Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden
Encyclopedia
Charles Frederick, 1st Grand Duke of Baden (November 22, 1728 – June 10, 1811) was Margrave, elector and later Grand Duke of Baden (initially only margrave of Baden-Durlach) from 1738 until his death.
, he was the son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Baden-Durlach and Amalia of Nassau-Dietz
(October 13, 1710 – September 17, 1777), the daughter of Johan Willem Friso of Nassau-Dietz.
He succeeded his grandfather as Margrave of Baden-Durlach in 1738, and ruled personally from 1746 until 1771, when he inherited Baden-Baden
from the Bernhard Line. Upon inheriting the latter Margraviate, the original land of Baden was reunited. He was regarded as a good example of an absolute ruler, supporting schools, universities, jurisprudence, civil service, economy, culture, and urban development. He outlawed torture
in 1767, and serfdom
in 1783. He was elected a Royal Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1747
In 1803 Charles Frederick became elector of Baden
, and in 1806 the first grand duke of Baden. Through the politics of minister Sigismund Freiherr von Reitzenstein
, Baden acquired the Bishopric of Constance
, and the territories of the Bishopric of Basel
, the Bishopric of Strassburg, and the Bishopric of Speyer
that lay on the right bank of the Rhine, in addition to Breisgau
and Ortenau
.
In 1806 Baden joined the Confederation of the Rhine
.
Together with his architect Friedrich Weinbrenner
, Charles Frederick was responsible for the construction of the handsome suite of classical buildings that distinguish Karlsruhe. He died in the latter city in 1811.
, was born on July 11, 1723 and died on April 8, 1783.
Charles Frederick and Caroline Louise had the following children:
Charles Frederick married Louise Caroline
, Baroness Geyer of Geyersberg as his second wife on November 24, 1787. She was the daughter of Louis Henry Philipp, Baron Geyer of Geyersberg and his wife Maximiliana Christiane, Countess of Sponeck. She was born on May 26, 1768 and died on July 23, 1820. This was a morganatic marriage
, and the children born of it were not eligible to succeed. Louise was created Baroness of Hochberg at the time of her marriage and Countess of Hochberg in 1796; both titles were also borne by her children.
They had the following children:
By 1817, the descendants of Charles Frederick by his first wife were dying out. To prevent Baden from being inherited by the next heir (and brother-in-law), King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the reigning Grand Duke, Charles, (the first Grand Duke's grandson) changed the succession law to give the Hochberg family full dynastic rights in Baden. They thus became Princes and Princesses of Baden with the style of Grand Ducal Highness
, like their elder half-siblings. Their succession rights were reinforced when Baden was granted a constitution in 1818, and recognised by Bavaria
and the Great Powers in the Treaty of Frankfurt, 1819
. Leopold's descendants ruled the Grand Duchy of Baden until 1918. The current pretenders
are descendants of Leopold.
Leopold, the eldest son of the second marriage, succeeded as Grand Duke in 1830.
Biography
Born at KarlsruheKarlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, he was the son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Baden-Durlach and Amalia of Nassau-Dietz
Amalia of Nassau-Dietz
Anna Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dietz was the wife of Hereditary PrinceFrederick of Baden-Durlach and mother of the first Grand Duke of Baden Charles Frederick.-Life:...
(October 13, 1710 – September 17, 1777), the daughter of Johan Willem Friso of Nassau-Dietz.
He succeeded his grandfather as Margrave of Baden-Durlach in 1738, and ruled personally from 1746 until 1771, when he inherited Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
from the Bernhard Line. Upon inheriting the latter Margraviate, the original land of Baden was reunited. He was regarded as a good example of an absolute ruler, supporting schools, universities, jurisprudence, civil service, economy, culture, and urban development. He outlawed torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
in 1767, and serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
in 1783. He was elected a Royal Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Fellow of the Royal Society
A Royal Fellow of the Royal Society is elected to the Fellowship and Foreign Membership of the Royal Society. The council of the Royal Society recommends members of the British Royal Family to be elected and then the existing Fellows vote by a secret ballot whether to accept them.There are...
in 1747
In 1803 Charles Frederick became elector of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, and in 1806 the first grand duke of Baden. Through the politics of minister Sigismund Freiherr von Reitzenstein
Sigismund von Reitzenstein
Freiherr Sigismund Karl Johann von Reitzenstein was the first minister of state of the Grand Duchy of Baden....
, Baden acquired the Bishopric of Constance
Bishopric of Constance
The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from about 585 until 1821. Its seat was Konstanz at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany...
, and the territories of the Bishopric of Basel
Bishopric of Basel
The Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....
