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.

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

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. Having joined the Württemberg Army in 1885, he 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 and he was highly recognized. German Emperor Wilhelm II awarded him the German Order of Merit and appointed him Fieldmarshal in the Prussian Army.

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 both 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.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

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

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

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

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].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Koninklijkhuis.nl. 2021. Uitbreiding grafkelder Nieuwe Kerk Delft. [online] Available at: <https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/onderwerpen/overlijden/nieuwe-kerk-delft/uitbreiding-grafkelder> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Delftse donderslag – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_donderslag> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grafkelder van Oranje-Nassau – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafkelder_van_Oranje-Nassau> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Delft) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Delft)> [Accessed 4 October 2021].
  • Oude en Nieuwe Kerk Delft. 2021. Royal crypts. [online] Available at: <https://oudeennieuwekerkdelft.nl/en/new-church/royal-family/royal-crypts> [Accessed 4 October 2021].

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) was still occurring 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 in 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.

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. Karl Eusebius von Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Eusebius_von_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 3 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Eusebius,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 3 October 2021].
  • 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].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Karl Eusebius, II. Prinz von Liechtenstein. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Karl-Eusebius-II-Prinz-von-Liechtenstein/5068572954690061719> [Accessed 3 October 2021].
  • 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].

Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Nieuwe Kerk on the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Royal Palace is on the left; Photo – © Susan Flantzer

The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which this writer has visited, is located on the Dam Square next to the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and later to St. Catherine of Sweden, the church became a Dutch Reformed Church after the Protestant Reformation. The current Dutch royal family belongs to 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.

The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services and has been converted into a cultural center. Since 1980, the Nationale Stichting De Nieuwe Kerk (National Foundation of the Nieuwe Kerk) has organized the exhibtions and concerts held in the church. However, the Nieuwe Kerk is used for the inauguration of the Dutch monarch according to Article 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which states, the Dutch monarch “shall be sworn in and inaugurated as soon as possible in the capital city, Amsterdam, at a public and a joint session of the two Houses of the States-General.” In addition, the religious wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was held at the Nieuwe Kerk in 2002.

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) was becoming too small for the growing population of Amsterdam. Frederik van Blankenheim, Bishop of Utrecht gave permission for a second church to be constructed. Willem Eggert, a nobleman, banker, and alderman of Amsterdam, donated the orchard near his house for the church site and was the builder and financier of the church. Upon his death in 1417, Willem Eggert was buried in the Eggert Chapel at the Nieuwe Kerk. The Nieuwe Kerk was constructed between 1380 and 1408, and the church was consecrated in 1409.

The Nieuwe Kerk on fire in 1645; Credit – Wikipedia

Fires in 1421 and 1452 caused minor damage, however, there was a major fire on January 11, 1645. Due to the carelessness of workers, the roof caught on fire and a strong northeastern wind allowed the fire to quickly spread. The roof came crashing down, burning almost everything in the church. The interior of the church dates for the most part from after the fire of 1645. Although the time of Gothic architecture was over by then, the Gothic style was used for the restoration.

The church has undergone several restorations since the 1645 fire restoration. From 1892 – 1912, neo-Gothic elements were added to restore the church to its state before the 1645 fire. Between 1959 – 1980, modern conveniences such as lighting and heating were added and/or improved.

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

The Inauguration of the Dutch Monarch

The Nieuwe Kerk during the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander in 2013

After the defeat of Napoleon, Willem VI, Prince of Orange, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

Upon his or her accession to the throne, the new Dutch monarch participates in an inauguration ceremony as required by the constitution at a joint session of the two houses of the States-General of the Netherlands at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. A monarch must be eighteen years old to participate in an inauguration.

