Augusta of Saxe-Weimar
Encyclopedia
Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Augusta Marie Luise Katharina; 30 September 1811 – 7 January 1890) was the Queen of Prussia and the first German Empress as the consort of William I, German Emperor
.
and Maria Pavlovna of Russia
, a daughter of Paul I of Russia
and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg.
While her father was an intellectually-limited person, whose preferred reading up to the end of his life was fairy tales, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
spoke of Augusta's mother Marie as "one of the best and most significant women of her time." Augusta received a comprehensive education, including drawing lessons from the court painter, Luise Seidler, as well as music lessons from the court bandmaster, Johann Nepomuk Hummel
.
, had already married). Above all, it was Wilhelm's father who pressed him to consider Augusta as a potential wife.
At the time, Wilhelm was in love with the Polish Princess, Elisa Radziwill. The Crown Prince at the time was Wilhelm's elder brother, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (later King Friedrich Wilhelm IV), however, he and his wife Elisabeth
had as yet had no children. Wilhelm was thus heir presumptive
to the throne and expected to marry and produce further heirs. Friederich Wilhelm III
was fond of the relationship between Wilhelm and Elisa, but the Prussian Court had discovered that her ancestors had bought their princely title from Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
, and she was not deemed noble enough to marry the Heir to the Prussian Throne. Interestingly, Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
, who was considered to be of correct rank, was descended from both Bogusław Radziwiłł and Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655).
In 1824, the King turned to childless Alexander I of Russia
to adopt Elisa, but the Russian Tsar declined. The second adoption plan by Elisa's uncle, Prince Augustus of Prussia
, likewise failed because the responsible committee considered that adoption does not change "the blood." Another factor was the Mecklenburg relations
of the deceased Queen Louise's
influence in the German and Russian courts (she was not fond of Elisa's father).
Thus, in June 1826, Wilhelm's father felt forced to demand the renunciation of a potential marriage to Elisa. Thus, Wilhelm spent the next few months looking for a more suitable bride, but did not relinquish his emotional ties to Elisa. Eventually, Wilhelm asked for Augusta's hand in marriage on 29 August (in writing and through the intervention of his father). Augusta happily agreed and on 25 October 1828, they were engaged. Wilhelm saw Elisa for the last time in 1829. Elisa was later engaged to Friedrich of Schwarzenberg, but the engagement failed and she died, unmarried, in 1834, of tuberculosis
.
Historian Karin Feuerstein-Prasser has pointed out on the basis of evaluations of the correspondence between both fiancées, what different expectations Wilhelm had of both marriages: Wilhelm wrote to his sister Charlotte
, the wife of Nicholas I of Russia
, with reference to Elisa Radziwill: "One can love only once in life, really" and confessed with regard to Augusta, that "the Princess is nice and clever, but she leaves me cold." Augusta was in love with her future husband and hoped for a happy marriage, but the unhappy relationship between Wilhelm and Augusta was known to Elisa Radziwill, and she believed herself to be a suitable substitute for him.
On 11 June 1829, after a strenuous three-day trip from Weimar to Berlin
, Wilhelm married his fiancée, fourteen years younger than he was, in the chapel of Schloss Charlottenburg.
.
In a letter which Wilhelm wrote on 22 January 1831 to his sister Charlotte, he complained of his wife's "lack of femininity". That aside, their first child, Prince Friedrich (later Friedrich III of Germany), was born later that year on 18 October 1831, three years after their marriage and their second child, Louise
, was born on 3 December 1838, seven years later. Augusta later had two miscarriages in 1842 and 1843. She had also gone through manic-depressive phases since 1840; she felt unwanted due to Wilhelm having mistresses and suffered from the huge pressure under which she stood.
" was created by the King in reaction to the crop failures and hunger revolts of 1847, but was soon dissolved a few months later. Prince Wilhelm was held responsible for the bloodshed of the March revolution in 1848, in Berlin
and on the advice of the King, Wilhelm fled to London
, and Augusta and their two children withdrew to Potsdam
.
