Sophia of Prussia
Encyclopedia
Princess Sophie of Prussia (Sophie Dorothea Ulrike Alice; 14 June 1870 – 13 January 1932) was Queen
of the Hellenes as the wife of King Constantine I
.
in Potsdam
, Prussia
, to then Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia
(later German Emperor) and Victoria, Princess Royal
of the United Kingdom, herself the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria
and Albert, Prince Consort. She was christened the following month, though all the men present were in uniform, as Prussia had declared war on France
. Sophia's mother described the event to Queen Victoria: "The Christening went off well, but was sad and serious; anxious faces and tearful eyes, and a gloom and foreshadowing of all the misery in store spread a cloud over the ceremony, which should have been one of gladness and thanksgiving".
Sophie was known as "Sossy" during her childhood (the name was thought to have been picked because it rhymed with "Mossy", the nickname of her younger sister Princess Margaret
). Sophia was also a sister of William II, German Emperor
, Princesses Charlotte
and Victoria
of Prussia, as well as Princes Henry, Waldemar and Sigismund of Prussia.
The children of the Crown Prince became grouped into two by age: Wilhelm, Charlotte, and Henry were favored by their paternal grandparents, while Sophia, Margaret, and Victoria were largely ignored by them. Sophia's two other brothers, Sigismund and Waldemar, died at a young age (Sigismund died before she was born, and Waldemar when he was 11 and she was 8); this drew Vicky and her three daughters closer together, calling them "my three sweet girls" and "my trio". The Crown Princess, believing in the superiority of all things English
, had her children's nurseries modeled on her childhood. Sophia was raised with a great love for England and all things associated with it as a result, and had frequent trips to visit her grandmother Queen Victoria, whom she loved. Sophia often stayed in England for long periods, and as she was generally avoided by her paternal grandparents, Sophia's formative years were mainly shaped by her parents and the Queen.
In her childhood, Sophia largely stayed with her parents at two main residences: Kronprinzenpalais in Berlin
, and Neues Palais in Potsdam.
, Sophia became better acquainted with Crown Prince Constantine of Greece
("Tino") in the summer of 1887. The queen watched their growing relationship, writing "Is there a chance of Sophie's marrying Tino? It would be very nice for her, for he is very good". This period fell on an unhappy time for Sophia's family however, as her father Emperor Frederick III
was dying an agonizing death of throat cancer. His wife and children kept vigil with him at Neues Palace, even celebrating Sophia's birthday. The emperor died the next day. Sophia's eldest brother Wilhelm, now German Emperor, quickly ransacked his father's things in the hopes of finding "incriminating evidence" of "liberal plots". Knowing her three youngest daughters were more dependent on her than ever for emotional support, Dowager Empress Frederick remained close to them. "I have my three sweet girls - he loved so much - that are my consolation".
During this grim period, Sophia agreed to marry Crown Prince Constantine, which was "hardly a surprising development considering the funereal atmosphere that prevailed at the home of her widowed mother". On 27 October 1889, Sophia married Tino in Athens
, Greece
. They were third cousins through descent from Paul I of Russia
, and second cousins once removed through Frederick William III of Prussia
. There was an old Greek prophecy that read when Constantine and Sophia reigned, Greece would see greatness again and Constantinople
would fall to Greek hands.
Their marriage led to in-fighting within her family, particularly with Empress Augusta Victoria, known within her family as Dona, wife of her brother Wilhelm II. In 1890, when Sophie announced her intention to leave her Evangelical
faith for Greek Orthodoxy (as she was obliged to do under her new family's House law
), Dona summoned her and told her that if she did so, not only would William find it unacceptable, being the Head of the Evangelical State Church of Prussia's older Provinces; she would be barred from Germany and her soul would end up in Hell
. Sophie replied that it was none of her business whether she did or not. Dona became hysterical and her son, Prince Joachim
, was born too early, causing her to cling to him for the rest of his life as she believed him to be delicate. Evidently, so did William as he wrote to his mother
that if the baby died, Sophie would have "murdered it."
Constantine succeeded his father on 18 March 1913, making him king and her queen consort
.
During World War I
Queen Sophie was involved to a certain degree with the affairs of the state and kept frequent communication with her brother. In the words of G. Leon "She remained a German, and Germany's interests were placed above those of her adopted country which meant little to her. Actually she never had any sympathy for the Greek people".
In 1916 as the Queen and King were residing in Tatoi, a mysterious fire broke out, destroying the main residence and much of the forest surrounding it. Queen Sophie grabbed her youngest child (Katherine) and ran a mile and a half with her in her arms. The fire lasted for forty-eight hours and was suspected as deliberate act of arson.