, the Bishopric of Strassburg, and the Bishopric of Speyer
Bishopric of Speyer
The Bishopric of Speyer was a state, ruled by Prince-Bishops, in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803...
that lay on the right bank of the Rhine, in addition to Breisgau
Breisgau
Breisgau is the name of an area in southwest Germany, placed between the river Rhine and the foothills of the Black Forest around Freiburg im Breisgau in the state of Baden-Württemberg. The district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, which partly consists of the Breisgau, is named after that area...
and Ortenau
Ortenau
The Ortenau is a historical territory in Baden-Württemberg, located on the right bank of the River Rhine. It covers approximately the same area as the Ortenaukreis, a present-day district....
.
In 1806 Baden joined the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
.
Together with his architect Friedrich Weinbrenner
Friedrich Weinbrenner
Friedrich Weinbrenner was a German architect and city planner admired for his mastery of classical style.- Birth and education :...
, Charles Frederick was responsible for the construction of the handsome suite of classical buildings that distinguish Karlsruhe. He died in the latter city in 1811.
Marriage and children
Charles Frederick married Caroline Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt on January 28, 1751. She was the daughter of Louis VIII of Hesse-DarmstadtLouis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louis VIII was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1739 to 1768. He was the son of Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Margravine Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach....
, was born on July 11, 1723 and died on April 8, 1783.
Charles Frederick and Caroline Louise had the following children:
- Charles Louis (February 14, 1755 - December 16, 1801). Charles Louis's son, Charles, succeeded Charles Frederick as Grand Duke upon the latter's death in 1811.
- Frederick (August 29, 1756 - May 28, 1817) married on December 9, 1791 Louise of Nassau-Usingen (August 16, 1776 - February 19, 1829), the daughter of Duke Frederick of Nassau-Usingen
- Louis (February 9, 1763 - March 30, 1830) married Countess Katharina Werner of Langenstein in 1818. Louis succeeded his nephew Charles as 3rd Grand Duke in 1818.
- Son (July 29, 1764 - July 29, 1764)
- Louise Auguste (January 8, 1767 - January 11, 1767)
Louise Caroline of Hochberg
Louise Caroline of Hochberg, born Baroness Geyer of Geyersberg, from 1787 Baroness of Hochberg, from 1796 Countess of Hochberg was the morganatic second wife of the Margrave and later Grand Duke Charles Frederick of Baden.- Origin :Louise Caroline Geyer Geyer of Geyersberg was the daughter...
, Baroness Geyer of Geyersberg as his second wife on November 24, 1787. She was the daughter of Louis Henry Philipp, Baron Geyer of Geyersberg and his wife Maximiliana Christiane, Countess of Sponeck. She was born on May 26, 1768 and died on July 23, 1820. This was a morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
, and the children born of it were not eligible to succeed. Louise was created Baroness of Hochberg at the time of her marriage and Countess of Hochberg in 1796; both titles were also borne by her children.
They had the following children:
- LeopoldLeopold, Grand Duke of BadenLeopold I, Grand Duke of Baden succeeded in 1830 as the fourth Grand Duke of Baden....
(August 29, 1790 - April 24, 1852) - William (April 8, 1792 - October 11, 1859)
- Frederick Alexander (June 10, 1793 - June 18, 1793)
- Amalie (January 26, 1795 - September 14, 1869) married on April 19, 1818 Charles Egon II of Fürstenberg (October 28, 1796 - October 22, 1854).
- Maximilian (December 8, 1796 - March 6, 1882)
By 1817, the descendants of Charles Frederick by his first wife were dying out. To prevent Baden from being inherited by the next heir (and brother-in-law), King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the reigning Grand Duke, Charles, (the first Grand Duke's grandson) changed the succession law to give the Hochberg family full dynastic rights in Baden. They thus became Princes and Princesses of Baden with the style of Grand Ducal Highness
Grand Ducal Highness
His/Her Grand Ducal Highness is a style of address used before the princely titles of the non-reigning members of some German ruling families headed by a Grand Duke. No currently reigning family employs the style, although it was used most recently by the younger sisters of the late Grand Duchess...
, like their elder half-siblings. Their succession rights were reinforced when Baden was granted a constitution in 1818, and recognised by Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and the Great Powers in the Treaty of Frankfurt, 1819
Carlsbad Decrees
The Carlsbad Decrees were a set of reactionary restrictions introduced in the states of the German Confederation by resolution of the Bundesversammlung on 20 September 1819 after a conference held in the spa town of Carlsbad, Bohemia...
. Leopold's descendants ruled the Grand Duchy of Baden until 1918. The current pretenders
Line of succession to the throne of Baden
The monarchy in Baden came to an end in 1918 along with the rest of the monarchies that made up the German Empire. The last sovereign was Grand Duke Frederick II who abdicated at Karlsruhe, 14-22 November 1918...
are descendants of Leopold.
Leopold, the eldest son of the second marriage, succeeded as Grand Duke in 1830.