Monthly Archives: February 2016

Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz, Tsaritsa of Bulgaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz, Tsaritsa of Bulgaria source: Wikipedia

Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz (Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise) was the second wife of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria (born Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry). She was born on August 22, 1860, in Trebschen, a village in the Province of Brandenburg, now part of Poland, to Prince Heinrich IV Reuss of Köstritz and Princess Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz.

Eleonore had three siblings:

  • Prince Heinrich XXIV Reuss of Köstritz (1855 – 1910), married his cousin Princess Elisabeth Reuss of Köstritz, had five children
  • Helene Reuss of Köstritz (1864 – 1876)
  • ElisabethReuss of Köstritz  (1865 – 1937)

From an early age, Eleonore was involved in helping others. In 1905, she traveled to the Far East to work as a nurse during the Russo-Japanese War. Two years later, following a bit of match-making by Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Eleonore became engaged to Ferdinand of Bulgaria in December 1907.  Ferdinand’s first wife, Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma, died on January 31, 1899, after the birth of the youngest of their four children.

source: Wikipedia

Following extensive negotiations, due primarily to their different religions, Eleonore and Ferdinand were married in a Catholic ceremony at St. Augustine’s Church in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in the German state of Bavaria, on February 28, 1908. The following day, a Protestant ceremony was held at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in the German state of Thuringia. At the time, Ferdinand was the reigning Prince (Knyaz) and Eleonore became Princess of Bulgaria. Later that year, Eleonore would become the first Tsaritsa of Bulgaria after Ferdinand declared the country a kingdom.

Eleonore and Ferdinand did not have any children however, Eleonore was instrumental in raising her four stepchildren:

With very little attention or affection from her husband, Eleonore focused on the welfare of the Bulgarian people. She quickly became involved with the Bulgarian Red Cross, and later set up the Queen Eleonore Fund in 1910 to raise funds to build institutes for children who were blind and deaf. She also founded an orphanage for Jewish children, which still exists today as The Queen Eleonore Orphanage.

Eleonore also took a great interest in the medieval Boyana Church, on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria. The small church dating as far back as the 10th century was too small to accommodate the needs of the village and it was planned to tear it down and build a new church. However, Eleonore dreaded the loss of such a historic building, and purchased a plot of land for a new church, allowing the original building to remain and be restored.

Eleonore as a nurse with the Red Cross during the Balkan Wars. source: Wikipedia

During the Balkan Wars and World War I, Eleonore worked tirelessly as a nurse on the front lines. Sadly, after a serious illness, the Tsaritsa died on September 12, 1917, at Euxinograd Palace. near Varna, Bulgaria. Per her wishes, she was buried in a very modest grave next to the medieval Boyana Church she had helped save.

Grave of Tsaritsa Eleonore. source: Wikipedia, photo by Elena Chochkova

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Bulgaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma, Princess of Bulgaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma, Princess of Bulgaria; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma was the first wife of the future Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria. She was born Princess Maria Luisa Pia Teresa Anna Ferdinanda Francesca Antonietta Margherita Giuseppina Caroline Bianca Lucia Apollonia of Bourbon-Parma on January 17, 1870 in Rome, Italy. Maria Luisa was the eldest child of Robert I, Duke of Parma and his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and had eleven younger siblings. Six of her eleven siblings were mentally disabled.

  • Ferdinando (born and died 1871) died in infancy
  • Luisa Maria (1872 – 1943), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Enrico, Duke of Parma (1873 – 1939), unmarried, mentally disabled, Titular Duke of Parma 1907-1939, his brother Elias took up the role as regent and head of the family
  • Maria Immacolata (1874 – 1914), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Giuseppe, Duke of Parma (1875 – 1950), unmarried, mentally disabled, Titular Duke of Parma 1939-1950, his brother Elias continued the role as regent and head of the family
  • Maria Teresa (1876 – 1959), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Maria Pia (1877 – 1915), unmarried, mentally disabled
  • Beatrice (1879 – 1946), married Pietro Lucchesi-Palli, had issue
  • Elias, Duke of Parma (1880- 1959), married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, had issue; Head of the Ducal Family of Parma (1950–1959)
  • Maria Anastasia (born and died 1881), died in infancy
  • Stillborn child (September 22, 1882), Maria Pia died in childbirth

