Augusta Viktoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, wife of King Manuel II Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Augusta Viktoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen  source: Wikipedia

Augusta Viktoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was the wife of King Manuel II of Portugal from 1913 until he died in 1932.  As he had already been deposed, she was never actually Queen of Portugal, although she was often styled as such by courtesy.

Augusta Viktoria was born on August 19, 1890, in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, the daughter of Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. For several years, her father had been the heir presumptive to King Carol I of Romania, his paternal uncle. However, he renounced his rights to the Romanian throne in 1886, and it eventually passed to his younger brother who became King Ferdinand of Romania. Augusta Viktoria had younger twin brothers, who married two sisters:

Wedding of Augusta Viktoria and the former King Manuel II of Portugal source: Wikipedia

In 1912, Augusta Viktoria met the former King Manuel II of Portugal while both were visiting Switzerland. Manuel had become King in 1908 following the assassinations of his father and elder brother but was deposed two years later when the Portuguese First Republic was declared. Augusta Viktoria and Manuel were second cousins, both great-grandchildren of Queen Maria II of Portugal. They married on September 4, 1913, at Sigmaringen Castle. in Sigmaringen, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Following a honeymoon in Munich, they settled at Fulwell Park, Manuel’s home outside London, England. Augusta Viktoria and Manuel had no children.

Manuel and Augusta Viktoria attending Wimbledon, 1930.

Manuel and Augusta Viktoria attending Wimbledon, 1930; Credit – Wikipedia

Manuel died July 2, 1932, at Fulwell Park, in Middlesex, England. Several years later, on April 23, 1939, Augusta Viktoria married Count Robert Douglas, head of the Swedish comital house of Douglas (a branch of the Scottish Clan Douglas). The couple lived at Langenstein Castle in Orsingen-Nenzingen   Baden, Germany, and had no children.

Widowed in 1955, Augusta Viktoria continued to live in Germany and died on August 29, 1966, at Eigeltingen, Baden-Württemerg, Germany. She is buried at Langenstein Castle.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Manuel II of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Manuel II of Portugal – Source: Wikipedia

King Manuel II of Portugal was the last Portuguese monarch, reigning just two and a half years before Portugal was declared a republic. He was born Infante Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Xavier Francisco de Assis Eugénio on November 15, 1889, at Belém Palace in Lisbon, Portugal, the youngest child of King Carlos I of Portugal and Princess Amélie of Orléans. Styled Duke of Beja from birth, Manuel had two older siblings:

Manuel received a strict education and proved to be a good student, becoming fluent in numerous languages, and studying history, math, and religion. He also trained on the piano and developed a love of literature and the arts. Manuel was preparing to enter the Portuguese Naval Academy when tragedy struck the royal family, and he found himself unexpectedly on the throne of Portugal.

On February 1, 1908, the royal family was attacked by assassins while riding in a carriage en route to the palace. Manuel was shot only in the arm, but his father was shot in the head, dying instantly, and his brother, Luís Filipe, was also mortally injured and died several minutes later. At just 18 years old, Manuel became the last King of Portugal.

Manuel’s first act as King of Portugal was asking for the resignation of Prime Minister João Franco, who he felt was complicit in the killing of his father and brother. He then appointed a new government, hoping for more unity within Portugal. At first, the new King received much sympathy and support, primarily due to his youth and the tragic circumstances that put him on the throne. Manuel traveled extensively, meeting the Portuguese people in all corners of the country, and received warm welcomes at every stop. He also traveled throughout Europe,  particularly the United Kingdom where his father had formed such close ties. Ironically, one of King Manuel’s last foreign trips would be to London in May 1910, for the funeral of King Edward VII.

In Portugal, the political climate was shifting, with anti-monarchy sentiments rising quickly. The Republican Party gained ground in the Portuguese parliament and seized power. On October 4, 1910, what started as a military coup became what is now known as the Republican Revolution. The Palace of Necessidades was attacked and King Manuel was forced to flee to the Mafra National Palace. There he was joined by his mother and grandmother. The following day, on October 5, 1910, King Manuel and his family left on the royal yacht Amélia IV, planning to travel to Porto, narrowly escaping the Republican forces who arrived just as the ship was sailing off. En route, learning that Porto had also fallen to Republican forces, Manuel changed their destination to Gibraltar. The Portuguese monarchy had ended, and Manuel would live the rest of his life in exile. The family then traveled to London, where they were welcomed by King George V of the United Kingdom.

