Franziska von Hohenheim
Encyclopedia
Franziska Theresia Reichsgräfin von Hohenheim (10 January 1748, Adelmannsfelden – 1 January 1811, Kirchheim unter Teck) was a German noblewoman. From 1774 she was known as Freiin von Bernerdin and from 1765 onwards as Freifrau Leutrum von Ertingen. She was the official mistress of Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg from 1772 to 1785, when she became his second wife. The marriage was morganatic until 1790, when she was granted the title Duchess of Württemberg.
Ludwig Wilhelm von Bernerdin and his wife Johanna (née Freiin von Vohenstein in Adelmannsfelden) - of this couple's 15 children, only Franziska and four of her sisters reached adulthood. Her family lived on the Sindlingen
bei Herrenberg estate. At her parents' request, in 1765 Franziska married Freiherr Wilhelm Leutrum von Ertingen. Once her husband had been appointed a chamberlain at the Württemberg court, they had to appear at court more often. In 1769, during a stay in Bad Wildbad
, Franziska got to know the duke Charles Eugene better and after he had separated from his beloved long-term mistress Catharina Bonafini she became his maitresse en titre in 1772. On 21 January 1774, at Charles' instigation, Franziska was made Reichsgräfin
of Hohenheim – she was then promoted to Reichsfürstin by Joseph II
- and from then on bore the coat of arms of the extinct Bombaste von Hohenheim family. The Duke gave her the Garbenhof at Hohenheim on 10 January 1772 and she expanded it in the following decades into the Schloss Hohenheim, taking a particular interest in the creation of its 'Dörfle' or English-style landscape garden from 1776 onwards.
Franziska's worldview was shaped by Protestant Pietistic
ideas and so she felt guilty of the immoral nature of her relationship with the Duke. She divorced her husband in 1772 but the Catholic Charles Eugene could not separate from his wife Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie. In autumn 1756 Elisabeth went to visit her mother in Bayreuth and refused to return. Charles agreed she would remain his duchess, which she did until her death in April 1780. After Elisabeth's death Charles redeemed marriage vows to Franziska prepared for that instance, which he repeated on 10 July 1780. However, the Catholic Church did not recognise Franziska's divorce and would not allow Charles to marry a Protestant. Also Franziska was not Charles' equal under Württemberg house law
so any marriage would be morganatic.
Charles thus not only had to make Franziska his lawful wife but also get her recognised as his duchess, both of which goals he pursued with long-term strategies. First, the Ehegericht (marriage court) lifted the ban on their marriage, with Franziska as the guilty party in her divorce. In drawing up the agreement for the morganatic marriage on 15 May 1784, Charles Eugene made his younger brother Frederick Eugene (and ultimately Frederick's son Frederick William
) his successor. On 11 January 1785 the ducal chaplain secretly married Franziska and Charles Eugene, though it was only proclaimed publicly on 2 February 1786. In 1790 Charles Eugene finally reached an agreement with Frederick Eugene and Frederick William - Franziska would be recognised as duchess and Kirchheim unter Teck
as a wittum
, with any potential descendents barred from the succession, and Frederick Eugene's wife Sophia Dorothea (whose origins required she be addressed as her highness) retaining precedence over Franziska. The pope only recognised the marriage in 1791, after the Vatican had gained theological and expert opinions as to the invalidity of Franziska's first marriage. This eventually also led to Charles Eugene's middle brother Louis Eugene (himself in a morganatic marriage) recognising Franziska.
Franziska had a reputation in Württemberg as a kind and caring woman due to her charity work - thanks to her donations and her moderating influence on the Duke (he was initially unpredictable and pompous, but she re-educated him into a caring father of his country), she was known in her lifetime as the "Good Angel of Württemberg". After the Duke's death (on which Frederick Eugene, then Louis Eugene then Frederick William succeeded to the duchy), she gave safe haven to the Pietist and Theosophist Johann Michael Hahn
in Sindlingen after he was persecuted for his views by the church in Württemberg. On Charles Eugene's death in 1793 Franziska had to leave the Schloss Hohenheim and in January 1795 she moved into the Schloss Kirchheim
, spending the summer months on her estates in Sindlingen and Bächingen an der Brenz, the latter of which she had paid off and yet she tried to sell it off after Charles' death, being in financial dire straits. She rarely came to the Stuttgart court, since her relations with Charles Eugene's family, especially his nephew Frederick William, were tense after Charles Eugene's death.
On New Year's Day 1811 she died in the Schloss Kirchheim after a long period of endometrial cancer
. Five days later she was buried in the choir of the Martinskirche in Kirchheim, contrary to her desire to be buried beside Charles Eugene in Ludwigsburg. Her tomb was later lost, only being rediscovered in 1885. In 1906 the württembergischen Geschichts- und Altertumsverein placed a marble relief of her on the south wall of the choir and in 1962 her remains were reburied in a new oak coffin.
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Life
She was the daughter of FreiherrFreiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
Ludwig Wilhelm von Bernerdin and his wife Johanna (née Freiin von Vohenstein in Adelmannsfelden) - of this couple's 15 children, only Franziska and four of her sisters reached adulthood. Her family lived on the Sindlingen
Jettingen (Baden-Württemberg)
Jettingen is a town in the district of Böblingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
bei Herrenberg estate. At her parents' request, in 1765 Franziska married Freiherr Wilhelm Leutrum von Ertingen. Once her husband had been appointed a chamberlain at the Württemberg court, they had to appear at court more often. In 1769, during a stay in Bad Wildbad
Bad Wildbad
Bad Wildbad is a town in Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located in the government district of Karlsruhe and in the district of Calw. Its coordinates are 48° 45' N, 8° 33' E. About 11,250 people live there...
