Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

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.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on November 23, 1838, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the second of the three sons and the third of the four children of Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Princess Auguste of Solms-Braunfels.

Albrecht’s two brothers died in infancy. Only his sister survived childhood.

During his childhood, Georg Albrecht was very interested in horses and all things military. Because of this interest, a Kindergarde (Children’s Guard) was formed of noble sons and sons of civil servants who were outfitted with specially made uniforms and weapons. After being educated by private tutors, Georg Albrecht studied legal history, philosophy, and economics at the University of Göttingen and the University of Bonn. However, his higher education was cut short because of his desire to enter the Prussian Army. Georg Albrecht served as a first lieutenant in the Garde du Corps regiment starting in 1859. In 1864, he became an orderly officer of Lieutenant General Gustav von der Mülbe (link in German). He fought during the Second Schleswig War in 1864 and during the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

Upon the death of his father on November 26, 1869, Georg Albrecht succeeded him as Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Soon afterward, he became engaged to his second cousin once removed Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. However, while traveling with his family through the various German monarchies, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, the second surviving son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, met his second cousin Marie. Vladimir and Marie quickly fell in love and subsequently Marie broke off her engagement to Georg Albert, who never did marry.

After he became Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Georg Albrecht remained in the Prussian Army for the rest of his life. During the Franco-Prussian War, he was a member of the General Staff of the 8th Infantry Division and was involved in the Battle of Sedan and the Battle of Beaumont. Following the defeat of France, Georg Albrecht was present when Wilhelm I, King of Prussia was declared German Emperor (Kaiser) in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, on January 18, 1871. In 1883, he was promoted to General of the Cavalry and in 1886, he was created a Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle. Because of his military duties, Georg Albrecht left the running of the government of the Principality of Schwarzberg-Rudolstadt mostly to his government ministers.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg Albrecht, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died on January 19, 1890, aged 51, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, and was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt. He was succeeded by his first cousin once removed Günther Victor.

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Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Georg Albert (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Albert_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Albert, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Albert,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 2 November 2020].
  • 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 20 October 2020].