Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg was Head of the House of Württemberg, and pretender to the former throne, from 1939 until his death in 1975.

photo: By Atelier E. Breber, Berlin – Original publication: Published as a postcard in Europe.Immediate source: Private Collection – Wartenberg Trust, PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34113255

Prince Georg Philipp Albrecht Carl Maria Joseph Ludwig Lubertus Stanislaus Leopold of Württemberg was born in Stuttgart on November 14, 1893, the eldest son of Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria. He had six younger siblings:

  • Duke Albrecht Eugen (1895) – married Princess Nadezhda of Bulgaria, had issue
  • Duke Carl Alexander (1896) – unmarried
  • Duchess Maria Amalia (1897) – unmarried
  • Duchess Maria Theresa (1898) – unmarried
  • Duchess Maria Elisabeth (1899) -unmarried
  • Duchess Margarita Maria (1902) – unmarried

After attending the Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium in Stuttgart, Philipp Albrecht began studying law at the University of Tübingen. He left his studies after two semesters to join the Württemberg Army in 1912. He served in the Royal Dragoon Regiment No.25 during World War I, fighting on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Following the November Revolution in 1918, which saw the end of the monarchy, he retired from military service and returned to his studies in Tübingen, eventually earning his doctorate in 1925.

Philipp Albrecht was married twice. His first wife was Archduchess Helena of Austria, Princess of Tuscany. She was the daughter of Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria and Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Philipp Albrecht and Helena married in Altshausen on October 24, 1923. Sadly, Helena died just a week after giving birth to their only child:

  • Duchess Maria Christina (1924) – married Prince Georg Hartmann of Liechtenstein, had issue

Four years later, on August 1, 1928, Philipp Albrecht married Archduchess Rosa of Austria, Princess of Tuscany. Rosa was the younger sister of his first wife. Together they had six children:

  • Duchess Helene (1929) – married Federico Pallavicini, Marchese Pallavicini, had issue
  • Duke Ludwig Albrecht (1930) – married (1) Baroness Adelheid von Bodman, had issue; (2) Angelika Kiessig, had issue
  • Duchess Elisabeth (1933) – married Prince Antoine of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had issue
  • Duchess Marie Therese (1934) – married Prince Henri d’Orléans, Count of Paris, had issue
  • Carl, Duke of Württemberg (1936) – married Princess Diane d’Orléans, had issue
  • Duchess Maria Antonia (1937) – unmarried

Despite the monarchy having been abolished, Philipp Albrecht and his family continued to live at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Stuttgart until 1934 when they were forced to leave after he refused to fly the Nazi Flag above his home. They moved to Altshausen, where he became more involved in the family’s business ventures. After his father died in 1939, he became head of the House of Württemberg and pretender to the former throne and took over the management of the family’s estates. Philipp Albrecht remained very highly regarded in Württemberg for the rest of his life, unlike many of his contemporaries in other German monarchies.

Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, died in Ravensburg, Germany on April 1, 1975. He is buried in the family crypt in Altshausen, Germany.

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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.

Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial; Credit – By Turismo Madrid Consorcio Turístico from Madrid, España – Monasterio EscorialUploaded by Ecemaml, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6581920

The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial about 28 miles/45 kilometers from Madrid, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Lawrence (San Lorenzo in Spanish) who was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome during the papacy of Pope Sixtus II who were martyred during the persecution of the Christians ordered the Roman Emperor Valerian in 258. It was built from 1563 – 1584 by King Felipe II of Spain for several purposes, one being the burial site of the Kings of Spain. The complex includes a palace, basilica, monastery, and library. In 1559, Felipe II appointed Spanish architect Juan Bautista de Toledo architect-royal. Together they designed the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial as a monument to Spain’s role as a center of the Christian world.

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The Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial

 

The Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a Roman Catholic church. It has been the burial place of Spanish monarchs since King Carlos I of Spain (1500 – 1558), better known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and many members of the Spanish royal family. Often funerals are held at the basilica.

 

The Royal Crypt is located beneath the basilica and the convent. There are two Pantheons containing the remains. The Pantheon of Kings contains the remains of Kings and Queen Consorts who were also mothers of Kings of Spain. The Pantheon of Infantes is the resting place of other members of the Spanish Royal Family. There are four exceptions to the burials in the Pantheon of Kings. Elisabeth of France, the first wife of King Felipe IV, gave birth to an heir to the throne before she died. Her son Balthasar Carlos, Prince of Asturias died from smallpox two years after his mother’s death, at the age of sixteen. King Felipe IV decided that Elisabeth should be interred in the Pantheon of Kings. Francisco, Duke of Cádiz and King Consort of Spain, the husband of Queen Isabella II and the father of King Alfonso XII, is also buried in the Pantheon of Kings.

King Juan Carlos I also made exceptions for the final resting place of his parents Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Barcelona. Although his father did not reign, Juan, Count of Barcelona was the heir apparent of his father King Alfonso XIII because both of his elder brothers renounced their rights of succession. When Alfonso XIII, who had lost his throne when the Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931, knew that his life was coming to an end, he formally abdicated in favor of his son Juan, who became the pretender to the Spanish throne. The dictator Francisco Franco had declared that the monarchy would be restored upon his own death. However, Franco felt that Juan would be too liberal, so he passed over him and chose Juan’s son, Juan Carlos, as heir to the Spanish throne. Although Juan, Count of Barcelona never reigned, he is considered a de jure king and he and his wife are parents of a king.

However, the royal remains are not initially interred in one of the Pantheons. Instead, the remains are taken to one of two decaying chambers (pudridero), where they remain for 30 to 40 years. The purpose of the pudridero is to reduce the size of the remains so that they will fit in lead chests, 3.2 feet/1 meter long and 16 inches/40 centimeters wide. The remains are then interred in the marble sepulchers or tombs in either the Pantheon of Kings or the Pantheon of Infantes.