Gaby Deslys, source: Wikipedia, from the George Grantham Bain Collection at the Library of Congress

For several years, Manuel was involved with a French actress and dancer named Gaby Deslys. The two first met during Manuel’s visit to Paris in December 1909 and quickly began a relationship. Manuel showered her with expensive gifts, including a pearl necklace valued at $70,000. While their relationship was well-guarded in Portugal, it was greatly publicized elsewhere in Europe and the United States. They continued to see each other in London after Manuel’s exile, but the relationship ended in 1911 when she moved to New York.

Wedding of Manuel and Augusta Viktoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; Credit – Wikipedia

On a visit to Switzerland in 1912, King Manuel met Princess Augusta Viktoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and was quickly smitten. Augusta Viktoria was the daughter of Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and a second cousin to Manuel through their mutual descent from Queen Maria II of Portugal. They were soon engaged, and married on September 4, 1913, in the Chapel at Sigmaringen Castle. Following a honeymoon in Munich, they settled at Fulwell Lodge, Manuel’s home outside London, England. Manuel and Augusta Viktoria had no children.

In exile, King Manuel continued to support efforts to restore the monarchy in Portugal. He insisted that this be done via legal means, through elections, and not by force. He continued to play a prominent role in the relationship between Portugal and the United Kingdom and maintained a close relationship with King George V. During World War I, he offered his services to the Allies in any way he could help and was given a post with the British Red Cross. At first, disappointed that he was not given a more prominent position, he soon threw himself into the job, organizing fund drives and visiting troops and hospitals on the front lines. He also helped to establish several medical facilities, both in France and England, to help support those wounded in the war.

King Manuel just hours before his death, on July 2, 1932. source: Wikipedia

King Manuel II died unexpectedly on July 2, 1932, at Fulwell Lodge. With permission from the Portuguese government, his remains were returned to Lisbon on a British cruiser and were received at Commerce Square, the same place his father and brother had been assassinated 24 years earlier. The procession traveled to the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora where the former king was interred in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal; Source: Wikipedia

Princess Amélie of Orléans was the Queen Consort of King Carlos I of Portugal. She was born Marie Amélie Louise Hélène d’Orléans on September 28, 1865, the eldest of eight children of Prince Philippe, Count of Paris, and Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans. Although a French princess, she was born in Twickenham, London, England where her family had been living in exile since the French monarchy of the House of Orléans had fallen.

Amélie had seven siblings:

Following the fall of the Second French Empire, the family was able to return to France in 1871. Amélie developed a love of the arts, particularly theater and opera, and became an accomplished painter. As she became older, her family began to search for a suitable husband. After several proposed marriages into the Austrian and Spanish royal families did not work out, she became engaged to the future King Carlos I of Portugal, the eldest son of King Luís of Portugal and Princess Maria Pia of Savoy.

Wedding of Amélie and Carlos, 1886. Source: Wikipedia

Amélie and Carlos met in Chantilly, France, where both were guests at a hunting party, and their engagement was announced on February 7, 1886. In mid-May of that year, Amélie’s father threw a lavish engagement party in Paris. The extravagance of the event led to the family again being sent into exile just a month later. After the party, Amélie traveled to Lisbon, Portugal where she and Carlos were married on May 22, 1886, at the Church of St. Dominic.

Queen Amélie and her two sons, c1890. Source: Wikipedia

Amélie and Carlos settled at Belém Palace in Lisbon, and had three children:

Queen Amélie (center) with Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom and Dowager Queen Maria Pia, 1905. Source: Wikipedia

Amélie quickly became fluent in Portuguese and was greatly admired in her new country. In October 1889, just a month before the birth of their younger son, Carlos and Amélie became King and Queen of Portugal following the death of King Luís. As Queen, Amélie took great interest in the well-being of the Portuguese people, establishing hospitals, sanatoriums, pharmacies, kitchens, and nurseries. She also founded the Royal Institute of Aid to the Shipwrecked in 1892, as well as the National Coach Museum in 1905, the Pasteur Institute in Portugal, and the National Assistance for Tuberculosis in 1899. However, along with her philanthropic efforts, she was also greatly criticized for her lavish spending, particularly in the midst of Portugal’s two bankruptcies.

