The Counts of Oldenburg died out in 1667, after which Oldenburg became a duchy until 1810, when it was annexed by the First French Empire under Napoleon, Emperor of the French. After the final defeat of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna elevated the Duchy of Oldenburg to a Grand Duchy in 1815. The Grand Duchy of Oldenburg consisted of three widely separated territories – Oldenburg, Eutin, and Birkenfeld – now in the German states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Rhineland-Palatinate.

With the fall of the German Empire at the end of World War I, Friedrich August II, the last Grand Duke of Oldenburg was forced to abdicate his throne on November 11, 1918. He retired to Schloss Rastede where he took up farming. Claiming an “extremely precarious” financial situation, he petitioned the Oldenburg government for an annual allowance the year after his abdication.

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Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Grand Ducal Family of Oldenburg. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to the Oldenburg Content Areas.

House of Oldenburg – Counts, Dukes and Grand Dukes of Oldenburg (1101-1918)

Grand Duchy of Oldenburg (1815 – 1918)

Wilhelm I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

• Wilhelm I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (unmarried, reigned 1785–1823)

Family of Peter I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

• Peter I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (Regent 1785 – 1823, Grand Duke of Oldenburg 1823 – 1829)
• Friederike of Württemberg, Princess of Holstein-Gottorp (wife of Peter I)
  • Notable Issue: August I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (see below)

Family of August I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

• August I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (reigned 1829 -1853)
• Adelheid of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Duchess of Oldenburg (1st wife of August I
  • Notable Issue: Amalie of Oldenburg, Queen of Greece
• Ida of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Hereditary Princess of Oldenburg (2nd wife of August I)
  • Notable Issue: Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (see below)
• Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (3rd wife of August I, had issue)

Family of Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

• Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (reigned 1853 – 1900)
• Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (wife of Peter II)
  • Notable Issue: Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (see below)

Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

• Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (reigned 1900 – 1918, monarchy abolished)
• Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (1st wife of Friedrich August II, had issue)
• Elisabeth Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (2nd wife of Friedrich August II, had issue)

Pretenders to the Throne

• LAST REIGNING: Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg
• Former: Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg
• Former: Anton Günther, Duke of Oldenburg
• Current: Christian, Duke of Oldenburg
• Current: Duke Alexander of Oldenburg

Oldenburg Content Areas

• Profiles: Grand Dukes and Consorts of Oldenburg
• Oldenburg Royal Burial Sites
• Oldenburg Royal Dates