Sepulchers of Carlos II, Luis I, Carlos III, and Carlos IV; Credit – By Bocachete – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6493684

The remains of King Juan Carlos’ parents Juan, Count of Barcelona and María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies currently lie in the pudridero, awaiting interment in the Pantheon of the Kings. When these remains are interred, all the sepulchers in the Pantheon of Kings will be filled. No decision has been announced as to the final resting place of former King Juan Carlos I and his wife Queen Sofia or for their son King Felipe VI and his wife Queen Letizia, the current king and queen.

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The Pantheon of Kings

The layout of the Pantheon of Kings: The two empty sepulchers 25 and 26 will be used by Don Juan, Count of Barcelona and Maria Mercedes of Two-Sicilies, parents of King Juan Carlos; Credit: By Basilio – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17239121

The Pantheon of Kings is located beneath the Basilica and houses 26 marble sepulchers containing the remains of the Kings and Queens of Spain. As seen in the layout above, it is octagonally shaped, with the sepulchers stacked in six columns around the room. An additional two sepulchers are located above the entrance. The Kings’ tombs are all on one side, while the Queens’ tombs are on the other.

The altar with two sets of niches on either side; Credit – By Bocachete – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6493547

The Pantheon of Kings is an eight-sided dome made of black marble, which is located directly below the monastery church. The doorway to the Pantheon of Kings is in the southwest wall of this octagon. On the opposite side, the northeast wall, the altar is located. The walls of the other six sides contain (as Groups I-VI) four coffin niches are arranged one above the other. Two more coffin niches are located (as group VII) in the southwest wall above the entrance. In each of these coffin niches, there is a magnificent sarcophagus made of black marble with gold decorations with gold tablets naming the names of the persons buried within.

The following members of the Spanish royal family are buried in the Pantheon of Kings:

Group I

  • Carlos I, King of Spain, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500 – 1558)
  • Felipe II, King of Spain (1527 – 1598)
  • Felipe III, King of Spain (1578 – 1621)
  • Felipe IV, King of Spain (1605 – 1665)

Group II

  • Carlos II, King of Spain (1661- 1700)
  • Luis I, King of Spain (1707 – 1724)
  • Carlos III, King of Spain (1716 – 1788)
  • Carlos IV, King of Spain (1748 – 1819)

Group III

Group IV

  • Isabella of Portugal, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1503 – 1539)
  • Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, 4th wife of Felipe II (1549 – 1580)
  • Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain, wife of Felipe III (1584 – 1611)
  • Elisabeth of France, Queen of Spain, 1st wife of Felipe IV (1602 – 1644)

Group V

  • Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain, 2nd wife of Felipe IV (1635 – 1696)
  • Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain, 1st wife of Felipe V (1688 – 1714)
  • Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos III (1724 – 1760)
  • Maria Luisa of Parma, Queen of Spain, wife of Carlos IV (1751- 1819)

Group VI

Group VII – The future burial place of The Count and Countess of Barcelona

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The Pantheon of Infantes

Pantheon of the Infantes looking from Chapel IX towards Chapel VI: Credit – By Holo^-^ – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51849928

The Pantheon of Infantes is located on the same level as the Pantheon of Kings but under the monastery. In 1862, Queen Isabella II approved its construction which was carried out by José Segundo de Lema (link in Spanish), the senior architect of the Royal Palace. The Pantheon of Infantes was completed in 1888 and it was intended to be the burial place for Infantes and Infantas of Spain and for Queen Consorts of Spain who were not mothers of Kings of Spain. Infante and Infanta are Spanish royal titles that basically correspond to Prince and Princess.

The Pantheon of Infantes consists of nine chapels, each with its own altar. In contrast to the Pantheon of Kings, which is dominated by the colors black and gold, white marble was predominantly used for the walls and the sarcophagi in the Pantheon of the Infantes. In Chapel VI, a free-standing round monument serves as a collective burial site for children of the Spanish royal family who had not yet had their First Communion before they died. Among those buried In Chapel IX are sixteen members of the House of Habsburg.

The Pantheon of Infantes has its own pudridero (decaying chamber) where the remains of the deceased stay for 30 to 40 years before they are interred. Currently in the pudridero of the Pantheon of Infantes are:

Chapel I

Tombs of Infante Alfonso of Spain, Prince of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria and his mother Infanta María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias; Credit – By Alexjab – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65821441

Chapel II

Chapel III

Chapel IV

Tombs of Luis Alfonso of Bavaria, Infante of Spain and Maria de las Mercedes of Bavaria, Infanta of Spain; Credit – By Alexjab – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65821301

Chapel V

Tomb of Don Juan of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

  • Don Juan of Austria, illegitimate son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1547 – 1578)
  • Don Francisco Fernando of Austria, illegitimate son of Felipe V (1627 – 1634)
  • Don Juan José of Austria, illegitimate son of Felipe IV (1629 – 1679)

Chapel VI: Children’s Collective Grave

The free-standing round monument serves as a collective burial site for children of the Spanish royal family who had not yet had their First Communion before they died; Credit – Wikipedia

