Mindaugas II of Lithuania
Encyclopedia
Prince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach (Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius; German
Fürst Wilhelm von Urach, Graf von Württemberg, 2. Herzog
von Urach; 30 May 1864 – 24 March 1928) was a German prince who was elected King of Lithuania
with the regnal name
Mindaugas II on 11 July 1918. He never assumed the crown however, as German authorities declared the election invalid and the invitation was withdrawn in November 1918. From 17 July 1869 until his death he was head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg
.
, he was the elder son of Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach
(the head of a morganatic
branch of the Royal House of the then-Kingdom of Württemberg
), and his second wife, Princess Florestine of Monaco
, occasional acting Regent of Monaco (daughter of Prince Florestan I of Monaco
).
At the age of four Wilhelm succeeded his father as Duke of Urach
. He was born and spent much of his childhood in Monaco
, where his mother Florestine often managed the government while her nephew, Prince Albert I of Monaco, went on long oceanographic explorations. Wilhelm was culturally francophone.
. Wilhelm's cousin Prince Albert I of Monaco had only one son Louis
who was unmarried and had no legitimate children. The French Republic, however, was reluctant to see a German prince ruling Monaco. Under French pressure
Monaco passed a law in 1911 recognising Louis's illegitimate daughter, Charlotte
, as heir; she was adopted in 1918 by her grandfather Prince Albert I. Wilhelm was relegated to third in line to Monaco's throne, behind Louis and Charlotte. Further, in July 1918 France and Monaco signed a treaty
requiring that all future princes of Monaco must be French or Monegasque citizens, and must be approved by the French government. After the accession of Prince Louis II in 1922, Wilhelm renounced his rights of succession to the throne of Monaco in favour of distant French cousins, the counts of Chabrillan, in 1924.
In 1913 Wilhelm was one of several princes considered for the throne of Albania
; he was supported by Catholic groups in the north. In 1914 Prince William of Wied was selected instead.
In 1917, as a newly-retired general Wilhelm sounded out the possibility of being made Duke of Lorraine after the war was over. In 1918 he accepted the short-lived invitation to reign as Mindaugas II of Lithuania. His claims were published in a 2001 essay by his grandson-in-law, Sergei von Cube.
in 1914, commanding the 26th Infantry Division
. Until November 1914 they were part of the German assault on France and then Belgium, where Wilhelm's sister-in-law was queen. In December 1914 the division fought in the battle to cross the Bzura river in Poland. From June to September 1915 the division moved from north of Warsaw to positions close to the Neman River
, an advance of hundreds of miles in the campaign in which Poland was taken
. In October–November 1915 it took part in the assault on Serbia, moving from west of Belgrade to Kraljevo in less than a month. At Ypres
in Belgium from December 1915 to July 1916, the division was largely destroyed in the Somme battles from August to November 1916, holding the Schwaben Redoubt
(Swabia is part of Württemberg). Wilhelm retired as divisional general on 5 January 1917.
In 1917-18 he was "Kommandierender General"
of 64th Corps (Generalkommando 64) on the western front; one of his aide de camps was Erwin Rommel
.
voted to invite Wilhelm to become the king of a newly independent Lithuania. Wilhelm agreed and was elected on 11 July 1918, taking the name Mindaugas II. His election can be explained by several factors:
According to Wilhelm's agreement with the Council of Lithuania he had to live in Lithuania and speak its language.
From the beginning Wilhelm's reign was controversial. The four socialists of the twenty members of the Council of Lithuania left in protest. The German government did not recognize Wilhelm's selection as king, though the influential Mattias Erzberger supported the claim, being also a Catholic and from Württemberg. Wilhelm never had the chance to visit Lithuania, remaining instead at Lichtenstein Castle
his home south of Stuttgart
; however he started to learn the Lithuanian language
. Within a few months of his election, it became clear that Germany
would lose World War I
, and on 2 November 1918, the Council of Lithuania reversed its decision.
In the tiny chapel of Lichtenstein Castle
is a framed letter from Pope Benedict XV
welcoming Wilhelm's selection as the future king of Lithuania.
In 2009 Wilhelm's grandson Inigo, the younger brother of the 5th duke
, was interviewed on television in Vilnius, and said: "...if he was honoured with a proposal to assume the throne of Lithuania, he would not refuse it."
The German anti-war novelist Arnold Zweig
set his 1937 novel Einsetzung eines Königs (The Crowning of a King) around the election of Mindaugas in 1918.
Wilhelm was married twice. In 1892, he married Duchess Amalie in Bavaria
(1865–1912), daughter of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria, a niece of Empress Elisabeth of Austria
, and a direct descendant of the Lithuanian princess Louise Caroline Radvila of Biržai
. Nine children were born of this marriage:
Though Wilhelm's first wife had died in 1912, two of her ancestors had been elected to rule the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
in the 18th century; August III the Saxon and Stanisław Leszczyński. This may have been a contributory factor in his election as king of Lithuania.
In 1924, Wilhelm married Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria (1884–1975), daughter of King Ludwig III of Bavaria
. This marriage was childless.
Prince Eberhard's son Inigo made a sentimental journey to Lithuania in November 2009, which was covered by the local media.
, it had already been decided that the succession would pass to his cousin Albrecht
because of the morganatic marriage
of the parents of the first duke of Urach
.
|-
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Fürst Wilhelm von Urach, Graf von Württemberg, 2. Herzog
Herzog (name)
Herzog is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right, by law or tradition, to be referred to by the ducal title. The word is usually translated by the English duke and the Latin Dux. Generally,...
von Urach; 30 May 1864 – 24 March 1928) was a German prince who was elected King of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
with the regnal name
Regnal name
A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by some monarchs and popes during their reigns. Since medieval times, monarchs have frequently chosen to use a name different from their own personal name when they inherit a throne....
Mindaugas II on 11 July 1918. He never assumed the crown however, as German authorities declared the election invalid and the invitation was withdrawn in November 1918. From 17 July 1869 until his death he was head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg
House of Württemberg
The Württemberg family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Württemberg. The House has its origins, according to recent research, probably in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty.-History:...
.
Early life
Born as HSH Prince Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius of Urach, Count of WürttembergWürttemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, he was the elder son of Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach
Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach
Count Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach , was the son of Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg , younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg, by his morganatic wife, Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis , who had married in 1800...
(the head of a morganatic
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...
branch of the Royal House of the then-Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
), and his second wife, Princess Florestine of Monaco
Princess Florestine of Monaco
Princess Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette of Monaco was the youngest child and only daughter of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco and his wife Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz...
, occasional acting Regent of Monaco (daughter of Prince Florestan I of Monaco
Florestan I, Prince of Monaco
Florestan I, Prince of Monaco was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 2 October 1841 until his death...
).
At the age of four Wilhelm succeeded his father as Duke of Urach
Duke of Urach
The title Duke of Urach was created in the Kingdom of Württemberg for Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand, Count of Württemberg on 28 March 1867, with the style of HSH."Urach" is pronounced Oo-raakh -Family:...
. He was born and spent much of his childhood in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, where his mother Florestine often managed the government while her nephew, Prince Albert I of Monaco, went on long oceanographic explorations. Wilhelm was culturally francophone.
Candidate for various thrones
Through his mother, Wilhelm was the legitimate heir to the throne of MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. Wilhelm's cousin Prince Albert I of Monaco had only one son Louis
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 27 June 1922 until 9 May 1949.-Early years:Born Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi in Baden-Baden, Germany, he was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco , and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton...
who was unmarried and had no legitimate children. The French Republic, however, was reluctant to see a German prince ruling Monaco. Under French pressure
Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918
The Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918 arose because France objected to the prospect of a German national inheriting the throne of Monaco, a nation which neighboured France on its Mediterranean coast. Albert I, Sovereign Prince of Monaco had only one legitimate child, the Hereditary Prince Louis,...
Monaco passed a law in 1911 recognising Louis's illegitimate daughter, Charlotte
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois , was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III...
, as heir; she was adopted in 1918 by her grandfather Prince Albert I. Wilhelm was relegated to third in line to Monaco's throne, behind Louis and Charlotte. Further, in July 1918 France and Monaco signed a treaty
Franco-Monegasque Treaty
The Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861 granted sovereignty to Monaco. Previously, under the Treaty of Vienna it had been a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia....
requiring that all future princes of Monaco must be French or Monegasque citizens, and must be approved by the French government. After the accession of Prince Louis II in 1922, Wilhelm renounced his rights of succession to the throne of Monaco in favour of distant French cousins, the counts of Chabrillan, in 1924.
