Ulrika Eleanora, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden in her own right, succeeded her unmarried brother Karl XII, King of Sweden in 1718 and reigned for two years before abdicating in favor of her husband who reigned as Fredrik I, King of Sweden. Born on January 23, 1688, at Tre Kronor Castle, on the site of the current Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden, she was the youngest of the seven children and the youngest of the two daughters of Karl XI, King of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. Her paternal grandparents were Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg were her maternal grandparents.

Left to Right: Karl, Ulrika Eleonora and Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora had six siblings but only her eldest brother and her only sister survived childhood:

When Ulrika Eleonora was five years old, her mother died. Four years later, her father died and her fifteen-year-old brother succeeded to the throne as Karl XII, King of Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora and her two surviving siblings Hedwig Sophia and Karl were placed in the care of their paternal grandmother Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. She was quite formidable, was the Dowager Queen of Sweden for 55 years, and would remain visible in Swedish politics and society until she died in 1715.

Ulrika Eleonora’s brother Karl XII, King of Sweden in his coronation robes; Credit – Wikipedia

Being seven years younger than her sister and six years younger than her brother, Ulrika Eleonora was overshadowed by her elder siblings. As the years went by and her brother Karl XII remained unmarried, Ulrika Eleonora was regarded as a possible future heir to the Swedish throne, and her value in the royal marriage market increased. Suitors for her hand in marriage included Prince Carl of Denmark, son of King Christian V of Denmark, the future King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, and the future King George II of Great Britain but no marriage materialized.

In 1708, Ulrika Eleonora’s 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’s brother Karl II, King of Sweden suffered a horrendous defeat in 1709 at the Battle of Poltava during the Great Northern War. The Swedish defeat at the Battle of Poltava marked the downfall of the Swedish Empire and the rise of the Russian Empire. After losing the battle, Karl XII fled south to the Ottoman Empire where he remained for five years.

Ulrika Eleonora with her husband; Credit – Wikipedia

As early as 1710, Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, the eldest surviving son and heir of Karl I, Landgrave 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. 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, Their marriage was childless.

In 1718, Karl XII, King of Sweden once again 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 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. The invasion was abandoned and Karl’s body was returned to Sweden where he was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm.

Ulrika Eleonora’s coronation in Uppsala Cathedral by Johan Henrik Schildt; Credit – Wikipedia

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, and made her formal entrance into Stockholm on April 11, 1719.

Fredrik 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.

Although Ulrika Eleonora had an interest in affairs of state, she withdrew from all visible participation in them, occupying herself with reading, charity, and her many friends. In 1730, Frederik’s father died and he became Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel but immediately appointed his younger brother Wilhelm Regent of Hesse-Kassel. Ulrika Eleonora acted as Regent of Sweden on two occasions: during Fredrik’s trip to Hesse-Kassel from July – November 1731 and during his illness from July – September 1738. In 1734, Swedish noblewoman Hedwig Taube 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.

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

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. Her husband Fredrik I, King of Sweden survived her by ten years, dying on March 25, 1751, aged 74, at Wrangel Palace in Riddarholment, Stockholm, Sweden. He 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. Ulrika Eleonore (Schweden) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonore_(Schweden)> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederick I of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_I_of_Sweden> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora,_Queen_of_Sweden> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Karl XII, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-xii-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora> [Accessed 12 September 2021].

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City; Credit – By Francisco Anzola – Notre Dame, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32183261

Notre Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Luxembourg City, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Luxembourg was under Habsburg rule from 1444 – 1794 and then under French rule from 1794 -1815. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Luxembourg was made a Grand Duchy and united in a personal union with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The King of the Netherlands was also the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg remained in personal union with the Netherlands until the death of King Willem III of the Netherlands in 1890. His successor was his daughter Wilhelmina who could not inherit the throne of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg due to the Salic Law which prevented female succession. The new Grand Duke of Luxembourg was Adolphe who had been Duke of Nassau until it was annexed to Prussia in 1866. The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg was then, and still is, a member of the House of Nassau-Weilburg.

The Jesuit College of Luxembourg and its church in 1686; Credit – Wikipedia

The late Gothic style church was originally built for the Jesuit College of Luxembourg, (link in French) a Catholic Jesuit secondary school for boys. The church cornerstone was laid in 1613 and the church was consecrated and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in 1621. In 1773, the Jesuit order was suppressed and the school became the secular Luxembourg Athenaeum which is still in existence. At that time, the Habsburg ruler, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria gave the church to Luxembourg City.

The church became a parish church in 1778 under the name St. Nicolas and St. Thérèse, In 1801, the church once again changed its name to St. Peter before receiving its final name in 1848, Notre-Dame, French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In 1870, when Luxembourg became a diocese, Notre-Dame Church became Notre-Dame Cathedral and Nikolaus Adames became the first Bishop of Luxembourg. In 1988, the Diocese of Luxembourg was raised to an Archdiocese and Jean Hengen became the first Archbishop of Luxembourg.

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City; Credit – By Ich (Jeff Croisé) – Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33037478

From 1935 to 1938 the cathedral was enlarged and expanded using the plans of the Luxembourgish architect Hubert Schumacher (link in German) who also supervised the construction. The west tower, the original tower of the Jesuit church which contains the bells, was joined by two new towers, the east tower and the central tower which stands over the transept. A crypt was built under the choir for the tombs of the Bishops and Archbishops of Luxembourg.

Interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral; Credit – By Johnny Chicago at lb.wikipedia – Own workTransferred from lb.wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=644978

Another crypt was built for the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg. The entrance to the Grand Ducal Crypt is marked by a gate with two bronze lions on either side designed by the Luxembourgish sculptor and painter Auguste Trémont (link in French).

Entrance to the Grand Ducal Crypt; Credit – By Joachim Specht – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44552120

Because the first three Grand Dukes of Luxembourg were also Kings of the Netherlands and Protestant, they were buried at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Delft, the Netherlands, the traditional burial place of the Dutch Royal Family. Grand Duke Adolphe, his wife Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau, and their son Grand Duke Guillaume were also Protestant and were all buried at the Castle Chuch of Schloss Weilburg, the former residence of the Counts and Dukes of Nassau-Weilburg, now in Weilburg, Hesse, Germany. However, because the majority of his subjects were Roman Catholic, Grand Duke Guillaume married the Roman Catholic Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal and their six daughters were raised in the Catholic religion. Since then, the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg has been Roman Catholic.

Interior of the Grand Ducal Crypt; Credit – Par Abbaca — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74928427

Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde of Luxembourg, who reigned 1912 – 1919, was the first family member to be buried in the Grand Ducal Crypt after she died of influenza in 1924 at the age of 29. However, there are royal remains in the Grand Ducal Crypt that are much older. In 1945, the remains of Jean of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia were removed from his burial place and reinterred with military honors in the Grand Ducal Crypt of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Born in Luxembourg in 1296, Jean is famous for having died while fighting in the Battle of Crécy at age 50, after having been blind for a decade. He is considered a Luxembourg national hero.