The Regalia of the Netherlands and the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Regalia of the Netherlands and the constitution are placed on a table. The crown symbolizes the monarch’s sovereignty and dignity, the royal scepter symbolizes the monarch’s authority, the orb symbolizes the dominions upon which he reigns, and the constitution symbolizes the constitutional monarchy. The regalia are never physically given to or worn by the monarch. The monarch, wearing a royal mantle, sits on a chair of state opposite members of the States-General and the regalia. The monarch gives an address before taking the oath to uphold the constitution and protect the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

King Willem-Alexander taking the oath

The oath: I swear (promise) to the people of the Kingdom that I shall constantly preserve and uphold the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution. I swear (promise) that I shall defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the Kingdom to the best of my ability, that I shall protect the freedom and rights of all Dutch citizens and residents, and that I shall employ all means placed at my disposal by the law to preserve and promote prosperity, as a good king should do. So help me God! (This I promise!)

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

September 21, 1815 – Inauguration of King Willem I; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem I of the Netherlands

November 28, 1840 – Inauguration of King Willem II; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem II of the Netherlands

May 12, 1849 – Inauguration of King Willem III; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem III of the Netherlands

September 6, 1891 – Inauguration of Queen Wilhelmina; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

September 6, 1948 – Inauguration of Queen Juliana; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

April 30, 1980 – Inauguration of Queen Beatrix; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

April 30, 2013 – Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander; Credit – Wikipedia

Unofficial Royalty: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

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

Wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti

Willem-Alexander and Maxima leaving the Nieuwe Kerk after their marriage

On February 2, 2002, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, then The Prince of Orange and heir to the Dutch throne, married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in a civil ceremony at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, followed by a religious ceremony at Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk. Approximately 1700 guests attended the religious service.

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 Nieuwe kerk Amsterdam. 2021. De Nieuwe Kerk – Amsterdam. [online] Available at: <https://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Inauguration of the Dutch monarch – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_the_Dutch_monarch> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Inauguration of Willem-Alexander – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Willem-Alexander> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk,_Amsterdam> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2017. Wedding of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/wedding-of-king-willem-alexander-and-maxima-zorreguieta-cerruti/> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Nieuwe Kerk (Amsterdam) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwe_Kerk_(Amsterdam)> [Accessed 2 October 2021].

Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl I, the first Prince of Liechtenstein and the founder of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein, was born on July 30, 1569, at Valtice Castle in Valtice, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. He was the eldest of the four children and the eldest of the three sons of Hartmann II, Baron of Liechtenstein (1544 – 1585) and Countess Anna Maria of Ortenburg (1547 – 1601).

Karl had three siblings:

Karl’s wife Anna Maria von Boskowitz and Černahora; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1590, Karl married Baroness Anna Maria von Boskowitz and Černahora (1575 – 1625), a Moravian noblewoman, the daughter of Baron Johann von Boskowitz and Černahora and Baroness Anna von Kraigk.

Karl and Anna Maria had four children:

Liechtenstein Castle; Credit – By Bwag – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57858198

The House of Liechtenstein, which takes its name from Liechtenstein Castle in Lower Austria, near Vienna, built circa 1140, had ruled in the area since the 12th century. Over the centuries, the family gained land in Moravia, Lower Austria, Silesia, and Styria. Several members of the House of Liechtenstein served as close advisors to the powerful Habsburg family who were the Holy Roman Emperors from 1440 until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 except for a brief period in the 18th century.

Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1592, Karl became the treasurer of Archduke Matthias of Austria, the brother and successor of the childless Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. Karl and his younger brothers Maximilian and Gundakar were raised in the Evangelical Lutheran faith but they converted to Catholicism in 1599. That same year Karl became the chief judge in Moravia. In 1600, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II appointed Karl Chief Steward at the Imperial Court in Vienna, Austria. Four years later, Karl was appointed Governor of Moravia.

Holy Roman Emperor Matthias; Credit – Wikipedia

Besides being the elected Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf held the traditional Habsburg territories as King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Archduke of Austria, and Margrave of Moravia. A power struggle developed between the childless Rudolf and his heir and brother Matthias. In April 1608, Matthias besieged the city of Prague and forced his brother Rudolf to negotiate and sign a peace treaty. This resulted in the redistribution of power. Rudolf kept Bohemia, Silesia, and Lusatia while Matthias received Hungary, Austria, and Moravia. Karl of Liechtenstein had supported Matthias in the power struggle. On December 20, 1608, Matthias raised Karl from Baron of Liechtenstein to Fürst of Liechtenstein (Prince), a reigning sovereign ruler or monarch. (Non-reigning descendants of a Fürst are referred to in German as Prinz (prince) or Prinzessin (princess.) Matthias was elected Holy Roman Emperor upon Rudolf’s death in 1612 and reigned until he died in 1619. In 1614, Holy Roman Emperor Matthias gave Karl another reward, the Duchy of Troppau in Silesia.

The Battle of White Mountain by Peter Snayers; Credit – Wikipedia

In November 1620, Karl and his brother Maximilian took lead roles in the imperial victory at the Battle of White Mountain near Prague during the Thirty Years War. In 1622, Karl was appointed governor and then Viceroy of the Kingdom of Bohemia. In the same year, Karl was the first member of the family to receive the Order of the Golden Fleece, a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. The Order of the Golden Fleece still exists today with King Felipe VI of Spain as the Grand Master of the Spanish branch and Karl von Habsburg, the Head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, as the Grand Master of the Austrian branch. Being Catholic is no longer a requirement to become a member of the Spanish branch. Hans-Adam II, the current Prince of Liechtenstein, is a member of the Austria branch of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Karl’s younger brother Maximilian of Liechtenstein and his wife founded a Pauline monastery and had the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary built on the monastery grounds in the village of Vranov, then in Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. A crypt in the church served as the burial site for members of the House of Liechtenstein. When more room was needed for burials another crypt was built and the church then had the Old Crypt and the New Crypt.

Tomb of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein died on February 12, 1627, aged 57, at the Liechtenstein Palace (link in German) on Lesser Town Square in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, and was buried in the Old Crypt at Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. Karl’s wife Anna Maria had predeceased him, dying at the age of 50, on June 6, 1625, in Plumov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. She was also buried in the Old Crypt at Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl I. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_I._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Karl I von Liechtenstein, I. Prinz von Liechtenstein. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Karl-I-von-Liechtenstein-I-Prinz-von-Liechtenstein/5068560487790089757> [Accessed 2 October 2021].
  • 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].

The Grote Kerk (The Great Church) in The Hague, the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Grote Kerk/Great Church; Credit – By Ralf Roletschek (talk) – Fahrradtechnik auf fahrradmonteur.de – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10439163

The Grote Kerk or Sint-Jacobskerk (Great Church or St. James’ Church) is one of the oldest buildings in The Hague, the Netherlands. While Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the administrative and royal capital of the Netherlands and its seat of government. Originally a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to Saint James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles, the church became a Dutch Reformed Church after the Protestant Reformation. The current Dutch royal family belongs to 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. The Grote Kerk has not been used for weekly services since 1982. It is owned by the City of The Hague and is mainly used for cultural events, such as concerts, fairs, and exhibitions. However, the House of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch royal family, has used and still uses the Grote Kerk for christenings and weddings.

Interior of the Grote Kerk; Credit- By Zairon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55374431

The Grote Kerk was founded in the late 13th century and the very first church was probably a wooden church. The present church was built in stages between the 14th and 16th centuries. Sources from 1337 refer to a “great church” which typically meant a brick structure. From 1420 – 1424, the 304 foot/92.5-meter high tower was built. The original brick church was built as a cruciform church with a nave and two side aisles. From 1434 – 1455, the width of the two side aisles was widened and the height of the aisles was raised to the roof level resulting in the loss of the cross shape. The resulting style was called a hall church.