In 1913 Wilhelm was one of several princes considered for the throne of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
; he was supported by Catholic groups in the north. In 1914 Prince William of Wied was selected instead.
In 1917, as a newly-retired general Wilhelm sounded out the possibility of being made Duke of Lorraine after the war was over. In 1918 he accepted the short-lived invitation to reign as Mindaugas II of Lithuania. His claims were published in a 2001 essay by his grandson-in-law, Sergei von Cube.
Military career
Typical of his family, Wilhelm entered the army in 1883 and was a professional general by the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914, commanding the 26th Infantry Division
26th Division (German Empire)
The 26th Division , formally the 26th Division , was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was headquartered in Stuttgart, the capital of the Kingdom of Württemberg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIII Corps The 26th Division (26. Division), formally the 26th Division (1st...
. Until November 1914 they were part of the German assault on France and then Belgium, where Wilhelm's sister-in-law was queen. In December 1914 the division fought in the battle to cross the Bzura river in Poland. From June to September 1915 the division moved from north of Warsaw to positions close to the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
, an advance of hundreds of miles in the campaign in which Poland was taken
Great Retreat (Russian)
The Great Retreat was a Russian retreat from Galicia and Poland during World War I.-Background:During this period, the buildup of forces generally favored the Central Powers. Four new German armies, the Eleventh, Twelfth, Army of the Niemen and Army Bug, were being formed up, dramatically shifting...
. In October–November 1915 it took part in the assault on Serbia, moving from west of Belgrade to Kraljevo in less than a month. At Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
in Belgium from December 1915 to July 1916, the division was largely destroyed in the Somme battles from August to November 1916, holding the Schwaben Redoubt
Schwaben Redoubt
The Schwaben Redoubt lies between the Thiepval Memorial and the Ulster tower. It was a German strongpoint on the western front in the First World War. Consisting of a mass of gun emplacements, trenches and tunnels, this warren of defensive works helped anchor the German line on the Somme until late...
(Swabia is part of Württemberg). Wilhelm retired as divisional general on 5 January 1917.
In 1917-18 he was "Kommandierender General"
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of 64th Corps (Generalkommando 64) on the western front; one of his aide de camps was Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
.
King of Lithuania
On June 4, 1918 the Council of LithuaniaCouncil of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania , was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent...
voted to invite Wilhelm to become the king of a newly independent Lithuania. Wilhelm agreed and was elected on 11 July 1918, taking the name Mindaugas II. His election can be explained by several factors:
- he was Roman Catholic (the dominant religion in Lithuania);
- he was not a member of the House of HohenzollernHouse of HohenzollernThe House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
, the family to which belonged the German Emperor William IIWilliam II, German EmperorWilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
who wanted Lithuania to be a monarchy in personal union with Prussia; - he had had a successful military career;
- if the Central PowersCentral PowersThe Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
had won the war, Lithuania could have expected German protection in the event of future intrusions by Russia.
According to Wilhelm's agreement with the Council of Lithuania he had to live in Lithuania and speak its language.
From the beginning Wilhelm's reign was controversial. The four socialists of the twenty members of the Council of Lithuania left in protest. The German government did not recognize Wilhelm's selection as king, though the influential Mattias Erzberger supported the claim, being also a Catholic and from Württemberg. Wilhelm never had the chance to visit Lithuania, remaining instead at Lichtenstein Castle
Lichtenstein Castle
Lichtenstein Castle is situated on a cliff located near Honau in the Swabian Alb, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.Historically there has been a castle on the site since around 1200. It was twice destroyed, once in the Reichskriegs war of 1311 and again by the city-state of Reutlingen in 1381...
his home south of Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
; however he started to learn the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
. Within a few months of his election, it became clear that Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
would lose World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and on 2 November 1918, the Council of Lithuania reversed its decision.
In the tiny chapel of Lichtenstein Castle
Lichtenstein Castle
Lichtenstein Castle is situated on a cliff located near Honau in the Swabian Alb, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.Historically there has been a castle on the site since around 1200. It was twice destroyed, once in the Reichskriegs war of 1311 and again by the city-state of Reutlingen in 1381...
is a framed letter from Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
welcoming Wilhelm's selection as the future king of Lithuania.