In liberal circles, an idea was seriously discussed on whether or not to force the King to abdicate, the Crown Prince renounce his rights to the throne, and instead have Augusta take up a regency for their son. Because the letters and diaries of that time were later destroyed by Augusta, it is not clear whether she seriously considered this option. After, in May 1848, 800 members of the German National Assembly
met in the Frankfurter Paulskirche to discuss German unification and Prince Wilhelm returned from London the following month. A year later, in 1849, he was appointed Governor-General of the Rhine Province and in the spring of 1850, he and Augusta took up residence in Koblenz
.
. Meanwhile, their son Friedrich studied nearby in Bonn
and became the first Prussian Prince to receive an academic education.
Koblenz was subsequently visited by many liberal-minded contemporaries, including the historian Max Dunker and legal professors August von Bethmann, Clemens Theodor Pertes and Alexander von Schleinitz
. Critically, Augusta's tolerance towards Catholicism
at Koblenz (and throughout her lifetime) was scorned at in Berlin and was felt inappropriate of a Prussian Protestant Princess.
In 1856, Augusta and Wilhelm's only daughter, Princess Louise
(then 17), married Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden and in 1858, their son Friedrich married Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria's
eldest child. Augusta saw this as a personal triumph and hoped her new daughter-in-law's upbringing in a contemporary country like the United Kingdom
would guide Friederich in the direction of a liberal monarchy at home.
Wilhelm soon dismissed the old ministry when he succeeded his childless brother as King in 1861 and appointed liberal ministers of his own, notably from his own Court at Koblenz, inlcluding: Alexander von Schleinitz, who became Foreign Secretary; August von Bethmann, who became Minister of Culture; and Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who became Prime Minister of Prussia
. The conservative opponents saw this as the work of Augusta, but her political influence on Wilhelm was rather low. This became evident a few months later, when he dissolved Parliament, which was not bending to his will. The King appointed Otto von Bismarck
as the new Prussian Prime Minister. Augusta, now Queen, regarded Bismarck as her mortal enemy and Bismarck likewise despised Augusta for her (albeit low) influence on her husband.
Augusta was particularly horrified at Bismarck's foreign policy and his cause in the commencement of the Austro-Prussian War
. At the same time, she become more and more estranged from the King and Bismarck began to comment negitavely on the Queen in Parliament; the Queen reacted by being rude to Bismarck's wife, Johanna
.
The Queen soon began to suffer from her manic-depressive phases again and started making frequent trips to Baden-Baden
, in search of a cure. At this time, the Prussian population was rejoicing in the victory at Königgrätz
, but Augusta began mourning for the dead and injured. Augusta also became estranged from her daughter-in-law, Vicky, who began to sympathise with the Prussian cause and Bismarck's policies. The religious and distinctively dutiful Augusta felt Victoria to be "without religion," scorned at her occasional absenteeism from official occasions, but began to take an interest in the upbringing of her grandson, Wilhelm, and held him in high esteem.
Augusta, who clearly abhorred war, founded the National Women's Association in 1864, which looked after wounded and ill soldiers and convened with Florence Nightingale
for ideas. Several hospital foundations exist today from Augusta's initiative, including the German Society For Surgery.
started in 1870 and Augusta continued to hold Bismarck personally responsible. However, the aftermath of the war left Wilhelm as German Emperor and Augusta as German Empress.
Augusta felt the Imperial Crown a personal defeat; she wanted the Prussian supremacy in Germany to succeed by "moral conquest" and not by bloodshed. Her opinion of the war was established by erecting an educational establishment in Potsdam
in 1872, as "a home for the education of destitute daughters of German officers, military officials, priests and doctors from the field of honour as a result of the war of 1870-71."
Augusta buried her differences with Bismarck only in her last years, as it seemed he was the only suitable man to support her beloved grandson, Wilhelm. However, Wilhelm disliked Bismarck and soon forced him to resign during the first few years of his own reign.
for many years and in June 1881, she received heavy injuries from a fall which left her dependent on crutch
es and a wheelchair
, but this did not hinder her from fulfilling her duties.
She finally made amends with her husband on his ninetieth birthday in 1887, but he soon died a year later. Only ninety-nine days later, her son, who had succeeded to the throne as Friedrich III, succumbed to cancer of the larynx
. She did, however, see her beloved grandson Wilhelm become King and Emperor that year, but died a year later on 7 January 1890, aged 78. Augusta was buried in the mausoleum of Charlottenburg
beside her husband.
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
.