Nave of the Grote Kerk; Credit – By Zairon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55374430

In 1539, lightning struck the church tower causing damage to the tower and the church. Lotteries and collections raised money for repairs. The stained glass windows were also destroyed. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also Archduke of Austria, King of Spain, and Lord of the Netherlands), the Bishop of Utrecht, and some city councils donated new stained glass windows. At least fourteen church windows received new stained glass windows in the 16th century but only two have survived: the Annunciation Window (1541) and the Emperor Charles Window (1547). The rest were replaced by unpainted stained glass windows.

Emperor Charles Window; Credit – Wikipedia

Speech from the Throne 2020 and 2021

King Willem-Alexander accompanied by Queen Maxima acknowledges the audience after the Speech from the Throne in the Grote Kerk on September 21, 2021

The third Tuesday of September is called Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day, also called Budget Day) in the Netherlands. The monarch, as head of state, delivers the Speech from the Throne to a joint session of the legislature, States-General of the Netherlands. In the speech, the government indicates in general terms what government policy will be for the coming year. The Speech from the Throne has been delivered from the Ridderzaal (Knights Hall), a medieval reception hall in the Binnenhof in The Hague, the 13th-century Gothic castle originally used as the residence of the Counts of Holland. Today, the Binnenhof is a complex of buildings in The Hague that houses both houses of the States-General of the Netherlands, the Ministry of General Affairs, and the office of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

In 2020, it was decided that King Willem Alexander would deliver the Speech from the Throne that year in the Grote Kerk. The Ridderzaal could not offer enough space to keep an appropriate distance in accordance with Covid-19 measures. For the same reason, the Speech from the Throne in 2021 was also delivered in the Grote Kerk.

Royal Christenings

The christening of Princess Catharina-Amalia, now the Princess of Orange, who is being held by her mother, now Queen Maxima, as her father, now King Willem-Alexander, looks on

  • July 1, 1626 – Willem II, Prince of Orange, son of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • December 16, 1627 – Princess Louise Henriëtte, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • November 23, 1628 – Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • May 20, 1632 – Princess Isabella Charlotte of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • June 8, 1634 – Princess Albertine Agnes of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • March 29, 1637 – Princess Henriëtte Catharina of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • October 26, 1642 – Princess Maria of Nassau, daughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • January 15, 1651 – Willem III, Prince of Orange (later also King William III of England), son of Willem II, Prince of Orange and Mary, Princess Royal (eldest daughter of King Charles I of England)
  • February 8, 1689 – Princess Maria Amalia of Nassau-Dietz, daughter of Prince Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz, great-granddaughter of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange
  • April 11, 1748 – Willem V, Prince of Orange, son of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • January 13, 1761 – Hereditary Prince Georg Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • December 20, 1761 – Hereditary Prince Ludwig of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • February 8, 1764 – Princess Maria of Nassau-Weilburg, daughter of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, granddaughter of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • October 2, 1765 – Princess Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, daughter of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, granddaughter of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • October 30, 1768 – Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, son of Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, grandson of Willem IV, Prince of Orange
  • December 19, 1770 – Princess Louise of Orange-Nassau, daughter of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • September 17, 1772 – King Willem I of the Netherlands, son of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • March 3, 1774 – Prince Frederik of Orange-Nassau, son of Willem V, Prince of Orange
  • December 28, 1792 – King Willem II of the Netherlands, son of King Willem I of the
  • Netherlands
  • August 24, 1818 – Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, son of King Willem II of the Netherlands
  • May 4, 1824 – Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, daughter of King Willem II of the Netherlands
  • August 18, 1828 – Princess Louise of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, granddaughter of King Willem I of the Netherlands
  • August 12, 1841 – Princess Marie of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, granddaughter of King Willem I of the Netherlands
  • May 12, 1938 – Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
  • September 2, 1967 – King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
  • June 12, 2004 – Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange, daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

Royal Weddings

Wedding of Queen Wilhelmina and Duke Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in the Great Church in The Hague on February 7, 1901. To the left of the bride her mother Queen Emma and Hendrik’s cousin, Grand Duke Frederik Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. To the right of the groom is his mother Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Credit – Wikipedia

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

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk (The Hague) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_or_Sint-Jacobskerk_(The_Hague)> [Accessed 1 October 2021].
  • Grote-kerk.nl. 2021. Grote Kerk Den Haag. [online] Available at: <https://www.grote-kerk.nl/> [Accessed 1 October 2021].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk (Den Haag) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_of_Sint-Jacobskerk_(Den_Haag)> [Accessed 1 October 2021].

