On this Day in German Royal/Imperial History


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October 30, 1668 birth of Sophia Charlotte of Hannover. She was a sister of George I of Great Britain. And grandmother of Frederick the Great.

Her father was Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hannover. Her mother was Sophia of the Palatinate. Through her mother she was a great-granddaughter of James I of GB. Her parents had seven children who reached adulthood. Sophia was the fourth child and only daughter.

Her father was the youngest son George, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg. With three older brothers, it had been highly unlikely he would succeed his father. He was the Prince-bishop of Osnabruck at the time of his daughter's birth. She was born at his residence of prince-bishop Iburg Castle. He succeeded his youngest older brother John Frederick as Prince of Calenberg and moved the family to Hannover in 1679. Her father would be raised to the title of Elector in 1692.

She was taken to France by her mother in hopes of marrying her to the dauphin. Eventually though her marriage was arranged to Frederick, the son of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenberg. Her husband was a third son, but his oldest brother had died in 1649 and his next brother in 1674.

The couple were married October 8, 1684. The bride was three weeks short of her sixteenth birthday. The groom was 27.

Her husband succeeded his father as elector 1688. Thanks to his support in the Spanish war of Succession her husband was granted the title King of Prussia in 1701. Sophia Charlotte became the first Queen of Prussia.

She was extremely intelligent. She spoke German, French, English and Italian fluently. Like her mother she surrounded herself with philosophers, artists, musicians and other scholars. It is said that when Peter the Great visited the court he was intimidated by the young Prussian Electress and her mother. But he was soon charmed and gifted her great furs and materials.

She commissioned the building of the Hohenzollern main family residence.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlottenburg_Palace


She died at the age of 36 when on a visit home to see her mother in Hannover. She died February 1, 1705. She was buried in Berlin Cathedral.

She gave her husband 2 sons, but only one reached adulthood.

-Frederick August: died at three months old
-Frederick William: succeeded his father as Frederick William I of Prussia. He married Sophie Dorothea of GB (daughter of his Uncle George I). The couple had 14 children, including Frederick the Great.


Her husband lived until 1713 and remarried. 1708 to Sophie Louise of Mecklenberg-Schwerin but had no children with her.

Sophia Charlotte was his second wife. He had been married Elisabeth Henrietta of Hesse-Kassel in 1679 (she died in 1683 from small pox). He had a daughter from his first wife, Princess Luise Dorothea. Luise was married to her maternal cousin Frederick, Hereditary prince of Hesse-Kassel. She died a few months after her stepmother at 25 in childbirth. Her husband would later go on to marry Ulrika Eleanora of Sweden and become King of Sweden.
 
On this day, October 30, 1804 - Birth of Karl II, Duke of Brunswick
 
On this day, November 7, 1827 - Demise of Queen Maria Theresia of Austria, Queen of Saxony, wife of King Anton of Saxony
 
Nov 21, 1916 death of Franz Joseph I of Austria.

Franz was the son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. His father was the third son of Emperor Francis II. His father's elder brother was Emperor Ferdinand I (his other older brother died at age 8). His mother was Princess Sophie of Bavaria who was a daughter of Maximilian I of Bavaria. He was the eldest of five children, with three younger brothers and a sister. His brother Maximilian was Emperor of Mexico before he was executed.

His Uncle Ferdinand suffered from epilepsy and was considered to be feeble minded. Though married he was not expected to have children so the birth of Franz Joseph was an important event.

In 1848 he became emperor with the abdication of his mentally ill Uncle, and his father who had no ambitions, renouncing his right. He was crowned emperor December 2nd. He would rule for 68 years, one of the longest reigns of a monarch in Europe.

His mother Sophie wished to strengthen the alliance between the Hapsburgs and her own family. She looked to marry her son to the daughter of her sister Princess Ludovika who had married Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria, a member of the House of Wittlesbach. Her choice had been her niece Helene but her son fell in love with Helene's younger sister Elisabeth, Sissi.

He married Sissi April 24, 1854. A portrait of their wedding:

https://history.info/on-this-day/1854-the-wedding-of-emperor-francis-joseph-and-empress-sissi/

He and his wife had four children. Unfortunately his only son committed suicide in 1889. His relationship with his new heir, Franz Ferdinand (son of his brother Karl Ludwig) was not a good one. They fought over Franz Ferdinand's intended wife, though he eventually allowed the marriage though it was morgantic. His nephew was assassinated in 1914 (start of WWI).


His wife Sissi was assassinated in 1898.

He died from pneumonia at the age of 86 after developing a cold walking with the King of Bavaria in the gardens. He was succeeded by his Grand nephew Charles with whom he had a better relationship then Franz Ferdinand. Carl was the son of Franz Ferdinand's younger brother Archduke Otto. Carl would rule for 2 years until the collapse of the empire.


He was buried November 30 in the Royal Crypt in Vienna.




He and his wife had four children:

-Archduchess Sophie: died at the age of two.
-Archduchess Gisela: was ill at same time as her eldest sister but she survived. Married Prince Leopold of Bavaria The couple had four children.
-Rudolph: married Princess Stephanie of Belgium (daughter of Leopold II). They had a daughter Elisabeth. He committed suicide with his mistress in 1886 in Mayerling.
-Archduchess Marie Valerie: married Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria-Tuscany. They had 10 children.
 