  • Infante Fernando, son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (born and died 1529)
  • Infante Juan, son of Carlos I, also Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1537 – 1538)
  • Infante Lorenzo, son of Felipe II (1573 – 1575)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe II (1580 – 1583)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe III (born and died 1603)
  • Infante Alfonso, son of Felipe III (1611 – 1612)
  • Infanta Margarita, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1621)
  • Infanta Catalina, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1623)
  • Infanta Maria, daughter of Felipe IV (1625 – 1627)
  • Infanta Isabel Teresa, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1627)
  • Infanta Ana Antonia, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1636)
  • Prince Ferdinand of Savoy-Carignano, son of Tommaso Francesco of Savoy, Prince of Carignano (1634 -1637)
  • Infanta Ambrosia, daughter of Felipe IV (born and died 1655)
  • Infante Fernando Tomás Carlos, son of Felipe IV (1658 – 1659)
  • Infante Felipe Próspero, son of Felipe IV (1657 – 1661)
  • Infante Felipe, son of Felipe V (born and died 1709)
  • Infante Francisco, son of Felipe V (born and died 1717)
  • Infant Carlos Clemens, son of Carlos IV (1771 – 1774)
  • Infanta Maria Luisa, daughter of Carlos IV (1777 – 1782)
  • Infante Carlos Eusebio, son of Carlos IV (1780 – 1783)
  • Infant Felipe, son of Carlos IV (1783 – 1784)
  • Infant Fernando Carlos Francisco, son of Carlos IV (1783 – 1784)
  • Infanta Maria Carlota, daughter of Infante Gabriel, granddaughter of Carlos III (born and died 1787)
  • Infante Carlos, son of Infante Gabriel, grandson of Carlos III (born and died 1788)
  • Infante Felipe, son of Carlos IV (1792 – 1794)
  • Infanta Maria Teresa, daughter of Carlos IV (1791 – 1794)
  • Infanta Isabel, daughter of Ferdinand VII (1817 – 1818)
  • Infante Francisco, son of Infante Francisco de Paula, grandson of Carlos IV (1820 – 1821)
  • Infanta Maria Teresa, daughter of Infante Francisco de Paula, granddaughter of Carlos IV (1828 – 1829)
  • Infante Eduardo, son of Infante Francisco de Paula, grandson of Carlos IV (1826 – 1830)
  • Infante Luis Fernando, son of Isabella II (born and died 1850)
  • Infanta Maria Cristina, daughter of Isabella II (born and died 1854)
  • Unnamed Infanta, daughter of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda – (1857)
  • Infanta María de Regla, daughter of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and
  • Infanta Luisa Fernanda (1856 – 1861)
  • Infanta María de la Concepción, daughter of Isabella II (1859 – 1861)
  • Infante Felipe, son of of Prince Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda (1862 – 1864)
  • Infante Francisco Leopoldo, son of Isabella II (born and died 1866)
  • Infante Fernando, son of Alfonso XIII (stillborn 1910)

Chapel VII

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25388301

Chapel VIII

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25427185

Chapel IX

Credit – By José Luis Filpo Cabana – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26540368

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. 2021. Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Sitio_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. El Escorial – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cripta Real del Monasterio de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cripta_Real_del_Monasterio_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Panteón de Infantes – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pante%C3%B3n_de_Infantes> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Real Basílica de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Bas%C3%ADlica_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Monasterio_de_San_Lorenzo_de_El_Escorial> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
  • Monasteriodelescorial.com. 2021. Comunidad Agustiniana – Real Monasterio de S.L. de El Escorial. [online] Available at: <http://monasteriodelescorial.com/> [Accessed 20 December 2021].

Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein was born on May 28, 1656, at Wilfersdorf Castle in Wilfersdorf, Austria. He was the second of the three sons of Prince Hartmann of Liechtenstein and Countess Sidonie Elisabeth of Salm-Reifferscheidt. Anton Florian was the grandson of Prince Gundakar of Liechtenstein, the brother of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein.

Anton Florian had an elder brother and a younger brother:

Anton Florian’s wife Countess Eleonore Barbara von Thun-Hohenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Anton Florian received an excellent education and from a young age, he was prepared for a life of political responsibility. In 1676, at the age of twenty, he began his career at the imperial court of the Holy Roman Empire in Vienna, Austria by being appointed a chamberlain of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. On October 15, 1679, Anton Florian married Countess Eleonore Barbara von Thun-Hohenstein (1661 – 1723), a daughter of Count Michael Oswald von Thun and Hohenstein, an imperial chamberlain and advisor, and Countess Elisabeth von Lodron.

Anton Florian and Eleonore Barbara had eleven children:

The future Karl VI, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1689, Anton Florian became a member of the Imperial Privy Council and in 1691, he became ambassador to the papal court in Rome. Due to his extensive knowledge, in 1693, Anton Florian became responsible for the education of Archduke Karl, son of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. In 1711, upon the sudden death of his elder brother Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke Karl was elected to succeed him as Karl VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Anton Florian headed the imperial government as Chairman of the Council of State and served as Karl VI’s Chief Chamberlain for the rest of his life.

On June 16, 1712, Anton Florian’s nephew Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died without a male heir. Anton Florian was the heir according to primogeniture however he was not very popular with the family, and so Hans-Adam I had named his second cousin once removed Josef Wenzel as his heir. In 1718, after negotiations, Josef Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein swapped the County of Vaduz and the Lordship of Schellenberg in exchange for the Dominion of Rumburk. Anton Florian became Prince of Liechtenstein and Josef Wenzel concentrated on his military career. In 1719, Karl VI, Holy Roman Emperor elevated Liechtenstein to an Imperial Principality, and Liechtenstein became a sovereign member state of the Holy Roman Empire.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 65, died in Vienna, Austria, on October 11, 1721, and was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. His wife Eleonore Barbara survived him by less than two years, dying at the age of 62 on February 10, 1723, in Vienna, Austria. She was buried in a crypt under the Pauline Church in Vienna, Austria. The crypt no longer exists and the tombs were not preserved.

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

  • Anton Florian, Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein. geni_family_tree. (2018, May 24). Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.geni.com/people/Anton-Florian-F%C3%BCrst-von-und-zu-Liechtenstein/5062381288350042103.
  • “Century: 18. Jahrhundert.” Das Fürstenhaus Von Liechtenstein, https://fuerstenhaus.li/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/18-jahrhundert/.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, October 11). Anton Florian (Liechtenstein). Wikipedia. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Florian_(Liechtenstein)
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, March 7). Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Florian,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein.

Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By rheins, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59623505

Oslo Cathedral, located in Oslo, the capital of Norway, belongs Church of Norway, a Lutheran church, a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It is Norway’s national church and is used by the Norwegian royal family and the Norwegian government for events. After a previous cathedral was damaged during a city fire in 1686, a decision was made to build the present cathedral. Since the cathedral was built after the Protestant Reformation, it has always been a Protestant church.

The interior of the Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By Hans A. Rosbach – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20018487

Oslo Cathedral was built 1694 – 1697 in the Baroque style and was consecrated in 1697. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone several extensive changes. During a renovation in the 1850s under the direction of architect Alexis de Chateauneuf, the current tower with its bronze spire was built. In keeping with the aesthetics of the 1850s, the original Baroque interior was replaced with a Neo-Gothic interior.