On February 1, 1908, upon their return to Lisbon from a stay at the Palace of Vila Viçosa, the royal family was the target of an assassination. King Carlos and The Prince Royal, Luís Filipe, were both killed, and Manuel was injured. Remarkably, Queen Amélie was unharmed and is credited with likely having saved the life of her younger son. When one of the shooters had come into the carriage, she reportedly waved her bouquet of flowers around, trying to hit him and keep him from taking any more shots. After the shooting, she was kept under close security, along with her son and mother-in-law, at the Palace of Necessidades. She later withdrew to the Pena National Palace, which would be her last home in Portugal.

Dowager Queen Amélie with her son, King Manuel II, 1910. source: Wikipedia

Now Dowager Queen, Amélie offered her full support to her son, King Manuel II. However, the political climate in Portugal was tenuous at best, and soon the monarchy would come to an end. In October 1910, the monarchy was deposed during the Republican Revolution. Amélie went into exile along with her son, and mother-in-law, settling in Twickenham, London. After her son’s marriage in 1912, the Dowager Queen moved to France, settling at the Château de Bellevue in Le Chesnay, close to the Palace of Versailles.

Her son, King Manuel II, died in 1932, leaving Amélie the last living member of her family. At the onset of World War II, the Portuguese government invited her to return and live in the country, but she declined, preferring to remain in France where she received diplomatic immunity. She did, however, make a visit to Portugal in May and June of 1945. During this trip, she visited Lisbon, made a pilgrimage to Fatima, and returned to many of her former homes. She also visited several of the pharmacies and other organizations that she had founded.

Just six years later, Queen Amélie died in Le Chesnay, France on October 25, 1951. Her remains were returned to Portugal, where she was buried in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza, at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Carlos I of Portugal

by Scott Mehl    © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Carlos I of Portugal – source: Wikipedia

King Carlos I of Portugal (full name: Carlos Fernando Luís Maria Victor Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Xavier Francisco de Assis José Simão) was born on September 28, 1863, at the Ajuda Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. He was the son of King Luís I of Portugal and Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, and had one younger sibling:

Carlos (left) with his mother and brother Afonso, 1875. source: Wikipedia

As heir to the throne, Carlos was styled Prince Royal and Duke of Braganza from birth. When he was born, the line of succession for the Portuguese throne was quite short. The deaths of three of his uncles in 1861 had greatly diminished the male members of the family, so when Carlos was born there was a great sense of relief that the succession would continue and not pass to another branch of the family, that of the deposed King Miguel I, uncle of Carlos’ grandmother, the late Queen Maria II.

 

Carlos received a very strict education to prepare him for his future role. Like his father, he took a great interest in languages and oceanography. He made numerous visits to many of the other royal courts of Europe, both to expand his education and to find a bride. On one of these visits, Carlos met his future wife, Princess Amélie of Orléans. She was the daughter of Prince Philippe, Count of Paris (the pretender to the French throne), and Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans. Carlos and Amélie soon became engaged, and they married at the Church of St. Dominic in Lisbon, Portugal on May 22, 1886. They settled at Belém Palace in Lisbon, and had three children:

Enthronement of King Carlos, 1889. source: Wikipedia

Carlos became King of Portugal upon his father’s death on October 19, 1889, and was formally enthroned on December 28. Just weeks later, Carlos faced the first crisis of his reign. Some years earlier, Portugal had claimed sovereignty over the lands between their two colonies in Africa, Angola on the western coast, and Mozambique on the eastern coast. However, these claims caused a problem for the United Kingdom, which was trying to establish a railway from Cape Town to Cairo, spanning across the various British territories. With Portugal standing in their way, the British government issued an ultimatum on January 11, 1890, threatening to sever diplomatic ties with Portugal unless they withdrew their forces and recognized British control of the region.

King Carlos, knowing that refusal would likely lead to war, gave in to the British demands. The Portuguese people were outraged and considered it a betrayal. The rising republican movement used the situation to spread opposition to the monarchy. The 1890 Ultimatum is one of the prime factors in the downfall of the Portuguese monarchy twenty years later. Despite this, King Carlos was able to use his own very keen diplomatic skills to bring Portugal to the center of European diplomacy at the turn of the century. Aided by the fact that he was related to many of the ruling houses, he also developed close friendships with many of his counterparts, particularly King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. As a symbolic gesture toward this relationship, the first foreign state visit made by King Edward VII, in 1903, was to Portugal.

