Eugen Duke of Württemberg (1788–1857)
Encyclopedia
Duke Eugen of Württemberg was a German nobleman and a General of Infantry in the Imperial Russian Army
during the Napoleonic Wars
.
, Lower Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia
(now Oleśnica, Poland
) first child of Duke Eugen of Württemberg (1758–1822), (son of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, and Margravine Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt) and his wife, Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (1764–1834), (daughter of Prince Christian Karl of Stolberg-Gedern and Countess Eleanore Reuss of Lobenstein). His younger brother was the explorer Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg. His aunt was Empress Maria Feodorovna the consort of Paul I of Russia
.
Since 1776 he lived in Russia. As a child, Eugen followed her aunt to the Tsar's court. After his cadet years in St. Petersburg, he began a brilliant career in the Imperial Russian Army
. The murder of his uncle Paul I in 1802 interrupted the first military service. His further education took place in Silesia by Ludwig von Wolzogen.
. In 1812, he was a division commander (4th div of II Corps) under Barclay de Tolly
. During the French invasion of Russia
he fought at the Battles of Borodino
, Krasnoi
. At the War of the Sixth Coalition
he fought at the Battles of Lutzen
, Bautzen
, Dresden
, Kulm
, and Leipzig
, where he distinguished himself.
In 1828, he commanded the Russian 7th Army Corps in the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829). He retired after the Treaty of Adrianople
.
He was interested in music. He was acquainted with Carl Maria von Weber
, who was his father's music director of 1806-1807. He also composed several operas, and many songs, including "The Ghost Bride".
, he married Princess Mathilde of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1801–1825), daughter of George I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
and Princess Augusta of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
They had three children:
On his first wife's death, Eugen married secondly in 1827 to Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1807–1880), daughter of Charles Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie of Solms-Baruth.
They had four children
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Early life and family
Duke Eugen was born at OelsOlesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, Lower Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
(now Oleśnica, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) first child of Duke Eugen of Württemberg (1758–1822), (son of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, and Margravine Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt) and his wife, Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (1764–1834), (daughter of Prince Christian Karl of Stolberg-Gedern and Countess Eleanore Reuss of Lobenstein). His younger brother was the explorer Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg. His aunt was Empress Maria Feodorovna the consort of Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
.
Since 1776 he lived in Russia. As a child, Eugen followed her aunt to the Tsar's court. After his cadet years in St. Petersburg, he began a brilliant career in the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
. The murder of his uncle Paul I in 1802 interrupted the first military service. His further education took place in Silesia by Ludwig von Wolzogen.
Military career
After a few years his military career reactivated and by 1805 he was already major-general. He participated in the campaigns from 1806 to 1807 in East Prussia against France and 1810 in part of Turkey. He accompanied his father Eugen, who was commander of Prussian Reserve, in 1806. He joined staff of Russian General BennigsenLevin August, Count von Bennigsen
Levin August Gottlieb Theophil , Count von Bennigsen was a German general in the service of the Russian Empire....
. In 1812, he was a division commander (4th div of II Corps) under Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
. During the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
he fought at the Battles of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
, Krasnoi
Battle of Krasnoi
The Battle of Krasnoi was a series of skirmishes fought in the final stage of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. This encounter was noteworthy because of the heavy losses inflicted on the remnants of the Grande Armée by the Russians under General Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov...
. At the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
he fought at the Battles of Lutzen
Battle of Lützen (1813)
In the Battle of Lützen , Napoleon I of France lured a combined Prussian and Russian force into a trap, halting the advances of the Sixth Coalition after his devastating losses in Russia. The Russian commander, Prince Peter Wittgenstein, attempting to undo Napoleon's capture of Leipzig, attacked...
, Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen
In the Battle of Bautzen a combined Russian/Prussian army was pushed back by Napoleon, but escaped destruction, some sources claim, because Michel Ney failed to block their retreat...
, Dresden
Battle of Dresden
The Battle of Dresden was fought on 26–27 August 1813 around Dresden, Germany, resulting in a French victory under Napoleon I against forces of the Sixth Coalition of Austrians, Russians and Prussians under Field Marshal Schwartzenberg. However, Napoleon's victory was not as complete as it could...
, Kulm
Battle of Kulm
The Battle of Kulm was a battle near the town Kulm and the village Přestanov in northern Bohemia. It was fought on 29–30 August 1813, during the War of the Sixth Coalition...
, and Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
, where he distinguished himself.
In 1828, he commanded the Russian 7th Army Corps in the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829). He retired after the Treaty of Adrianople
Treaty of Adrianople
The Peace Treaty of Adrianople concluded the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829 between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. It was signed on September 14, 1829 in Adrianople by Russia's Count Alexey Fyodorovich Orlov and by Turkey's Abdul Kadyr-bey...
.
He was interested in music. He was acquainted with Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
, who was his father's music director of 1806-1807. He also composed several operas, and many songs, including "The Ghost Bride".
Marriage and issue
On 21 January 1817, in ArolsenBad Arolsen
Bad Arolsen is a small town in northern Hesse, Germany, in Waldeck-Frankenberg district. From 1655 until 1918 it served as the residence town of the Princes of Waldeck-Pyrmont and then until 1929 as the capital of the Waldeck Free State...
, he married Princess Mathilde of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1801–1825), daughter of George I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
George I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
George I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont from 1812 to 1813.He was the son of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Countess Palatine Christiane Henriette of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler.-Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont:...
and Princess Augusta of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
They had three children:
- Duchess Marie of Württemberg (25 March 1818 – 10 April 1888), married in 1845 to Charles II, Landgrave of Hesse-PhilippsthalCharles II, Landgrave of Hesse-PhilippsthalCharles II of Hesse-Philippsthal was a member of the House of Hesse and was Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal from 1849 until 1866.- Life :...
, had issue. - Duke Eugen of WürttembergDuke Eugen of Württemberg (1820–1875)-Early life and family:Duke Eugen was born at Carlsruhe, Kingdom of Prussia, second child and first son of Duke Eugen of Württemberg , and his wife, Princess Mathilde of Waldeck and Pyrmont , .- Marriage and...
(25 December 1820 – 8 January 1875), married in 1843 to Princess Mathilde of Schaumburg-Lippe, had issue. - Duke William Alexander of Württemberg (13 April 1825 – 15 April 1825)
On his first wife's death, Eugen married secondly in 1827 to Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1807–1880), daughter of Charles Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie of Solms-Baruth.
They had four children
- Duke William of Württemberg (20 July 1828 – 5 November 1896)
- Duchess Alexandrine Mathilde of Württemberg (16 December 1829 – 2 September 1913)
- Duke Nicholas of Württemberg (1 March 1833 – 22 February 1903), married in 1868 his niece Duchess Wilhelmine of Württemberg, no issue.
- Duchess Agnes of WürttembergDuchess Agnes of WürttembergDuchess Agnes of Württemberg was a German aristocrat and writer under the pseudonym of Angela Hohenstein.-Life and family:Duchess Agnes was born at Carlsruhe, Kingdom of Prussia was the youngest child of Duke Eugen of Württemberg , by his second marriage to Princess Helene...
(13 October 1835 – 10 July 1886), married in 1858 to Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger LineHeinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line-Early life:Heinrich XIV was born at Coburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, sixth child of Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line , and his wife, Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf , .-Prince Reuss...
, had issue.