Lippe-Biesterfeld
Encyclopedia
Lippe-Biesterfeld is a cadet line of the House of Lippe
, a morganatic title created in 1916, and since 1937 a title of the Dutch Royal House
.
was separated. Both the Counties Lippe-Biesterfeld and Lippe-Weissenfeld were ceded and sold to the princely line of Lippe
(-Detmold) on 24 May 1762. The Head of the Lippe-Biesterfeld family was given the style Illustrious Highness
at Detmold
on 27 August and 1 October 1844.
When in 1895 the mentally ill Prince Alexander
ascended the throne of the Principality of Lippe
, Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe
was appointed to act as regent of Lippe, this according to a then secret kept decree of the predecessor Prince Woldemar
. Alexander was the last male of the Lippe-Detmold line, the next senior lines of the House of Lippe
were the Counts of Lippe-Biesterfeld, followed by the Counts of Lippe-Weissenfeld
, and then by the most junior line the Princes of Schaumburg-Lippe
.
Shortly after becoming a member state of the German Empire
in 1871, the Lippe-Detmold line died out on 20 July 1895. This resulted in an inheritance dispute between the neighboring principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
and the Lippe-Biesterfeld line. The dispute was resolved by the Imperial Court in Leipzig
in 1905, with the lands passing to the Lippe-Biesterfeld line who, until this point, had no territorial sovereignty. Since then the Counts of Lippe-Biesterfeld were the Princess of Lippe.
The current head of the Lippe-Biesterfeld family is Armin, Prince of Lippe
(born 18 August 1924), who is also the Head of the whole House of Lippe
. Armin is the son of Prince Leopold IV
(1871–1949), and a first cousin of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1911–2004), the prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909–2004).
On 25 October 1905 Count Leopold became the reigning Prince of Lippe.
On 8 February 1909, the title Countess of Biesterfeld (not related to the previous title Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld) was created for Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm
(1883–1971) and her descendants. Armgard was the wife of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
(1872–1934), the brother of Prince Leopold IV
. On 24 February 1916, Armgard and her two sons Bernhard
(1911–2004) and Aschwin (1914–1988) were created Prince(ss) of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness
. However, they did not belong to the main House of Lippe
, since the marriage between Bernhard and Armgard was a morganatic marriage
.
, were created in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
for Prince Bernhard
and his descendants. The Lippe-Biesterfeld title hereby became also a Dutch one. On 7 January 1937, Bernhard married Prince Juliana of the Netherlands
(who later in life was the Queen regnant
of the Netherlands
between 1948 and 1980). From this marriage four daughters were born who all are holding the title Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld:
Since the title is only inheritable in male line, with them the title will become extinct.
By royal decree of 26 May 1998, the descendants of Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven
(born 1968), eldest son of Princess Margriet
, all have the newly created surname of Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven. This is a non-aristocratic branch of the family Van Vollenhoven.
House of Lippe
The House of Lippe is a German Royal House. The House of Lippe descends from Count Jobst Hermann of Lippe whose son Bernhard I was the founder of the state of Lippe in 1123....
, a morganatic title created in 1916, and since 1937 a title of the Dutch Royal House
Dutch Royal House
In the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Monarchy is a constitutional office and is controlled by the constitution of the Netherlands. A distinction is made between members of the royal family and members of the Royal House. The royal family is the Orange-Nassau family, however not every member is a...
.
History
The branch of Lippe-Biesterfeld was founded by Jobst Herman (1625-1678), youngest son of Simon VII of Lippe-Detmold. From the line Lippe-Biesterfeld later the branch Lippe-WeissenfeldLippe-Weissenfeld
Lippe-Weissenfeld was a countship in the northwestern part of what is now Germany, covering an area within the Principality of Lippe and the Teutoburg Forest...
was separated. Both the Counties Lippe-Biesterfeld and Lippe-Weissenfeld were ceded and sold to the princely line of Lippe
Lippe
Lippe is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe....
(-Detmold) on 24 May 1762. The Head of the Lippe-Biesterfeld family was given the style Illustrious Highness
Illustrious Highness
His/Her Illustrious Highness is the English-language form for a style used by various members of the European aristocracy....
at Detmold
Detmold
Detmold is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of about 74,000. It was the capital of the small Principality of Lippe from 1468 until 1918 and then of the Free State of Lippe until 1947...
on 27 August and 1 October 1844.
When in 1895 the mentally ill Prince Alexander
Alexander, Prince of Lippe
Alexander, Prince of Lippe was the penultimate sovereign of the Principality of Lippe. Succeeding to the throne in 1895, power was exercised by a regent throughout his reign on account of his mental illness....
ascended the throne of the Principality of Lippe
Principality of Lippe
Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...
, Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe
Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe
Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe was the regent of the Principality of Lippe from 1895 till 1897.-Early life:He was born in Bückeburg the seventh child of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Hermine of Waldeck-Pyrmont .Following the death of Prince Woldemar on the 20 March 1895 and...
was appointed to act as regent of Lippe, this according to a then secret kept decree of the predecessor Prince Woldemar
Woldemar, Prince of Lippe
Woldemar of Lippe was the sovereign of the Principality of Lippe reigning from 1875 until his death.-Early life and reign:...
