Category Archives: Former Monarchies

Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Schleswig, Germany 

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Ziko – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50332912

Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Schleswig, Germany, named for Saint Peter the Apostle, is also called Schleswig Cathedral. The first cathedral in Schleswig was built after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Schleswig was founded in 947. However, neither the size nor the exact location of this cathedral is known. Before the Protestant Reformation, the cathedral was a Roman Catholic church. Now Saint Peter’s Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of the Schleswig and Holstein Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany. Rulers of the Duchy of Schleswig, the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, and the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and their families are buried at Saint Peter’s Cathedral.

Cnut Lavard, son of King Eric I of Denmark, the first Duke of Schleswig; Credit – Wikipedia

The cathedral has connections to Denmark, and some Danish royals are buried in the cathedral. In 1115, King Niels of Denmark created his nephew Cnut Lavard, son of his predecessor King Eric I of Denmark, Earl of Schleswig. Cnut Lavard used the title Earl of Schleswig for only a short time before he began to style himself Duke of Schleswig. In 1544, Adolf of Denmark, his brother Johann of Denmark, and their half-brother King Christian III of Denmark, all sons of King Frederik I of Denmark,  divided and then ruled the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, also known as Ducal Holstein, were ruled for two hundred years by various Dukes of Schleswig and Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, a branch of the elder Danish line of the German House of Oldenburg. Other parts of the duchies were ruled by the Kings of Denmark. In 1721, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp lost their power when their land holdings became part of Denmark. After the 1864 Second Schleswig War, Schleswig and Holstein were annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.

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The Construction of Saint Peter’s Cathedral

Interior of St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Frank Vincentz – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30812608

Around 1030, the construction of a new Romanesque cathedral began and would continue over several hundred years. During the reign of Cnut Lavard, the first Duke of Schleswig (reigned 1115 – 1134), the semicircular apse was built and the transept was built 1180 – 1200. During renovations between 1200 and 1500, the Romanesque nave cathedral became a Gothic three-nave hall cathedral. The vaulted cathedral chapter house in the northern aisle was added around 1220 – 1230 and the nave vault around 1230 – 1270. Originally, the cathedral had two towers, but they collapsed in 1275 and were not rebuilt.

The cathedral did not have a tower until German architect and archaeologist Friedrich Adler constructed a 112-meter/368-foot Neo-Gothic tower between 1888 and 1894 at the request of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia.

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Saint Peter’s Portal

Saint Peter’s Portal; Credit – Wikipedia

The cathedral’s main entrance is the 1180 St. Peter’s Portal. It was constructed using granite, red sandstone from Scania, limestone from Gotland, and tuff (a light, porous volcanic rock) from the Rhineland. The tympanum (the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, door, or window) depicts Jesus Christ between the evangelists and saints.

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The Sacristy

The sacristy, where the priest and attendants put on their vestments and prepare for services, was built around 1480. It served as the meeting place for the cathedral chapter (the group of clerics formed to advise a bishop) and after 1567, as a lecture hall for the cathedral school. After the Protestant Reformation, it was converted into a burial crypt for the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp.

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The Choir

The choir is the part of a cathedral between the altar and the nave, the central aisle. The choir of Saint Peter’s Cathedral was expanded and painted at the end of the 13th century. The frescoes depict the Annunciation, the Coronation of Mary, Saint Catherine, Saint Philip, Saint Peter, the Deesis (Christ enthroned holding a book with the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist at his sides), and angels. The choir stalls were built at the beginning of the 16th century by an unknown artist using the pseudonym Magister Rusticus.

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The Schwahl

The Schwahl; Credit – By Kirchenfloh – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116866810

In Danish-Low German, Schwahl means “half-open corridor outside a building.” The Schwahl is located on the north side of the nave and was built from brick 1310 – 1320. It is a corridor leading to the cloisters and a processional corridor leading out of the cathedral and back into the cathedral. Restored frescoes on the wall panels depicting the life of Jesus are from the time of construction. Mythical creatures are depicted on the vaults, the arched ceiling. The Schwahl is not regularly open to the public to protect the frescoes from dirt and condensation.

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The Brüggemann Altar

The Brüggemann Altar; Credit – By W. Bulach – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75089166

The impressive Brüggemann Altar was made of oak by Hans Brüggemann, a German sculptor and woodcarver, between 1514 and 1521. The huge altar – 12.60 meters/42 feet high – depicts sixteen scenes from Christ’s Passion with a total of more than 400 finely carved unpainted figures. The altar was originally made for Bordesholm Abbey, then in the Duchy of Holstein. After the abbey’s dissolution due to the Protestant Reformation, Christian Albrecht, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, who is buried in St. Peter’s Cathedral,  arranged for the altar’s transfer to St. Peter’s Cathedral in 1666.