Oslo Cathedral in 1929

From 1933 – 1951, in anticipation of the 900th anniversary of the city of Oslo in 1950, the cathedral was restored, under the direction of architect Arnstein Arneberg and the interior was largely restored to its original Baroque interior. Oslo Cathedral was restored from 2006 – 2010, because of extensive moisture damage. The cathedral was closed during those years and was re-opened in April 2010 in the presence of King Harald V of Norway and the Norwegian royal family.

Royal Events

The wedding of the future King Olav V and Princess Märtha of Sweden

The Kingdom of Norway was established in 872 as a merger of many small kingdoms. From 1537 to 1814, Norway was a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, and from 1814 to 1905, it was in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden. In 1905, upon the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway.

The funeral of Crown Princess Märtha; Credit – By Unknown author – Oslo Museum: image no. OB.F12179, via digitaltmuseum.no., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32280021

Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, as well as the British connections of his wife Princess Maud of Wales, the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Prince Carl of Denmark, the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, was the overwhelming favorite. Before accepting, Carl insisted that the voices of the Norwegian people be heard in regards to retaining a monarchy. Following a referendum with a 79% majority in favor, Prince Carl was formally offered and then accepted the throne. He took the name Haakon VII and his two-year-old son Prince Alexander of Denmark was renamed Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway and later succeeded his father as King Olav V.

The funeral of Ari Behn

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

  • “Kirkebygget.” Oslo Domkirke, https://kirken.no/nb-NO/fellesrad/kirkeneioslo/menigheter/oslo-domkirken/om-domkirken/om-oslo-domkike/les-mer-om-oslo-domkirke/kirkebygget/.
  • Oslo Cathedral.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Cathedral.
  • “Oslo Domkirke.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Aug. 2021, https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_domkirke.

Josef Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Josef Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

The great-grandnephew of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein, Josef Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein reigned from 1712 – 1718, was the Regent of Liechtenstein from 1732 – 1745 and reigned again from 1748 – 1772. Josef Wenzel Lorenz was born in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic on August 9, 1696. He was the eldest son of Prince Philipp Erasmus of Liechtenstein (1664 – 1704) and Countess Christina Theresa of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort (1665 – 1730). Josef Wenzel was a great-grandson of Gundakar of Liechtenstein, the brother of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Josef Wenzel’s father Philipp Erasmus was a Field Marshal in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire. He was killed during a skirmish with French troops at Castelnuovo in Lombardy, now in Italy, on January 9, 1704, when Josef Wenzel was seven years old.

Josef Wenzel had two younger brothers:

On June 16, 1712, Josef Wenzel’s second cousin once removed, Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died without a male heir. The heir according to primogeniture was Hans-Adam’s paternal uncle Anton Florian but he was not very popular with the family, and so Hans-Adam I had named Josef Wenzel as his heir. In 1718, after negotiations, Josef Wenzel swapped the County of Vaduz and the Lordship of Schellenberg in exchange for the Dominion of Rumburk. Anton Florian became Prince of Liechtenstein and Josef Wenzel concentrated on his military career.

Anna Maria Antonie of Liechtenstein, Josef Wenzel’s wife; Credit – Wikipedia

As part of the negotiations with Anton Florian, Josef Wenzel married Princess Anna Maria Antonie of Liechtenstein, his first cousin and Anton Florian’s daughter, on April 19, 1718. She predeceased her husband dying on January 20, 1753, in Vienna, Austria, aged 53, and was buried in a crypt under the Pauline Church in Vienna, Austria. The crypt no longer exists and the tombs were not preserved.

Josef Wenzel and Maria Antonie had five children who all died in childhood:

  • Prince Philipp Anton (1719 – 1723)
  • Prince Philipp Anton (born and died 1720)
  • Prince Philipp Ernst (1722 – 1723)
  • Princess Maria Elisabeth (born and died 1724)
  • Princess Marie Alexandra (born and died 1727)

Josef Wenzel had a successful military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire. With the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he fought against the Ottoman Turks in the Austro-Turkish War (1716 – 1718). During the War of Polish Succession (1733 – 1735), he was promoted to Lieutenant Field Marshal. In 1745, he was promoted to Field Marshal and given the high command of the Imperial Army in Italy. Eight years later, he was made General Chief Commander in Hungary. Josef Wenzel reorganized the Imperial Army’s artillery, partially financed with his own funds.

Josef Wenzel in the Regalia of the Order of the Golden Fleece which he received in 1739; Credit – Wikipedia

Josef Wenzel also served as a diplomat for Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI from 1735 – 1740, as envoy to the Prussian court in Berlin and the French court in Paris. In 1760, Empress Maria Theresa gave him the honor of escorting Isabella of Bourbon-Parma, the bride of her son the future Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, from her homeland to Vienna, Austria. His last major political position was in 1764 when he was the principal commissioner for the election and coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II.

While Josef Wenzel was serving as a diplomat and a military leader, Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein had died in 1721 after only a three-year reign. He was succeeded by his son Josef Johann Adam as Prince of Liechtenstein. In 1732, Josef Johann Adam died and was succeeded by his eight-year-old son Johann Nepomuk Karl. Josef Wenzel served as regent and guardian of Johann Nepomuk Karl until he reached his majority in 1745. However, Johann Nepomuk Karl died without an heir three years later, and Josef Wenzel once again became Prince of Liechtenstein.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died on February 10, 1772, aged 75, in Vienna Austria. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. With no surviving sons, Josef Wenzel was succeeded by his nephew, the son of his brother Prince Emmanuel, as Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein.

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.

Liechtenstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • “Century: 18. Jahrhundert.” Das Fürstenhaus Von Liechtenstein, https://fuerstenhaus.li/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/18-jahrhundert/.
  • “Josef Wenzel (Liechtenstein).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Oct. 2021, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Wenzel_(Liechtenstein).
  • “Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Wenzel_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein.
  • “Philipp Erasmus, Prince of Liechtenstein.” geni_family_tree, 24 Aug. 2021, https://www.geni.com/people/Philipp-Erasmus-Prince-of-Liechtenstein/5062362628960061280.
  • “Philippe-Érasme De Liechtenstein.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2021, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe-%C3%89rasme_de_Liechtenstein.

Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Nidaros Cathedral; Credit – By Molde20 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18361136

Originally a Roman Catholic church, Nidaros Cathedral is a church of the Church of Norway, a Lutheran denomination, in Trondheim, Norway. Trondheim’s original name was Nidaros and was founded in 997 as a trading post. During the Viking Age, it was the capital of Norway. Nidaros Cathedral was built over the burial site of King Olaf II of Norway (circa 995 – 1030), the patron saint of Norway. The cathedral was the site of coronations and now is the site of the consecration of Norwegian monarchs.

King Olaf II was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. A year later, he was given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae (Perpetual King of Norway) and was canonized a saint at Nidaros (Trondheim) by Bishop Grimketel, an English missionary who played a role in the conversion of Norway to Christianity. Olaf II’s sainthood encouraged the adoption of Christianity by Scandinavia’s Vikings/Norsemen. Pope Alexander III confirmed Olaf’s local canonization in 1164.

In the 1030s, a small wooden church was built over the burial site of Saint Olaf II. After a few years, it was replaced by a long stone church. The Romanesque and Gothic church we see today was built over a 230-year period, from 1070 to 1300. Nidaros Cathedral was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and consecrated in 1300. It remained a Roman Catholic church until 1537, during the Protestant Reformation.

Nidaros Cathedral had several fires – in 1328, 1432, 1451, and 1531 – which led to repairs and occasional new construction. The church also burned in 1708, when the entire cathedral burned except for the stone walls, and again in 1719 after being hit by lightning. Major rebuilding and restoration of Nidaros Cathedral started in 1869. It was officially completed in 2001 but the maintenance of the cathedral is an ongoing process with about 30 people continuously working on various projects.

The reconstruction of the west front of Nidaros Cathedral, the cathedral’s main façade. caused the most debate. The west front was among the most deteriorated parts of the church. Further complicating the situation was the fact that the west front was the most complex, least well documented, and most difficult to reconstruct. The oldest known depiction of the west front is an engraving by J.M. Maschius from 1661 showing two whole floors and parts of the third floor. A written source document says that Nidaros Cathedral had a rose window, a circular window found in Gothic cathedrals and churches

The reconstruction of the west front of Nidaros Cathedral; Credit – By H.-N. Meiforth, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46715064

Because of the serious damage to the west front, many reconstruction professionals opposed any attempt to restore it without major reconstruction, and so it was decided to completely reconstruct the west front, a project that lasted from 1905 to 1983. The new west front has 76 sculptures but only five of them are preserved from the Middle Ages. During the restoration, sculptures had to be provided to fill three levels of the west front. The sculptures include saints with connections to Norway, apostles, bishops, and Biblical patriarchs. See Wikipedia: Nidaros Cathedral West Front Sculptures.

The rose window on the west front viewed from the inside; Credit – https://www.therosewindow.com/TheRoseWindow2/Trondheim.htm

The rose window on the west front was a gift from the women of Norway to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the death of King Olaf II in 1930. The women raised the funds by selling their crafts. Gabriel Kielland, a Norwegian painter, architect, and designer designed the rose window which was completed in 1930. The window depicts the Last Judgement.

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Coronations

King Haakon VII and Queen Maud seated on their thrones during their coronation in 1906; Credit – Wikipedia

Coronations took place in Norway between 1164, when the first coronation took place, and 1906 when the last coronation took place. The early coronations were held at Christ Church (Old Cathedral) in Bergen, Norway and then several coronations took place in Oslo. In 1397, the Kalmar Union united Norway, Sweden, and Denmark under one king. Until the Kalmar Union was dissolved in 1523, the kings were crowned in each of the three countries. In the 1400s, three of the Norwegian coronations took place at Nidaros Cathedral while the other coronations were held in Oslo.

Coronation of Karl III Johan in Nidaros Cathedral in 1818; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1537 to 1814, Norway was a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, and from 1814 to 1905, it was in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden. After absolutism was introduced in Denmark in 1660, the separate Norwegian coronations were abolished and a joint coronation was held in Denmark with the participation of both a Danish bishop and a Norwegian bishop. In 1814, the new Constitution of Norway stipulated that a coronation would be held at Nidaros Cathedral.

Consecrations

King Harald being consecrated by Bishop Finn Wagle; Photo: Royal House of Norway, Bjørn Sigurdsøn, Scanpix

At the beginning of the 20th century, many members of Storting, the Norwegian parliament, considered the coronation undemocratic and outdated. In 1908, two years after the coronation of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud, the provision requiring a coronation was removed from the Constitution with only two votes against it. When Olav V became king in 1957, he introduced a new tradition of consecration at Nidaros Cathedral that was continued by his son King Harald V in 1991. For more information, see Royal House of Norway: Consecration.

Wedding

Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn walking down the aisle of Nidaros Cathedral after their wedding; Photo: Royal House of Norway, Gorm Kallestad, Scanpix

Burials

King Olaf II’s remains are said to be buried under the altar; Credit – By Sparrow (麻雀) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78176353

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. Coronations in Norway – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronations_in_Norway> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidaros_Cathedral> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral West Front – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidaros_Cathedral_West_Front> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • Nidarosdomen. 2021. Nidaros Cathedral. [online] Available at: <https://www.nidarosdomen.no/en> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • No.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nidarosdomen – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidarosdomen> [Accessed 23 October 2021].
  • Thor, Evelyn, 2017. The rose window at the Nidaros Cathedral – a womans project : The NTNU University Library’s blog for special collections. [online] Ntnu.no. Available at: <https://www.ntnu.no/blogger/ub-spesialsamlinger/en/2017/09/11/the-rose-window-at-the-nidaros-cathedral-a-womans-project/> [Accessed 23 October 2021].

Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein was born on August 16, 1662, in Brno, Moravia, now Vranov, Czech Republic. He was the youngest of the nine children and the only surviving son of the four sons of Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein and Johanna Beatrix of Dietrichstein (circa 1625 – 1676).