On this day, November 23, 1609 ~ Birth of Sophie Eleonore, Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt, wife of Landgrave George II of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
November 24, 2001 death of Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, Princess of Hesse and Hannover by marriage. Prince Philip's sister.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ...k#/media/File:Sofía_de_Grecia_(1914-2001).jpg

Sophie was the fourth of five children, and youngest daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece (son of George I of Greece) and Princess Alice of Battenberg. On her mother's side she was the niece of Queen Louise of Sweden, Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Marquis of Milford Haven. On her father's side she was the niece of Constantine I of Greece.

When her family went into exile from Greece, she and her sisters bounced from homes of different relatives while their mother was in a sanitarium. While their father remained in contact he lived apart in Monaco, and her brother ended up with their mother's family in the UK of course.

Though the youngest sister Sophie was the first one to marry. Her first marriage was December 15, 1930 in Kronberg Hesse to Prince Christopher of Hesse. She was 16 and her groom was 29. Her husband was a director in the third reich and a member of the German SS. He was a commander in the airforce and died in October 1943 in an airplane crash in the Appenine mountains of Italy. His body was recovered two days later.

Her and Christopher had five children together:

-Princess Christina Margarethe of Hesse- married to Prince Andrew of Yugoslavia first (youngest son of Alexander I) with whom she had 2 children. She later married Robert van Eyck with whom she had two children before they too were divorced.
-Princess Dorothea: married Prince Friedrich Karl of Windisch-Graetz with whom she had two daughters.
-Prince Karl Adolph: married Countess Yvonne Szapary with whom he has two children.
-Prince Rainier: he doesnt seem to have married
-Princess Clarissa: married Jean-Claude Derrien with whom she had one daughter before they were divorced.

In 1945 she sought to remarry, this time to Prince George William of Hannover. George was the son of Ernst August III and his wife Princess Viktoria of Prussia. George William was the Uncle of Ernst August, the current head of Hannover (his elder brother was Ernst's father) and of Sofia of Spain, Constantine of Greece and Irene of Greece (their mother Frederica was his younger sister). Sophie was a year older then her perspective husband this time. Unfortunately the UK was at war with Germany still when her George's father petitioned the British monarch to permit the marriage. The couple did not recieve George VI's blessing so their future children were not in line to succession.


The couple were still married and she bore her husband three children.

-Prince Welf Ernest: He married Wibeke von Gunsteren and has one daughter.
-Prince George: Married Victoria Anne Bee and has two daughters
-Princess Frederike- married Jerry Cyr in Canada. She is the mother of two.


Being the closest in age to Philip she was close to her brother. She was a regular visit to the UK to visit Philip and his family in later years of life.


She served as godmother to Prince Edward. And she was often a visitor at the Windsor horse show with the family. She accompanied her brother to Israel in 1994 when their mother was named a 'Righteous among the nations' despite having complained when her mother wanted to be burried in Israel, that it was too far for them to travel to visit her.

A pic in Israel of brother and sister
https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/stories/princess-alice/princess-alice-ceremony.html

At Windsor horse show
https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/n...w&referrer=https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/


She moved to a nursing home in Munich several months before her death due to failing health, dying at the age of 87. She was buried in Schliersee Germany. There was a memorial held for her 2 months later attended by her brother.

Her burial

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial...ss_of-greece_and_denmark#view-photo=206321205

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial...ss_of-greece_and_denmark#view-photo=206321187


She was outlived by her husband and seven of her children (sadly Welf died in 1981). Her husband would die in January 2006. She currently has 5 living children, her eldest two by Christopher have passed away as well.
 
On this day December 3, 1838 - Birth of Louise of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Baden, wife of Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden
 
13 December 1126 : Death of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria

Henry was Duke of Bavaria from 1120 -1126 and is buried at the Benedictine Weingarten Abbey.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_IX,_Duke_of_Bavaria

290px-Wgt_Stifterb%C3%BCchlein_28v.jpg
 
On this day, December 15, 1667 - Birth of Ernest Ludwig, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
December 15, 1447 birth of Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria. He is the one who started the practice of total succession passing to the eldest son to prevent any further division of Bavaria (a practice that lasted until the kingdom ended).

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22999777/albrecht_iv-von_bayern_m_nchen#view-photo=8450207

Albert was born in Munich. His father was Albert III, Duke of Bavaria. His mother was Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen-Einbeck.His parents had ten children, of whom Albert was 7th born, and 5th son. He had six brothers and three sisters. By the time his father died in 1460 2 of his elder brothers were dead, one on the same day as their father. His father was succeeded by his eldest brother John IV. Albert was intended for a spiritual career and had been sent to Paiva. John would die unmarried in 1463 from the plague and Albert would return from Paiva. His brother Sigismund would retire as Duke of Bavaria in 1467 leaving to to Albert, though a new duchy of Bavaria-Dachau was created for him (though it reverted back to the main line on his death). His younger brothers resigned any claim to the Duchy so he ruled as sole duke.



Albert's wife was Kunigunde of Austria. She was a daughter of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal. It definitely came about in a very unique way and against her father's wishes.


Albert seized a number of fiefs that belonged to Frederick. He offered to return them in a way, as a dowry if he could marry Kunigunde. Kunigunde was at the time in Innsbruck under the care of Archduke Sigismund. Sigismund was her father's cousin who had served as his guardian in his own minority, and had been raised to Archduke by her father. Her father agreed to the demands, but when Albert claimed another fief, Frederick took back his permission.