Tomb of Jean of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia; Credit – By Dudva – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79558829

Royal Weddings at Notre-Dame Cathedral

Wedding of Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy in 2012; Credit – Grand Ducal Court, photo: Vic Fischbach

Royal Burials at Notre-Dame Cathedral

Grand Duke Jean’s coffin resting in the Ducal Crypt after his funeral in 2019. Memorial plaques for family members are on the wall; Photo – www.cathol.lu

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. Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_Cathedral,_Luxembourg> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan and Mehl, Scott, 2012. Luxembourg Royal Burial Sites. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/luxembourg-royal-burial-sites/> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2021. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Luxembourg — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Notre-Dame_de_Luxembourg> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2021. Collège jésuite de Luxembourg — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coll%C3%A8ge_j%C3%A9suite_de_Luxembourg> [Accessed 11 September 2021].

Karl XII, King of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl XII, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII became King of Sweden at the age of fifteen and reigned for twenty-one years. After losing a decisive battle during the Great Nothern War in which he was wounded and lost one-third of his forces, Karl fled to the Ottoman Empire and remained there for five years. Upon his return to Sweden, he started an offensive military campaign and ultimately lost his life in battle. Karl XII, King of Sweden was the second of the seven children and the eldest and the only surviving son of the five sons of Karl XI, King of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. He was born on June 17, 1682, at Tre Kronor Castle which was on the site of the current Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. His paternal grandparents were Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg were his maternal grandparents.

Karl, on the right, with his sister Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl had six siblings but only his two sisters survived childhood:

Karl’s mother Ulrika Eleonora was a very visible parent and active in raising her children. His father Karl XI gave orders that Karl was to receive a comprehensive education that would prepare him to be King of Sweden. Karl received instruction in riding, hunting, and fencing from his father. At the age of four, Karl’s mother began his academic instruction. He later received lessons in military science, foreign languages, math, geography, history, literature, and legal matters from specially selected tutors.

The fifteen-year-old Karl XII, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

When Karl was only eleven years old his mother Ulrika Eleonora died. Four years later, on April 6, 1697, his father died and the fifteen-year-old succeeded to the throne as Karl XII, King of Sweden. His paternal grandmother Hedwig Eleonora, who had been the Regent of Sweden for her son Karl XI, who became King of Sweden at the age of four, was also the Regent of Sweden for her grandson Karl XII. However, seven months later, on December 14, 1697, Karl XII proclaimed himself king and refused to continue with a regency. The Swedish Riksdag declared him to be of legal age. Karl XII’s grandmother Hedwig Eleonora was quite formidable and was the Dowager Queen of Sweden for 55 years. She remained visible in Swedish politics and society until her death and her grandson Karl XII had great respect for her. After the regency, Hedwig Eleonora continued with the upbringing of her three surviving grandchildren. Because of this Karl had strong ties to his grandmother and his two sisters.

For almost all of his reign, Karl XII led Sweden in the Great Northern War (1700 – 1721). He acted as the general of the army and achieved significant success for several years. However, a failed campaign in Russia in 1708 – 1709, drastically changed the situation. At the Battle of Poltava in July 1709, Karl XII was wounded and unable to lead the Swedish forces. One-third of the Swedish army was killed and the Swedish supply train was destroyed. The Swedish army was inferior to the larger and more modern army of Peter I (the Great) of Russia.  After losing the battle, Karl XII fled south to the Ottoman Empire with a force of 1,000. The remainder of the Swedish army surrendered and most of them spent the rest of their lives in Russian captivity. The Swedish defeat at the Battle of Poltava marked the downfall of the Swedish Empire and the rise of the Russian Empire.

The injured Karl XII after the Battle of Poltava by Gustaf Cederström; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII remained in the Ottoman Empire for five years. The main reason for his long stay in the Ottoman Empire was that Karl hoped to persuade the Turks to open a second front against Russia in southern Europe, easing the military pressure on Sweden. The Turks initially welcomed Karl’s presence but after five years, they wanted him gone. During his five-year stay in the Ottoman Empire, Karl corresponded with his sister Ulrika Eleonora who was now his heir as his elder sister Hedwig Sophia died from smallpox in 1708. Over the years, Karl ruled his kingdom from the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, the Swedish Council of State and Riksdag tried to keep Sweden organized and independent. However, in the autumn of 1714, Karl received a letter warning him that unless he returned to Sweden, the Council of State and the Riksdag would independently conclude a peace treaty with Russia, Poland, and Denmark. Karl rushed back to Sweden on horseback making the journey in fifteen days.

When Karl returned home, he found Sweden at war with Russia, Saxony, Hanover, Great Britain, and Denmark. Karl planned to attack Norway which was ruled jointly with Denmark. He hoped that if he cut Denmark’s Norwegian supply lines the Danish forces would be withdrawn from Swedish territory. Karl invaded Norway in 1716, occupied the capital of Christiania (today’s Oslo), and laid siege to the Akershus Fortress but he was unsuccessful and was forced to withdraw.

Bringing Home the Body of King Karl XII of Sweden by Gustaf Cederström; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1718, Karl once again invaded Norway, laying siege to Fredriksten Fortress. On December 11, 1718, while in the trenches close to the perimeter of Fredriksten Fortress, 36-year-old Karl 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. The invasion was abandoned and Karl’s body was returned to Sweden where he was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm.

Tomb of Karl XII, King of Sweden at Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

The exact circumstances of Karl’s death remain unclear. His body has been exhumed three times, in 1746, 1859, and 1917, in attempts to determine the exact cause of death. Despite multiple investigations of the battlefield, Karl’s skull, and his clothes, it is still uncertain how he was hit or whether the shot came from the enemy or his own forces.

Photo from the 1917 postmortem exam; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII never married. He had been encouraged to find a suitable wife to secure the succession but he avoided the subject of sex and marriage. After his death, his only surviving sibling Ulrika Eleonora claimed the throne. Her deceased older sister Hedwig Sophia had a son Karl Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, who had the better claim by primogeniture. However, Ulrika Eleonora asserted that she was the closest surviving relative of her brother and was recognized as his successor by the Riksdag. After a reign of two years, she abdicated in 1720 in favor of her husband Friedrich V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel who reigned as Fredrik I, King of Sweden.

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 XII. (Schweden) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XII._(Schweden)> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Charles XII of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XII_of_Sweden> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, S., 2021. Karl XI, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-xi-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl XII – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XII> [Accessed 11 September 2021].

Vaduz Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Florin) in Vaduz, Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Vaduz Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Florin); Credit – By Dennis Jarvis – https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/19466233250, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41624144

The neo-gothic Vaduz Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Florin, is a Roman Catholic church located in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein. The patron saint of the cathedral is St. Florin who was a priest in Remüs or Ramosch, now a small village in Switzerland. Miracles were attributed to him during his life, including the turning of water into wine. After his death in 856, numerous miracles were said to have taken place at his tomb in the parish church of Remüs. St. Florin is often depicted with a wine cup as can be seen below in a bust of him at the Vaduz Cathedral.