Hans-Adam had eight older siblings but only three sisters survived childhood:

  • Princess Eleonora Maria of Liechtenstein (1647 – 1704), married Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg, had seven children
  • Princess Anna Maria of Liechtenstein (1648 – 1654), died in childhood
  • Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein (1649 – 1716), married James Leslie, 2nd Count Leslie of the Holy Roman Empire (his father was a Scottish lord, Alexander Leslie, 14th Baron of Balquhain, 1st Count of the Holy Roman Empire), had one son
  • Princess Johanna Beatrix of Liechtenstein (1650 – 1672), married her second cousin Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein, had two children
  • Prince Franz Dominik Eusebius of Liechtenstein (born and died 1652), died in infancy
  • Prince Karl Joseph of Liechtenstein (born and died 1652), died in infancy
  • Prince Franz Eusebius Wenzel of Liechtenstein (1654 – 1655), died in infancy
  • Princess Cäcilie of Liechtenstein (born and died 1655), died in infancy

Twenty-two-year-old Hans-Adam became Prince of Liechtenstein upon the death of his father Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein on April 5, 1684. Karl Eusebius left his son a rich inheritance and an extensive collection of artworks that were added to by his son and other descendants.

Hans-Adam’s wife and first cousin Erdmuthe; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 16, 1681, in Vienna, Austria, Hans-Adam married his first cousin Princess Erdmuthe Maria Theresia of Dietrichstein-Nikolsburg.  Hans-Adam and Erdmuthe had eleven children but all their sons predeceased Hans-Adam.

  • A son (born and died 1682)
  • Princess Maria Elisabeth of Liechtenstein (1683 – 1744), Leopold, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg, had five children
  • Karl Josef Wenzel, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein (1684 – 1704), died at age 20
  • Princess Maria Antonia of Liechtenstein (1687 – 1750), married (1) Markus Anton Adam, Count Czobor de Czoborszentmihály, had two children (2) Karl, Count Hrzán of Harras
  • Princess Maria Anna of Liechtenstein (1687 – 1750)
  • Franz Dominik, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein (1689 – 1711), died at age 22
  • Princess Maria Gabriele of Liechtenstein (1692 – 1713), married her third cousin Joseph Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein, had one son who died in early childhood
  • Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein (1694 – 1772), married Emmanuele Tomasso of Savoy-Carignano, Count of Soissons, had one son
  • Princess Maria Margaretha of Liechtenstein (1697 – 1702), died in childhood
  • Princess Maria Dominika of Liechtenstein (1698 – 1724), married Heinrich Joseph Johann, Prince of Auersperg, had three children
  • Prince Johann Baptist of Liechtenstein (born and died 1700)

Hans-Adam acquired the Lordship of Schellenberg in 1699, and the County of Vaduz in 1712 which would later form the present Principality of Liechtenstein (not formally established until 1719). Unlike his predecessors, Hans-Adam did not accept any position with the Imperial Court. He reorganized the administration of his principality and the personal finances of the princely family.

Liechtenstein City Palace in Vienna, Austria; Credit – By Thomas Ledl – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35948506

Like his father, Hans-Adam had a great interest in art. He increased the size of the family art collection started by his father by purchasing works by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck and other artists. Hans-Adam also had a reputation as a master builder. Among his buildings were two grand palaces in Vienna, Liechtenstein City Palace, still used as a residence by the princely family, and the Liechtenstein Garden Palace. which is now a museum, the home to part of the private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, one of the largest private collections in the world.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic. The entrance to the burial crypts can be seen at the rear of the church; Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein died in Vienna, Austria on June 16, 1712, at the age of 49. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Brno, Moravia, now Vranov, Czech Republic. Because Hans-Adam had no sons, he had chosen his distant cousin Prince Joseph Wenzel, the great-grandnephew of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein, even though he was not next in line. The actual heir was his uncle Anton Florian but he was not very popular with the family. At a later date, Anton Florian became Prince of Liechtenstein. Hans-Adam’s wife Erdmuthe survived her husband by twenty-five years, dying on March 16, 1737, in Vienna, Austria at the age of 84. She was buried with 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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Adam_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 21 October 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Juan Adán Andrés de Liechtenstein – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Ad%C3%A1n_Andr%C3%A9s_de_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 21 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, S., 2021. Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-eusebius-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 21 October 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Hans Adam I, III. Prinz von Liechtenstein. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Hans-Adam-I-III-Prinz-von-Liechtenstein/5068583326340113880> [Accessed 21 October 2021].
  • Louda, Jiri and MacLagan, Michael, 2002. Lines of Succession. New York: Barnes and Noble.
  • Princely House of Liechtenstein. 2021. Biographies of all Reigning Princes – 17th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/17-century/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg was heir presumptive to the throne of Württemberg for just a year before the monarchy was abolished in 1918. Three years later, upon the death of his distant cousin, the former King Wilhelm II Württemberg, he became Head of the House of Württemberg and pretender to the former throne.

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg – source: Wikipedia

Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph of Württemberg was born in Vienna on December 23, 1865, the eldest son of Duke Philipp of Württemberg and Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria. He had four younger siblings:

Albrecht studied law at the University of Tübingen before beginning his military career. He joined the Württemberg Army in 1885 and also received training in the Prussian Army. Rising quickly through the ranks, Albrecht held numerous commands and became Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army on the Western Front during World War I. He was considered one of the most skilled military leaders of the war. German Emperor Wilhelm II awarded him the German Order of Merit and appointed him Fieldmarshal in the Prussian Army.

Albrecht with his wife Margarete Sophie – source: Wikipedia

On January 24, 1893, in Vienna, Albrecht married Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria, the daughter of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria and Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Margarete Sophie’s father was the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico. Her brother was Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination in 1913 was a primary cause of World War I. As Albrecht was the heir-presumptive to the throne of Württemberg, the couple took up residence in the Crown Prince’s Palace in Stuttgart, where they had seven children:

Altshausen Castle. photo: Andreas Praefcke – Eigenes Werk own photograph, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=169884

On November 30, 1918, King Wilhelm II abdicated, ending the monarchy of Württemberg. At that time, the former King gave Albrecht and his family Altshausen Castle (link in German) as their primary residence. Just three years later, on October 2, 1921, the former King died and Albrecht became Head of the House of Württemberg and pretender to the former throne.