, but were recalled to the throne shortly after their second son Alexander's death from an infected monkey bite. Her husband was forced to abdicate a second time after defeat in a war with Turkey
in 1922, and he died early the following year.
and died in Frankfurt
, Germany
, in 1932. With the restoration of the monarchy in Greece, Queen Sophie's remains were re-buried in 1936 at the Royal Burial Ground at Tatoi alongside her husband King Constantine.
, Queen Sofia of Spain
and ex-King Constantine II of the Hellenes
. Sophia of Prussia's granddaughter, Queen Sofia of Spain, is in turn the paternal grandmother of Infanta Sofia of Spain
.
(18 March 1913 – 11 June 1917); married on 27 October 1889.
Her husband abdicated on 27 September 1922.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of the Hellenes as the wife of King Constantine I
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
.
Princess of Prussia
On 14 June 1870, Sophia was born in the New PalaceNew Palace (Potsdam)
The New Palace is a palace situated on the western side of the Sanssouci royal park in Potsdam, Germany. The building was begun in 1763, after the end of the Seven Years' War, under Frederick the Great and was completed in 1769...
in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, 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...
, to then Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
(later German Emperor) and Victoria, Princess Royal
Victoria, Princess Royal
The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert. She was created Princess Royal of the United Kingdom in 1841. She became German Empress and Queen of Prussia by marriage to German Emperor Frederick III...
of the United Kingdom, herself the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Albert, Prince Consort. She was christened the following month, though all the men present were in uniform, as Prussia had declared war on France
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. Sophia's mother described the event to Queen Victoria: "The Christening went off well, but was sad and serious; anxious faces and tearful eyes, and a gloom and foreshadowing of all the misery in store spread a cloud over the ceremony, which should have been one of gladness and thanksgiving".
Sophie was known as "Sossy" during her childhood (the name was thought to have been picked because it rhymed with "Mossy", the nickname of her younger sister Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret of Prussia
Princess Margaret of Prussia was a daughter of Frederick III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal. She married Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse. In 1926 they became Landgrave and Landgravine of Hesse...
). Sophia was also a sister of William II, German Emperor
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm 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...
, Princesses Charlotte
Princess Charlotte of Prussia
Princess Charlotte of Prussia , Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen was the second child born to Prince Friedrich of Prussia and Princess Victoria...
and Victoria
Princess Viktoria of Prussia
Princess Viktoria of Prussia was the second daughter of Frederick III, German Emperor and his wife Victoria, Princess Royal, a daughter of Queen Victoria...
of Prussia, as well as Princes Henry, Waldemar and Sigismund of Prussia.
The children of the Crown Prince became grouped into two by age: Wilhelm, Charlotte, and Henry were favored by their paternal grandparents, while Sophia, Margaret, and Victoria were largely ignored by them. Sophia's two other brothers, Sigismund and Waldemar, died at a young age (Sigismund died before she was born, and Waldemar when he was 11 and she was 8); this drew Vicky and her three daughters closer together, calling them "my three sweet girls" and "my trio". The Crown Princess, believing in the superiority of all things English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, had her children's nurseries modeled on her childhood. Sophia was raised with a great love for England and all things associated with it as a result, and had frequent trips to visit her grandmother Queen Victoria, whom she loved. Sophia often stayed in England for long periods, and as she was generally avoided by her paternal grandparents, Sophia's formative years were mainly shaped by her parents and the Queen.
In her childhood, Sophia largely stayed with her parents at two main residences: Kronprinzenpalais in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and Neues Palais in Potsdam.
Crown Princess of Greece
After a long stay in England celebrating her grandmother's Golden JubileeGolden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
, Sophia became better acquainted with Crown Prince Constantine of Greece
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
("Tino") in the summer of 1887. The queen watched their growing relationship, writing "Is there a chance of Sophie's marrying Tino? It would be very nice for her, for he is very good". This period fell on an unhappy time for Sophia's family however, as her father Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
was dying an agonizing death of throat cancer. His wife and children kept vigil with him at Neues Palace, even celebrating Sophia's birthday. The emperor died the next day. Sophia's eldest brother Wilhelm, now German Emperor, quickly ransacked his father's things in the hopes of finding "incriminating evidence" of "liberal plots". Knowing her three youngest daughters were more dependent on her than ever for emotional support, Dowager Empress Frederick remained close to them. "I have my three sweet girls - he loved so much - that are my consolation".
During this grim period, Sophia agreed to marry Crown Prince Constantine, which was "hardly a surprising development considering the funereal atmosphere that prevailed at the home of her widowed mother". On 27 October 1889, Sophia married Tino in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. They were third cousins through descent from 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:...
, and second cousins once removed through Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. There was an old Greek prophecy that read when Constantine and Sophia reigned, Greece would see greatness again and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
would fall to Greek hands.