Detail from the Brüggemann Altar – Jesus carrying the cross; Credit – By Uli Poppe Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7616563

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Cenotaph of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein

Cenotaph of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia by Von Arnoldius

In the north choir nave, there is a cenotaph, an empty tomb, created by Flemish sculptor Cornelis Floris de Vriendt for Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, and erected in the cathedral in 1552. Frederik I, who died in 1533, was the last Roman Catholic monarch of Denmark. He is buried in St. Peter’s Cathedral but the location of his burial is unknown.

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Burials at St. Peter’s Cathedral

Sarcophagi at St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Västgöten – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8972859

Burials at St. Peter’s Cathedral include:

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.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). Kirchengebäude in Schleswig. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleswiger_Dom
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2007). Wikimedia-Liste. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_von_Grabst%C3%A4tten_europ%C3%A4ischer_Monarchen
  • Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Domkirke i Sydslesvig. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slesvig_Domkirke
  • Der St. Petri-Dom zu Schleswig. (2025). Mein-Schleswiger-Dom.de. https://www.mein-schleswiger-dom.de/
  • Saint Petri Dom in Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein – Find a Grave Cemetery. (2025). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2161243/saint-petri-dom
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Schleswig Cathedral. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Hubertus, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Hubertus, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha became Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and pretender to the formal ducal throne, upon his father’s death in 2025. Hubertus is the great-grandson of the last reigning Duke, Carl Eduard.

Embed from Getty Images

Hubertus Michael, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born in Hamburg on September 16, 1975, the son of Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Carin Dabelstein. He has two siblings:

  • Princess Stephanie (1972) – married Dr. Jan Stahl, no issue
  • Prince Alexander (1977) – unmarried

Soon after his birth, his family moved back to Coburg where Hubertus attended public school. He served for two years in the Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion before leaving to attend university. Hubertus attended the University of Wurzburg (1997-1999), the London School of Economics (1999) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2000-2003), earning a degree in law. He then worked for the Provincial Court of Appeals, and then a local law firm in Munich, before moving to New York City where he worked as a lawyer for Deutsche Bank for five years.

Two years after meeting in New York, Hubertus married Kelly Rondestvedt in a civil ceremony on May 21, 2009 at Callenberg Castle, followed by a large religious ceremony held on May 23, 2009 at Saint Moritz Church in Coburg. The couple have three children:

  • Princess Katharina (2014)
  • Philipp, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2015)
  • Princess Madeleine (2017)

Hubertus returned to Coburg at the end of 2011, and the following month, he took over as Administrator of the family foundation – ‘the Stiftung der Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha’schen Familie’ which oversees and manages the family’s properties and assets, including Callenberg Gastle and Greinburg Castle and thousands of acres of farmland and forests.

Hubertus succeeded his father, who passed away on April 3, 2025.

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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.

Breaking News: Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has died

 © Unofficial Royalty 2025

Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the pretender to the former ducal throne and Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1998 until he died on April 3, 2025, in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany, at the age of 82. He was the grandson of Charles Edward, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the only son of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria.

Prince Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus was born on March 21, 1943 at Schloss Casel in Lower Lusatia. He was the only child of Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and his first wife Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth.

On July 31, 1971, in Hamburg, Germany, Prince Andreas married Carin Dabelstein, the daughter of Adolf Dabelstein and Irma Callsen. His wife died in 2023, but Prince Andreas is survived by his three children – Princess Stephanie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1972), Hubertus, now Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha,  (born 1975), and Prince Alexander of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1977).

Prince Andreas was known for reaching out to his extended family, hoping to heal many of the wounds caused in the past, primarily after his grandfather had sided with Hitler during World War II. Following the fall of communism and the reunification of Germany, Prince Andreas worked to re-acquire former family property that had been seized after the war.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2011, Prince Andreas continued to be as active as possible. He spent much time with family and friends, traveling, and visiting his properties in Germany and Austria. He was a first cousin and close friend of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and was the godfather of the King’s younger daughter, Princess Madeleine. Because of this relationship, the Prince was often seen in attendance at Swedish royal family events.

Read more about the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Family at Unofficial Royalty: Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

Nazli Sabri, second wife of King Fuad I of Egypt

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Nazli Sabri was the second wife of King Fuad I of Egypt, and the first Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Egypt. She was later stripped of her royal titles, and after converting to Catholicism, became Mary-Elizabeth Sabri.

source: Wikipedia

Nazli Sabri was born on June 25, 1894 in Alexandria, Egypt, one of five children of Abdel Rahim Sabri Pasha and Tawfika Sharif Hanim. She was educated at the Lycée de la Esclave-de-Dieu in Cairo and the Collège Notre-Dame de Sion in Alexandria before attending a boarding school in Paris. After returning to Egypt, she was forced to marry her first cousin, Khalil Sabri, but the marriage ended in divorce less than a year later.