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg died at Altshausen Castle in Althausen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany on October 31, 1939. He was buried in the family crypt at the Church of St. Michael, Althausen Castle.

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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.

Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Delft, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft; Credit – Door Natuur12 – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28304742

Since the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, all Dutch monarchs and consorts have been buried at the Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church) in Delft, located in South Holland (Zuid-Holland), the Netherlands. In addition to the monarchs of the Netherlands and their consorts, most Princes of Orange after Willem I (the Silent) and their consorts were also buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft was built in the 14th and 15th centuries and was originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Ursula of Cologne. In 1572, during the Reformation, the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft was taken over by the Dutch Reformed Church. Today the Dutch royal family are members of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Netherlands. While the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft is open for visitors, the royal burial vaults of the House of Orange-Nassau are private and not open to the public and there are no photos of the tombs. The church has services every Sunday for members of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands in Delft.

The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft circa 1742 – 1801; Credit – Wikipedia

This church was the second church in Delft after the Oude Kerk (Old Church) and was therefore called the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). The first Nieuwe Kerk was a temporary wooden church, constructed from 1381 – 1382 and consecrated on July 6, 1382. Two years later, the construction of a Gothic stone basilica around the wooden church started. On August 11, 1384, the foundation stone for the choir of the basilica was laid on the east side of the wooden church. After the completion of the interior, the wooden church was dismantled. The foundation stone of the tower was laid on September 6, 1396, by four city councilors of the city. On September 6, 1496, exactly 100 years after the start of construction, the tower was finished.

On May 3, 1536, a fire in Delft, probably caused by a lightning strike to the Nieuwe Kerk tower, caused hundreds of buildings to burn including the entire city archives resulting in the loss of recorded information from before 1536. The tower of the church was rebuilt.

View of Delft after the 1654 Delft Thunderclap by Egbert van der Poel, The Nieuwe Kerk can be seen on the left; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 12, 1654, the Delft Thunderclap (link in German) disaster took place. A gunpowder storage facility located in the northeast center of Delft exploded. The exact number of people who died in the disaster has never been established. Nearly every building in the city center was damaged and buildings further away, such as the Nieuwe Kerk, also suffered damage. All the stained glass windows in the Nieuwe Kerk were blown out. In 1872, the Nieuwe Kerk tower was damaged again after a lightning strike. The Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers designed a new tower using the strong Bentheimer sandstone.

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Burial Church of the Dutch Royal Family

A drawing made by a French journalist who entered the crypts in 1890 just before King Willem III was interred; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1584, Willem I (the Silent) Prince of Orange was assassinated at the Prinsenhof in Delft. He had planned to be buried at the Grote Kerk (Great Church) in Breda, where members of the Nassau-Dillenburg family, ancestors to the Dutch Royal Family, the House of Orange-Nassau, were traditionally buried, but Breda was under Spanish control. Instead, his remains were placed in a cloth-covered coffin in the choir of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

It was not until 1609 that the States-General decided to build a tomb for Willem the Silent, considered the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland). Willem is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs, the ancestor of British monarchs from King George I forward, and the ancestor of other European royal families. However, work on the tomb never began and in 1614, Willem the Silent’s fourth wife and widow Louise de Coligny insisted that a suitable tomb be built.

Tomb of Willem the Silent; Photo Credit – Door Zairon – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56280054

Hendrick de Keyser, a Dutch sculptor and architect, was commissioned to build the tomb. After his death, his son Pieter de Keyser, also a sculptor and an architect, completed the tomb in 1623. A crypt was constructed under the tomb with an entrance behind the tomb. The remains of Willem I (the Silent) were moved to the crypt at an unknown date. The crypt is sealed by a large stone cover with four brass rings commissioned by Queen Wilhelmina in 1925. On the stone cover is this inscription in Latin:  “Here Willem I, the Father of the Fatherland, expects the resurrection.”  The crypt became the burial site for subsequent Princes of Orange and their families and later for the monarchs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and their families. The original crypt, called the Old Crypt, was expanded in 1625 and 1752. In 1822, an additional crypt called the New Crypt was constructed.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground and the cenotaph for William the Silent in the background and ; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

Members of the House of Orange-Nassau visited and probably still visit the crypts but they have never been open to the public out of respect for the privacy of the royal family and because they are not suitable for public visits. The mayor of Delft is the commissioner of the royal vaults. He inspects the crypts once a year and ensures that the royal family can always visit them. The mayor opens the crypts in the presence of two members of the Dutch security service and two military police. Only sworn personnel may carry out work in the crypts. The large stone cover is only removed for burials of members of the Dutch royal family. For all other purposes, a small service entrance next to Willem the Silent’s tomb is used.

The only information about what the crypts look like comes from two drawings. In 1890, a drawing was made by a French journalist who entered the crypts just before King Willem III was interred.  In the same year, Victor Eugène Louis de Stuers, a Dutch art historian, lawyer, civil servant, and politician, made a pencil drawing of the Old Crypt.

Victor Eugène Louis de Stuers’ drawing of the Old Crypt with the body-like lead sarcophagus of Louise de Coligny on the bottom right and Willem I, Prince of Orange’s coffin on the bottom left; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 20, 2021, it was announced that the royal vault in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft would be refurbished and expanded. From Royal House of the Netherlands: Expansion crypt Nieuwe Kerk Delft: “With the burials of Prince Claus (2002) and Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard (2004), the maximum capacity of the burial vault of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft has almost been reached. The expansion of the royal vault means that a new cellar will be built in the south ambulatory of the church. The crypt will be connected to the existing vestibule (dating from 1925) of the current royal crypt. In addition, the crypt will have a new secondary entrance on the outside of the church, creating direct access to the crypt. In the extension of the burial vault, space will be created for more than twenty burials.”

In the diagram below, the Old Crypt is labeled with the years 1623, 1625, and 1752. The New Crypt is labeled with the year 1822 and the newest crypt is labeled with the year 2022. The area labeled with the year 1925 is a vestibule.