In June 1892, Portugal faced the first of two bankruptcies (the second was in May 1902), which further strengthened the Republican movement, which placed the blame solely on the monarchy. As Carlos’ reign continued, the political landscape became more volatile. In 1906, he appointed João Franco as Prime Minister, despite the misgivings of many of his family and advisers. Franco asked the King to dissolve parliament, causing a huge campaign in Portugal claiming that the country was now a dictatorship. Public support for King Carlos quickly diminished, particularly as he strongly supported Franco. It would lead to his tragic death.

 

On February 1, 1908, King Carlos, along with his wife and elder son were returning to Lisbon from a stay at the Palace of Vila Viçosa, in Vila Viçosa about 150 km/93 miles east of Lisbon, which he had restored some years earlier to serve as a royal residence. His younger son, Infante Manuel, had returned some days earlier to get back to his studies.  Upon arriving in Lisbon, they were met by Infante Manuel, the King’s brother Afonso, Duke of Porto, and the Prime Minister. The reunited family then set out in an open carriage for the Palace of Necessidades. Crossing the Terriero do Paço (now known as Commerce Square), two assassins began to fire on the carriage. One, Manuel Buiça, came out into the square about 25 feet behind the carriage and fired a shot that struck King Carlos in the neck, killing him instantly. A second shot struck the king in the shoulder. A second shooter, Alfredo Costa, jumped onto the carriage step and fired another shot at the King. Then, both assassins set their aim on Luís Filipe, Prince Royal, who had stood up and drawn his revolver. Costa shot him once in the chest, while Luís Filipe managed to get several shots at his attacker. However, standing up had made him an easier target for Buiça, who shot him from behind, striking him in the head. Infante Manuel was hit in the arm, while Queen Amélie remained unharmed. The two assassins were quickly overcome and were killed on the spot, along with an innocent bystander who was mistaken for one of the shooters. The carriage containing the Royal Family quickly went to the nearby Naval Arsenal, where The Prince Royal died a few minutes later.

King Carlos and his son Luís Filipe, were buried in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza, at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Luís I of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Luís I of Portugal – source: Wikipedia

King Luís I of Portugal (full name: Luís Filipe Maria Fernando Pedro de Alcântara António Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Xavier Francisco de Assis João Augusto Júlio Valfando) was born on October 31, 1838, at the Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon Portugal. Styled Duke of Porto from birth, he was the second of eleven children of Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Luís had ten siblings:

Luís and his elder brother Pedro were raised and educated together, dividing their time between several of the royal palaces in Portugal. Very artistic from an early age, Luís was a highly skilled painter and musician, writing his own compositions for piano and cello. He also became fluent in several languages and published several translations of the works of Shakespeare in later life. His career in the Portuguese Navy began when he was still quite young, and he reached the rank of Second Lieutenant at just 13 years of age. Rising quickly through the ranks, in 1858 King Pedro V appointed Luís as commander of the newly commissioned warship, the Bartolomeu Dias. One of Luís’s first missions was to bring Princess Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen to Portugal for her marriage to King Pedro V.

In the fall of 1861, Luís was summoned to Lisbon, as his brother, King Pedro V, was dying. While still en route aboard his warship, he was informed of Pedro’s death on November 11, 1861. Luís was now King of Portugal. He arrived in Lisbon to find that another brother, Fernando, had also died just days before Pedro, and another brother, João, died several weeks later. All three died from typhoid or cholera, which was rampant in Lisbon at the time.

The marriage of Luís and Maria Pia. source: Wikipedia

The following year, on October 6, 1862, King Luís married Princess Maria Pia of Savoy at the Church of St. Dominic in Lisbon, Portugal. She was the daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy and Archduchess Adelheid of Austria. The couple settled at the Ajuda Palace, and had two sons (along with at least one stillborn child):

His reign saw many advances, both politically and culturally. He oversaw the construction of the port of Lisbon, the extension of the road network and railway throughout Portugal, and the advancement of the arts, founding the Philharmonic Union in 1871. An avid oceanographer, the King also donated much of his fortune to finance research ships and vessels to gather different species of sea creatures from around the world. He also established the Vasco da Gama Aquarium in Lisbon, one of the first aquariums in the world.

King Luís I of Portugal, c1885. source: Wikipedia

King Luís died suddenly on October 19, 1889, at the Citadel of Cascais, in Cascais, Portugal. He was just 50 years old. The King is buried in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza, at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Stephanie Josepha Friederike Wilhelmine Antonia of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was the wife of King Pedro V of Portugal. She was born on July 15, 1837, in Krauchenwies, Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, the eldest daughter of Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Josephine of Baden. Stephanie had five siblings:

Stephanie grew up in Düsseldorf, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia,   primarily at Jägerhof Castle, where her father served as a Division Commander in the Prussian forces. As was typical at the time, she was trained by some of the leading artists of the day, including the painter Heinrich Mücke and the pianist Clara Schumann.

Queen Estefania and King Pedro. source: Wikipedia

In December 1857, Stephanie became engaged to King Pedro V of Portugal, the son of Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. They were married by proxy at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on April 29, 1858, with her brother Leopold standing in for the groom. She then set out for Portugal, arriving on May 17. The following day, Stephanie and Pedro were formally married at the Church of St. Dominic in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 18, 1858. She took on the Portuguese spelling of her name, becoming Queen Estefania of Portugal. The King indulged his new wife greatly, sparing no expense to decorate her rooms at the Palace of Necessidades, and making every effort to make her feel comfortable in her new home.

Princess Stephanie’s arrival in Lisbon, May 17, 1858. source: Wikipedia

Having been very involved in charitable works in Düsseldorf, Stephanie quickly threw herself into similar work in Portugal. Along with her husband, she founded several hospitals and charities that served the poor and suffering, quickly becoming much-loved by the Portuguese people.

After a visit to the town of Vendas Novas, Stephanie fell ill with diphtheria. At just 22 years old, Queen Estefania of Portugal died in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 17, 1859. She is buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. Her husband, King Pedro V, was greatly saddened by his wife’s death and fell into a deep depression. He died of typhoid fever just two years later and was succeeded by his brother King Luís I.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Pedro V of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Pedro V of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

King Pedro V of Portugal (full name: Pedro de Alcântara Maria Fernando Miguel Rafael Gonzaga Xavier João António Leopoldo Víctor Francisco de Assis Júlio Amélio) was born on September 15, 1837, at the Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon, Portugal. He was the eldest of eleven children of Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Pedro had ten younger siblings:

As the heir-apparent, Pedro was styled Prince Royal from birth, as well as holding the title Duke of Braganza. He received extensive education, excelling in philosophy, the sciences, and languages. He also received training related to his future role as King.

Pedro (right) with his brother Luís at Osborne House in 1852, during a visit to his father’s cousin, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, pictured on the left. Photo from the Royal Collection, source: Wikipedia

Pedro became King of Portugal in 1853 after his mother died in childbirth. As he was just sixteen, his father served as Regent until Pedro reached his majority two years later. He quickly removed the Prime Minister and appointed more left-leaning politicians, ending years of unrest within the Portuguese government.

Pedro’s reign saw great advances in Portugal, with the introduction of the telegraph and the metric system, and the expansion of train and shipping lines both within the country and other parts of Europe and Africa. He also had a great interest in public health and humanitarian efforts. When a cholera epidemic broke out in Lisbon in 1856-1857, Pedro ignored warnings to leave the city, instead, he devoted his time to visiting hospitals and meeting with the patients. Already popular with the Portuguese people, this made him even more loved and respected.

Pedro and Stephanie; Credit – Wikipedia

In December 1857, Pedro became engaged to Princess Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. She was the daughter of Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern, and Princess Josephine of Baden. The couple was married by proxy in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, in April 1858, and then formally married at the Church of St. Dominic in Lisbon. Portugal on May 18, 1858. The two were very happy, and the King indulged his new wife greatly, sparing no expense to decorate her rooms at the palace and making every effort to make her feel comfortable in her new homeland. Sadly, the Queen died two years later, having contracted diphtheria. Having joined and supported his wife in her efforts to improve the public health facilities in Portugal, King Pedro founded a hospital in Lisbon in her name. King Pedro V died of typhoid fever on November 11, 1861,

King Pedro V died of typhoid fever on November 11, 1861, at the Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon, Portugal. He was just 24 years old. In keeping with tradition, he was buried in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza, at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. As he had no children from his brief marriage, Pedro was succeeded by his younger brother Luís.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Consort of Portugal

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Consort of Portugal – source: Wikipedia

Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal and was created King Consort following the birth of their eldest son.