Fuad I, c. 1910. source: Wikipedia

Nazli first met Sultan Fuad I (later King Fuad I) at the opera and he soon proposed. They married on May 24, 1919 at the Bustan Palace in Cairo. The couple had five children:

King Farouk (1920) – married (1) Safinaz Zulficar, 3 daughters: (2) Narriman Sadek, 1 son
Princess Fawzia (1921) – married (1) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, 1 daughter; (2) Ismail Chirine, 2 children
Princess Faiza (1923) – married Bulent Rauf, no issue
Princess Faika (1926) – married Fuad Sadek, 4 children
Princess Fathia (1930) – married Riyad Ghali, 3 children

Her activities as Queen were heavily restricted, only permitted to attend events such as the opera, and women-only events. This was very frustrating to Nazli, as she had lived a very different lifestyle prior to her marriage. However, she was one of the most popular members of the Egyptian royal family, both within Egypt as well as throughout Europe.

Queen Nazli with her son, King Farouk, and her four daughters c:1938. source: Wikipedia

In 1936, King Fuad died and was succeeded by the young Farouk, overseen by a Regency Council which included Nazli’s brother, Sherif. Ten years later, suffering from some health issues, Queen Nazli traveled to the United States to undergo medical treatment. Following surgery, she decided to settle in California, along with her youngest daughters, Faika and Fathia.

Queen Nazli (center) at the wedding of her daughter, Fawzia, to the Crown Prince of Iran, 1939. source: Wikipedia

In 1950, Princess Fathia married Riyad Ghali, an advisor to the Royal Family, and a Coptic Christian. Despite his conversion to Islam, the new King did not approve or give his consent to the marriage. Because Nazli supported her daughter, King Farouk stripped Nazli and Fathia of their royal titles and styles, as well as confiscating their properties in Egypt and banning them from ever returning. Queen Nazli later converted to Catholicism, and changed her name to Mary-Elizabeth Sabri.

For many years, she lived in a large mansion in Beverly Hills, California, with Fathia and her family. However, Fathia’s husband squandered much of their fortune, and the couple divorced. Relatively impoverished – at least by Royal standards – she was forced to auction off many of her jewels in order to survive.

Mary-Elizabeth Sabri – the former Queen Nazli of Egypt – died in Los Angeles on May 29, 1978. She is buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

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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.

Princess Shivakiar Ibramin, first wife of King Fuad I of Egypt

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Shivakiar Ibrahim was the first wife of Prince Ahmed Fuad, who later became King Fuad I of Egypt. She was considered to be one of the richest women in Egypt.

Source: Wikipedia. By Retrieverlove – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35582656

Princess Shivakiar was born October 25, 1876 in Üsküdar, Istanbul in the Ottoman Empire, the only daughter of Prince Ibrahim Fahmi Pasha and his first wife, Nevjiwan Hanim.

On May 31, 1895 she married Prince Ahmed Fuad (later King Fuad I of Egypt) at the Abbasiya Palace in Cairo. The couple were first cousins once removed (her father was his first cousin). They had two children:

  • Prince Ismail Fuad (1896) – died in infancy
  • Princess Fawkia (1897) – married twice, one son

Shivakiar and her first husband, Prince Ahmed Fuad (later King Fuad I). source: Wikipedia By Retrieverlove – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35582655

The couple divorced in 1898, following a dispute between Shivakiar’s brother and her husband, which had involved her brother shooting Fuad in the throat. Fuad survived, but the marriage did not.

Shivakiar went on to marry four more times and have several more children:

  • Marriage #2 – Raouf Thabet Bey – married 1900, divorced 1903, no issue
  • Marriage #3 – Seyfullah Yousri Pasha – married 1904, divorced 1916, two children
  • Marriage #4 – Selim Khalil Bey – married 1917, divorced 1925, one son
  • Marriage #5 – Ilhami Hüseyin Pasha – married 1927, no issue

Despite her divorce from Prince Ahmed Fuad, she retained her title of Princess, as well as her position at court, and remained close to the Egyptian royal family. She was very involved in philanthropy, serving as president of the Muhammad Ali Benevolent Society, and the Mar’al-Guedida (‘New Woman’), an organization that provided training and education for young women.

By Retrieverlove – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35583240

Princess Shivakiar died at the Kasr al-Aali Palace in Cairo on February 17, 1947. Her tomb, in the Hosh al-Basha mausoleum in Cairo, is designed as a large unmade bed, as per her specific wishes.