, Franziska got to know the duke Charles Eugene better and after he had separated from his beloved long-term mistress Catharina Bonafini she became his maitresse en titre in 1772. On 21 January 1774, at Charles' instigation, Franziska was made Reichsgräfin
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
of Hohenheim – she was then promoted to Reichsfürstin by Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
- and from then on bore the coat of arms of the extinct Bombaste von Hohenheim family. The Duke gave her the Garbenhof at Hohenheim on 10 January 1772 and she expanded it in the following decades into the Schloss Hohenheim, taking a particular interest in the creation of its 'Dörfle' or English-style landscape garden from 1776 onwards.
Franziska's worldview was shaped by Protestant Pietistic
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
ideas and so she felt guilty of the immoral nature of her relationship with the Duke. She divorced her husband in 1772 but the Catholic Charles Eugene could not separate from his wife Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie. In autumn 1756 Elisabeth went to visit her mother in Bayreuth and refused to return. Charles agreed she would remain his duchess, which she did until her death in April 1780. After Elisabeth's death Charles redeemed marriage vows to Franziska prepared for that instance, which he repeated on 10 July 1780. However, the Catholic Church did not recognise Franziska's divorce and would not allow Charles to marry a Protestant. Also Franziska was not Charles' equal under Württemberg house law
House law
House law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
so any marriage would be morganatic.
Charles thus not only had to make Franziska his lawful wife but also get her recognised as his duchess, both of which goals he pursued with long-term strategies. First, the Ehegericht (marriage court) lifted the ban on their marriage, with Franziska as the guilty party in her divorce. In drawing up the agreement for the morganatic marriage on 15 May 1784, Charles Eugene made his younger brother Frederick Eugene (and ultimately Frederick's son Frederick William
Frederick I of Württemberg
Frederick I William Charles of Württemberg was the first King of Württemberg. He was known for his size: at and about , he was in contrast to Napoleon, who recognized him as King of Württemberg.-Biography:...
) his successor. On 11 January 1785 the ducal chaplain secretly married Franziska and Charles Eugene, though it was only proclaimed publicly on 2 February 1786. In 1790 Charles Eugene finally reached an agreement with Frederick Eugene and Frederick William - Franziska would be recognised as duchess and Kirchheim unter Teck
Kirchheim unter Teck
Kirchheim unter Teck is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the district of Esslingen. It is located on the small river Lauter, a tributary of the Neckar. It is situated near the Teck castle, approximatively 25 km southeast of Stuttgart...
as a wittum
Wittum
Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...
, with any potential descendents barred from the succession, and Frederick Eugene's wife Sophia Dorothea (whose origins required she be addressed as her highness) retaining precedence over Franziska. The pope only recognised the marriage in 1791, after the Vatican had gained theological and expert opinions as to the invalidity of Franziska's first marriage. This eventually also led to Charles Eugene's middle brother Louis Eugene (himself in a morganatic marriage) recognising Franziska.
Franziska had a reputation in Württemberg as a kind and caring woman due to her charity work - thanks to her donations and her moderating influence on the Duke (he was initially unpredictable and pompous, but she re-educated him into a caring father of his country), she was known in her lifetime as the "Good Angel of Württemberg". After the Duke's death (on which Frederick Eugene, then Louis Eugene then Frederick William succeeded to the duchy), she gave safe haven to the Pietist and Theosophist Johann Michael Hahn
Johann Michael Hahn
Michael Hahn was a German Pietist, Theosophist and the founder of the Hahn'schen Gemeinschaft. His alleged forename Johann does not appear on his birth certificate.-Life:He was born into a peasant family on 2 February 1758, at Altorf near Stuttgart....
in Sindlingen after he was persecuted for his views by the church in Württemberg. On Charles Eugene's death in 1793 Franziska had to leave the Schloss Hohenheim and in January 1795 she moved into the Schloss Kirchheim
Schloss Kirchheim (Teck)
Schloss Kirchheim is situated near the old town of Kirchheim unter Teck. This Renaissance castle is the best preserved example of Württemberg duchy strongholds.- History :...
, spending the summer months on her estates in Sindlingen and Bächingen an der Brenz, the latter of which she had paid off and yet she tried to sell it off after Charles' death, being in financial dire straits. She rarely came to the Stuttgart court, since her relations with Charles Eugene's family, especially his nephew Frederick William, were tense after Charles Eugene's death.
On New Year's Day 1811 she died in the Schloss Kirchheim after a long period of endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer refers to several types of malignancies that arise from the endometrium, or lining, of the uterus. Endometrial cancers are the most common gynecologic cancers in the United States, with over 35,000 women diagnosed each year. The incidence is on a slow rise secondary to the...
. Five days later she was buried in the choir of the Martinskirche in Kirchheim, contrary to her desire to be buried beside Charles Eugene in Ludwigsburg. Her tomb was later lost, only being rediscovered in 1885. In 1906 the württembergischen Geschichts- und Altertumsverein placed a marble relief of her on the south wall of the choir and in 1962 her remains were reburied in a new oak coffin.
External links
Literature by and about Franziska von Hohenheim in the catalogue of the Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Franziska von Hohenheim Painting by Karlsschülern|-