Two years after her mother died in childbirth in 1882, Maria Luisa’s father married Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal and had another twelve children, Maria Luisa’s half-siblings:

  • Maria della Neve Adelaide (1885 – 1959), a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
  • Sixtus (1886 – 1934), married Hedwige de La Rochefoucauld, had issue
  • Xavier, Duke of Parma (1889 – 1977), married Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset, had issue, the Carlist claimants to the Spanish throne descend through this line
  • Zita (1892 – 1989) – married Emperor Karl of Austria, had issue
  • Francesca (1890 – 1978), a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
  • Felix (1893 – 1970), married Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, had issue
  • René (1894 – 1962), married Princess Margrethe of Denmark, had issue including Anne who married King Michael I of Romania
  • Maria Antonia (1895 – 1937), a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
  • Isabella (1898 – 1984), nun
  • Luigi (1899 – 1967), married Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy, had issue
  • Henrietta Anna (1903 – 1987), unmarried, was deaf
  • Gaetano (1905 – 1958), married and divorced Princess Margarete of Thurn and Taxis, had issue

Princess Maria Luisa was raised primarily in Switzerland, in the care of English governesses. Artistically gifted, she became fluent in five languages and enjoyed painting and music.

In 1892, Maria Luise’s father began to arrange a marriage for Maria Luisa to the reigning Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria. Extensive negotiations were needed to make the match possible. One of the biggest obstacles was religion. Maria Luisa’s family was staunchly Catholic and insisted that any children would be raised in the Catholic Church. Ferdinand was also Catholic and had been permitted to remain so when elected Prince of Bulgaria. However, the Bulgarian constitution required that any future Prince be a member of the Orthodox Church. This would mean that Ferdinand’s heir could not be raised Catholic. Capitalizing on the exceptions that had been given to both Ferdinand and his predecessor Alexander of Battenberg, Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov quickly had the constitution amended to provide another exception for Ferdinand’s heir.

Maria Luisa and Ferdinand, 1893. source: Wikipedia

With this final issue resolved, the engagement was announced in August 1892. Being a truly arranged marriage, it would be on their engagement day that Maria Luisa and Ferdinand met for the first time. They married on April 20, 1893, at Villa Pianore, the Duke of Parma’s residence in Lucca, Italy. They had four children:

Maria Luisa with her sons, Boris and Kiril, 1896. source: Wikipedia

Less than two years after the birth of their first son, Boris, Ferdinand decided he would have his son baptized in the Orthodox church, despite the agreements made before his marriage. This was part of his efforts to be recognized as sovereign of Bulgaria by the new Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II. Maria Luisa, supported by both her family and her mother-in-law, argued strongly against the conversion but Ferdinand insisted. Prince Boris was received into the Orthodox Church, with Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia as his godparent. Maria Luisa left the country in protest, not returning until the late spring of 1896. The rest of their children were raised Catholic.

Maria Luisa, Princess of Bulgaria – source: Wikipedia

Maria Luisa’s marriage, which had been strictly for political and dynastic reasons, was not a happy one. Having given birth to three children, and expecting a fourth within five years had taken a toll on her already frail health. She developed pneumonia while pregnant with her youngest child, and died on January 31, 1899, just a day after giving birth. She was just 29 years old. Princess Maria Luisa was buried in the Cathedral of Saint Louis of France, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Tomb of Marie Luisa; Credit – By Бирдас – Собствена творба, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22874195

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Bulgaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria – source: Wikipedia

Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria was born on February 26, 1861, at the Palais Coburg in Vienna, Austria. At birth, he was Prince Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, a member of the Catholic Koháry branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was the son of Prince August of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry and Princess Clémentine of Orléans, daughter of King Louis Philippe I of the French.

Ferdinand had four older siblings:

Ferdinand with his mother, c1866. source: Wikipedia

The Koháry branch began with Ferdinand’s grandfather who married Princess Maria Antonia Koháry de Csábrág et Szitnya, who was Catholic. She was the daughter and heiress of one of the largest landowners in Hungary. Upon her father’s death in 1826, the couple inherited his estates and fortune, at which point her husband and the rest of the family converted to Roman Catholicism and added Koháry to the family name.