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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.

Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

Württemberg was a County, a Duchy, and an Electorate before becoming a Kingdom in 1806. It is now part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The Palace Chapel (Schlosskapelle in German) at Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany was the place of worship and the traditional burial site of the Württemberg family since it was built in the early 1700s. The first King of Württemberg, Friedrich I, was the last ruler buried in the Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace. His son and successor, the childless King Karl I is buried in the Schlosskirche at the Old Castle (Altes Schloss) in Stuttgart. Wilhelm II, the last King of Württemberg, King Friedrich I’s grandson, is buried in the Old Cemetery on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace.

Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – By Maulaff – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=149007837

Ludwigsburg Palace was expanded from a small hunting lodge to a monumental four-wing palace with 452 rooms between 1704 and 1816. The construction of Ludwigsburg Palace began during the reign of Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg who laid the foundation in 1704. He allowed the workers to reside for free around the palace construction. Five architects worked on Ludwigsburg Palace over the years – Philipp Joseph Jenisch (link in German), Johann Friedrich Nette, Donato Giuseppe Frisoni, Philippe de La Guêpière, and Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret. As a result of each architect’s work, Ludwigsburg Palace is a combination of Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Empire-style architecture.

The Courtyard of Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – By Gregorini Demetrio, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52233396

The ceiling painting “Glorification of the Holy Trinity” by Carlo Carlone; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

Unusually opulent for a Protestant church, the Schlosskapelle (Palace Chapel) is located in the East Wing of Ludwigsburg Palace. It was designed by Italian architect Donato Giuseppe Frisoni and built from 1716 to 1724. Frisoni designed a two-story church interior that was circular instead of longitudinal. The rotunda of the chapel had three semi-domes. The chapel was painted by Donato Giuseppe Frisoni, Luca Antonio Colomba, Livio Retti, and Carlo Carlone, who were all restricted to Protestant doctrine for the subjects of their painting. The central dome is covered by an impressive ceiling painting “The Glorification of the Holy Trinity” by the painter Carlo Carlone.

The Ducal Box; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

The Ducal Box Seat, painted with the biblical story of David by Livio Retti, was accessible to the ruling family directly from the second floor of their living quarters. The members of the court sat in the side galleries of the chapel.

Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg – Ludwigsburg Palace’s construction started during his reign; Credit – Wikipedia

The Palace Chapel changed religious denominations depending on whether the ruler was Protestant or Catholic. Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg, a Protestant, built it as a Protestant chapel. However, it became a Catholic chapel under the Catholic rulers Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg and Carl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg. King Friedrich I redecorated the Palace Chapel in 1798 as a Protestant chapel. Today, the Palace Chapel is a Catholic chapel.

Burials in the Royal Crypt in the Pastle Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace

Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg had a crypt built for the Württemberg family under the Palace Chapel

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). ehemaliges Residenzschloss der Herzöge und Könige von Württemberg. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residenzschloss_Ludwigsburg
  • Ludwigsburg Residential Palace: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg. (n.d.). Www.schloss-Ludwigsburg.de. https://www.schloss-ludwigsburg.de/en/
  • Palace Chapel: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg. (2025). Schloss-Ludwigsburg.de. https://www.schloss-ludwigsburg.de/en/visitor-experience/palace-garden/buildings/palace-chapel
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Ludwigsburg Palace. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

King Fuad I of Egypt

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Ahmed Fuad was Sultan of Egypt from 1917 until 1922, when Egypt gained its independence from the United Kingdom. He became King Fuad I of Egypt on March 15, 1922 and reigned until his death in April 1936. His full title was King of Egypt and Sovereign of Nubia, the Sudan, Kordofan and Darfur.

source: Wikipedia

Ahmed Fuad was born on March 26, 1868 at the Giza Palace in Cairo, Egypt, the fifth of fifteen children of Isma’il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. His mother was Ferial Qadin, one of Isma’il’s 16 wives.

Ahmed Fuad spent his early years in Egypt until his father was deposed in 1879, and replaced by Isma’il’s eldest son, Tewfik Pasha. At that point, Ahmed Fuad accompanied his father into exile, settling near Naples. He later attended the military academy in Turin.

Prince Ahmed Fuad and his first wife, Shivakiar Ibrahim. source: Wikipedia
By Retrieverlove – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35582655

On May 31, 1895 at the Abbasiya Palace in Cairo, Ahmed Fuad married his first wife, Princess Shivakiar Ibrahim. She was his first cousin once removed. Before divorcing in 1898, the couple had two children:

  • Prince Ismail Fuad (1896) – died in infancy
  • Princess Fawkia (1897) – married twice, one son

Fuad was instrumental in establishing the Egyptian University (now Cairo University), and served as rector from 1908 until 1913. That same year, Fuad tried – unsuccessfully – to be named monarch of Albania, which had recently gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire. He then focused his attention on the Egyptian Geographic Society, serving as president from 1915 until 1918.