Fredrik I, King of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Frederik I, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Fredrik I was King of Sweden from 1720 until his death in 1751. However, he was also Prince Consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720 and Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730 until his death. He was born Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel on April 28, 1676, in Kassel, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in the German state of Hesse. Friedrich was the third but the eldest surviving of the twelve sons and the third but the eldest surviving of the seventeen children of Karl I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Maria Amalia of Courland. His paternal grandparents were Wilhelm VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg. His maternal grandparents were Jacob, Duke of Courland to Luise Charlotte of Brandenburg. Both his grandmothers were sisters and so his parents were first cousins.

Friedrich had sixteen siblings:

After completing his education at the University of Utrecht, Friedrich made the Grand Tour, traveling in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, and the German monarchies. He then embarked on a military career, leading the Hessian troops in the War of the Spanish Succession alongside the Dutch and the Holy Roman Empire troops.

Luise Dorothea of Brandenburg, Fredrik’s first wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On May 31, 1700, in Berlin, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in the German state of Brandenburg, Friedrich married his first cousin Luise Dorothea of Brandenburg, the only daughter of the future King in Prussia, Friedrich I, and his first wife Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel. Luise Dorothea was sickly and died childless on December 23, 1705, aged 25. After the death of his first wife, Friedrich began to look for a second wife from Europe’s great royal houses. He had bigger ambitions than just being the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. He wanted to have influence in a larger monarchy. Friedrich discovered Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden. Her brother Karl XII, King of Sweden was unmarried and Ulrika Eleonora was regarded as a possible future heir to the Swedish throne. In 1708, Ulrika Eleonora’s elder sister Hedwig Sophia died from smallpox, leaving her only child eight-year-old Karl Friedrich as a possible heir to the Swedish throne. At the age of two, Karl Friedrich had become Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp upon the death of his father in battle.

Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden, Fredrik’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

As early as 1710, Hereditary Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel requested Ulrika Eleonora’s hand in marriage but their betrothal was not announced until January 23, 1714. The marriage was supported by her grandmother Hedwig Eleonora, who expected Ulrika Eleonora to move with her husband to the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, thereby increasing the possibility that the young son of the deceased Hedwig Sophia, Karl Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, would become the heir to the Swedish throne. Ulrika Eleonora and Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel were married on March 24, 1715 in Stockholm, Sweden. Friedrich took the Swedish version of his name, Fredrik, and was granted the title Prince of Sweden and the style of His Royal Highness. Instead of moving to the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, the couple remained in Sweden.

In 1718, Karl XII, King of Sweden invaded Norway by laying siege to Fredriksten Fortress. On December 11, 1718, while in the trenches close to the perimeter of Fredriksten Fortress, 36-year-old Karl XII was hit in the head by a projectile that entered the left side of his skull and exited on the right side of his skull, instantly killing him. Some historians claim Karl XII was assassinated instead of being hit by enemy fire, and that his brother-in-law Fredrik could have hired an assassin to kill Karl XII.

After Karl XII’s death, his only surviving sibling Ulrika Eleonora claimed the Swedish throne even though her nephew Karl Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp had the better claim by primogeniture. Ulrika Eleonora asserted that she was the closest surviving relative of her brother and was elected Queen of Sweden by the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature. She was crowned at Uppsala Cathedral on March 17, 1719.