In 2009 Wilhelm's grandson Inigo, the younger brother of the 5th duke
Wilhelm Albert, Duke of Urach
Prince Wilhelm Albert Raphael Maria of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 5th Duke of Urach is the head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg.-Duke of Urach:...
, was interviewed on television in Vilnius, and said: "...if he was honoured with a proposal to assume the throne of Lithuania, he would not refuse it."
The German anti-war novelist Arnold Zweig
Arnold Zweig
Arnold Zweig was a German writer and anti-war activist.He is best known for his World War I tetralogy.-Life and work:Zweig was born in Glogau, Silesia son of a Jewish saddler...
set his 1937 novel Einsetzung eines Königs (The Crowning of a King) around the election of Mindaugas in 1918.
Marriage and children
Duchess Amalie in Bavaria
Duchess Amalie Maria in Bavaria was the only child of Duke Karl-Theodor in Bavaria and his first wife Princess Sophie of Saxony...
(1865–1912), daughter of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria, a niece of Empress Elisabeth of Austria
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
, and a direct descendant of the Lithuanian princess Louise Caroline Radvila of Biržai
Biržai
Biržai is a city in northern Lithuania. Biržai is famous for its reconstructed Biržai Castle manor, and the whole region is renowned for its many traditional-recipe beer breweries.-Names:...
. Nine children were born of this marriage:
- Princess Marie Gabriele of Urach (1893–1908)
- Princess Elisabeth of Urach (1894–1962) who married Prince Karl of Liechtenstein (1878–1955), an uncle of Franz Joseph II of LiechtensteinFranz Joseph II, Prince of LiechtensteinFranz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein, , was the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein from 1938 until his death...
, and had issue. - Princess Karola of Urach (1896–1980)
- Prince Wilhelm of Urach (1897–1957), who morganatically married Elisabeth Theurer (1899–1988) and had two daughters, Elisabeth and Marie Christine, neither of whom married.
- Karl Gero, Duke of UrachKarl Gero, Duke of UrachPrince Karl Gero Albrecht Joseph Wilhelm Anton Maria of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 3rd Duke of Urach was the head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg.-Life:...
(1899–1981), 3rd Duke, who married Countess Gabriele of Waldburg of Zeil and Trauchburg (1910–2005). No issue. - Princess Margarete of Urach (1901–1975)
- Prince Albrecht of UrachAlbrecht von UrachPrince Albrecht of Urach was a German nobleman, artist and wartime author, journalist, linguist and diplomat.-Background:...
(1903–1969). Married first Rosemary Blackadder and second Ute Waldschmidt. Divorced both of them and had issue by both. His daughter Marie-Gabrielle (aka Mariga) was the first wife of Desmond GuinnessDesmond GuinnessHon. Desmond Guinness is an Irish author on Georgian art and architecture and a conservationist.He was the second son of the author and brewer Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne and Diana Mitford...
. A diplomat and artist turned journalist and expert on the Far East. His marriages were also considered morganatic but his descendants can claim titles that pass in the eldest female line. - Prince Eberhard of Urach (1907–1969), who married Princess Iniga of Thurn and TaxisPrincess Iniga of Thurn and TaxisPrincess Iniga Anna Margarete Wilhelmine Luise of Thurn and Taxis, full German name: Iniga Anna Margarete Wilhelmine Luise, Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis was a member of the House of Thurn and Taxis and a Princess of Thurn and Taxis by birth and a...
(1925–2008) and had issue; including Karl AnselmKarl Anselm, Duke of UrachPrince Karl Anselm Franz Joseph Wilhelm Louis Philippe Gero Maria of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 4th Duke of Urach was the head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg.-Biography:...
and Wilhelm AlbertWilhelm Albert, Duke of UrachPrince Wilhelm Albert Raphael Maria of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 5th Duke of Urach is the head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg.-Duke of Urach:...
the current and 5th Duke of UrachDuke of UrachThe title Duke of Urach was created in the Kingdom of Württemberg for Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand, Count of Württemberg on 28 March 1867, with the style of HSH."Urach" is pronounced Oo-raakh -Family:...