By 1914, the Khedivate of Egypt had separated from the Ottoman Empire, and became the Sultanate of Egypt – a protectorate of the United Kingdom – under the rule of Ahmed Fuad’s second older brother, Hussein Kamel. Hussein Kamel died on October 9, 1917, and Ahmed Fuad succeeded him as Sultan of Egypt, taking the name Fuad I.

Nazli Sabri c. 1925. source: Wikipedia

On May 24, 1919, Fuad married his second wife, Nazli Sabri, at the Bustan Palace in Cairo. The couple had five children:

After the Egyptian Revolution of 1919, Egypt gained its independence from the United Kingdom, which recognized Egypt as a sovereign state on February 28, 1922. Just two weeks later, Fuad declared himself King of Egypt. He reigned until his death in 1936.

Tomb of King Fuad I. source: Wikipedia By Ahmad Badr, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10279848

King Fuad I died on April 28, 1936 at the Koubbeh Palace in Cairo. He is buried at the Al Rifa’i Mosque in Cairo.

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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.

Brunswick Cathedral in Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Brunswick Cathedral with the Brunswick Lion in the foreground; Credit – By Kassandro Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1770712

Originally a Roman Catholic church, Brunswick Cathedral (Braunschweiger Dom in German) is now a Lutheran church in Brunswick in the German state of Lower Saxony. The cathedral was founded in 1173 by Heinrich der Löwe (Henry the Lion – Heinrich III, Duke of Saxony from 1142  to 1180 and also Heinrich XII, Duke of Bavaria from 1156 to 1180). Heinrich built the cathedral as a burial place for himself and his second wife Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria, the eldest daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their successors.

Dankwarderode Castle on the left, Brunswick Cathedral on the right; Credit – Wikipedia

Brunswick Cathedral was built between 1173 and 1195 on the Burgplatz (Castle Square) in Brunswick, adjacent to Dankwarderode Castle where Heinrich the Lion built his palace circa 1160 – 1175. There was direct access from the upper floor of Dankwarderode Castle to the north transept of Brunswick Cathedral. When Brunswick Cathedral was officially consecrated in 1226, it was dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket, Saint Blaise, and Saint John the Baptist. Matilda was a strong supporter of the 1173 canonization as a saint of Thomas Becket who had been murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four of her father’s knights in 1170. See Unofficial Royalty: Canterbury Cathedral for more information.

The central nave with the tomb of Heinrich the Lion and Matilda of England in the foreground; Credit – Di Photo by PtrQs, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81519784

A 1900 painting of Brunswick Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

Brunswick Cathedral was built initially built as a three-aisled Romanesque pillar basilica. The cathedral was expanded and rebuilt several times, but the nave, transept, and choir are largely preserved from the 12th-century original building.

Tomb of Matilda and Heinrich with a memorial plaque for their son Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Von Brunswyk – DE:Wiki, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4217450

On June 28, 1189, Matilda died at Brunswick at the age of 33, about a week before her father King Henry II of England died. She was buried at the still incomplete Brunswick Cathedral. Heinrich, died on August 6, 1195, aged 65 – 66, in Brunswick, and was buried next to Matilda. Their tomb is the oldest double grave of a married couple in Germany. Their effigies are still the originals, made in the first half of the thirteenth century.

Crypt of Heinrich the Lion, Sarcophagus of Heinrich (left) and Matilda (right); Credit – Von Brunswyk, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18904214

Brunswick Cathedral and the Nazis

During the Nazi regime, the Nazis used Heinrich the Lion and Brunswick Cathedral for ideological and propaganda purposes. In 1147, Heinrich the Lion’s Wendish Crusade against Polabian Slavs, also known as Wends, who lived northeast of Brunswick, resulted in their subjugation and the colonization of their territory. The Nazis tried to make Henry the Lion appear as the pioneer of their ideology. Between 1935 and 1940, the cathedral’s 19th-century interior furnishings were completely removed and the building was partially structurally and aesthetically altered to reflect Nazi ideology. The tombs of Heinrich the Lion and his wife Matilda were opened, supposedly for archaeological work, but the work lacked any scientific basis. The opening of the tombs was used as propaganda to bring attention to Heinrich the Lion and what the Nazis wanted him to represent. All this was done under the supervision of Dietrich Klagges, Prime Minister of the Free State of Brunswick from 1933 to 1945.