Unfortunately for him, his message did not reach his daughter in time. And on January 2, 1487 the wedding was performed. It was held at Grunwald castle.

Albert managed to avoid war with his father in law thanks to the intervention of his brother in law. Kunigund's elder brother Maximilian stepped in to keep peace between his father and his sister's new husband.


He was forced to hand over some of the fiefs back eventually to keep peace. But he saw to the eventual reunification of Bavaria in 1503. George, Duke of Bavaria-Landshut had died. George had no living sons only daughters. A bloody war ensued between Albert and the heirs, mainly Ruprecht of the Palatinate who was married to George's daughter Elisabeth. After Elisabeth and her husband died, Maximilian was able to help negotiate the end of the war with the Bavarian lands being returned to Albert. Maximilian gained lands in the south of George's territory though in return for his aid to his brother in law. And the new Duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg was created for Elisabeth's heirs.

It was what led him to make the rule that the entire kingdom would pass to the eldest son and not be divided. Despite this his eldest sons shared the title for some years, but the kingdom remained in tact.


He died March 18, 1508 at the age of 60. He was buried at the Munich Frauenkirche.


https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22999777/albrecht_iv-von_bayern_m_nchen#view-photo=8450199


After his death his wife joined the convent of Puttrich where she remained until her death in 1520.


The couple had seven children. All but the eldest daughter made it to adulthood, and the eldest died at 17. They had 3 sons and 4 daughters.

-Sidonie: was engaged to the future Louis V, Elector Palatine. The betrothal was not broken even during the War of the Succession of Landshut in which their families were on opposite sides. Louis' mother Margaret had been the sister of George, Duke of Bavaria-Landshut. She died at 17 before marrying.

-Sibylle: married Louis in place of her older sister. Relations between the Palatinate and the imperial crown improved due to Louis' marriage to the emperor's niece. She died in 1519 having never born her husband a child. Her inheritance was disputed between her widower as well as two brothers.

-Sabina: Married Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg. She had 2 children, a son Christoph who succeeded his father and a daughter who died at 17.

-William: succeeded his father as William IV. He married Jakobaea of Baden with whom he had four children, 2 who reached adulthood. He was succeeded by his son Albert V.

-Louis: served as co-ruler with William as Louis X. This went against the law his father had put in place, but Louis with the support of his mother had forced his brother to agree. As he had no legal children, William would rule alone after his death in 1546, all her lands reverting to William.

-Ernest: tried to claim Sibylla's inheritance when she died, but he was stopped by William and Sibylla's widower. Instead he was granted a high ecclesiastic position. He was eventually Archbishop in Salzburg and Eichstädt. After resigning in 1554 he returned to secular life and became Lord of Glatz. The title and lands were inherited by Albert V after his death but sold to Maximillian II.

-Susanna: She first married Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth with whom she had 5 children, 3 of whom reached adulthood. They were the ancestors of George I of Great Britain through their eldest daughter Marie. After her first husband died she married Otto Henry, Count Palatine of Neuburg, but had no children by her second marriage. Otto was the son of Ruprecht and Elizabeth of the Palatinate, who Susanna's father had fought for full control of Bavaria over.
 
December 16, 999 death of Adelaide of Italy, Holy Roman Empress.

Its also her feast day in the Catholic church as she was canonized in 1097.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela...aïde_-_Église_de_Toury,_vitraux_par_Lorin.jpg


She was born in Orb, which is in the present day Swiss Canton of Vaud, in 931. It was referred to as Upper Burgundy at the time. Her father was Rudolph II of Burgundy. Her mother was Bertha of Swabia. She was the elder of their two children. Her father was succeeded by her younger brother Conrad.

Her father had claimed the throne of Italy in 934 after the death of Berengar I. Hugh of Provence though was called upon by the Italians to take the throne instead. Rudolph gave up his claim to Italy in return for French lands, but peace was never fullly achieved until her father died.

Hugh sought to control Upper Burgundy and saw Adelaide as the perfect tool. He married his son and heir Lothair II who was nominal king of Italy, to the 15 year old Adelaide in 947. Her groom was 21.

The couple had one child

-Emma of Italy: Queen consort of France by marriage to Lothair of France. She was the mother of Louis V. Her son was the last of the Carolingian dynasty.

Her husband died in Turin November 22, 950. He was likely poisoned.


He was likely murdered by his successor Berengar II. Berengar tried to cement his power by marrying his son and co-ruler Adalbert to Adelaide. Adelaide was not only the widow of the king he murdered, but the daughter and daughter in law of the previous two kings.


Adelaide refused to marry his heir. She found herself imprisoned in Garda Castle. Fortunately for her help came in the form of Adalbert Atto of Canossa. She managed to escape Garda and fled to Adalbert's castle where he provided her shelter and protection.


She sent a message from Canossa to Otto I, the Frankish king for aid. Otto's son Liudolf had invaded Lombardy in 951. His army was on the verge of destruction when Otto crossed the Alps with his own troops to re-enforce him. Seeking to gain the thrown of Lombardy for himself, Otto offered the young widow his aid. Otto himself was a widower. His wife Edith of England had died in 946. A daughter of Edward the Elder, Edith had born him two children, the other being a daughter.