Their marriage led to in-fighting within her family, particularly with Empress Augusta Victoria, known within her family as Dona, wife of her brother Wilhelm II. In 1890, when Sophie announced her intention to leave her Evangelical
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
faith for Greek Orthodoxy (as she was obliged to do under her new family's 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...
), Dona summoned her and told her that if she did so, not only would William find it unacceptable, being the Head of the Evangelical State Church of Prussia's older Provinces; she would be barred from Germany and her soul would end up in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
. Sophie replied that it was none of her business whether she did or not. Dona became hysterical and her son, Prince Joachim
Prince Joachim of Prussia
Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Candidate for thrones:...
, was born too early, causing her to cling to him for the rest of his life as she believed him to be delicate. Evidently, so did William as he wrote to his mother
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
that if the baby died, Sophie would have "murdered it."
Queen of Greece
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
.
During 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...
Queen Sophie was involved to a certain degree with the affairs of the state and kept frequent communication with her brother. In the words of G. Leon "She remained a German, and Germany's interests were placed above those of her adopted country which meant little to her. Actually she never had any sympathy for the Greek people".
In 1916 as the Queen and King were residing in Tatoi, a mysterious fire broke out, destroying the main residence and much of the forest surrounding it. Queen Sophie grabbed her youngest child (Katherine) and ran a mile and a half with her in her arms. The fire lasted for forty-eight hours and was suspected as deliberate act of arson.
Exile
She left Greece on 11 June 1917 with her husband (who abdicated because of his alleged pro-German sentiments) and they went into exile to SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, but were recalled to the throne shortly after their second son Alexander's death from an infected monkey bite. Her husband was forced to abdicate a second time after defeat in a war with Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1922, and he died early the following year.
Death and burial
In her last years Queen Sophie was diagnosed with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and died in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, 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...
, in 1932. With the restoration of the monarchy in Greece, Queen Sophie's remains were re-buried in 1936 at the Royal Burial Ground at Tatoi alongside her husband King Constantine.
Legacy
She is the paternal grandmother of her namesakeNamesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
, Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
and ex-King Constantine II of the Hellenes
Constantine II of Greece
|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
. Sophia of Prussia's granddaughter, Queen Sofia of Spain, is in turn the paternal grandmother of Infanta Sofia of Spain
Infanta Sofía of Spain
The Infanta Sofía of Spain is the second child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias and his wife Princess Letizia. As the daughter of the heir-apparent to the throne, she is styled and titled Her Royal Highness, Infanta of Spain...
.
Issue
By Constantine I of GreeceConstantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
(18 March 1913 – 11 June 1917); married on 27 October 1889.
| Name | |Death | George II, King of the Hellenes George II of Greece George II reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.-Early life, first period of kingship and exile:George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia... | 20 July 1890 | 1 April 1947 | married Princess Elisabeth of Romania |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander I, King of the Hellenes Alexander of Greece Alexander reigned as King of Greece from 1917 to 1920 until his unusual death as the result of sepsis contracted by being bitten by two monkeys.-Early life:... |
1 August 1893 | 25 October 1920 | married Aspasia Manos Aspasia Manos Aspasia Manos , was a Greek commoner who became the wife of Alexander I, King of the Hellenes. Due to the controversy over her marriage, she was styled Princess of Greece and Denmark rather than Queen Aspasia of Greece.-Princess of Greece and Denmark:On 4 November 1919, at Tatoi, Aspasia Manos... aka Princess Aspasia of Greece and Denmark |
||
| Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark | 2 May 1896 | 28 November 1982 | married Carol II, King of Romania Carol II of Romania Carol II reigned as King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until 6 September 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria... |
||
| Paul I, King of the Hellenes | 14 December 1901 | 6 March 1964 | married Princess Frederika of Hanover | ||
| Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark | 13 February 1904 | 15 April 1974 | married Prince Aimone of Savoy, 4th Duke of Aosta Tomislav II of Croatia, 4th Duke of Aosta Prince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta was an Italian prince from the House of Savoy and an officer of the Royal Italian Navy. The second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta he was granted the title Duke of Spoleto on 22 September 1904... |
||
| Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark was the third daughter and sixth child of King Constantine I of Greece and Queen Sophie .-Early life:Her paternal grandparents were King George I of Greece, child of King Christian IX of... |
4 May 1913 | 2 October 2007 | married Major Richard Brandram MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... (5 August 1911 – 5 April 1994) |
||
Titles and styles
- 14 June 1870 – 27 October 1889: Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia of Prussia
- 27 October 1889 – 18 March 1913: Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Greece
- 18 March 1913 – 27 September 1922: Her Majesty The Queen of the Hellenes
Her husband abdicated on 27 September 1922.