Frederik I, King of Sweden in his coronation robes; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora wanted to reign jointly with her husband Prince Fredrik as William III and Mary II had done in England but the Swedish nobility rejected the notion. Frederik increased his influence on his wife and in state affairs and then reached out to the most powerful men in Sweden who soon considered a change. Ulrika Eleonora wrote a letter to the Riksdag on February 29, 1720, informing its members of her desire to abdicate in favor of her husband on the condition that she should succeed him if he should die before her. The Riksdag confirmed the succession of Ulrika Eleonora’s husband and the condition of her abdication which granted her place as the heir to the Swedish throne until her death. On March 24, 1720, Prince Fredrik acceded to the Swedish throne as Fredrik I, King of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora became Queen Consort. In 1730, Frederik’s father died and he became Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel but immediately appointed his younger brother Wilhelm Regent of Hesse-Kassel. The childless Frederik would be succeeded as Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel by his brother who would reign as Wilhelm VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

At the beginning of his 31-year-reign, Fredrik was an active monarch. However, after the nobility had regained some power during the wars with Russia, Fredrik was not so much powerless as uninterested in the affairs of state. The battle losses in the Great Northern War suffered by Frederik’s brother-in-law Karl XII, King of Sweden ended Sweden’s position as a major European power. Under Frederik’s reign, this had to be accepted. Sweden also had to cede land to Russia in the 1721 Treaty of Nystad. In 1723, Fredrik tried unsuccessfully to strengthen his royal authority but failed and thereafter, he never had much to do with politics. Fredrik did not even sign official documents, instead, a stamp of his signature was used. He devoted most of his time to hunting and his affairs. One lasting accomplishment was the institution of the three principal Swedish orders of chivalry: the Royal Order of the Seraphim, the Royal Order of the Sword, and the Royal Order of the Polar Star.

Frederik’s mistress Hedwig Taube; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1734, Swedish noblewoman Hedwig Taube (1714 – 1744) became Fredrik’s official mistress. She was given the title Countess of Hessenstein and bore Fredrik four children. Ulrika Eleonora expressed her disapproval to her close confidant Emerentia von Düben who convinced her never to display any public reaction to the affair because it would be beneath the queen’s dignity. Hedwig Taube died a week after the birth of her daughter Hedwig Amalia. She was originally buried at Vadsbro Church. At a later date, her son Karl Edvard had his mother’s remains transferred to Strängnäs Cathedral where she was interred next to her daughter Hedwig Amalia. After Hedwig Taube’s death, Fredrik took another official mistress, Swedish noblewoman Catharina Ebba Horn, who was given gave the title Countess. Catharina was Fredrik’s mistress for only three years, agreeing to leave her position after having received a great fortune and three estates.

Frederik’s sons by Hedwig Taube; Credit – Wikipedia

While both of his marriages were childless, Fredrik had four children with Hedwig Taube:

  • Fredrika Vilhelmina von Hessenstein (1732 – 1734), died in early childhood
  • Fredrik Vilhelm von Hessenstein (1735 – 1808), unmarried, had a career in the Swedish army
  • Karl Edvard von Hessenstein (1737 – 1769), unmarried, had a career in the Swedish army
  • Hedwig Amalia von Hessenstein (1744 – 1752), died in childhood

On November 24, 1741, at Wrangel Palace in Riddarholmen, Stockholm, Sweden, Ulrika Eleonora died from smallpox at the age of 53. She was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Because Fredrik and Ulrika Eleonora had no children, Fredrik had no heir. This situation was eventually solved by Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia.

After the death of his first cousin Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp in 1739, Prince Adolf Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp became the administrator of the duchy for his cousin’s 11-year-old son Karl Peter Ulrich. Karl Peter Ulrich’s mother was the deceased Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia, the elder surviving daughter of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. When his mother’s sister Elizabeth succeeded as Empress of Russia, she named her nephew Karl Peter Ulrich as her successor. Now called Peter, he married Adolf Friedrich’s niece Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst. Later, he reigned briefly as Peter III, Emperor of All Russia until he was deposed by his wife who reigned as Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia.