Bust of St. Florin at Vaduz Cathedral; Credit- By Dennis Jarvis – https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/19658735861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41623841

There had been a chapel in Vaduz dedicated to St. Florin since the Middle Ages that served the needs of the Counts of Vaduz. The Liechtenstein family purchased the County of Vaduz in 1712 from the Hohenems family. In 1719, Karl VI, Holy Roman Emperor elevated the territories of the Liechtenstein family to a Fürstentum (Principality) with the name the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The nave and the choir of Vaduz Cathedral; Credit – Von Cats’ photos – Eigenes Werk, Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50950021

By 1868, St. Florin Chapel could no longer meet the demands of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and a decision was made to build a new church. The area south of St. Florin Chapel was chosen as the site of the new church. German architect Friedrich von Schmidt, who completed Cologne Cathedral and designed and built the Vienna City Hall designed the church and it was built under the direction of Liechtenstein architect Ignaz von Banko. The foundation stone was laid on August 17, 1869, and the church was consecrated in October 1873. The church was built during the reign of Prince Johann II who paid three-quarters of the construction cost. From 1965 – 1966, the church was renovated and a baptistery was added. In 1997, the church was raised to the status of a cathedral.

Christenings

The christening of Prince Nikolaus in 2000

There is limited information about the christenings of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. However, the four children of Hereditary Prince Alois were christened at Vaduz Cathedral.

  • Prince Joseph Wenzel: born May 24, 1995, christened July 3, 1995
  • Princess Marie-Caroline: born October 17, 1996, christened December 16, 1996
  • Prince Georg: born April 21, 1999, christened May 13, 1999
  • Prince Nikolaus: born December 6, 2000, christened January 13, 200

Weddings

The wedding of Princess Tatjana and Baron Philipp von Lattorff in 1999

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Burials

The Princely Crypt, Vaduz Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

During the reign of Karl I, the first Prince of Liechtenstein, his brother Maximilian founded the Paulan monastery in Vranov, then in territory owned by the Liechtenstein family in Moravia, later in Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic. Burial crypts were built there for members of the House of Liechtenstein. In 1945, the land owned by the House of Liechtenstein in Czechoslovakia was appropriated by the Czech Communist government. This necessitated the building of a new burial place at Vaduz Cathedral. The Princely Crypt, located next to the cathedral, was designed by the Liechtenstein architect Hans Rheinberger (link in German)  and completed in 1960.

The interior of the Princely Crypt; Credit – Wikipedia

Below are the members of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein buried in the Princely Crypt. Those who died before the completion of the Princely Crypt in 1960 were originally buried elsewhere.

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. Kathedrale St. Florin (Vaduz) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathedrale_St._Florin_(Vaduz)> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Vaduz Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaduz_Cathedral> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • Ics.li. 2021. Pfarrei Vaduz – Die Kirchen. [online] Available at: <https://www.ics.li/pfarreivaduz/CFDOCS/cms/cmsout/index.cfm?GroupID=110&MandID=1&meID=3&Lang=1> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • Luxarazzi.com. 2021. Luxarazzi 101: Kathedrale St. Florin. [online] Available at: <http://www.luxarazzi.com/2015/08/luxarazzi-101-kathedrale-st-florin.html> [Accessed 25 October 2021].

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, the wife of Karl XI, King of Sweden, was noted for her extraordinary charitable activities and an eerie legend associated with her death. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 11, 1656, she was the sixth of the eight children and fourth of the five daughters of Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her paternal grandparents were Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway and Anna Katharina of Brandenburg. Her maternal grandparents were Georg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Anna Eleonora of Hesse-Darmstadt. Ulrika Eleonora was the sister of Christian V, King of Denmark and Prince Jørgen of Denmark, better known as Prince George, Duke of Cumberland, the husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain.

Ulrika Eleonora had seven siblings:

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband Karl XI, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1675, Ulrika Eleonora became betrothed to Karl XI, King of Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora’s brother King Christian V was not in favor of the match but he left the final decision up to his mother who favored the match because her daughter would be a queen. However, the Scanian War between Denmark and Sweden from 1675 – 1679 postponed the wedding. King Christian V broke off the engagement but his sister still considered herself betrothed to Karl XI. In the peace negotiations between Sweden and Denmark in 1679, a marriage between Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI, King of Sweden was on the agenda, and a marriage was agreed upon. Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI were married on May 6, 1680, in Skottorp Castle in Skummeslöv, Halland, Sweden. The new Queen of Sweden was crowned on November 25, 1680, at Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ulrika Eleonora with her four sons who died in infancy; Credit – Nationalmuseum

Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI had seven children but only three survived childhood:

Ulrika Eleonora’s family left to right: her mother-in-law Hedwig Eleonora; her husband King Karl XI; her son the future Karl XII; Queen Ulrika Eleonora; her daughter Ulrika Eleonora; her son-in-law Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; the mother of Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and her daughter Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband had become King of Sweden when he was only four years old. His mother Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who was Dowager Queen for 55 years and would survive both her son and her daughter-in-law, was the Regent of Sweden until Karl XI reached his majority. Ulrika Eleonora had no political influence as her husband preferred to discuss politics with his mother. Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Karl XI always referred to Ulrika Eleonora as “My Wife” and his mother as “The Queen”. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. The hostility between Hedwig Eleonora’s homeland Holstein-Gottorp and Ulrika Eleonora’s homeland Denmark made the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more tense.

Ulrika Eleonora was very active in charity. She founded a large number of charitable institutions that were administered by her chamberlain Sophia Amalia Marschalk and her principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes Maria Elisabeth Stenbock. It is estimated that 7/8 of Ulrika Eleonora’s income went to her charities and she even sold her possessions to finance her charitable projects. Her best-known projects were a tapestry school at Karlberg Palace where orphan girls were educated in tapestry manufacturing, the Queen’s House, a home for poor widows in Stockholm, and a poor house at Kungsholmen. Ulrika Eleonora arranged for food to be distributed to areas suffering from failed crops and starvation and paid the medical bills for a large number of people in Stockholm. She commissioned doctors and midwives to develop scientific-based obstetrics and an orderly birth system in Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora supported a large number of needy people with regular allowances from her income. In 1693, the year of her death, 17,000 people were supported by her.

After the birth of her seventh and last child in 1688, Ulrika Eleonora’s health continually weakened, so much so that she seldom participated in court events. A trip to see her family in Denmark in 1688 had to be canceled. In 1690, Ulrika Eleonora developed a fatal non-diagnosed illness. Her doctors recommended a trip to the hot springs and funds were set aside for the trip but Ulrika Eleonora refused to go and instead used the funds for charity.

Ulrika Eleonora’s funeral; Credit – British Museum

Ulrika Eleonora died at Karlberg Palace in Solna Municipality, Sweden, outside Stockholm, on July 26, 1693, aged 36, after having spent 1692 -1693 in bed. Her husband Karl XI mourned her greatly and remarked upon her death, “Here I leave half of my heart.” She had requested a simple funeral and that her husband give most of the funds set aside for her funeral to charity. Karl XI did not respect her wish for a simple funeral but he did contribute the cost of her funeral to the poor. Ulrika Eleonora was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Karl XI survived his wife by less than four years, dying on April 5, 1697, at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden, aged 41. He had suffered from abdominal pains for three years. An autopsy revealed that he had developed cancer that had spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Karl was buried with his wife at Riddarholmen Church.