. Alexander was the last male of the Lippe-Detmold line, the next senior lines of the House of Lippe
House of Lippe
The House of Lippe is a German Royal House. The House of Lippe descends from Count Jobst Hermann of Lippe whose son Bernhard I was the founder of the state of Lippe in 1123....
were the Counts of Lippe-Biesterfeld, followed by the Counts of Lippe-Weissenfeld
Lippe-Weissenfeld
Lippe-Weissenfeld was a countship in the northwestern part of what is now Germany, covering an area within the Principality of Lippe and the Teutoburg Forest...
, and then by the most junior line the Princes of Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
.
Shortly after becoming a member state of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1871, the Lippe-Detmold line died out on 20 July 1895. This resulted in an inheritance dispute between the neighboring principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
and the Lippe-Biesterfeld line. The dispute was resolved by the Imperial Court in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1905, with the lands passing to the Lippe-Biesterfeld line who, until this point, had no territorial sovereignty. Since then the Counts of Lippe-Biesterfeld were the Princess of Lippe.
The current head of the Lippe-Biesterfeld family is Armin, Prince of Lippe
Armin, Prince of Lippe
Armin, Prince of Lippe is the son of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe and his second wife Princess Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen.-Head of the House of Lippe:...
(born 18 August 1924), who is also the Head of the whole House of Lippe
House of Lippe
The House of Lippe is a German Royal House. The House of Lippe descends from Count Jobst Hermann of Lippe whose son Bernhard I was the founder of the state of Lippe in 1123....
. Armin is the son of Prince Leopold IV
Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe
Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe was the final sovereign of the Principality of Lippe...
(1871–1949), and a first cousin of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1911–2004), the prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909–2004).
1762-1905: Counts of Lippe-Biesterfeld
- Friedrich, 1st Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1706–1781)
- Karl, 2nd Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1735–1810)
- Ernst, 3rd Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1777–1840)
- Julius, 4th Count of Lippe-BiesterfeldJulius, Count of Lippe-BiesterfeldJulius, Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld was Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld from 1840 to 1884 and father of Ernest II, regent of the Principality of Lippe...
(1812–1884) - Ernst, 5th Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1842–1904)
- Leopold, 6th Count of Lippe-BiesterfeldLeopold IV, Prince of LippeLeopold IV, Prince of Lippe was the final sovereign of the Principality of Lippe...
(1871–1949)
On 25 October 1905 Count Leopold became the reigning Prince of Lippe.
1909-1916: Morganatic title
Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm
Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm was the mother of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.-Early life:...
(1883–1971) and her descendants. Armgard was the wife of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1872–1934)
-References:This article is based on this article on Dutch Wikipedia....
(1872–1934), the brother of Prince Leopold IV
Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe
Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe was the final sovereign of the Principality of Lippe...
. On 24 February 1916, Armgard and her two sons Bernhard
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld , later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, was prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and father of six children, including the current monarch Queen Beatrix....
(1911–2004) and Aschwin (1914–1988) were created Prince(ss) of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness
Serene Highness
His/Her Serene Highness is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918...
. However, they did not belong to the main House of Lippe
House of Lippe
The House of Lippe is a German Royal House. The House of Lippe descends from Count Jobst Hermann of Lippe whose son Bernhard I was the founder of the state of Lippe in 1123....
, since the marriage between Bernhard and Armgard 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...
.
1937-present: Title of the Dutch Royal House
By royal decree of 6 January 1937, the titles Prince of the Netherlands and Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld, with the style Royal HighnessRoyal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
, were created in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
for Prince Bernhard
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld , later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, was prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and father of six children, including the current monarch Queen Beatrix....
and his descendants. The Lippe-Biesterfeld title hereby became also a Dutch one. On 7 January 1937, Bernhard married Prince Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
(who later in life was the Queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
between 1948 and 1980). From this marriage four daughters were born who all are holding the title Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld:
- BeatrixBeatrix of the NetherlandsBeatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
(born 1938) - since 1988, the current Queen of the NetherlandsQueen of the NetherlandsQueen of the Netherlands may refer to:* Beatrix of the Netherlands* Monarchy of the Netherlands* Queen of the Netherlands , a Dutch salvage and dredging ship...
. - IrenePrincess Irene of the NetherlandsPrincess Irene of the Netherlands is the second child of the late Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.-Childhood and ancestry:thumb|left|215px|Princesses Margriet, Irene, and Beatrix in 1944...
(born 1939) - MargrietPrincess Margriet of the NetherlandsPrincess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands...
(born 1943) - ChristinaPrincess Christina of the NetherlandsPrincess Maria Christina of the Netherlands , Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld, is the youngest of four daughters born to Queen regnant Juliana of the Netherlands and her Prince consort Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.-Birth:She was born Maria Christina at Soestdijk Palace,...
(born 1947)
Since the title is only inheritable in male line, with them the title will become extinct.
By royal decree of 26 May 1998, the descendants of Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven
Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven
-External links:* * - References :...
(born 1968), eldest son of Princess Margriet
Princess Margriet of the Netherlands
Princess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands...
, all have the newly created surname of Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven. This is a non-aristocratic branch of the family Van Vollenhoven.