Prince Ferdinand grew up in Vienna, where his father was a General in the Austrian military. He attended and graduated from the Theresianum Academy and became a Colonel in the Second Regiment of the Austrian Hussars, where he would remain until 1887. From a young age, he developed an interest in ornithology, entomology, and botany – subjects that fascinated him his entire life. During his schooling, Ferdinand and his brother Ludwig August embarked on a scientific expedition on the Amazon River, after which Ferdinand published a study, ‘Description of Birds by Prince Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg and Gotha’ in 1884.

Ferdinand – source: Wikipedia

In 1886, after the abdication of Alexander of Battenberg as reigning Knyaz (Prince) of Bulgaria, a search began for a new prince. Many European princes refused, fearing the same fate as Alexander Battenberg. However, Prince Ferdinand’s mother put forth his name. Following a vote by the National Assembly, Ferdinand was elected Knyaz of Bulgaria on July 7, 1887, although he remained unrecognized by the Great Powers.

Ferdinand and Maria Luisa, 1893. source: Wikipedia

Knowing that establishing a royal house and ensuring the succession would be crucial, Ferdinand married Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma on April 20, 1893. She was the daughter of Robert I, Duke of Parma and Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Ferdinand’s mother arranged the marriage before the couple had met each other. Despite Ferdinand’s complete disinterest in his wife, the couple had four children:

The early years of Ferdinand’s reign brought Bulgaria to the forefront of the Balkan countries, primarily due to the efforts of Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov. However, Russia had severed diplomatic relations, and Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia was strongly opposed to recognizing Ferdinand as Prince. After Alexander’s death, his son Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, who was much more moderate, proposed a reconciliation providing that Ferdinand’s heir was raised in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Despite the feelings of Ferdinand’s Catholic family, he realized that formal recognition from Russia would be necessary before any European country would recognize him. On February 2, 1896, Ferdinand had his son Boris baptized in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church with Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia as a godparent. Soon after, Ferdinand was recognized as Prince of Bulgaria by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Ferdinand quickly began to bring Bulgaria to the level of other European monarchies.

Prince Ferdinand, c1897. source: Wikipedia

The Bulgarian army became one of the most powerful in the Balkan region and Ferdinand established universities, an arts academy, a seminary, and technical schools around the country. He founded the Institute of Natural Sciences with a museum, zoo, and botanical gardens. The nation’s railway and road network was developed, and new post offices and telegraph stations opened throughout Bulgaria.

Ferdinand and his second wife, Eleonore, on their wedding day. source: Wikipedia

Having given birth to three children, and expecting a fourth within five years had taken a toll on Maria Louise’s already frail health. She developed pneumonia while pregnant with her youngest child, and died on January 31, 1899, just a day after giving birth. Nine years later, on February 28, 1908, Ferdinand married Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz. She stepped in as a mother to his children, although the couple did not have children.

Since its establishment as a principality, Bulgaria was under the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. However, on October 5, 1908, Ferdinand proclaimed independence, elevating Bulgaria to a kingdom and becoming Tsar Ferdinand I. Much of the next ten years was consumed by war. The First Balkan War in 1912 saw significant land gains, but these were nearly all negated by losses during the Second Balkan War the following year, and soon, World War I began. In the beginning, Bulgaria remained neutral while being courted by both sides due to the country’s location and strong military. Having entered the war in the fall of 1915, siding with the Central Powers, initial successes were soon overshadowed by significant losses and defeats. On October 3, 1918, taking full responsibility for the loss of the war, Tsar Ferdinand abdicated in favor of his son Boris. Ferdinand settled in Coburg, where he devoted his time to his favorite pastimes – art, gardening, travel, and history.

In 1943, his son Tsar Boris III died after visiting Hitler in Germany and was succeeded by his son Simeon who was just six years old. In 1945, Ferdinand’s other son Kyril was executed, and in 1946, the young Simeon was deposed, and the Bulgarian monarchy was abolished. Heartbroken at the loss of his family and his kingdom, Ferdinand died in Coburg on September 10, 1948. Unable to be buried in Bulgaria at the time, his remains were temporarily placed in the crypt of St. Augustine’s Church in Coburg, besides those of his parents. On May 29, 2024, the remains of Ferdinand I were transported from Coburg to Sofia, Bulgaria where they were interred in the Palace Crypt at Vrana Palace on the outskirts of Sofia.

Reburial of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria in the Palace Crypt at Vrana Palace; Credit – Photo: King Boris and Queen Giovanna Royal Heritage Fund

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Bulgaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty