Prince of Leiningen
Encyclopedia
The title of Prince of Leiningen was created by the Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II
, who elevated Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg
to the rank of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsfürst) on 3 July 1779. The family is extant, and all male-line descendants of the grantee bear the title of Prince(ss)
of Leiningen (Prinz(essin) zu Leiningen) with the style of Serene Highness
. The head of the house is styled The Prince of Leiningen (Fürst zu Leiningen) (note the difference between the princely titles at the article Fürst
).
The second prince, Emich Carl, was the first husband of Queen Victoria's mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, and his children remained close to their half-sister. The fourth prince, Ernst, pursued a career in the British Royal Navy
; his marriage to Princess Marie of Baden, a descendant of the Electress Sophia of Hanover, meant that their children were in the line of succession to the British throne
, though rather far down the list. The sixth prince, Karl, married Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia, daughter of Princess Victoria Melita
who was in turn daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, Queen Victoria's second son. As a result, their descendants today occupy places higher up the British line of succession, in the early hundreds.
In 1991, the Hereditary Prince Karl Emich
married, as his second wife, Dr Gabriele Thyssen. As a result, the seventh prince, Emich, disinherited his eldest son. This decision was upheld by the German courts, and so on Emich's death later that year he was succeeded as head of the family by his second son Andreas, who is the eighth and present Prince.
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, who elevated Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg
Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, 1st Prince of Leiningen
Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman.He was the eldest son of Friedrich Magnus, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg and his wife Countess Anna Christine Eleonore von Wurmbrand-Stuppach, and succeeded his father on the latter's death, 28 October 1756...
to the rank of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsfürst) on 3 July 1779. The family is extant, and all male-line descendants of the grantee bear the title of Prince(ss)
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of Leiningen (Prinz(essin) zu Leiningen) with the style of Serene Highness
Serene Highness
His/Her Serene Highness is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918...
. The head of the house is styled The Prince of Leiningen (Fürst zu Leiningen) (note the difference between the princely titles at the article Fürst
Fürst
Fürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
).
The second prince, Emich Carl, was the first husband of Queen Victoria's mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was the mother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
, and his children remained close to their half-sister. The fourth prince, Ernst, pursued a career in the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
; his marriage to Princess Marie of Baden, a descendant of the Electress Sophia of Hanover, meant that their children were in the line of succession to the British throne
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
, though rather far down the list. The sixth prince, Karl, married Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia, daughter of Princess Victoria Melita
Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , was the third child and second daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia...
who was in turn daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
, Queen Victoria's second son. As a result, their descendants today occupy places higher up the British line of succession, in the early hundreds.
In 1991, the Hereditary Prince Karl Emich
Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen
Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen , was born on June 12, 1952. He is the eldest son of Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen and his wife Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg, and is an elder brother of Andreas, 8th Prince of Leiningen.-Marriages and children:He married Princess Margarita of Hohenlohe-Oehringen on...
married, as his second wife, Dr Gabriele Thyssen. As a result, the seventh prince, Emich, disinherited his eldest son. This decision was upheld by the German courts, and so on Emich's death later that year he was succeeded as head of the family by his second son Andreas, who is the eighth and present Prince.
Princes of Leiningen (1779)
- Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, 1st Prince of LeiningenCarl Friedrich Wilhelm, 1st Prince of LeiningenCarl Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman.He was the eldest son of Friedrich Magnus, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg and his wife Countess Anna Christine Eleonore von Wurmbrand-Stuppach, and succeeded his father on the latter's death, 28 October 1756...
(1724–1807) - Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of LeiningenEmich Carl, 2nd Prince of LeiningenEmich Carl, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman.He was born at Dürckheim, the fourth child and only son of Carl Friedrich Wilhelm, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg by his wife Countess Christiane Wilhelmine Luise of Solms-Rödelheim and Assenheim...
(1763–1814) - Carl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl Friedrich Wilhelm Emich, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman and the elder half-brother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
(1804–1856) - Ernst, 4th Prince of LeiningenErnst Leopold, 4th Prince of LeiningenErnst Leopold, 4th Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman.-Biography:He was the elder son of Carl, 3rd Prince of Leiningen and Countess Maria Klebelsberg. His father was the maternal half-brother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Ernst Leopold joined the Royal Navy in 1849...
(1830–1904) - Emich, 5th Prince of LeiningenEmich, 5th Prince of LeiningenEmich, 5th Prince of Leiningen was the son of Ernst Leopold, 4th Prince of Leiningen. He was the titular Prince of Leiningen from 1904 until his death.-Early life:...
(1866–1939) - Karl, 6th Prince of LeiningenKarl, 6th Prince of LeiningenKarl, Prince of Leiningen was the son of Emich, 5th Prince of Leiningen. He was the titular Prince of Leiningen from 1939 until his death.-Early life:...
(1898–1946) - Emich, 7th Prince of LeiningenEmich, 7th Prince of LeiningenEmich Kyrill, Prince of Leiningen was the son of Karl, Prince of Leiningen. He was the titular Prince of Leiningen from 1946 until his death.-Early life:...
(1926–1991) - Andreas, 8th Prince of Leiningen (born 1955)
- his heir-apparent, Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Leiningen (born 1982)
Sources
- http://www.btinternet.com/~allan_raymond/Leiningen_Royal_Family.htm
- http://genealogy.euweb.cz/leiningen/leiningen6.html
- http://www.william1.co.uk/g4.htm
- http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~conqueror/genealogy_html/i1090.html
- http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/leiningen.html