Adolf Hitler secretly visited Brunswick Cathedral on July 17, 1935 to observe the work. The visit did not go as Klagges intended. After the tour, Hitler declared that from now on he would be the only one to decide on the type and extent of the construction work for the conversion of the Brunswick Cathedral into a Nazi shrine. All work orders given by Klagges were canceled. To Hitler’s great annoyance, news of his secret visit quickly spread among the local people. Hitler left Brunswick after just a few hours and never returned. After World War II ended, the structural and design changes the Nazis had made to Brunswick Cathedral were largely reversed where possible, and the cathedral was able to serve as a Lutheran place of worship again.

Burials at Brunswick Cathedral

The crypt at Brunswick Cathedral; Credit – By TeWeBs – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147494393

Perhaps the two most famous burials at Brunswick Cathedral besides Heinrich the Lion and Matilda of England, are their son Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1175 -1218) and Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom (1768 – 1821), the wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom.

Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor

The seal of Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

Otto was the third son of Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Bavaria, Duke of Saxony and Matilda of England. Otto’s maternal grandparents were King Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right. Otto’s maternal uncles were King Richard I of England (the Lionheart) and King John of England. Otto spent most of his early life in England and France. He was a supporter of his uncle Richard, who created Otto Count of Poitou in 1196. With Richard’s support, he was elected King of the Romans in 1198, a step toward being Holy Roman Emperor. In 1209, Otto went to Rome to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Innocent III.

In 1210, Otto attempted to add the Kingdom of Sicily to the Holy Roman Empire, against the wishes of Pope Innocent III, who excommunicated him. Otto allied with his uncle King John of England, Count Ferrand of Flanders, Count Renaud of Boulogne, Duke Henri I of Brabant, Count William I of Holland, Duke Theobald I of Lorraine, and Duke Henry III of Limburg in an alliance against France during the Anglo-French War of 1213–1214. The coalition was soundly defeated at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214 when Otto was carried off the battlefield by his wounded and terrified horse, causing his forces to abandon the battlefield. The defeat forced Otto to withdraw to his home in Brunswick, allowing Ferderico, King of Sicily to take the German cities of Aachen and Cologne, depose Otto, and become Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II. Otto died on May 19, 1218, aged 42–43, at Harzburg Castle, now in Bad Harzburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. There is a memorial plaque to Otto on the floor near the tombs of his parents which can be seen in a photo above.

Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom

Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline of Brunswick was the daughter of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Augusta of Great Britain, the elder sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. In 1795, Caroline of Brunswick married her first cousin, the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. The marriage of Caroline and George is one of the worst-ever royal marriages. Upon first seeing Caroline, George said to his valet, “Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.” Caroline said George was fat and not as handsome as his portrait. It is doubtful that the couple spent more than a few nights together as husband and wife. Their only child Princess Charlotte of Wales was born nine months later. Caroline and George found each other equally unattractive and never lived together or appeared in public together. Caroline was ignored at the court and lived more or less under house arrest. After two and a half years, she left the court and lived for ten years in a Montagu House in Blackheath, London. Caroline was denied any part in raising her daughter Charlotte and only saw her occasionally. Sadly, Charlotte predeceased both her parents, dying in childbirth in 1817 at the age of 21, along with her son. Had Charlotte lived, she would have succeeded her father on the throne.

When King George III died in January 1820, Caroline was determined to return to England and assert her rights as queen. King George IV was determined to be rid of Caroline and his government introduced a bill in Parliament, the Pains and Penalties Bill 1820, to strip Caroline of the title of queen consort and dissolve her marriage. The reading of the bill in Parliament was effectively a trial of Caroline. On November 10, 1820, a final reading of the bill took place, and the bill passed by 108–99. Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool then declared that since the vote was so close and public tensions so high, the government would withdraw the bill.

King George IV’s coronation was set for July 19, 1821, but no plans had been made for Caroline to participate. On the day of the coronation, Caroline went to Westminster Abbey, was barred at every entrance, and finally left. Three weeks later on August 7, 1821, Caroline died at the age of 53, most likely from a bowel obstruction or cancer. Before her death, Caroline requested that she be buried in her native Brunswick. Caroline was interred at Brunswick Cathedral next to her father. Her casket bears the inscription, “Here lies Caroline, the Injured Queen of England.”

Tomb of Queen Caroline in the crypt at Brunswick Cathedral: Credit – www.findagrave.com

This does not purport to be a complete list of the burials at Brunswick Cathedral.