He was born Ferdinand August Franz Anton on October 29, 1816, in Vienna, Austria the eldest child of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Maria Antonia Koháry de Csábrág. Ferdinand had three younger siblings:

Through his father, Ferdinand was a first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert, as well as King Leopold II of Belgium and Empress Carlota of Mexico, born Princess Charlotte of Belgium.

Queen Maria II of Portugal, painted by John Simpson. source: Wikipedia

Ferdinand married Queen Maria II of Portugal at the Palácio das Necessidades in Lisbon, Portugal on April 9, 1836, and was created Prince Consort. The marriage, arranged by Ferdinand’s uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium, proved to be a happy one. Over the next seventeen years, they had eleven children:

In keeping with tradition, Ferdinand was elevated to King Consort following the birth of their eldest son, the future King Pedro V. Although titled as King, Ferdinand preferred to stay out of politics and left the affairs of state to his wife. He instead focused his attention on the arts. However, like his cousin Albert, Ferdinand often stood in for his wife during her numerous pregnancies. The Queen supported Ferdinand’s love of the arts and his interest in maintaining and restoring the architectural heritage of many buildings and monuments in Portugal. In the late 1830s, Ferdinand purchased the former monastery of Our Lady of Pena and its surrounding land, and the nearby Castle of the Moors, located in the Sintra Mountains. Having stood unused for some time, the buildings at the monastery were in desperate need of repair. Ferdinand restored them and built around them a stunning palace that would serve as a summer residence for the royal family. Today, the Pena National Palace is a national monument and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal and is used for state functions.

King Ferdinand with his daughter-in-law, Queen Maria Pia, and his sons Infante Augusto, and King Luís, 1862. source: Wikipedia

On November 15, 1853, Queen Maria II died after giving birth to their last child. Ferdinand served as Regent for his eldest son King Pedro V until he came of age. In 1862, after the overthrow of King Otto of Greece, Ferdinand was named as a candidate for the Greek throne, which he quickly declined. Several years later, after the overthrow of Queen Isabella II of Spain, he was offered the Spanish throne. Again, he declined, preferring to enjoy his private life.

King Ferdinand and The Countess of Edla, c1885. source: Wikipedia

On June 10, 1869, in Lisbon, Ferdinand married again to Elise Hensler, a Swiss-born American actress. The couple first met in 1860 when Elise was performing in an opera in Lisbon. A relationship quickly began, as the two found their shared passion for arts and gardening. Just before they married, Ferdinand’s cousin, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, created Elise Countess of Edla in her own right. They had no children. Ferdinand and Elise lived at the Pena National Palace where they indulged their love of gardening and continued their unyielding support for the arts, including sponsoring several noted Portuguese artists and musicians.

King Ferdinand died at the Pena National Palace in Sintra, Portugal on December 15, 1885, survived by only three of his children. He is buried beside his first wife in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza, at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal.

Several years after Ferdinand’s death, his widow sold his estates, including the Pena National Palace and the Palace of the Moors, to Ferdinand’s grandson, King Carlos I. The Countess of Edla survived her husband by 44 years. She passed away in Lisbon on May 21, 1929, and is buried in the Prazeres Cemetery in Lisbon.

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Auguste de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, Prince Consort of Portugal

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Auguste de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, Prince Consort of Portugal; source: Wikipedia

Auguste Charles Eugène Napoléon de Beauharnais was born on December 9, 1810, at the Royal Villa of Monza, just outside Milan, (Napoleonic) Kingdom of Italy. He was the eldest son of Eugène de Beauharnais and Princess Augusta of Bavaria, a daughter of King Maximilian I of Bavaria.

Auguste had six siblings:

Auguste’s father Eugène was the son of the French Empress Joséphine from her first marriage, and therefore a stepson of Emperor Napoleon I. In 1804, Napoleon made Eugène an official member of the Imperial Family, but without succession rights to the French throne. Two years later, Napoleon formally adopted Eugène, named him as heir-presumptive to the Kingdom of Italy, and gave him the title Prince of Venice. However, Eugène lost those titles and his political expectations following Napoleon’s defeat, and the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Two years later, his father-in-law, King Maximilian I of Bavaria, created him Duke of Leuchtenberg and Prince of Eichstätt.

