Auguste survived her husband by four years, dying in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany, on November 8, 1877. She is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony).

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

Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty