Category Archives: Former Monarchies

Princess Charlotte of Belgium, Empress Carlota of Mexico

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Charlotte of Belgium, Empress Carlota of Mexico; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Charlotte of Belgium (Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine), who later became Empress of Mexico as the wife of the ill-fated Archduke Maximilian of Austria, Emperor of Mexico, was born at the Castle of Laeken in Belgium on June 7, 1840. She was the only daughter and the youngest of the four children of Leopold I, King of Belgians and his second wife Princess Louise-Marie of Orléans.

Princess Charlotte at age two by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1842; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte’s father was born Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and first married Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of the future King George IV of the United Kingdom and the second in the line of succession to the British throne. Sadly, 21-year-old Princess Charlotte of Wales died in childbirth along with her son. Leopold named his daughter Charlotte after his first wife. In 1831, Leopold became King of the Belgians after Belgium became independent from the Netherlands. King Leopold I was the uncle of both Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, and therefore his daughter Charlotte, Victoria, and Albert were first cousins. Charlotte’s mother was the daughter of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, and Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies.

Charlotte’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte had three older brothers:

When Charlotte was ten years old, her mother died from tuberculosis and a close family friend, Countess Denise d’Hulst, became Charlotte’s governess. Charlotte received religious instruction from Father Victor-Auguste-Isidor Deschamps, brother of the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and later Cardinal-Bishop of Mechelen. Before her sixteenth birthday, Charlotte had two suitors for her hand in marriage: Prince George of Saxony, the future King of Saxony, and Queen Victoria’s candidate King Pedro V of Portugal. However, in May 1856, Charlotte met Archduke Maximilian of Austria, a younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, and fell in love with him. The couple married at the Royal Palace of Brussels in Belgium on July 27, 1857. Unfortunately, Charlotte and Maximilian had no children.

Charlotte and Maximilian during their first year of marriage; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Franz Joseph appointed his brother Maximilian Viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now part of Italy, but then part of the Austrian Empire. There the couple built Miramare Castle in Trieste.  In 1859, Emperor Franz Joseph, angered by his brother’s liberal policies, dismissed him as Viceroy. Shortly afterward, Austria lost control of most of its Italian possessions, and Maximilian and Charlotte retired to Miramare Castle.

Miramare Castle; Photo Credit – By Valleo61 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22924475

In 1859, Mexican monarchists approached Maximilian with a proposal to become Emperor of Mexico which Maximilian did not accept. After the French intervention in Mexico in 1861, Maximilian changed his mind. At the invitation of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, after the French capture of Mexico City and a French-staged referendum that supposedly confirmed the will of the people, Maximilian agreed to accept the crown. On April 10, 1864, in the great salon of Miramare Castle, a Mexican delegation officially informed Maximilian of the referendum results, without telling him that the French army had intimidated the voters. Maximilian declared to the Mexican delegation that he accepted the crown from the hands of the Mexican nation and swore to ensure the well-being, prosperity, independence, and integrity of the Mexican nation.

The Mexican Delegation appoints Maximilian of Austria Emperor of Mexico by Cesare-Dell’Acqua, 1864; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota, as Charlotte was now called, landed at Veracruz, Mexico on May 21, 1864, and received a cold reception from the townspeople. Veracruz was a liberal town and the liberal voters were opposed to having Maximilian being their Emperor. He had the backing of Mexican conservatives and Napoleon III, but from the very beginning, Maximilian found himself in serious difficulties. The liberal forces led by Benito Juárez, the former president deposed by the French, refused to recognize his rule. There was continuous warfare between the French troops and the forces of Juárez who wanted a republic.

After the end of the American Civil War, the French withdrew their troops from Mexico under pressure from the United States. After that, Maximilian could not hold out against the popular Juárez as his request for help from Europe remained unanswered. Charlotte traveled to Europe to ask for help from Napoleon III and Pope Pius IX, but the only hope she got was a promise from the Pope to pray for her and her husband. Maximilian then wanted to leave Mexico but changed his mind after receiving a letter from his mother, which prompted him to stay.

Maximilian and his last troops barricaded themselves in Queretaro, which fell after a siege on May 14, 1867. Maximilian was condemned to death by a court of war and on June 19, 1867, he was executed by a firing squad. Before the shooting, Maximilian assured the soldiers that they were only doing their duty, gave them gold coins, and asked them to aim precisely and spare his face, so that his mother could identify his body.

Édouard Manet’s Execution of Emperor Maximilian (1868–1869); Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Eventually, Maximilian’s remains were returned to Austria, where seven months after his execution, on January 18, 1868, they were buried in the Kaisergruft (Imperial Crypt) in the Capuchin Church in Vienna.

Tomb of Maximilian; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

After Charlotte’s unsuccessful visit to the Pope in 1866, her brother Philippe, Count of Flanders took her to Miramare Castle. There Charlotte began to have suspicions that everyone wanted to poison her and she was kept in the guest house at Miramare guarded by Austrian security agents. When Charlotte’s sister-in-law Queen Marie-Henriette of Belgium arrived at Miramare Castle, she found Charlotte in such a state that she decided to bring her back to Belgium. Charlotte was examined by doctors who declared her insane. Today, it is impossible to determine the exact nature of her mental illness.

Charlotte in mourning, 1867; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte spent the rest of her life at Bouchout Castle in Meise, Belgium where her brother King Leopold II oversaw her care. Over the years, her mental illness seemed to lessen and Charlotte developed a passion for collecting objects that had belonged to her husband. Charlotte died from pneumonia at Bouchout Castle on January 19, 1927, at the age of 86, and was buried in the Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken, the burial place of the Belgian Royal Family.

Charlotte’s grave marker; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

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Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charlotte von Belgien. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_von_Belgien [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Carlota of Mexico. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlota_of_Mexico [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Maximilian I of Mexico. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_I_of_Mexico [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charlotte de Belgique. [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_de_Belgique [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

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.

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

Karl August was the first Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, reigning from 1815 until 1828. He was born in Weimar, Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, now in Thuringia, Germany on September 3, 1757, the eldest son of Ernst August II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. He had one younger sibling:

When his father died in May 1758, Karl August became Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Duke of Saxe-Eisenach at just nine months old. His mother served as regent and is recognized for having built up the resources and strength of the duchies during her son’s youth. Meanwhile, Karl August was educated privately by several tutors and then made a grand tour of Europe along with his younger brother. It was on this trip that he met the great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who would become a close friend, confidante, and advisor.

Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt. source: Wikipedia

Shortly after reaching his majority and taking control of the government of the two duchies, Karl August married Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt in Karlsruhe, Margraviate of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on October 3, 1775. Luise was the daughter of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken. They had seven children:

Karl August’s surviving children – Bernhard, Karoline Luise, and Karl Friedrich. source: Wikipedia

One of his first official acts was appointing the great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to his privy council. It is perhaps through Goethe’s influence and support that Karl August worked to promote education and the arts. He established the Weimar Princely Free Drawing School in 1776 and was instrumental in reforming the education system and promoting the University of Jena.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. source: Wikipedia

A firm supporter of a unified Germany, Karl August was one of the leading forces behind the establishment of the League of Princes in 1785. Two years later, he was offered the Hungarian crown but refused. He served with the Prussian Army as a major-general and led his regiment into several battles in 1792. After the disastrous Battle of Jena in 1806, Karl August was forced to join Napoleon’s Confederation of the Rhine, to avoid losing his territories.

In 1809, the two duchies were united and Karl August became Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Six years later, following the Congress of Vienna, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was elevated to a Grand Duchy with Karl August as its first Grand Duke. Much more liberal than many of his contemporaries, Karl August was the first German prince to grant a liberal constitution and to promote the freedom of the press.

Grand Duke Karl August died at Castle Graditz in Graditz, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Saxony, Germany on June 14, 1828, and is buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, 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