Early life
Augusta was the second daughter of Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachCharles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Charles Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was a Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.-Biography:Born in Weimar, he was the eldest son of Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Luise Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt.Charles Frederick succeeded his famous father as Grand Duke...
and Maria Pavlovna of Russia
Maria Pavlovna of Russia
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia was the third daughter of Paul I of Russia and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. She was the Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by her marriage to Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.-Life:...
, a daughter of 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 Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg.
While her father was an intellectually-limited person, whose preferred reading up to the end of his life was fairy tales, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
spoke of Augusta's mother Marie as "one of the best and most significant women of her time." Augusta received a comprehensive education, including drawing lessons from the court painter, Luise Seidler, as well as music lessons from the court bandmaster, Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
.
Meeting with Wilhelm
Augusta was only fifteen years old when, in 1826, she and her future husband met. Wilhelm thought of the young Augusta as having an "excellent personality," yet was less attractive than her older sister Marie (whom Wilhelm's younger brother, KarlPrince Charles of Prussia
Prince Frederick Charles Alexander of Prussia born in Charlottenburg, was a younger son of Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
, had already married). Above all, it was Wilhelm's father who pressed him to consider Augusta as a potential wife.
At the time, Wilhelm was in love with the Polish Princess, Elisa Radziwill. The Crown Prince at the time was Wilhelm's elder brother, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (later King Friedrich Wilhelm IV), however, he and his wife Elisabeth
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria was a Princess of Bavaria and later Queen consort of Prussia.-Early life and family:...
had as yet had no children. Wilhelm was thus heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the throne and expected to marry and produce further heirs. Friederich Wilhelm III
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:...
was fond of the relationship between Wilhelm and Elisa, but the Prussian Court had discovered that her ancestors had bought their princely title from Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
, and she was not deemed noble enough to marry the Heir to the Prussian Throne. Interestingly, Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria was a Princess of Bavaria and later Queen consort of Prussia.-Early life and family:...
, who was considered to be of correct rank, was descended from both Bogusław Radziwiłł and Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655).
In 1824, the King turned to childless Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
to adopt Elisa, but the Russian Tsar declined. The second adoption plan by Elisa's uncle, Prince Augustus of Prussia
Prince Augustus of Prussia
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich August of Prussia , known in English as Prince Augustus, was a Prussian general...
, likewise failed because the responsible committee considered that adoption does not change "the blood." Another factor was the Mecklenburg relations
House of Mecklenburg
The House of Mecklenburg is a North German dynasty of West Slavic origin that ruled until 1918.- Origins :Niklot was a lord of the Wendish tribe of Obotrites. When the Holy Roman Empire expanded eastwards, notably to the coast of Baltic in 13th century, a portion of Obotrite lords allied with...
of the deceased Queen Louise's
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
influence in the German and Russian courts (she was not fond of Elisa's father).
Thus, in June 1826, Wilhelm's father felt forced to demand the renunciation of a potential marriage to Elisa. Thus, Wilhelm spent the next few months looking for a more suitable bride, but did not relinquish his emotional ties to Elisa. Eventually, Wilhelm asked for Augusta's hand in marriage on 29 August (in writing and through the intervention of his father). Augusta happily agreed and on 25 October 1828, they were engaged. Wilhelm saw Elisa for the last time in 1829. Elisa was later engaged to Friedrich of Schwarzenberg, but the engagement failed and she died, unmarried, in 1834, of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Historian Karin Feuerstein-Prasser has pointed out on the basis of evaluations of the correspondence between both fiancées, what different expectations Wilhelm had of both marriages: Wilhelm wrote to his sister Charlotte
Alexandra Fyodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia)
Alexandra Feodorovna, born Princess Charlotte of Prussia , was Empress consort of Russia. She was the wife of Tsar Nicholas I, and mother of Tsar Alexander II.-Princess of Prussia:...
, the wife of Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
, with reference to Elisa Radziwill: "One can love only once in life, really" and confessed with regard to Augusta, that "the Princess is nice and clever, but she leaves me cold." Augusta was in love with her future husband and hoped for a happy marriage, but the unhappy relationship between Wilhelm and Augusta was known to Elisa Radziwill, and she believed herself to be a suitable substitute for him.
On 11 June 1829, after a strenuous three-day trip from Weimar to 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...
, Wilhelm married his fiancée, fourteen years younger than he was, in the chapel of Schloss Charlottenburg.