Berengar II knowing his defeat was near had fled to the city of Paiva. When Otto arrived the city opened their gates to the German king. He was crowned king in October 951. He sent his brother Henry, Duke of Bavaria to retrieve Adelaide from Canossa and bring her to Paiva. The couple were married in late September before his coronation.

Otto took his wife and his troops back across the Alps into Germany, leaving his son in law Conrad to over see Italy for him. When his son Liudolf led a revolt against his father, his father stripped him of his titles and lands. It left Adelaide and her children far more powerful at court. She also was allowed to retain control of her vast dowry lands.

When he returned to Italy to subdue Berengar II and rescue the pope in Rome, Adelaide accompanied her husband. February 2 962 her husband was crowned by the Pope as Holy Roman Emperor. And Adelaide was crowned empress at his side. She would accompany her husband again on his third trip to Italy and they would remain for six years. Her husband died on their return to Germany in 973. He died of fever at the age of 60.


Her husband was succeeded by their 17 year old son as Otto II. She was powerful at first but her daughter in law turned her son against her and she found herself exiled from court in 978. She was in exile for five years, spending the time between her lands in Italy and her brother's court in Burgundy. She was reunited though with her son in 983. Her son made her his Italian viceroy.


Her son died later that year but her grandson Otto III was a minor. Her daughter in law served as regent at first while Adelaide over saw the Italian lands. But when Otto III's mother died in 990 she took up the position as regent until her grandson came of age four years later.

She began devoting herself to her religious charity work. She had established a number of churches and nunneries in her time. She would retire to the nunnery she founded in Alsace.

She died on her way to Burgundy. She was on her way to support her nephew Rudolph III who was facing a rebellion at the time. She was buried in Selz Abbey. The abbey was destroyed in 1307 but amazingly her relics survived unharmed. They were transferred to the parish church of St Stephen where they still reside to this day. She was canonized by Pope Urban II.


Adelaide and Otto had four children, though the first two died in infancy. The two who made it out of infancy:


-Matilda: served as the first Princess Abbess of Quedlinburg. Despite being a nun, she served as a regent during her father and brother's life time. And as a co-regent with her mother for Otto III.

-Otto: succeeded his father as Otto II. He married Byzantine princess Theophanu with whom he had three daughters as well as the future Otto III.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_of_Italy#/media/File:Meissner-dom-stifter.jpg
 
On this day, December 17, 1802 - Birth of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria in Vienna, Austria. He was the father of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.
 
19th of December 1442 :Death of Elizabeth of Luxembourg, queen of the Germans,Hungary and Bohemia.

Elizabeth was the only child of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, King of Hungary and Bohemia & Barbara of Cilli.The queen died at Győr in Hungary and was buried at the Székesfehérvár Basilica in Hungary but sadly this was plundered and destroyed by the Turks and her burial no longer remains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_of_Luxembourg

Elisabeth_of_Luxemburg_-_Meister_der_Chronik_des_Konzils_von_Konstanz_001.jpg
 
On this day, December 20, 1784 - Birth of Georg Wilhelm, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe
 
On this day, December 26, 1777 - Birth of Ludwig II, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
 
January 9, 1848 birth of Princess Frederica of Hannover.

Frederica was the daughter of George, Hereditary Prince of Hannover (who would late become George V). Her mother was Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg. She was the middle of three children. Her elder brother was Ernest August, 3rd Duke of Cumberland (and CP of Hannover). Her younger sister Marie would die unmarried.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ.../media/File:Princess_Frederica_of_Hanover.jpg


Frederica Sophie Marie Henrietta Amelia Theresa was named for her paternal grandmother Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, she was called Lilly by her family. Marie, Amelia and Henrietta were for her mother, maternal grandmother and maternal great-grandmother.



Her father who succeeded to the throne in 1851, was deposed in 1866. The family moved to Gmunden in Austria. They lived at Schloss Cumberland which her father had named after his British titles.

https://www.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430001980/castle-cumberland.html

She would visit England in 1876 and later in 1878 after the death of her father.

She was considered as a bride by her second cousin Prince Leopold who was a life time friend of hers. And Alexander of Orange, the son of William III.


Instead she was in love with Baron Alphons von Pawel-Rammingen. Alfons was a former equerry to her father. Alfons became a naturalized citizen in 1880 and the couple were married April 24 of that year. The bride was 32 and the groom was 37. Her husband would become a Knight commander of the order of Bath and the royal victorian order. He also served as Honorary Colonel of the 6th Battalion of the Essex Regiment.

The couple were married at St George's chapel.

https://royal-magazin.de/german/han...princess-of-greatbritain-wedding-marriage.htm


The couple lived in an apartment at Hampton Court palace following their wedding. They were frequent guests at Osborne house and Windsor. The couple sadly only had one child a daughter Victoria who died less then a month after she was born. Victoria was buried in the Albert Memorial chapel at St George's chapel.


Frederica was amazingly dedicated to charity work. Much of it was inspired by her father who had been blind. She started a convalescent home for poor new mothers who had to leave the hospital and was a benefactress of Royal Normal College and Academy of Music for the Blind.

She was involved in an organization that opened new schools.She opened the Princess Frederica School in 1889.

PRINCESS FREDERICA HOME - Home

She served as president of the Training college for the deaf.


In 1898 the couple left Hampton Court palace. They still spent some of the time in England but their main home became Biarritz, France. There they owned Villa Mouriscot. The couple's home was often used for social gatherings and such. Its actually where Victoria Eugenie and Alfonso had a short romantic getaway before their engagement (chaperoned).

Mouriscot

She died in France October 16, 1926. Like her daughter she was buried at St George's Chapel but in the royal vault. In 1927 a memorial window was installed for her at the English church in Biarritz.

Alfons would die day 6 years later in 1932.
 
On this day, January 9, 1907 - Demise of Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, Queen Consort of King George V of Hanover
 
January 13, 1932 death of Sophia of Prussia, Queen consort of Greece.

Sophia of Prussia, Queen of Greece by Voigt | Grand Ladies | gogm

Princess Sophie Dorothea Ulrike Alice of Prussia was born June 14, 1870 at the New Palace in Potsdam. Sophie was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Her mother was Victoria's eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal. Her father was Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia at the time of her birth (since 1861). Her grandfather King Wilhelm of Prussia would become Emperor of Germany in 1871 elevating her parents to Crown prince and princess of Germany. Her father would become German Emperor Frederick III in 1888.

Her parents had 8 children of which Sophie was 7th born. She had four brothers and 3 sisters. Her siblings included Wilhelm II. Two brothers died young.

Her three eldest siblings were very close to their paternal grandparents. In contract the three younger daughters were all but ignored by them. The three girls were extremely close to their mother. She grew up with a love for English culture thanks to this bond, and her mother modeled the nursery for her girls after her own childhood in England.

In contrast to her cold paternal grandparents, Sophia was very close to Victoria. She would often spend long periods of time with her grandmother in the UK.

In 1884 Prince Constantine of Greece at 16 was sent to Germany to do military training for 2 years. Following a long visit in England with her grandmother for her golden Jubilee, Sophia returned home and got to know Constantine.

They met again at the funeral of her grandfather in 1888 and soon fell in love. They were officially engaged in September 1888. The wedding was not seen positively by her brother Wilhelm, nor by her future mother in law Olga. But it was scheduled for the following year. Unfortunately her father died of agonizing throat cancer the day after her 19th birthday. Her and her mother remained very close and her mother while in mourning her husband, still found the strength to plan the wedding for her daughter.

https://royal-magazin.de/griechenland/sophie-griechenland-hochzeit.htm


The couple were married October 27, 1889 in Athens. There was a public ceremony in the Orthodox faith but a private for the protestant princess. They had two future monarchs among their witnesses: George V and Nicholas II. George V (as well as his elder brother Albert Victor) was one of Sophie's witnesses as well as her brother Henry. Nicholas II (Tsarevich at the time) stood for his cousin as well as Constantine's brothers Nicholas and George. The wedding was celebrated with great pomp and filled with important royals. The groom's grandfather Christian IX, the bride's brother Wilhelm II, and the Prince of Wales were at the top of the list. The Prince of Wales was an Uncle to both, by marriage to Constantine and by blood to Sophia. His wife Alexandra was the older sister of Constantine's father George.

The couple lived in a small villa for the first while until the palace of the Duke of Sparta was built (its now the presidential mansion in Athens). They lived a quiet life removed from the busier courts. Sophia traveled a great deal though and used her travels to decorate their home. She took to learning Greek.


She would convert to Orthodox after the birth of her eldest sons. Unfortunately for her it caused a major rift with her brother. Wilhelm and his wife were very devout lutherans, and her brother was head of the church in Prussia. She announced it to them when she went home to attend her sister's wedding. Her brother forbid her from entering Germany for 3 years after she converted.


She followed in the footsteps of her mother in law and became involved in a lot of social work like soup kitchens. During the 30 days war she actively worked with the Greek Red Cross to help wounded soldiers. She founded field hospitals and would visit wounded soldiers on the front. She helped arrange nurses from England to come and help, and worked training young women to assist.


Her and her mother in law received the Royal red cross from her grandmother in recognition of their work during the war.


Tension arose after the war though. Sophia being German and the German bond with the Ottomans caused tension. Her husband was criticized for having not done more. The couple decided it best to spend time abroad and headed to Germany where she made peace with her brother. They would remain for a year before returning to Greece.


1901 was a rough year for her. She lost two of the most important people in her life, her grandmother and her mother. She would travel to London to attend the funeral of her beloved grandmother. Sadly that summer when she was heavily pregnant she was summoned home to Germany where her mother was dying. She and her sisters were at their mother's side when she died in August.


During the First Balkans war she once again took up the mantle of a nurse. With her mother in law Olga and her sister in laws Elena, Alice and Maria, they actively charge of aiding wounded soldiers. They were all active right in the middle of action, working in field hospitals across Greece during the time. Though a rivalry between her and Alice arose during this time as well.


The marriage with Constantine started to drift apart. Her husband was unfaithful and while at first she ignored it, they did slowly seperate by 1912. Their children though grew up in a loving nurturing home. Like her own childhood, she instilled a love of English culture on her children. Her and her husband spoke English at home with their children.

On March 18, 1913 her father in law was assassinated. It fell to her, as she was in Athens, to inform Olga of her husband's death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_of_Prussia#/media/File:QueenSophiaGreece.jpg


WWI brought a lot of conflict and troubles for them. There were plots to assasinate the couple. Their royal residence suffered a massive fire, in which Sophia had to save her youngest daughter from. In 1917, following the Russian revolution which saw the deposition of her husband's cousin Nicholas, her husband found himself forced to relinquish his throne to his second son Alexander. The couple went into exile in Switzerland (she would never see her son Alexander after that). Her son died in 1920 when he was bit by a monkey, and to Sophia's great pain the government refused to allow her to return to Greece to plan her son's funeral.