Floor plan of the current royal burial vault in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, along with the new expansion of the burial vault to be built in 2022; Credit – Royal House of the Netherlands: Expansion crypt Nieuwe Kerk

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Burials at the Nieuwe Kerk, Delft

Queen Juliana and her husband Prince Bernhard and other members of the Dutch royal family watch as Queen Wilhelmina’s coffin is taken to the royal crypts in 1962; Credit – Wikipedia

Most funerals of those buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft had funerals at the church.

Buried in the Old Crypt:

  • Willem I, Prince of Orange (Willem the Silent) (1533 – 1584)
  • Louise de Coligny, fourth wife of Willem I, Prince of Orange (1555 – 1620)
  • Maurits, Prince of Orange (1567 – 1625)
  • Princess Henriëtte Amalia, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (born and died 1628)
  • Princess Elisabeth of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange born and died 1630)
  • Prince Hendrik Lodewijk, son of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (born and died 1639)
  • Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (1584 – 1647)
  • Princess Isabella Charlotte of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (1632 – 1642)
  • Princess Catharina Belgica of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Willem I, Prince of Orange, wife of the Count of Hanau-Münzenberg  (1578 – 1648)
  • Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, wife of Frederik Hendrik,Prince of Orange (1602 – 1675)

Buried in the New 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.

Works Cited

  • An Ard Rí and Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Dutch Royal Burial Sites. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/nieuwe-kerk-new-church-in-delft-the-netherlands/> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
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Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on April 11, 1611, Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein, was the fourth of the four children and the second but the only surviving son of Karl I, the first Prince of Liechtenstein and Baroness Anna Maria von Boskowitz and Černahora (1575 – 1625).

Karl Eusebius had three older siblings:

  • Princess Anna Maria Franziska (1601 – 1640), married Maximilian, 2nd Prince of Dietrichstein, had thirteen children
  • Princess Franziska Barbara (1604 – 1655), married Wenzel Werner of T’Serclaes, Count of Tilly, had nine children
  • Prince Heinrich (died young)

When Karl Eusebius was fifteen years old, his father died on February 12, 1627, and he became the second Prince of Liechtenstein. He was considered underage, and his paternal uncles Maxilimilan of Liechtenstein and Gundakar of Liechtenstein, acted as regents until he turned twenty-one in 1632.

On August 6, 1644, Karl Eusebius married his niece Johanna Beatrix of Dietrichstein (circa 1625 – 1676), the daughter of his sister Princess Anna Maria Franziska of Liechtenstein and Maximilian, 2nd Prince of Dietrichstein. Johanna Beatrix predeceased Karl Eusebius, dying on March 26, 1676. She was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic.

Karl Eusebius and Johanna Beatrix had nine children:

  • Princess Eleonora Maria of Liechtenstein (1647 – 1704), married Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg, had seven children
  • Princess Anna Maria of Liechtenstein (1648 – 1654), died in childhood
  • Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein (1649 – 1716), married James Leslie, 2nd Count Leslie of the Holy Roman Empire (his father was a Scottish lord, Alexander Leslie, 14th Baron of Balquhain, 1st Count of the Holy Roman Empire), had one son
  • Princess Johanna Beatrix of Liechtenstein (1650 – 1672), married her second cousin, Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein, had two children
  • Prince Franz Dominik Eusebius of Liechtenstein (born and died 1652), died in infancy
  • Prince Karl Joseph of Liechtenstein (born and died 1652), died in infancy
  • Prince Franz Eusebius Wenzel of Liechtenstein (1654 – 1655), died in infancy
  • Princess Cäcilie of Liechtenstein (born and died 1655), died in infancy
  • Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein (1657–1712), married his first cousin Princess Edmunda Maria Theresia of Dietrichstein, had seven children

The devastating Thirty Years War (1618 – 1648) occurred during Karl Eusebius’ reign. It is considered one of the most destructive wars in European history, with death estimates ranging from 4.5 to 8 million. Some areas of Germany had population declines of over 50%. The war was a continuation of the German religious struggle started by the Reformation, but it also involved the struggle for dominance between the Habsburgs in Austria and Spain and the Bourbons in France. Karl Eusebius I successfully consolidated and rebuilt the House of Liechtenstein territories devastated by the Thirty Years’ War.

Descent from the Cross, commissioned by Karl Eusebius, created by Adam Lenckhardt, the official sculptor of Karl Eusebius’ court

Karl Eusebius began to invest in a personal art collection and became one of the preeminent Central European art collectors of his time. He acquired and commissioned paintings, statues, and other artworks, laying the foundation for the Liechtenstein Museum, formerly a private art museum in Vienna, Austria. It has not been run as a museum since 2012 and is now called Palais Liechtenstein. The Palais Liechtenstein remains home to part of the private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, one of the largest private collections in the world, started by Karl Eusebius, and is available for visit by booked guided tours.

Part of the park at Lednice Castle; Credit – By Michal Klajban – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72579529

Karl Eusebius was famous all over Europe for his horse breeding. He showed a strong interest in architecture with his influence in the design of the park at Lednice Castle, now in the Czech Republic (link in German), and his treatise on architectural theory, an important source for the understanding of royal and aristocratic builders of the 17th century.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic; Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

After a reign of 57 years, Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein, died at the age of 72, on April 5, 1684, at Kostelec Castle in Schwarzkosteletz, now Kostelec nad Černými lesy in the Czech Republic. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. Karl Eusebius left his son and successor, Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein, a rich inheritance and an extensive collection of artworks that were multiplied by his son and other descendants. The current Princely Family of Liechtenstein is the second richest European royal family after the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg.

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Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl Eusebius von Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Eusebius_von_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 3 October 2021].
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  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 3 October 2021].
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  • Princely House of Liechtenstein. 2021. Biographies of all Reigning Princes – 17th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/17-century/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2021. Лихтенштейн, Карл Эйсебиус — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B8%D1%85%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%BD,_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BB_%D0%AD%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%B8%D1%83%D1%81> [Accessed 3 October 2021].