Auguste’s father, Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg. Portrait by Andrea Appiani, 1810. source: Wikipedia

Auguste succeeded his father as Duke of Leuchtenberg and Prince of Eichstätt in 1824. Several years later, his sister Amélie became the second wife of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. Following a marriage by proxy in August 1829 at the Palais Leuchtenberg in Munich, Auguste accompanied Amélie to Brazil, and settled in Rio de Janeiro, taking up residence at the Imperial Palace. He quickly became close with his new brother-in-law (and future father-in-law), who created him Duke of Santa Cruz on November 5, 1829. The Emperor also raised Auguste to the style of Royal Highness within Brazil.

Queen Maria II of Portugal. source: Wikipedia

After Emperor Pedro I’s abdication in 1831, they all returned to Munich in the Kingdom of Bavaria, while Emperor Pedro joined the fight to restore his daughter Maria to the Portuguese throne, which took place in 1834. Soon after, Emperor Pedro chose Auguste to be his daughter’s husband. The couple was married by proxy on December 1, 1834, and Auguste was created Prince Consort by his new wife. Upon his arrival in Portugal, they married at the Lisbon Cathedral on January 26, 1835.

Sadly, their marriage was to be very short-lived. On March 20, 1835, Auguste complained of a sore throat but refused to see a doctor. By March 23, 1835, his condition worsened, and he finally consented to see a doctor.  Within days, his condition became extremely grave, doctors told the family there was no hope, and Auguste was given the last rites.  Auguste died on March 28, 1835, at the Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 24, most likely from diphtheria. He is buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. He was succeeded as Duke of Leuchtenberg by his younger brother Maximilian.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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.

May 1916: Royalty and World War I

by Susan Flantzer

Rear Admiral The Honorable Sir Horace Hood

Horace_Hood_WWI_May 1916

Rear Admiral The Honorable Sir Horace Hood; Photo Credit – http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org

For two days, May 31 – June 1, 1916, the Battle of Jutland was fought in the North Sea near Denmark’s Jutland peninsula between the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet. A total of 250 ships were engaged in the battle, with fourteen British and eleven German ships sunk. 9,823 men were killed in the battle, 6,784 British and 3,039 German. One of those causalities was Rear Admiral The Honorable Sir Horace Hood who died when the HMS Invincible sunk during the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea with the loss of all but six men.

The Honorable Horace Lambert Alexander Hood was born in London, England on October 2, 1870, the fourth of the eight children of Francis Wheler Hood, 4th Viscount Hood of Whitley and Edith Lydia Drummond Ward.  The peerage Viscount Hood was created for Horace’s great-great-grandfather Admiral Samuel Hood, who was known for his service in the Royal Navy during American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary Wars, and for acting as a mentor to the naval hero Horatio Nelson.

Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood; Credit – Wikipedia

Horace’s seven siblings:

Horace’s career in the Royal Navy began when he was only 12 years old as he started his cadet training on the HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, England. Three years later, he graduated at the top of his class and joined the HMS Temeraire as a midshipman. In 1890, Horace set a record score for his examinations for his promotion to lieutenant. He scored 4398 points out of a possible 4600 points. Horace saw service on the Nile in 1897-1898 and in Somaliland in 1903-1904.

Beginning in 1906, Horace spent time in Washington, DC as the naval attaché to the British Embassy. In 1910, he became Captain of the Royal Naval College at Osborne and two years later was made a naval aide-de-camp to King George V. Horace was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1913 and in June 1914 he became naval secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. After the onset of World War I, Horace took command of a small naval force assisting the British and Belgian armies in trying to prevent the German navy from advancing towards ports on the British Channel. In May 1915, he took command of the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet aboard his flagship the HMS Invincible.

During his time in Washington, DC, Horace met an American widow with a young daughter,   Ellen Touzalin Nickerson. On January 19, 1910, Horace and Ellen were married, and the couple had two sons. Upon the death of their father in 1907, Horace’s brother Grosvenor had succeeded their father as the 5th Viscount Hood. Grosvenor’s two marriages were childless,  and Horace was the heir presumptive to the peerage until his death in 1916. After Horace’s death, his elder son Samuel was the heir presumptive to the peerage and succeeded his uncle as the 6th Viscount Hood in 1933. Samuel never married, so upon his death his brother Alexander became the 7th Viscount Hood. The current Viscount Hood, Henry Lyttelton Alexander Hood, 8th Viscount Hood of Whitley, is Horace’s grandson.