Ulrika Eleonora’s coffin )on the left) in Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

There is an eerie legend associated with the death of Ulrika Eleonora. After the death of Ulrika Eleonora, she was laid out at Karlberg Palace before her funeral. One night, a carriage arrived from Stockholm carrying Maria Elisabeth Stenbock, Ulrika Eleonora’s principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes. Maria Elisabeth, who was carrying her little dog Camillo, was escorted to Ulrika Eleonora’s room by the officer in charge Captain Stormcrantz. When he thought she was taking too long, he looked through the keyhole and saw Maria Elisabeth and Ulrika Eleonora standing by the window talking to each other. Captain Stormcrantz was so shocked by the sight that he started coughing up blood. Maria Elisabeth, as well as her carriage, were gone the next moment. When the matter was investigated, it was discovered that Maria Elisabeth had been in bed, gravely ill, and had not left her home. King Karl XI gave orders that the incident was not to be mentioned again. Whatever the explanation, Captain Stormcrantz died soon after, reportedly from shock after what he thought he had witnessed, and Maria Elisabeth Stenbock died of her illness on October 9, 1693.

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. Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora,_Queen_of_Sweden> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-iii-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Karl XI, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-xi-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora> [Accessed 6 September 2021].

Albert, Margrave of Meissen

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Albert, Margrave of Meissen was briefly one of the disputed Heads of the House of Saxony, and pretender to the former throne of the Kingdom of Saxony.

photo: By Adrian Nikiel – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7919702

Albert Joseph Maria Franz-Xaver, Prince of Saxony was born in Bamberg, Bavaria on November 30, 1934. He was the younger son of Prince Friedrich Christian of Saxony, Margrave of Meissen and Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn und Taxis, and had four siblings:

After finishing secondary school in Bregenz, Austria, the family moved to Munich where Albert studied history and ethnography at the Ludwig Maximilian University, receiving his Ph.D. in 1961. He worked as a historian, studying the history of the Duchy and then the Kingdom of Saxony and its relationship to Bavaria.

Albert and his wife, 2005. photo: Wikipedia

In a civil ceremony on April 10, 1980, and a religious ceremony two days later at the Theatinerkirche in Munich, Germany, Albert married Elmira Henke. She had been his assistant for many years. They had no children.

Upon the death of his elder brother, Maria Emanuel, in July 2012, Albert assumed the Headship of the House of Saxony. This was disputed as Maria Emanuel had named and adopted his nephew Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe as his rightful heir. (More on the succession dispute below). However, Albert’s role in the dispute was short-lived, as he passed away in Munich three months later, on October 6, 2012. He is buried in the Old Catholic Cemetery in Dresden along with his wife.

SUCCESSION DISPUTE

Having no children, in May 1977 Maria Emanuel named his nephew Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe as his heir. Alexander was the son of the Margrave’s eldest sister Anna. A document was drafted, agreed to, and signed by all the other members of the former royal house. Two years later, in September 1999, Maria Emanuel legally adopted Alexander. However, in 2002, three of the family members retracted their agreement. One of them was Maria Emanuel’s younger brother Albert who stated that the headship of the family should eventually pass to Prince Rüdiger, the son of their late cousin Prince Timo of Saxony. Despite this disagreement, Maria Emanuel continued to assert that Prince Alexander was his rightful heir. Following Maria Emanuel’s death in July 2012, both Albert and Alexander claimed the headship of the family. When Albert died just three months later, the dispute intensified. Prince Rüdiger claimed that he was the rightful heir, and assumed the title Margrave of Meissen, just as Prince Alexander had done upon Maria Emanuel’s death.

In 2015, the heads of three Ernestine branches of the House of Wettin – Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Konrad, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen – issued a statement stating that they did not recognize Prince Alexander as Head of the House of Saxony, nor as Margrave of Meissen. Notably, their statement did not specifically recognize Prince Rüdiger either.

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Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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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.

How are current European monarchs related to each other?

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Embed from Getty Images 
A gathering of royal relations at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, June 2010

Note: This article will be updated soon to reflect the accession of King Frederik X of Denmark.

While some of the current European monarchs are related to each other within a few generations, we have to go back a few hundred years to find the ancestor that all of them have in common – Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, Prince of Orange (1687-1711). He and his wife Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688 -1765), had two children, Princess Amalia and Willem IV, Prince of Orange. It is through these two children that all of the current reigning monarchs of Europe descend.

Six of the current European monarchs, the monarchs of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg,  Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom are descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Five of the current European monarchs, the monarchs of Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

The relationships below are the closest relationships but probably not the only relationships. All photos are from Wikipedia unless otherwise noted.

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Philippe, King of the Belgians – reigned 2013 – present

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Philippe are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and King Philippe are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Philippe are first cousins. Philippe’s father Albert II, King of the Belgians and Henri’s mother Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium were siblings, the children of Leopold III, King of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Philippe are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

The Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe are fourth cousins, once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Norway: King Harald V and King Philippe are first cousins once removed. Philippe’s grandmother and Harald’s mother were daughters of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.

Spain: King Felipe VI and King Philippe are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Louis Philippe I, King of the French and Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Philippe are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and King Philippe are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark – reigned 1972 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and Queen Margrethe II are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and Queen Margrethe II are fourth cousins once removed They are descendants of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and Queen Margrethe II are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and Queen Margrethe II are sixth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Margrethe II are third cousins. They are descendants of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Margrethe II is descended from Princess Augusta of Reuss-Köstritz, Friedrich Franz II’s first wife. Willem-Alexander is descended from Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Franz II’s third wife.

Norway: King Harald V and Queen Margrethe II are second cousins. They are descendants of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden from two lines.

Spain: King Felipe VI and Queen Margrethe II are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Margrethe II are first cousins. Carl Gustaf’s father Gustaf Adolf and Margrethe’s mother Ingrid were siblings, the children of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and Queen Margrethe II are third cousins through both King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein – reigned 1989 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and Prince Hans-Adam II are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and Prince Hans-Adam II are third cousins They are descendants of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and Prince Hans-Adam II are third cousins. They are descendants of King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and Prince Hans Adam II are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and Prince Hans-Adam II are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Prince Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms-Baruth.

Norway: King Harald V and Prince Hans-Adam II are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Spain: King Felipe VI and Prince Hans-Adam II are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Carlos IV of Spain and Princess Maria Luisa of Parma.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prince Hans Adam II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Prince Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and Prince Hans Adam II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg – reigned 2000 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and  Grand Duke Henri are first cousins. Henri’s mother Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, and Philippe’s father Albert II, King of the Belgians were siblings, the children of Leopold III, King of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and Grand Duke Henri are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and Grand Duke Henri are third cousins. They are descendants of King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and Grand Duke Henri are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and Grand Duke Henri are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Norway: King Harald V and Grand Duke Henri are first cousins once removed. They are descendants of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.