Married life
The first weeks of marriage were harmonious; Augusta was taken favorably in the Prussian King's court, however, Augusta soon started to be bored with its military sobriety, and most courtly duties (which may have counteracted this boredom) were reserved to her sister-in-law, Crown Princess ElisabethElisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria was a Princess of Bavaria and later Queen consort of Prussia.-Early life and family:...
.
In a letter which Wilhelm wrote on 22 January 1831 to his sister Charlotte, he complained of his wife's "lack of femininity". That aside, their first child, Prince Friedrich (later Friedrich III of Germany), was born later that year on 18 October 1831, three years after their marriage and their second child, Louise
Princess Louise of Prussia
Princess Louise of Prussia was the second child and only daughter of German Emperor Wilhelm I and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. She was the younger sister of Frederick III of Germany and aunt of Wilhelm II of Germany...
, was born on 3 December 1838, seven years later. Augusta later had two miscarriages in 1842 and 1843. She had also gone through manic-depressive phases since 1840; she felt unwanted due to Wilhelm having mistresses and suffered from the huge pressure under which she stood.
Augusta the Politician
Augusta was very interested in politics and like so many other liberally-minded people of the time, she was hopeful about the accession of Friedrich Wilhelm IV, her brother-in-law, who was regarded as a modern and open King. However, the King refused to grant a constitution to Prussia and led a far more conservative government, unlike his liberal ideals during his years as Crown Prince. A "United LandtagLandtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
" was created by the King in reaction to the crop failures and hunger revolts of 1847, but was soon dissolved a few months later. Prince Wilhelm was held responsible for the bloodshed of the March revolution in 1848, 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 on the advice of the King, Wilhelm fled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Augusta and their two children withdrew to 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....
.
In liberal circles, an idea was seriously discussed on whether or not to force the King to abdicate, the Crown Prince renounce his rights to the throne, and instead have Augusta take up a regency for their son. Because the letters and diaries of that time were later destroyed by Augusta, it is not clear whether she seriously considered this option. After, in May 1848, 800 members of the German National Assembly
Frankfurt Parliament
The Frankfurt Assembly was the first freely elected parliament for all of Germany. Session was held from May 18, 1848 to May 31, 1849 in the Paulskirche at Frankfurt am Main...
met in the Frankfurter Paulskirche to discuss German unification and Prince Wilhelm returned from London the following month. A year later, in 1849, he was appointed Governor-General of the Rhine Province and in the spring of 1850, he and Augusta took up residence in Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
.
Life in Koblenz
Augusta enjoyed life in Koblenz and it was here that she could finally live out Court life as she was accustomed to during her childhood in WeimarWeimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. Meanwhile, their son Friedrich studied nearby in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and became the first Prussian Prince to receive an academic education.
Koblenz was subsequently visited by many liberal-minded contemporaries, including the historian Max Dunker and legal professors August von Bethmann, Clemens Theodor Pertes and Alexander von Schleinitz
Alexander von Schleinitz
Alexander Gustav Adolf Graf von Schleinitz was the Foreign Minister of Prussia from 1858 to 1861 and minister for the royal household from late 1861 to his death.- Early years :...
. Critically, Augusta's tolerance towards Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
at Koblenz (and throughout her lifetime) was scorned at in Berlin and was felt inappropriate of a Prussian Protestant Princess.
In 1856, Augusta and Wilhelm's only daughter, Princess Louise
Princess Louise of Prussia
Princess Louise of Prussia was the second child and only daughter of German Emperor Wilhelm I and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. She was the younger sister of Frederick III of Germany and aunt of Wilhelm II of Germany...
(then 17), married Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden and in 1858, their son Friedrich married Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria's
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....
eldest child. Augusta saw this as a personal triumph and hoped her new daughter-in-law's upbringing in a contemporary country like the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
would guide Friederich in the direction of a liberal monarchy at home.
Return to Berlin
In 1858, Wilhelm became Regent after his brother was no longer able to lead his government due to suffering several strokes. He and Augusta traveled to the Court at Berlin.Wilhelm soon dismissed the old ministry when he succeeded his childless brother as King in 1861 and appointed liberal ministers of his own, notably from his own Court at Koblenz, inlcluding: Alexander von Schleinitz, who became Foreign Secretary; August von Bethmann, who became Minister of Culture; and Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who became Prime Minister of Prussia
Prime Minister of Prussia
The office of Minister President or Prime Minister of Prussia existed in one form or another from 1702 until the dissolution of Prussia in 1947. When Prussia was an independent kingdom the Minister President or Prime Minister functioned as the King's Chief Minister and presided over the Prussian...