They returned to Greece in 1920. Her husband abdicated for the second time in 1922, this time in favor of their eldest son who became George II.

This time they settled in Italy. But her husband's health continued to fail and he was suffering from depression. He died January 11, 1923. The dowager queen settled in Florence where she became more devout in later life. Though she remained Orthodox, she took greater interest in the Anglican faith.

She was ill for years and in 1930 went to Frankfurt for treatment. She would travel after including a visit to England. She returned to Frankfurt in 1931 where she was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors warned she had weeks left. She died surrounded by her family.


She was buried along side her husband and mother in law in the Russian church in Florence. In 1936 her son George saw to the bodies of his parents and grandmother returned to Greece and buried at Tatoi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_of_Prussia#/media/File:Tomb_of_Queen_Sophia_of_Greece.jpg


Sophia and her husband had six children, all of whom reached adulthood.

-George: succeeded as George II after his father's abdication in 1922. He married Princess Elisabeth of Romania. They had no children and he was succeeded by his brother Paul.

-Alexander: was made Alexander I of Greece when his father was first forced into exile in 1917. He married Aspasia Manos who was four months pregnant when he died in 1920. His daughter Alexandra was born soon after Alexander's parents were allowed to return to Greece. It was Sophie who pressed her husband to give Alexandra the full rights of a Greek Princess. Alexandra would marry Peter II of Yugoslavia making Alexander the grandfather of his name sake, the current CP of Yugoslavia.

Sophia with Alexandra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexa...a_de_Grecia_con_su_abuela_Sofía_de_Prusia.jpg

-Helen: married Carol II of Romania. She was the mother of the late Michael I of Romania.

-Paul: succeeded George as King Paul of Greece in 1947. He married Frederica of Hannover. They were the parents of Constantine II, Queen Sofia of Spain and Princess Irene of Greece.

-Irene: She married Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta. She was the mother of the current Duke of Aosta, Amedeo.

-Katherine: She married Richard Brandram. The couple had one son Richard.
 
On this day, January 13, 1797 - Demise of Elizabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern, Queen Consort of King Frederick II of Prussia
 
On this day, January 21, 1796 - Birth of Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 
January 25, 1900 death of Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Adelheid was a niece of Queen Victoria.


https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194374932/adelheid-of_hohenlohe_langenburg#view-photo=178010952

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194374932/adelheid-of_hohenlohe_langenburg#view-photo=178011043


Adelheid was born July 30, 1835. Her father was Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Her mother was Princess Feodora of Leiningen. Feodora was the daughter of Victoria, Duchess of Kent by her first husband Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen. Feodora had been quite close to her half-sister the future Queen Victoria when they were young. Her parents had six children, of whom Adelheid was their fifth. All of her siblings made it to adulthood, though one sister died unmarried at 19.


in 1852 she was sought as a bride for Napoleon III. Her aunt Queen Victoria was opposed to the marriage not wanting to offer any legitimacy to the French empire. Queen Victoria was silent though, not wanting to show her support or against it, but the message was clear. Adelheid's parents turned down the offer of marriage, and Napoleon III eventually married Eugenie instead.

Instead she was to marry Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. The couple were married September 11, 1856. The bride was 21 and her groom was 27. The couple lived at first in Dolzig but moved for three years to Kiel when he became heir Schleswig-Holstein. After Prussia annexed the duchies, the couple would return to Dolzig. The couple split their time between Dolzig, Gotha and family lands in Primkenau.

Her husband died in 1880. Adelheid would settle in Dresden where she would spend the remainder of her life quietly, focussed on art and music. She would die in Dresden. She was buried in Wroclaw Poland.


Her and her husband had seven children, five who reached adulthood. They had no male line grandchildren as only one son survived childhood, and he died childless. They had 17 grandchildren from 3 daughters. The Greek, Spanish and Swedish royal families are all descended from them.

-Friedrich Wilhelm: died at age 2

-Auguste Victoria:married the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor (was crown prince of Prussia when they married). They were engaged when her father died. Had seven children all of whom reached adulthood. Through her daughter Victoria Louise she is the grandmother of Queen Frederica of Greece (mother of Constantine II, Sofia of Spain and Irene).

-Karoline Mathilde: married Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. Her husband was a nephew of Christian IX of Denmark (his father was Christian's older brother). The couple had six children. They were the grandparents of Princess Sibylla, Duchess of Vasterbotten (mother of King Carl Gustaf) through their daughter Victoria Adelaide, and Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (wife of Hereditary prince Knud) through their daughter Helena.

-Friedrich Victor: like his older brother, he didnt survive childhood. He died at three months old.

-Ernst Gunther: He married Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He succeeded his father's titles. He and his wife had no children and were succeeded by a cousin Albert.

-Louise: She married Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia. The couple had four children.

-Feodora Adelheid: she is the only child to reach adulthood who never married. She lived to be 36.
 