Spain: King Felipe VI and Grand Duke Henri are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Louis Philippe I, King of the French and Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Grand Duke Henri are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and Grand Duke Henri are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Prince Albert II of Monaco – reigned 2005 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and Prince Albert II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and Prince Albert II are sixth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans Adam II and Prince Albert II are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and Prince Albert II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and Prince Albert II are seventh cousins. They are descendants of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken.

Norway: King Harald V and Prince Albert II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken.

Spain: King Felipe VI and Prince Albert II are sixth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prince Albert II are sixth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and Prince Albert II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands – reigned 2013 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and King Willem-Alexander are fourth cousins, once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Willem-Alexander are third cousins. They are descendants of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Margrethe II is descended from Princess Augusta of Reuss-Köstritz, Friedrich Franz II’s first wife. Willem-Alexander is descended from Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Franz II’s third wife.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and King Willem-Alexander are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Prince Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms-Baruth.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Willem-Alexander are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Willem-Alexander are seventh cousins. They are descendants of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken.

Norway: King Harald V and King Willem-Alexander are third cousins twice removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Spain: King Felipe VI and King Willem-Alexander are sixth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg and Princess Frederica of Brandenburg-Schwedt.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Willem-Alexander are third cousins, once removed. They are descendants of Georg Victor II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Princess Helena of Nassau.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and King Willem-Alexander are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg.

King Harald V of Norway – reigned 1991 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and King Harald V are first cousins once removed. Philippe’s grandmother and Harald’s mother were both daughters of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Harald V are second cousins. They are descendants of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden from two lines.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and King Harald V are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Harald V are first cousins once removed. They are descendants of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Harald V are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and King Harald V are third cousins twice removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Spain: King Felipe VI and King Harald are third cousins twice removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Harald V are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and King Harald V are second cousins once removed through  King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

King Felipe VI of Spain – reigned 2014 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and King Felipe VI are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Louis Philippe I, King of the French and Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Felipe VI are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans-Adam II and King Felipe VI are fifth cousins once removed. They are both descendants of King Carlos IV of Spain and Princess Maria Luisa of Parma.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Felipe VI are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Louis Philippe I, King of the French and Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Felipe VI are sixth cousins. They are both descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and King Felipe VI are sixth cousins once removed. They are both descendants of Friedrich II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg and Princess Frederica of Brandenburg-Schwedt.

Norway: King Harald V and King Felipe VI are third cousins twice removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Felipe VI are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and King Felipe VI are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King George I of Greece and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinova of Russia.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden – reigned 1973 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and King Carl XVI Gustaf are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Carl XVI Gustaf are first cousins. Carl Gustaf’s father Gustaf Adolf and Margrethe’s mother Ingrid were siblings, the children of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans Adam II and King Carl XVI Gustaf are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Prince Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms-Baruth

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Carl XVI Gustaf and are third cousins. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Carl XVI Gustaf are sixth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

The Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and King Carl XVI Gustaf are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Prince Georg Victor II of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Princess Helena of Nassau.

Norway: King Harald V and King Carl XVI Gustaf are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau.

Spain: King Felipe VI and King Carl XVI Gustaf are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

United Kingdom: King Charles III and King Carl XVI Gustaf are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

King Charles III of the United Kingdom – reigned 2022 – present

Belgium: King Philippe and King Charles III are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Denmark: Queen Margrethe II and King Charles III are third cousins through both King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Liechtenstein: Prince Hans Adam II and King Charles III are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri and King Charles III are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and King Charles III are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander and King Charles III are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg.

Norway: King Harald V and King Charles III are second cousins once removed through both King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

Spain: King Felipe VI and King Charles III are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of King George I of Greece and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinova of Russia.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Charles III are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

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.

Maria Antonia of Portugal, Duchess of Parma

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Duchy of Parma was in today’s northwest Italy and came into existence in 1545 when Pope Paul III made his illegitimate son Pier Luigi Farnese the Duke of Parma and Piacenza, territories that previously were a part of the Papal States. The House of Farnese reigned until 1731 when the male line went extinct. The duchy passed to Felipe V, King of Spain from the Spanish House of Bourbon whose second wife Elizabeth Farnese was the Farnese heiress. Felipe V made Carlos, his only son with Elizabeth Farnese, the Duke of Parma. However, in 1738, Felipe V traded the Duchy of Parma to the House of Habsburg-Lorraine for the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily and Carlos became King of Naples and Sicily.

In 1748, the Duchy of Parma was ceded back to the Bourbons. Infante Felipe of Spain became Duke of Parma and was the founder of the House of Bourbon-Parma, a cadet branch of the Spanish House of Bourbon.  In 1796, the Duchy of Parma was occupied by French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte. It remained in French hands until the defeat of Napoleon in 1814 when the duchy was given to Napoleon’s second wife, Marie-Louise of Habsburg-Lorraine. She reigned until her death in 1847 when the Duchy of Parma was restored to the House of Bourbon-Parma. In 1859, the Duchy of Parma was abolished during the Italian unification movement. It was merged with the Kingdom of Sardinia as part of the unification of Italy. In 1861, Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy.

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Maria Antonia of Portugal, Duchess of Parma; Credit – Wikipedia

Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal was the second wife of Roberto I, Duke of Parma from 1854 – 1859 and titular Duke of Parma from 1859 until he died in 1907. As a not-quite-six-year-old, Roberto succeeded his father who was assassinated and then lost his throne five years later due to the Italian unification movement. Maria Antónia Adelaide Camila Carolina Eulália Leopoldina Sofia Inês Francisca de Assis e de Paula Micaela Rafaela Gabriela Gonzaga Gregória Bernardina Benedita Andrea was born at Schloss Bronnbach (link in German) in Bronnbach, Grand Duchy of Baden, now Wertheim am Main in the state of Baden-Württemberg, on November 28, 1862. She was the youngest of the seven children and the sixth of the six daughters of the deposed Miguel I, King of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. Maria Antonia’s paternal grandparents were King João VI of Portugal and Carlota Joaquina of Spain. Her maternal grandparents were Hereditary Prince Konstantin of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg and Princess Agnes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Maria Antonia’s paternal grandfather King João VI had become King of Portugal in 1816 upon the death of his mother Queen Maria I of Portugal and reigned until his death in 1826. At that time, João VI’s elder son succeeded to the throne as King Pedro IV. Pedro was king for only two months, abdicating in favor of his daughter Queen Maria II of Portugal. Maria Antonia’s father Miguel served as regent for his niece Maria II. As regent, Miguel claimed the Portuguese throne in his own right. This led to a difficult political situation, during which many people were killed, imprisoned, persecuted, or sent into exile, finally culminating in the Portuguese Liberal Wars. Ultimately, Miguel was deposed in 1834 and lived the last thirty-two years of his life in exile.