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.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005). Kirchengebäude in Braunschweig, Niedersachsen. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunschweiger_Dom
  • Der Braunschweiger Dom: Domkirche. (2024). Braunschweigerdom.de. https://www.braunschweigerdom.de/ueberdom
  • Dom Saint Blasius in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony – Find a Grave Cemetery. (2021). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2098911/dom-saint-blasius
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2017). Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/matilda-of-england-duchess-of-saxony/
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Brunswick Cathedral. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Henry the Lion. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Saint Boniface Abbey Church in Munich, Bavaria, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Saint Boniface Abbey Church; Credit- Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15352400

Saint Boniface Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Munich, in the German state of Bavaria, formerly the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded in 1835 by King Ludwig I of Bavaria who wanted to revive Roman Catholic spiritual life by founding new monasteries. Many monasteries were destroyed or used for other purposes from 1802 to 1814 during a period of secularization,  called the German Mediatization.

Saint Boniface (born Wynfreth circa 675, martyred June 5, 754) was an English Benedictine monk who was a missionary to parts of today’s Germany during the eighth century. German Roman Catholics regard him as an important national figure. The foundation stone was laid on October 12, 1835, the 25th wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Queen Therese of Bavaria, born Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. On a side note, Ludwig and Therese’s wedding on October 12, 1810, was held in a large outdoor space in Munich called the Theresienwiese. Named for his bride, Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held every year to commemorate the wedding.

Tomb of King Ludwig I of Bavaria; Credit – Von Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62142909

In March 1848, King Ludwig I abdicated because he refused to reign as a constitutional monarch, and lost the support of his family and government ministers. Queen Therese died on October 26, 1854, and was initially buried in the royal crypt at the Theatinerkirche in Munich. Three years later, her husband had her remains moved to St. Boniface’s Abbey where he was also buried after his death on February 29, 1868.

Burial Site of Queen Therese of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

St. Boniface Abbey is located in a city, unusual for a Benedictine monastery, Monasteries were usually located near farmlands to support the monastery’s monks. King Ludwig II bought the former Andechs Abbey in Andechs, in the German state of Bavaria, secularised in 1803, along with its supporting farmlands, and gave it St. Boniface Abbey to support the monks of the monastery. In 1850, the former Andechs Abbey was refounded as a Benedictine priory affiliated with St. Boniface Abbey. Andechs Abbey served as a burial place for the House of Wittelsbach, the ruling family in Bavaria, since the Middle Ages.

Besides Andechs Abbey, members of the House of Wittelsbach are interred at the Theatinerkirche in Munich, the  Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Munich, and the  Michaelskirche (St. Michael’s Church) in Munich. In 1977, Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, Head of the House of Wittelsbach and pretender to the former Bavarian throne from 1955 until he died in 1996, set up a Wittelsbach private family cemetery in the Andechs Abbey garden due to the lack of space in the other Wittelsbach burial sites. The private family cemetery complex is now the main burial place of the Wittelsbach family.

An 1862 drawing of St. Boniface Abbey Church; Credit – Wikipedia

The architecture of the Saint Boniface Abbey Church, designed by the architect Georg Friedrich Ziebland (link in German), was based on early Christian basilicas. King Ludwig I sent Ziebland on a two-year study trip (1827 – 1829) to Italy to study Roman basilicas. For the Saint Boniface Abbey Church, Ziebland was inspired by Early Christian architecture and Byzantine architecture, using the round arch style and a terracotta and brick combination.

Saint Boniface Abbey Church interior before it was damaged during World War II; Credit – Wikipedia

St Boniface Abbey Church reconstructed by Hans Döllgast, 1948–1950, photographed before 1971; Credit – Hans Döllgast, post-war reconstruction and modern architecture

During World War II, on April 25, 1944 and January 7, 1945, Saint Boniface Abbey Church was badly damaged. German architect, graphic artist, and university professor Hans Döllgast (link in German), who worked on many post-war reconstruction projects, reconstructed the interior of the abbey church between 1948 and 1950. The nave was shortened to about a third of its original length. Nothing remained of the mosaics and frescoes in the style of Roman basilicas.

In 1988, a competition was announced that would enable the redecoration of the church’s interior. German painter Peter Burkart created a frieze of colored paintings above the arcades (a series of joined arches used to create a covered walkway or area).

The current interior of St. Boniface Abbey Church. Painter Peter Burkart’s frieze of colored paintings, mentioned above. can be seen. Credit – Von Digital cat – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43876001

Friedrich Koller created the relief over the interior portal with the end of time speech from the Gospel of Matthew verse 24, where Jesus describes signs and events that will precede his return. In the left aisle is a Stations of the Cross with colored prints created by Bernd Hendl between. Nearby is a sculpture by Christine Stadler of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary.

