Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg
| Prince Albert | |
|---|---|
| Prince Albert c. 1890
Prince Albert c. 1890
| |
| Born | 14 April 1843 Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Confederation |
| Died | 22 May 1902 (aged 59) Remplin, German Empire |
| Spouse | Marie of Prussia (m. 1885; died 1888) Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (m. 1891) |
| Issue | Olga, Countess von Pückler-Burghauss Marie, Princess Reuss of Köstritz |
| Names Albert Heinrich Joseph Carl Viktor Georg Friedrich | |
| House | Saxe-Altenburg |
| Father | Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg |
| Mother | Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz |
Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg (Albert Heinrich Joseph Carl Viktor Georg Friedrich; 14 April 1843 in Munich – 22 May 1902 in Serrahn) was a German prince of the ducal house of Saxe-Altenburg.
Biography
Family and early life
Prince Albert was the eldest son (third in order of birth but the only one who survived to adulthood) of Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg (youngest son of Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen) and his second wife, Princess Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz.
He entered the Russian army early in life, and attained the rank of Major-General in this service, but subsequently exchanged it for the Prussian army, where he became a general of cavalry.[1]
Marriages
He was first married in Berlin on 6 May 1885 to Princess Marie of Prussia, widow of Prince Henry of the Netherlands.
They had two daughters:
- Princess Olga Elisabeth Carola Victoria Maria Anna Agnes Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg (Schloß Albrechtsberg, 17 April 1886 – Münster, 13 January 1955); married on 20 May 1913 Karl Frederick, Count of Pückler-Burghauss and Freiherr von Groditz (1886–1945).
- Marie (Schloß Albrechtsberg, 6 June 1888 – Hamburg, 12 November 1947); married on 20 April 1911 Heinrich XXXV, Prince von Reuss of Köstritz (1887–1936, son of Heinrich VII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz); they divorced in 1921, and Heinrich remarried to Princess Marie Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Marie adopted in 1942 her godson Theodor Franz (Graf Praschma) von Sachsen-Altenburg (1934–2012).
Princess Marie died in 1888 from the effects of puerperal fever. A few years later on 13 December 1891, at Remplin, Albert married Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The couple had no children.
Albert was a conspicuous figure in Berlin society, and was a great favorite due to his "clever" mind, genial disposition, pleasant address, and enthusiasm as a sportsman.[2] Marie died in 1888.[2] Sources reported that the Emperor′s "arbitrary manners" became so intolerable to Albert and others, as they were used to the days of social courtesy under the old Wilhelm I.[3]
Prince Albert died on 22 May 1902 at Remplin.[2]
Honours
He received the following orders and decorations:[4]
- Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, May 1861[5]
- Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Grand Cross of the White Falcon, 17 December 1866[6]
- Kingdom of Saxony: Knight of the Rue Crown
- Mecklenburg: Grand Cross of the Wendish Crown, with Crown in Ore
- Ascanian duchies: Grand Cross of Albert the Bear, 1 January 1863; with Swords, 2 November 1864[7]
- Kingdom of Hanover: Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order, 1862[8]
- Persian Empire: Order of the Lion and the Sun, 1st Class
- Kingdom of Italy: Grand Cross of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
- Kingdom of Prussia:
- Knight of the Red Eagle, 3rd Class with Swords, 1864; Grand Cross with Swords on Ring, 6 May 1885[9]
- Member of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, with Swords
- Knight of Justice of the Johanniter Order, 1900[10]
- Iron Cross (1870), 2nd Class
- Oldenburg: Grand Cross of the Order of Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig, with Golden Crown and Collar
- Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Netherlands Lion
- Austria-Hungary: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Leopold, 1889[11]
- Russian Empire:
- Knight of St. George, 4th Class
- Knight of St. Vladimir, 2nd Class with Swords
- Knight of St. Alexander Nevsky
- Knight of St. Anna, 3rd Class with Swords
Ancestry
- Ancestors of Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg
- 8. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
- 4. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
- 9. Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar
- 2. Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg
- 10. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 5. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 11. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt
- 1. Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg
- 12. Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuss of Greiz
- 6. Heinrich XIX, Prince Reuss of Greiz
- 13. Princess Louise of Nassau-Weilburg
- 3. Princess Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz
- 14. Charles Gaspard, Prince of Rochefort
- 7. Gasparine de Rohan-Rochefort
- 15. Marie-Louise-Joséphine de Rohan
References
- Back to citation "Obituary". The Times. No. 36776. London. 24 May 1902. p. 8.
- Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Back to citation occurrence 2.2 "Berlin-Malcom Clarke", Minneapolis Tribune, 22 July 1902
- Back to citation "Snubbed By The Kaiser", The New York Times, 17 February 1896
- Back to citation Staatshandbücher für das Herzogtum Sachsen-Altenburg (1902), "Genealogie des Herzoglichen Hauses" pp. 7-8
- Back to citation Staatshandbücher für das Herzogtum Sachsen-Altenburg (1869), "Herzoglich Sachsen Ernestinischer Hausorden" p. 18
- Back to citation Staatshandbuch für das Großherzogtum Sachsen / Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (1869), "Großherzogliche Hausorden" p. 11
- Back to citation Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Herzogtum Anhalt (1867) "Herzoglicher Haus-orden Albrecht des Bären" p. 18
- Back to citation Staat Hannover (1865). Hof- und Staatshandbuch für das Königreich Hannover: 1865. Berenberg. p. 80.
- Back to citation "Rother Adler-orden", Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1886, p. 27
- Back to citation Johanniter-Ordensblatt: amtliche Monatschrift der Balley Brandenburg (in German), vol. 43, 1902, p. 133
- Back to citation "Ritter-Orden", Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie, 1901, p. 70, retrieved 1 December 2020