Maria Antonia’s parents with her two eldest siblings; Credit – Wikipedia

During his exile in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Miguel met Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, who was twenty-nine years younger. They married in 1851, and made their home at Schloss Bronnbach in Bronnbach, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. When Maria Antonia was four years old, her father died while hunting on November 14, 1866. At the time of his death, all of Miguel’s children were under the age of fifteen. Maria Antonia’s mother Adelaide continued to raise her children and arranged some rather brilliant marriages for them despite their dubious status as children of a deposed monarch. Miguel and Adelaide are the ancestors of the current monarchs of Luxembourg, Belgium, and Liechtenstein, as well as pretenders to the thrones of Portugal, Austria, Bavaria, and Italy.

Maria Antonia (on the left) with her sisters Maria Ana and  Adelgundes: Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Antonia had six elder siblings:

Roberto I, titular Duke of Parma, circa 1900; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Antonia and Roberto I, titular Duke of Parma, the son of Carlo III, Duke of Parma and Louise Marie Thérèse of France, were married on October 15, 1884, at Schloss Fischorn (link in German) in Zell am See, Austria. Despite losing his throne and living in exile, Roberto had considerable wealth. He traveled in a private train of more than a dozen cars and had several residences including  Schloss Schwarzau  (link in German) in Schwarzau am Steinfeld, Austria, Villa Borbone delle Pianore (link in Italian) in Capezzano Pianore, Italy, and Château de Chambord in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France which he inherited from his maternal uncle Prince Henri, Duke of Bordeaux, Count of Chambord. This was Roberto’s second marriage. His first wife Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies had died due to puerperal fever (childbed fever) in 1882, a week after the birth of her twelfth child, a stillborn boy. Upon her marriage to Roberto, Maria Antonia became the stepmother of his nine surviving children from his first marriage who ranged in age from four to fourteen. Six of the children were mentally disabled.

Roberto’s surviving children from his first marriage, the stepchildren of Maria Antonia:

  • Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1870 – 1899), married Ferdinand I, Prince of Bulgaria (later Tsar), had four children including Tsar Boris I of Bulgaria,
  • Princess Luisa Maria of Bourbon-Parma (1872 – 1943), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Enrico, Titular Duke of Parma (1873 – 1939), unmarried, mentally disabled, his brother Elias took up the role as regent and Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
  • Princess Maria Immacolata of Bourbon-Parma (1874 – 1914), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Giuseppe, Titular Duke of Parma (1875 – 1950), unmarried, mentally disabled, his brother Elias continued his role as regent and Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
  • Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma (1876 – 1959), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma (1877 – 1915), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Princess Beatrice of Bourbon-Parma (1879 – 1946), married Count Pietro Lucchesi-Palli, had four children
  • Elias, Titular Duke of Parma (1880 – 1959), married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, had eight children, from 1907 to 1950, he served as regent for the claims of his two older disabled brothers, Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma

Maria Antonia and Roberto with their family in 1906; From left to right, first row: Maria Immacolata, Maria Antonia, Isabella, Roberto, Enrichetta, Luigi, Gaetano, Roberto’s second wife Maria Antonia, René, Zita. From left to right, second row: Francesca, Maria Pia, Luisa Maria, Maria Adelaide, Maria Teresa, Giuseppe, Xavier, Enrico, Sixto, Felix; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Antonia and Roberto had twelve children of their own:

Roberto I, former Duke of Parma died, aged 59, at the Villa Borbone (link in Italian) in Viareggio, Kingdom of Italy, on November 16, 1907. He was buried in the chapel at the Villa Borbone in Viareggio, Italy. After World War I, when her son-in-law Karl I, Emperor of Austria lost his throne and had to go into exile, Maria Antonia accompanied her daughter Zita, Karl, and their large family, living first in Switzerland and then on the Portuguese island of Madeira where Karl died in 1922 at the age of 34. After the outbreak of World War II, Maria Antonia and Zita moved to Quebec, Canada where they lived in modest circumstances.

Schloss Puchheim, where Maria Antonia is buried; Von Peterhauser at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17239377

After World War II ended, Maria Antonia lived at Berg Castle in Colmar-Berg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Her niece, the daughter of her sister Maria Ana, was Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, the wife of Maria Antonia’s son Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. In 1952, Maria Antonia celebrated her 90th birthday at Berg Castle. She survived her husband Roberto by 52 years, dying on May 14, 1959, aged 96, at Berg Castle in Colmar-Berg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. She was buried in the chapel at Schloss Puchheim (link in German) in Attnang-Puchheim, Austria. In 1982, restrictions on the Habsburgs entering Austria were eased and after sixty-three years, 90-year-old Zita, former Empress of Austria, could return to Austria for visits. One of the first things she did was to visit his mother’s burial site.

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

  • Almanachdegotha.org. 2021. Duchy of Parma – House of Bourbon-Parma. [online] Available at: <http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id29.html> [Accessed 11 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Infanta Maria Antónia of Portugal – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanta_Maria_Ant%C3%B3nia_of_Portugal> [Accessed 18 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2015. King Miguel I of Portugal. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-miguel-i-of-portugal/> [Accessed 20 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, S., 2021. Roberto I, Duke of Parma. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/roberto-i-duke-of-parma/> [Accessed 20 October 2021].
  • It.wikipedia.org. 2021. Maria Antonia di Braganza – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Antonia_di_Braganza> [Accessed 20 October 2021].
  • Louda, Jiri and MacLagan, Michael, 2002. Lines of Succession. New York: Barnes and Noble.

Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Parma

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Duchy of Parma was in today’s northwest Italy and came into existence in 1545 when Pope Paul III made his illegitimate son Pier Luigi Farnese the Duke of Parma and Piacenza, territories that previously were a part of the Papal States. The House of Farnese reigned until 1731 when the male line went extinct. The duchy passed to Felipe V, King of Spain from the Spanish House of Bourbon whose second wife Elizabeth Farnese was the Farnese heiress. Felipe V made Carlos, his only son with Elizabeth Farnese, the Duke of Parma. However, in 1738, Felipe V traded the Duchy of Parma to the House of Habsburg-Lorraine for the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily and Carlos became King of Naples and Sicily.

In 1748, the Duchy of Parma was ceded back to the Bourbons. Infante Felipe of Spain became Duke of Parma and was the founder of the House of Bourbon-Parma, a cadet branch of the Spanish House of Bourbon.  In 1796, the Duchy of Parma was occupied by French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte. It remained in French hands until the defeat of Napoleon in 1814 when the duchy was given to Napoleon’s second wife, Marie-Louise of Habsburg-Lorraine. She reigned until her death in 1847 when the Duchy of Parma was restored to the House of Bourbon-Parma. In 1859, the Duchy of Parma was abolished during the Italian unification movement. It was merged with the Kingdom of Sardinia as part of the unification of Italy. In 1861, Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy.

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Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the first wife of Roberto I, Duke of Parma from 1854 – 1859 and titular Duke of Parma from 1859 until his death in 1907. As a not quite six-year-old, Roberto succeeded his father who was assassinated and then lost his throne five years later due to the Italian unification movement. Maria Pia della Grazia was born in Gaeta, Italy on August 2, 1849. She was the eighth of the twelve children and the third of the four daughters of Ferdinando II, King of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Theresa of Austria. Maria Pia’s paternal grandparents were Francesco I, King of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. Her maternal grandparents were Archduke Karl of Austria, Duke of Teschen and Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg.