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.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). Benediktinerkloster in München. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abtei_St._Bonifaz_(M%C3%BCnchen)
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2008, June 25). Georg Friedrich Ziebland Deutscher Architekt und Baumeister. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Friedrich_Ziebland
  • Sternberg, Maximilian. (2022). Hans Döllgast, post-war reconstruction and modern architecture. The Journal of Architecture, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602365.2022.2086152
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). St. Boniface’s Abbey. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Dunfermline Abbey in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Dunfermline Abbey parish church; Credit – By Bardrock – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8271517

The current Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland parish church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the choir of the medieval Benedictine abbey church.

A view of Dunfermline Abbey from the churchyard; Credit – By Robert Cutts from Bristol, England, UK – Dunfermline Abbey, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50587059

Reigning from 1058 to 1093, Malcolm III, King of Scots (the Malcolm in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare) established his capital in Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 11th century to the 15th century. Malcolm III built a royal residence in Dunfermline while his wife Saint Margaret of Scotland, born an Anglo-Saxon princess, founded a priory and introduced a small community of Benedictine monks from Canterbury there.

A depiction of Saint Margaret’s original tomb at Dunfermline Abbey; Credit – www.findagrave.com

On November 13, 1093, King Malcolm III and his eldest son Edward were killed at the Battle of Alnwick. They were both buried at Tynemouth Priory in Tynemouth, Scotland. Malcolm’s wife Saint Margaret of Scotland died at Dunfermline just three days after the deaths of her husband and son and was buried in Dunfermline priory church.

David I, King of Scots (reigned 1124 – 1153), the third son of Malcolm III and Saint Margaret to become King of Scots, made the Dunfermline Priory an abbey in 1128. He had a new Romanesque church built on a grand scale, of which the magnificent nave survives.

The nave of Dunfermline Abbey from the reign of David I, King of Scots; Credit – By Kim Traynor – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17460474

Margaret was canonized as a saint in 1250 by Pope Innocent IV. On June 19, 1250, following her canonization, Margaret’s remains were disinterred and placed in a reliquary at the high altar of Dunfermline Abbey. Her husband Malcolm III, originally interred at Tynemouth Priory in Tynemouth, Scotland, was reburied next to Margaret. Their son Edward, who had died in battle with his father, was also moved to Dunfermline Abbey.

The Wars of Scottish Independence was a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in (1296 – 1328) and (1332 – 1357). During these wars, in the winter of 1303, King Edward I of England held court at Dunfermline Abbey. When he left, he burned most of the buildings. Due to Robert I, King of Scots (reigned 1306 – 1329), known as Robert the Bruce, the Wars of Scottish Independence resulted in Scotland retaining its status as an independent state. Robert the Bruce financed the rebuilding of Dunfermline Abbey. It was a move that showed Robert the Bruce’s confidence in the Kingdom of Scotland following the Wars of Scottish Independence with England. When he died in 1329, Robert the Bruce was buried before the high altar of Dunfermline Abbey.

During the Scottish Reformation in 1560, Dunfermline Abbey was sacked and fell into disrepair. To protect the remains of Saint Margaret of Scotland and her husband King Malcolm III from being desecrated, George Durie, Abbot of Dunfermline had the remains taken to his rural estate at Craigluscar. In 1566, Mary, Queen of Scots had Saint Margaret’s head sent to Edinburgh Castle as a relic to assist her in childbirth. In 1597, Margaret’s head ended up with the Jesuits at Scots College in Douai, France, but it was lost during the French Revolution.

By 1580, King Felipe II of Spain had the other remains of Saint Margaret and her husband Malcolm transferred to a chapel at the Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. However, the location of the remains is now unknown.

The Victorian brass plate covering the tomb of Robert Bruce and Elizabeth de Burgh; Credit – By Otter – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5117548

After the Protestant Reformation, the nave of Dunfermline Abbey was converted into a Church of Scotland parish church for the people of Dunfermline, and the old choir was allowed to collapse. A new parish church was built on the site of the choir between 1818 and 1821. During construction work in 1819, Robert the Bruce’s coffin was discovered and the coffin of his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh was rediscovered in 1917. Both coffins were re-interred in the new church.

Royal Burials at Dunfermline Abbey

Saint Margaret of Scotland, stained glass window at St. Margaret’s Chapel at Edinburgh Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

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.

Works Cited

  • Dunfermline Abbey. (n.d.). Dunfermline Abbey. https://www.dunfermlineabbey.co.uk/wwp/
  • Dunfermline Abbey. (2023). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunfermline_Abbey
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2013). Saint Margaret of Scotland, Queen of Scotland. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/november-16-1093-death-of-saint-margaret-of-scotland-wife-of-king-malcolm-iii-of-scotland/
  • History of Dunfermline Abbey. (n.d.). Www.historicenvironment.scot. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/dunfermline-abbey-and-palace/history/