Last edited:
On this day, January 27, 1859 - Birth of Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia
 
January 27, 1844 death of Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenberg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ...1844)#/media/File:Peter_Cecilia_of_Sweden.jpg

She was born June 22, 1807 in Stockholm. Her father was Gustav IV Adolf who had come to the throne in 1792. Her mother was Frederica of Baden, a daughter of Karl Ludwig of Baden. Her mother was the younger sister of Empress Elisabeth of Russia (wife of Alexander I). Her brother Charles was the grandfather of Lady Mary Hamilton, ancestress of the current Monaco royal family (she was wife of Albert I and mother of Louis II). The Belgian, Yugoslavian, Luxembourg, Monaco, Russian and Romanian royal families are all decended from her mother's family.

Cecelia was the youngest of her parents' five children all but one of whom made it to adulthood. Her sister Sofia married her great uncle Leopold of Baden (he was the younger half-brother of her maternal grandfather) and they were the grandparents of Victoria of Baden (wife of Gustaf V).


In 1810 the family had to leave Sweden when her father was deposed. From then on she was raised in Baden. After her parents divorced in 1812, her up bringing was over seen by her maternal grandmother Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.


In 1830 the 23 year old was introduced to Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg. The 47 year old who had become Grand duke the previous year, had been widowed twice, the last in 1828. His first wife Princess Adelheid of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym had died in 1820. They had two daughters, the older of whom became Queen Amalia of Greece through her marriage to Otto of Bavaria who later became King of Greece (he would be replaced as king by Danish born George I). After his first wife's death Augustus had married his wife's sister Princess Ida of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. Like her sister she died after 3 years of marriage but bore him a son Peter who would succeed as Grand duke.

The couple spoke for some time and agreed on marriage. They traveled to Vienna to her brother, and were married married in the pressence of the Austrian Emperor Francis I. She moved with her new husband to Oldenberg in June 1831. She was his only wife to be Grand Duchess as he succeeded after the death of both his previous wives.

She had a real passion for culture which she brought to her new home. She saw to the opening of the first theater She composed the melody for ‘Heil dir, o Oldenburg’. The song was finished and published after her death.


She died at the age of 36 from childbed fever days after giving birth to her third child. She was buried at the Ducal Mausoleum in St. Gertrude's Cemetery in Oldenburg (her sister Amalia was as well).

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/639244/gertruden-kirchhof

She bore her husband 3 sons, but only the youngest that she died shortly after giving birth to, reached adulthood.

-Alexander Friedrich: died just short of his first birthday.

-Nikolaus Friedrich: died at fourteen months old.

-Anton Gunther Friedrich Elimar: known by his last name Elimar. Made a morgantic marriage to Baroness Natalia Vogel von Friesenhof with whom he had two children. He had four grandchildren through his son.


Her husband died in 1853, 9 years after his final wife. He was succeeded by Cecelia's stepson Peter.
 
Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg outlived all of his 3 wives.

I had forgotten the connection with Monaco.
 
January 29, 1860 death of Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden.

https://geneee.org/stephanie/de+beauharnais?lang=en

Stephanie was born in Versailles August 28, 1789, at the start of the French revolution. She was the daughter of Claude de Beauharnais, 2nd Count des Roches-Baritaud. Her mother was Françoise de Lezay. She had an older brother Albert and a younger half sister Josephine.

Stephanie's father was first cousins with Alexandre François Marie, Viscount of Beauharnais. Alexandre was the first husband of the future Empress Josephine.

When Josephine married Napoleon in 1796 her children Eugene and Hortense were the stepchildren of General Napoleon. Stephanie was second cousins with them. Napoleon became the benefactor of the Beauhamais family which included young Stephanie. As his power rose, so did her place.

When Napoleon who was referred to as her Uncle crowned himself emperor in 1804, she found herself a member of the Imperial family. She took up residence at Tuileries Palace. For her short time there she lived in luxury.

Napoleon wished to create an alliance with the Prince-Elector of Baden. The alliance was to be secured through the marriage of members of both houses. The margrave himself was 78 years old. He put forward his grandson and heir, Charles who was 20. The emperor had no legal heirs of his own. So he adopted Stephanie and made her a Princess of France, to use her for the alliance.


The couple were married April 8, 1806 in Paris. The bride was 17 and the groom was 20. July 25 of that year her husband's grandfather was raised to the rank of Grand Duke of Baden.


It was not a happy marriage. Her husband was determined to continue his life as a bachelor and they lived apart mainly. Her household was in Manheim. Her Uncle/adopted father the Emperor tried to intercede with no affect. The Grand Duke offered the couple Schwetzingen as a summer home to try and make things better but Stephanie was the only one who used it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwetzingen


But they were able to reconcile a bit when it became evident the old Grand Duke was ailing and would not live long. For the sake of having heirs to continue the family, the couple began to reside together. The old Grand Duke would die in 1811, and her husband became Grand Duke. Five days before her grandfather in law died, Stephanie finally bore him a great-grandchild.


Her husband died in 1818. The couple had no living sons so he was succeeded by his Uncle Louis I. Louis would also die without heir and the throne would eventually pass to a half-brother of Charles' father and Louis, Leopold of Baden (Leopold was the grandfather of Victoria of Baden, Queen of Sweden).


Remaining a widow for the rest of her life, she was a devoted mother to her children. Her salon at Manheim was known for the collection of artists and thinkers who passed through it. She died in Nice France at the age of 71, after 41 years as a widow.

She was buried next to her husband in St Michael's church in Pforzheim, Baden.