. The conservative opponents saw this as the work of Augusta, but her political influence on Wilhelm was rather low. This became evident a few months later, when he dissolved Parliament, which was not bending to his will. The King appointed Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
as the new Prussian Prime Minister. Augusta, now Queen, regarded Bismarck as her mortal enemy and Bismarck likewise despised Augusta for her (albeit low) influence on her husband.
Augusta was particularly horrified at Bismarck's foreign policy and his cause in the commencement of the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
. At the same time, she become more and more estranged from the King and Bismarck began to comment negitavely on the Queen in Parliament; the Queen reacted by being rude to Bismarck's wife, Johanna
Johanna von Puttkamer
Johanna Friederike Charlotte Dorothea Eleonore von Puttkamer was a Prussian noblewoman, also known as Johanna von Bismarck. She was the sister of statesman Robert von Puttkamer....
.
The Queen soon began to suffer from her manic-depressive phases again and started making frequent trips to Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
, in search of a cure. At this time, the Prussian population was rejoicing in the victory at Königgrätz
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia. The city's economy is based on food-processing technology, photochemical, and electronics manufacture. Traditional industries include musical instrument manufacturing – the best known being PETROF pianos...
, but Augusta began mourning for the dead and injured. Augusta also became estranged from her daughter-in-law, Vicky, who began to sympathise with the Prussian cause and Bismarck's policies. The religious and distinctively dutiful Augusta felt Victoria to be "without religion," scorned at her occasional absenteeism from official occasions, but began to take an interest in the upbringing of her grandson, Wilhelm, and held him in high esteem.
Augusta, who clearly abhorred war, founded the National Women's Association in 1864, which looked after wounded and ill soldiers and convened with Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
for ideas. Several hospital foundations exist today from Augusta's initiative, including the German Society For Surgery.
German Empress
The Austro-Prussian War soon ended in 1866 but four years later, the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-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...
started in 1870 and Augusta continued to hold Bismarck personally responsible. However, the aftermath of the war left Wilhelm as German Emperor and Augusta as German Empress.
Augusta felt the Imperial Crown a personal defeat; she wanted the Prussian supremacy in Germany to succeed by "moral conquest" and not by bloodshed. Her opinion of the war was established by erecting an educational establishment 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....
in 1872, as "a home for the education of destitute daughters of German officers, military officials, priests and doctors from the field of honour as a result of the war of 1870-71."
Augusta buried her differences with Bismarck only in her last years, as it seemed he was the only suitable man to support her beloved grandson, Wilhelm. However, Wilhelm disliked Bismarck and soon forced him to resign during the first few years of his own reign.
Last years
Augusta had suffered from rheumatismRheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
for many years and in June 1881, she received heavy injuries from a fall which left her dependent on crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
es and a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
, but this did not hinder her from fulfilling her duties.
She finally made amends with her husband on his ninetieth birthday in 1887, but he soon died a year later. Only ninety-nine days later, her son, who had succeeded to the throne as Friedrich III, succumbed to cancer of the larynx
Cancer of the larynx
Laryngeal cancer may also be called cancer of the larynx or laryngeal carcinoma. Most laryngeal cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, reflecting their origin from the squamous cells which form the majority of the laryngeal epithelium....
. She did, however, see her beloved grandson Wilhelm become King and Emperor that year, but died a year later on 7 January 1890, aged 78. Augusta was buried in the mausoleum of Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
beside her husband.
Titles and styles
- 30 September 1811 - 11 June 1829 Her Serene Highness Princess Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
- 11 June 1829 - 2 January 1861 Her Royal Highness Princess William of Prussia
- 2 January 1861 – 18 January 1871 Her Majesty The Queen of Prussia
- 18 January 1871 - 9 March 1888 Her Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Empress, Queen of Prussia
- 9 March 1888 - 7 January 1890 Her Imperial and Royal Majesty The Dowager German Empress, Queen Dowager of Prussia