Maria Pia’s family, circa 1860, Maria Pia is standing on the left in the first row; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Pia had eleven siblings:

Maria Pia had one half-brother from her father’s first marriage to Maria Cristina of Savoy. Sadly, Maria Cristina died from childbirth complications five days after giving birth to her only child.

Maria Pia’s father Ferdinando II had hesitated for months to have surgery for a strangulated hernia. His hesitancy probably caused his death on May 22, 1859, at the age of 49. During Ferdinando II’s reign, the Italian unification movement led by Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia, later Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Italy, began.  The Second War of Italian Independence started shortly before Ferdinando II’s death, During the reign of Francesco II, Ferdinando II’s son from his first marriage, the 1860-1861 invasion called the Expedition of the Thousand led to the fall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which then was annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Maria Pia’s mother Maria Theresa and her children were among the first to leave Naples. They eventually made her way to Rome which was part of the Papal States and not the new Kingdom of Italy. Pope Pius IX placed the Quirinal Palace in Rome at their disposal.

Maria Pia and Roberto on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

While in exile in Rome, negotiations began for the marriage of Maria Pia. After the failed attempts to marry her to an Austrian archduke like her elder sisters Maria Annunziata and Maria Immacolata, Maria Pia was betrothed to her half-first cousin once removed Roberto I, titular Duke of Parma, the son of the assassinated Carlo III, Duke of Parma and Louise Marie Thérèse of France (granddaughter of King Charles X of France). Despite losing his throne and living in exile, Roberto was quite a catch. He had considerable wealth and traveled in a private train of more than a dozen cars. Roberto had several residences including  Schloss Schwarzau  (link in German) in Schwarzau am Steinfeld, Austria, Villa Borbone delle Pianore (link in Italian) in Capezzano Pianore, Italy, and Château de Chambord in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France which he inherited from his maternal uncle Prince Henri, Duke of Bordeaux, Count of Chambord. Maria Pia and Roberto were married in Rome, Italy on April 5, 1869.

Maria Pia and her son Elias in 1881; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Pia and Roberto had twelve children. Six of the children were mentally disabled, two died in infancy, and one was stillborn.

  • Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1870 – 1899), married Ferdinand I, Prince of Bulgaria (later Tsar), had four children including Tsar Boris I of Bulgaria,
  • Ferdinando, Prince of Piacenza (born and died 1871 ), died in infancy
  • Princess Luisa Maria of Bourbon-Parma (1872 – 1943), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Enrico, Titular Duke of Parma (1873 – 1939), unmarried, mentally disabled, his brother Elias took up the role as regent and Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
  • Princess Maria Immacolata of Bourbon-Parma (1874 – 1914), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Giuseppe, Titular Duke of Parma (1875 – 1950), unmarried, mentally disabled, his brother Elias continued his role as regent and Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
  • Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma (1876 – 1959), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma (1877 – 1915), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Princess Beatrice of Bourbon-Parma (1879 – 1946), married Count Pietro Lucchesi-Palli, had four children
  • Elias, Titular Duke of Parma (1880 – 1959), married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, had eight children, from 1907 to 1950, he served as regent for the claims of his two older disabled brothers, Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
  • Princess Maria Anastasia of Bourbon-Parma (born and died 1881), died in infancy
  • Prince Augusto of Bourbon-Parma (stillborn 1882)

Chapel of the Villa Borbone in Viareggio, Italy, where Maria Pia is buried; Credit – Di I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27517360

The dangerous practice of close pregnancies and births – twelve children in thirteen years of marriage – made Maria Pia weak and sickly. At the age of 33, Maria Pia died of puerperal fever (childbed fever) on September 29, 1882, in Biarritz, France, a week after giving birth to her last child, a stillborn son. She was buried in the chapel at the Villa Borbone (link in Italian) in Viareggio, Italy. Two years after Maria Pia’s death, Roberto married Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal, the daughter of the deposed Miguel I, King of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. Roberto and Maria Antonia also had twelve children but Maria Antonia lived a long life, dying at the age of 96.

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

  • Almanachdegotha.org. 2021. Duchy of Parma – House of Bourbon-Parma. [online] Available at: <http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id29.html> [Accessed 11 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1849–1882) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Maria_Pia_of_Bourbon-Two_Sicilies_(1849%E2%80%931882)> [Accessed 18 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Ferdinando II, King of the Two Sicilies. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ferdinando-ii-king-of-the-two-sicilies/> [Accessed 19 October 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Roberto I, Duke of Parma. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/roberto-i-duke-of-parma/> [Accessed 19 October 2021].
  • It.wikipedia.org. 2021. Maria Pia di Borbone-Due Sicilie – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Pia_di_Borbone-Due_Sicilie> [Accessed 19 October 2021].
  • Louda, Jiri and MacLagan, Michael, 2002. Lines of Succession. New York: Barnes and Noble.

Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Af CucombreLibre from New York, NY, USA – Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53832603

Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, which this writer has visited, located 19miles/30 km west of Copenhagen on the island of Zealand, is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. It has been the main site for Danish royal burials since the 15th century and most monarchs and their consorts from the House of Oldenburg (1448 – 1863) and the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863 – present) are buried there. The cathedral was also used for non-royal burials and the floor is covered with hundreds of grave markers with additional graves in the crypts.

Grave markers; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

King Harald Bluetooth named Roskilde the capital of Denmark in 960 and a small wooden church dedicated to the Holy Trinity was built on the location of the current cathedral. The first stone cathedral, in the Romanesque style, was completed in 1080 and a monastery was completed soon afterward.

Main Aisle of Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

In 1200, an expansion of the cathedral began and was completed in 1280, resulting in the Brick Gothic cathedral we see today The magnificent red brick building consists of about 2.5 million bricks and is twice as high as the old cathedral. A fire in 1443 damaged the cathedral, requiring renovations. During the Protestant Reformation, in 1538, Roskilde Cathedral ceased being a place of Catholic worship and became a house of Protestant worship.

Royal Burials

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

To accommodate the many royal burials, chapels were added to the 13th century Brick Gothic cathedral, each built in the architectural style of its time. There are also burials of other members of the Danish royal family in the crypts. The years below are birth and death years.

Holy Trinity Church

Harald Bluetooth, who introduced Christianity to Denmark, was buried at the Holy Trinity Church, the wooden first church on the site. His son Sweyn Forkbeard was first buried in England and his remains were later moved to Denmark where they were interred near his father at the Holy Trinity Church. However, their tombs have never been found.

Pier in the Apse

Sweyn II Ertridsen was interred in the southeastern pier. A pier is similar to a column and is designed to support arches. In the photo below, a portrait of Sweyn II Ertridsen on the right marks the pier where he is buried.