Children of Horace and Ellen:

Horace was knighted posthumously and Ellen was granted the style of a knight’s wife, Lady Hood, for the remainder of her life. She never remarried and died in 1950. Her daughter Katherine Nickerson from her first marriage married Walter Ernest Christopher James, 4th Baron Northbourne of Betteshanger .

by Bassano, whole-plate glass negative, 16 February 1922

Ellen Hood (née Touzalin) by Bassano Ltd, whole-plate glass negative, 16 February 1922 NPG x121328 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle during World War I. The British objective was to destroy the German High Seas Fleet or at the least, to keep the German force contained and away from British shipping lanes. Because the German Imperial Navy was insufficient to engage the entire British fleet, the German objective was to lure, trap and destroy a portion of the British Grand Fleet.

HMS Invincible; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Rear Admiral Horace Hood was aboard the battlecruiser HMS Invincible, the first battlecruiser to be built by any country in the world, leading the three ships of the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron. During the battle, the HMS Invincible was hit in her “Q” turret by a round of fire from the German battlecruiser SMS Lützow, causing a massive explosion. The ship broke in two and sank in 90 seconds with the loss of all but six of the crew of 1,026, including Rear Admiral Horace Hood.

HMS Invincible exploding at Jutland, taken from a destroyer nearby; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The two shattered halves of HMS Invincible temporarily standing on the seabed; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The remains of the HMS Invincible and its crew are at the bottom of the North Sea, and the site is a protected war grave. Horace Hood’s name along with the names of members of the Royal Navy who died in World War I with no known grave are inscribed on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.  In 1918, Horace’s widow launched the battlecruiser HMS Hood, named after Horace’s great-great-grandfather Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood. During World War II, the HMS Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck.  Of the 1415 aboard, only three survived.

Porstmouth Naval Memorial; Photo Credit – By Martyn Pattison, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9130746

*********************************************************

Timeline: May 1, 1916 – May 31, 1916

May 7 – 10 – Battle of Kondoa Irangi in Kondoa Irangi, German East Africa (now in Tanzania)
May 10 – Germany suspends unrestricted submarine warfare
May 15 – June 10 – Battle of Asiago at the Asiago plateau in Veneto, Italy
May 16 – Signing of the Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France defining their proposed spheres in the Middle East
May 31 – June 1 – Battle of Jutland between Britain’s Grand Fleet and Germany’s Hochseeflotte

*********************************************************

A Note About German Titles

Many German royals and nobles died in World War I. The German Empire consisted of 27 constituent states, most of them ruled by royal families. Scroll down to German Empire here to see what constituent states made up the German Empire.  The constituent states retained their own governments, but had limited sovereignty. Some had their own armies, but the military forces of the smaller ones were put under Prussian control. In wartime, armies of all the constituent states would be controlled by the Prussian Army and the combined forces were known as the Imperial German Army.  German titles may be used in Royals Who Died In Action below. Refer to Unofficial Royalty: Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles.

24 British peers were also killed in World War I and they will be included in the list of those who died in action. In addition, more than 100 sons of peers also lost their lives, and those that can be verified will also be included.

*********************************************************

May 1916 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

The list is in chronological order and does contain some who would be considered noble instead of royal. The links in the last bullet for each person is that person’s genealogical information from Leo’s Genealogics Website or to The Peerage website.  If a person has a Wikipedia page, their name will be linked to that page.

Freiherr Karl von Moreau

Midshipman The Honorable Bernard Michael Bailey

Lieutenant Commander The Honorable Hugh Cecil Robert Feilding

Rear Admiral The Honorable Sir Horace Lambert Alexander Hood

Midshipman The Honorable Cecil Richard Molyneux

Commander Henry Ernest Digby Hugh Willoughby

Commander The Honorable Lionel Henry Shore

  • son of Henry Noel Shore, 5th Baron Teignmouth and Mary Aglionby Porteus
  • born November 18, 1882
  • killed in action on May 31, 1916, age 33, when the HMS Invincible sunk during the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea with the loss of all but six men