Duchess Jutta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Encyclopedia
Duchess Jutta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Auguste Charlotte Jutta Alexandra Georgina Adophine; 24 January 1880 – 17 February 1946) was a member of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and the consort of Crown Prince Danilo of Montenegro
.
, the youngest daughter of the then Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Adolf Friedrich
and his wife Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
. Along with her sister Marie
, Jutta was raised by governesses and had little contact with her parents. The atmosphere of Erbgrossherzog Palace was noted for its rigor and need for etiquette. A scandal broke out when her 19-year old sister became pregnant by a palace servant.
Through the influence of the German Emperor, William II
, her marriage to the heir apparent
of Montenegro
Prince Danilo was arranged. Hours after her arrival at Antivari in Montenegro she converted to the Orthodox
faith. She was accompanied by her future brother in law the Crown Prince of Italy, Victor Emmanuel
as she made her way to Cetinje
for her wedding. She married Prince Danilo on 27 July 1899. After her marriage and conversion to Orthodoxy she took the name Militza.
which included the country of her birth, the German Empire
. These links did not stop her from being a target; the villa in Antivari where she was staying was bombed by Austrian aircraft. After the war, the Royal Family established a government in exile
after Montenegro was incorporated into the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Her father-in-law King Nicholas I
died on 1 March 1921 and her husband succeeded as titular King of Montenegro. He only held the position for a week before abdicating in favour of his nephew Michael
.
Jutta spent the rest of her life in exile. She and her husband lived in France
where Danilo died in 1939. Jutta died in Rome
where her brother-in-law King Victor Emmanuel III reigned.
Danilo, Crown Prince of Montenegro
Danilo Aleksandar Petrović-Njegoš was the Crown Prince of Montenegro. He was eldest of the son of King Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro and Queen Milena Vukotić. During the Balkan Wars and World War I he led the Montenegrin Army with his father, King Nicholas I of Montenegro, Janko Vukotić,...
.
Early life and marriage
Duchess Auguste Charlotte Jutta Alexandra Georgina Adolphine of Mecklenburg was born in NeustrelitzNeustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
, the youngest daughter of the then Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Adolf Friedrich
Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Adolphus Frederick V was grand duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1904 to 1914.-Biography:Adolphus Frederick Augustus Victor Ernest Adalbert Gustavus William Wellington of Mecklenburg was born in Neustrelitz the only surviving child of the then Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick William of...
and his wife Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt was the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1904 to 1914 as the spouse of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.-Family:...
. Along with her sister Marie
Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg
Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg was the eldest daughter of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt....
, Jutta was raised by governesses and had little contact with her parents. The atmosphere of Erbgrossherzog Palace was noted for its rigor and need for etiquette. A scandal broke out when her 19-year old sister became pregnant by a palace servant.
Through the influence of the German Emperor, William II
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...
, her marriage to the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
Prince Danilo was arranged. Hours after her arrival at Antivari in Montenegro she converted to the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
faith. She was accompanied by her future brother in law the Crown Prince of Italy, Victor Emmanuel
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
as she made her way to Cetinje
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
for her wedding. She married Prince Danilo on 27 July 1899. After her marriage and conversion to Orthodoxy she took the name Militza.
World War I and later life
During the First World War, Montenegro fought against the Central PowersCentral Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
which included the country of her birth, the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. These links did not stop her from being a target; the villa in Antivari where she was staying was bombed by Austrian aircraft. After the war, the Royal Family established a government in exile
Government in exile
A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government, but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power, and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usually operate under the assumption that they will one day return to their...
after Montenegro was incorporated into the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Her father-in-law King Nicholas I
Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
died on 1 March 1921 and her husband succeeded as titular King of Montenegro. He only held the position for a week before abdicating in favour of his nephew Michael
Prince Michael of Montenegro
Prince Michael Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro was the third son of Prince Mirko Petrović-Njegoš, Grand Voivode of Grahovo and Zeta , and Natalija Konstantinovic, a cousin of Aleksandar Obrenović of Serbia...
.
Jutta spent the rest of her life in exile. She and her husband lived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where Danilo died in 1939. Jutta died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where her brother-in-law King Victor Emmanuel III reigned.