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2190881/schloßkirche-sankt-michael-pforzheim#view-photo=22992652

They had five children but only 3 daughters reached adulthood. The couple are the ancestors of the Monaco, Belgian and Luxembourg royal families as well as the former Yugoslavian and Romanian.

their three daughters:

-Louise Amelia: born days before the death of her great-grandfather. She married Gustav, Prince of Vasa a son of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden. The couple had one son who died at birth and a daughter Carola who married Albert I of Saxony but had no children. They divorced in 1843, after 13 years of marriage.


-Josephine: She was married to Karl Anton Joachim Zephyrinus Friedrich Meinrad, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The couple had six children. Her son would serve as Carol I of Romania. Her daughter Marie would marry Philippe. Count of Flanders and was the mother of Albert I of Belgium. Their son Leopold was an ancestor of King Michael I of Romania.

-Marie Amelie: She was married to William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton. The couple had four children together. Her youngest Lady Mary would marry Albert I of Monaco and be mother of Louis II of Monaco.
 
On this day, January 29, 1844 - Demise of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
He was the father of Prince Albert, the spouse of Queen Victoria of England. Victoria was also the niece of Ernest.
 
January 30,1953 death of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick.

The last reigning Duke of Brunswick, he was the grandfather of the current Ernst August of Hanover, Constantine II of Greece and Sofia of Spain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Augustus,_Duke_of_Brunswick#/media/File:Ernstaugusthannover.jpg

He was born November 17, 1887 in Vienna. His father Ernest Augustus was the last Crown Prince of Hanover. His grandfather George V of Hanover had been deposed in 1866. His mother was Princess Thyra of Denmark. Thyra was the daughter of Christian IX and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. His maternal aunts/uncles included Queen Alexandra of the UK, Frederick VIII of Denmark, George I of Greece and Empress Maria Feodorovna.

At the time of his birth he was not heir to his father's duchy or claim to Hanover as he was the youngest of six children. He had three sisters but also 2 brothers. His brothers would die in 1901 and 1912, leaving him eventual heir to the duchy. Of his five siblings, only 2 of his sisters married, despite all but one of them reaching adulthood (Christian died at 16). His sister Marie Louise married Prince Maximilian of Baden and his sister Alexandra married Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ...and_Princess_Thyra_of_Denmark_with_family.jpg


May 1912 his eldest brother George died in a car accident. The German emperor sent his condolences to his father, and in return Ernest Augustus was sent to the emperor's court to thank him in person. It was there that he fell in love with the emperor's only daughter, Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia. He was 25 and Victoria was 20. After six sons, she was the delighted favorite of her father. The couple were both smitten with each other but political issues meant an engagement took some months to arrange. He had to agree to give up his claim to Hanover in return for the rights to Brunswick.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ...a/File:Princess_Viktoria_Luise_of_Prussia.jpg

They were engaged February 11, 1913. A lavish wedding was held May 24 of that year in Berlin. The wedding was the largest gathering of reigning monarchs to take place in Germany since its unification. And a major social events before the start of WWI. Guests included George V and Tsar Nicholas II who were cousins of the bride's father. There were 1200 guests.

https://twitter.com/x/status/999543988867751936

In October of the year his father formally abdicated his rights to Brunswick in honor of his son. The couple moved to Brunswick palace.

https://www.shutterstock.com/search/brunswick+palace

In 1917 his father's British titles were suspended by the Titles deprivation act. In 1918 he lost his own title as did other German dukes and aristocrats. He remained head of his family house but he retired quietly to his estates. He preferred living at Blankenburg castle or Cumberland. He rarely spent time at Marienburg castle.

https://www.travelwriticus.com/harz-blankenburg-castle/


Though he never joined the Nazis he had donated money. And he was known to support an alliance with the UK. After he abdicated Edward VIII and his wife would spend time with the couple. By the end of WWII they were permanently living at Blankenburg castle.


He died at Marienburg castle in 1953 and was buried at the Royal Mausoleum in the Berggarten at Herrenhausen Gardens. His wife who died in 1980 would be buried next to him.

https://www.castleholic.com/2014/08/herrenhausen-gardens-berggarten.html


He and his wife had five children:

-Ernest Augustus: succeeded his father as head of the house of Hanover. He married twice. His first wife was Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg with whom he had six children (the current Ernst August is the eldest of his children).His second wife was Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach. The couple were married only for 6 years and later in life so he only had children from his first marriage.

-George William: married Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark (daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece, she was an older sister of Prince Philip). She was a widow of Prince Christoph of Hesse. They had three sons.

-Frederica: Queen consort of Greece by marriage to Paul of Greece. Mother of Sofia of Spain, Constantine II of Greece and Princess Irene.

-Christian Oscar: married Mireille Dutry. They had two daughters before they were divorced.

-Welf Henry: married Princess Alexandra of Ysenburg and Büdingen. They had no children.
 
On this day, February 2, 1783 - Birth of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
 
6th February 1538 : Death of Johann III ,Duke of Cleves


Johann III was the father of Anne of Cleves and was duke of Cleves and Count of Mark from 1521 until his death. He was married to Maria of Jülich-Berg and was succeeded by his son Wilhelm V.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_III,_Duke_of_Cleves

Maria_of_Julich-Berg_and_her_husband%2C_John_III%2C_Duke_of_Cleves.png
 
On this day, February 9, 1763 - Birth of Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden
 
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