In 1743, after the Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743) which ended in Sweden’s defeat, negotiations were held with Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia. She agreed to restore part of Finland to Sweden if her heir’s uncle, Adolf Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, was made heir to the childless King Fredrik I of Sweden. Thereafter, Adolf Friedrich was known by the Swedish version of his name, Adolf Fredrik.

Sarcophagus of Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden and her husband Fredrik I, King of Sweden; Photo © Susan Flantzer

Fredrik I, King of Sweden survived his wife by ten years. After suffering several strokes, he died on March 25, 1751, aged 74, at Wrangel Palace in Riddarholmen, Stockholm, Sweden, and Adolf Frederik of Holstein-Gottorp succeeded to the Swedish throne. Fredrik was buried with his wife at Riddarholmen Church.

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. Friedrich (Schweden) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_(Schweden)> [Accessed 15 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederick I of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_I_of_Sweden> [Accessed 15 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I,_Landgrave_of_Hesse-Kassel> [Accessed 15 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ulrika-eleanora-queen-of-sweden/> [Accessed 15 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Fredrik I – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredrik_I> [Accessed 15 September 2021].

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Cathedral of Monaco) in Monaco-Ville, Monaco

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By User:Berthold Wernerld Werner – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15613011

The Romanesque Revival style Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Cathedral of Monaco, is a Roman Catholic church in Monaco-Ville, Principality of Monaco. Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297 when Francesco Grimaldi from the Republic of Genoa, now in Italy, and his men captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco while dressed as Franciscan monks. The modern Grimaldis are not descendants of Francesco. His marriage was childless, and after his death in 1309, he was succeeded by his cousin and stepson Rainier I of Monaco, Lord of Cagnes. The ruler of Monaco was known as Lord of Monaco until 1612 when the Council of Monaco recognized Honoré II as Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

The first parish church in Monaco was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors. Over the years, the Lords and Sovereign Princes of Monaco along with the people of Monaco generously gave funds to decorate and enlarge the Church of Saint Nicholas.

Interior of the Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By Leandro Neumann Ciuffo – Catedral de Monte-Carlo – 2, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28378642

Prince Charles III (reigned 1856-1889) decided to build a new and larger church on the original site of the Church of Saint Nicholas. The original church was destroyed in 1874 and the first stone of the new church was laid in 1875. The new Cathedral of Monaco was dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception with Saint Nicholas of Myra and Saint Benoît (Saint Benedict of Nursia) as secondary patron saints. Sometimes the cathedral is called St. Nicholas Cathedral after the original church. Although the new building was only two-thirds completed, the first services were held in 1886. The cathedral was inaugurated in 1903 and consecrated in 1911.

Altar of the Cathedral of Monaco; Credit – By Leandro Neumann Ciuffo – Catedral de Monte-Carlo – 3, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28378641

Royal Christenings

The christening of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Weddings

The wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Grace Kelly

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Funerals

The funeral of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Burials

Grave of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco; Credit – www.findagrave.com

The current cathedral was built over the areas of the previous church and the old cemetery so that the sovereign princes and consorts originally buried at the Church of Saint Nicholas are now buried in the Cathedral of Monaco. All of Monaco’s sovereign princes except Jacques I and Honoré III and many of the consorts are buried at the Cathedral of Monaco.

Entrance to the common vault where the Grimaldi family members originally buried at the Church of St. Nicholas are buried; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Unofficial Royalty: Monaco Royal Burial Sites

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. Unofficial Royalty. 2012. Monaco Royal Burial Sites. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/monaco-burial-sites/> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_Immaculate> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2019. Monaco Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/monaco-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 13 September 2021].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée de Monaco — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Notre-Dame-Immacul%C3%A9e_de_Monaco> [Accessed 13 September 2021].