. While a notional pretender to the crown of LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, he has not made a formal public claim. Eberhard's descendants inherit the dukedom on the basis of the Salic law principle of Agnatic primogeniture - Princess Mechtilde of Urach (1912–2001), who married Friedrich Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst and had issue.
Though Wilhelm's first wife had died in 1912, two of her ancestors had been elected to rule the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
in the 18th century; August III the Saxon and Stanisław Leszczyński. This may have been a contributory factor in his election as king of Lithuania.
In 1924, Wilhelm married Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria (1884–1975), daughter of King Ludwig III of Bavaria
Ludwig III of Bavaria
Ludwig III , was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918.-Early life:...
. This marriage was childless.
Prince Eberhard's son Inigo made a sentimental journey to Lithuania in November 2009, which was covered by the local media.
Bypassed for the throne of Württemberg
In 1921 the former king Wilhelm II of Württemberg died, without leaving a male heir. While the 2nd duke of Urach was technically the senior male descendant in the Württemberg royal familyHouse of Württemberg
The Württemberg family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Württemberg. The House has its origins, according to recent research, probably in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty.-History:...
, it had already been decided that the succession would pass to his cousin Albrecht
Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg or Albrecht Herzog von Württemberg was a German Generalfeldmarschall and head of the Royal House of Württemberg...
because of the 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...
of the parents of the first duke of Urach
Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach
Count Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach , was the son of Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg , younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg, by his morganatic wife, Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis , who had married in 1800...
.
See also
- List of Lithuanian rulers
- MindaugasMindaugasMindaugas was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania and the only King of Lithuania. Little is known of his origins, early life, or rise to power; he is mentioned in a 1219 treaty as an elder duke, and in 1236 as the leader of all the Lithuanians...
- House of MindaugasHouse of MindaugasThe House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered around Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later...
- Väinö I of Finland
- Archduke Charles Stephen of AustriaArchduke Charles Stephen of AustriaArchduke Charles Stephen of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg and a Grand Admiral in the Austro-Hungarian Navy.-Family:Charles Stephen was born in Židlochovice the son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria and of his wife Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria...
- Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918The Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918 arose because France objected to the prospect of a German national inheriting the throne of Monaco, a nation which neighboured France on its Mediterranean coast. Albert I, Sovereign Prince of Monaco had only one legitimate child, the Hereditary Prince Louis,...
- Florestan I children
- Duke Adolf Friedrich of MecklenburgDuke Adolf Friedrich of MecklenburgDuke Adolf Friedrich Albrecht Heinrich of Mecklenburg was a German explorer in Africa, a colonial politician, the elected Duke of the United Baltic Duchy from 5 November to 28 November, 1918, and the first president of the National Olympic Committee of Germany .- Biography :Born in Schwerin, Adolf...
Ancestors
| Wilhelm 2nd Duke of Urach a.k.a. Mindaugas II of Lithuania | Father: Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach Count Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach , was the son of Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg , younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg, by his morganatic wife, Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis , who had married in 1800... |
Paternal Grandfather: Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach Count Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach , was the son of Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg , younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg, by his morganatic wife, Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis , who had married in 1800... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Margravine Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Baroness Wilhelmine von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Friedrich-Karl von Tunderfeldt-Rhodis |
||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Therese Schilling von Canstatt |
|||
| Mother: Princess Florestine of Monaco Princess Florestine of Monaco Princess Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette of Monaco was the youngest child and only daughter of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco and his wife Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz... |
Maternal Grandfather: Florestan I, Prince of Monaco Florestan I, Prince of Monaco Florestan I, Prince of Monaco was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 2 October 1841 until his death... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco Honoré IV was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 12 March 1795 to 16 February 1819. He was the son of Prince Honoré III by his wife, Maria Caterina Brignole, a Genoese noblewoman... |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Louise d'Aumont Mazarin Louise d'Aumont Mazarin Louise d'Aumont, duchesse d'Aumont, duchesse Mazarin et de La Meilleraye was the only child and daughter of Louis Marie d'Aumont, duc d'Aumont , and his wife, Louise Jeanne de Durfort, duchesse Mazarin et de La Meilleraye .She married... |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz Marie Caroline Gibert de Lametz, , was a French stage actress and later Princess Consort and regent de facto of Monaco, the spouse of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Charles-Thomas Gibert de Lametz |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Marie-Françoise Le Gras de Vaubercey |
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