Burial site of Sweyn II Estridsen; Credit By Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Funerary monuments, Roskilde Cathedral (2), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69758143

Close-up of the portrait of Sweyn II Estridsen that marks his place of burial; Credit – Wikipedia

Choir 

Queen Margrethe I was interred in a sarcophagus behind the high altar. Her beautiful sarcophagus was made by German sculptor Johannes Junge (link in German) in 1423. She had left property to the Roskilde Cathedral on the condition that Masses for her soul would be said regularly in the future. This was discontinued in 1536 during the Protestant Reformation although a special bell is still rung twice daily in memory of Queen Margrethe I.

Tomb of Margrethe I; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Tombs in the Apse

The apse is the end of a cathedral opposite the main entrance. It is often circular as it is at Roskilde Cathedral. The sarcophagi here are all grand white marble structures except for King Christopher III’s who lived more than two hundred years earlier and has a tomb with an effigy.

Tombs in the apse; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Trolle Chapel

Anna Sophie was hated by Frederik IV’s children from his first marriage to Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Upon Frederik IV’s death, his son and successor King Christian VI banished Anne Sophie from the court and kept her under house arrest at Clausholm Castle, her family home. When Anna Sophie died, King Christian VI allowed her to be buried at Roskilde Cathedral, but in the Trolle Chapel, originally built for members of the Trolle noble family, which is on the opposite side of the cathedral, far away from his parents’ tombs. The two smaller tombs are the tombs of two of six children (who all died in infancy) of Frederik IV and Anna Sophie.

Tomb of Anna Sophie Reventlow – Photo courtesy Findagrave.com

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Chapel of the Magi (Christian I’s Chapel)

King Christian I, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg, built the Chapel of the Magi as a family burial chapel for the House of Oldenburg. While the elaborate tombs of King Christian III, King Frederik II, and their consorts are in the Chapel of the Magi, the graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea are marked with simple stones because the chapel itself was to be considered their memorial monument.

Graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Christian III and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Frederik II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Christian IV’s Chapel

In 1613, a year after the death of his first wife Anna Katharina, Christian IV ordered the construction of a new burial chapel because the space inside Roskilde Cathedral for burials was very limited. Two older chapels were demolished to make space for the new burial chapel. The exterior of the new chapel was completed by 1641. However, when Christian IV died in 1648, the interior had not been completed and his coffin was placed in the crypt below. The interior of the chapel was not completed until 1866. Two large paintings illustrating important scenes from Christian IV’s life are on the walls and a statue of Christian IV watches over the chapel. King Christian IV’s silver-plated casket now stands in the middle of the chapel. His casket is surrounded by the caskets of his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, his eldest son and heir apparent Christian who predeceased him, his second son who succeeded him as King Frederik III, and Frederik III’s wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg.

Christian IV Chapel: Caskets front row left to right: Anna Katharina, Christian IV, Christian, Prince-Elect; back row left to right: Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg, Frederik III; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Frederik V’s Chapel

Frederik V’s Chapel consists of two chapels in the neoclassical style, constructed 1774–1825 and required the removal of a previous existing chapel. One chapel has two adjoining rooms and is referred to as Christian VI’s Chapel. The other, Frederik’s V Chapel, is a domed chapel in the shape of a cross. The interiors have the classic white-washed wall. The chapels show a gradual trend in moving from grand marble sarcophagi to more simple velvet-covered coffins, and in the case of Frederik VII, a wooden coffin. An example of a marble sarcophagus and examples of velvet-covered coffins can be seen in the photo below.

Frederik V’s Chapel; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Christian IX’s Chapel

The tombs of the first three kings and queen consorts of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg are in the rather small Christian IX’s Chapel also known as the Glücksburg Chapel. When Christian IX died, a competition was held for a design of a double sarcophagus for him and his wife Queen Louise who had predeceased him. The winning design was later determined to be too controversial. Instead, the sarcophagus was designed by Edvard Eriksen, who created the famous Little Mermaid statue in the Copenhagen harbor, and architect Hack Kampmann. They created a large sarcophagus in white marble surrounded by three graceful sculptures depicting Remembrance, Love, and Sorrow.

Tombs of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Tombs of King Frederik VIII and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Tombs of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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Maria Feodorovna’s Temporary Burial Site

Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russian, the wife of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia and mother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, was born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, the daughter of Christian IX, King of Denmark. After escaping from Russia after the Russian Revolution, she lived the rest of her life in Denmark. Upon her death in 1928, she was buried at Roskilde Cathedral. She had wished that at some point in time she could be buried with her husband. In 2005, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed, along with their governments, that her wish should be fulfilled. Her remains were transported to St. Petersburg and interred next to her husband in the Peter and Paul Cathedral on September 28, 2006.

First burial place of Empress Maria Feodorovna in Roskilde Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

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Frederik IX’s Burial Site

King Frederik IX had a career in the Royal Danish Navy where he had several senior commands and attained the rank of Rear Admiral. Unlike other Danish monarchs who had been buried inside Roskilde Cathedral, Frederik wanted to be buried outside the cathedral in sight of the sea. The two photos below of the burial site right outside of Roskilde Catherdral were taken by this author who can verify that the Roskilde Fjord can be seen from the site of the grave.

Site of King Frederik IX’s grave outside Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Grave of King Frederik IX and his wife Queen Ingrid; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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St. Brigid’s Chapel – Margrethe II’s Future Burial Site

In 2010, it was announced that Queen Margrethe II had chosen St. Brigid’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral as the burial site for herself and her husband Prince Henrik. St. Bridgid’s Chapel, built in 1485, is one of the two remaining old chapels. However, the Danish Royal Court announced on August 3, 2017, that Prince Henrik did not want to be buried in Roskilde Cathedral. Following his funeral in 2018, Prince Henrik’s remains were cremated with half of his ashes spread over Danish waters, and the other half interred in the private garden at Fredensborg Castle.

Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard designed the sarcophagus. The photos below are from this author’s visit to Roskilde Cathedral in August 2011 where she was able to see a conservator restoring the 500-year-old murals on the chapel’s walls and a display about Queen Margrethe II’s tomb. Since this author’s visit, the sarcophagus has been finished and installed but is covered until the death of Queen Margrethe II.

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_1

St. Brigid’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_Model_MargretheII 2

A poster describing the sarcophagus of Queen Margrethe II; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_Model_MargretheII 3

Model of the sarcophagus of Queen Margrethe II; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_PaintingWall 4

Conservator restoring the 500-year-old murals on the chapel’s walls; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_WallDetail 5

Detail of the mural; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Other Royal Burials

One of the crypts at Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

The following are also buried in Roskilde Cathedral, mostly in the crypts.

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

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Roskilde Domkirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde_Domkirke> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Dom zu Roskilde – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_zu_Roskilde> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Roskilde Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde_Cathedral> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Danish Royal Burial Sites: House of Oldenburg, 1448 – 1863. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/danish-royal-burial-sites/house-of-oldenburg-1448-1863/> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Danish Royal Burial Sites: House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, 1863 – present. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/danish-royal-burial-sites/house-of-schleswig-holstein-sonderburg-glucksburg-1863-present/> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Roskildedomkirke.dk. 2021. Visit Roskilde Cathedral | Roskilde Domkirke. [online] Available at: <https://roskildedomkirke.dk/english> [Accessed 4 September 2021].