William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

William IV
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign	17 November 1905 – 25 February 1912
Predecessor	Adolphe
Successor	Marie-Adélaïde
Regent	Marie Anne of Portugal (1908–1912)
Born	22 April 1852 Biebrich Palace, Wiesbaden
Died	25 February 1912 (aged 59) Berg Castle, Colmar-Berg
Burial	Schlosskirche ("Castle Church") in Weilburg since 1953
Spouse	Marie Anne of Portugal
Issue	Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Hilda, Princess of Schwarzenberg Antonia, Crown Princess of Bavaria Elisabeth, Princess Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis Sophie, Princess Ernst Heinrich of Saxony
House	Nassau-Weilburg
Father	Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Mother	Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau

William IV (22 April 1852 – 25 February 1912) reigned as the sovereign Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 17 November 1905 until his death. He succeeded his father, Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He also held the title of Duke of Nassau, although that was annexed by Prussia after the Austro-Prussian war of 1866.^[1]

William IV was a Protestant, the religion of the House of Nassau. He married Princess Marie Anne of Portugal, believing that a Roman Catholic country ought to have a Roman Catholic monarch. Thus since William IV all other Grand Dukes have been Catholic.

At the death of his uncle, Prince Nikolaus-Wilhelm in 1905, the only other legitimate male in the House of Nassau-Weilburg was William's cousin, Georg Nikolaus, Count of Merenberg, the product of a morganatic marriage. So in 1907, William declared the Counts of Merenberg non-dynastic, naming his own eldest daughter Marie-Adélaïde (1894–1924) as heir presumptive to the grand ducal throne. She became Luxembourg's first reigning grand duchess upon her father's death in 1912, and upon her own abdication in 1919, was succeeded by her younger sister Charlotte (1896–1985). Charlotte's descendants have reigned until the present day.

He was the last monarch of Luxembourg to die whilst still on the throne.

Family

On 21 June 1893 in Fischhorn Castle, Zell am See, he married Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal, daughter of the deposed king Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. The couple had six daughters:

• Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1894–1924) who remained unmarried and childless
• Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1896–1985) who married her first cousin Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma, a son of Marie Anne's younger sister.
• Princess Hilda (Berg Castle, 15 February 1897 – Berg Castle, 8 September 1979), married in Berg Castle on 29 October 1930 Adolf 10th Prince of Schwarzenberg (Frauenberg, 18 August 1890 – Bordighera, 27 February 1950),^[2] without issue
• Crown Princess Antonia of Bavaria (1899–1954), who married Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria as his second wife
• Princess Elisabeth (Luxembourg, 7 March 1901 – Schloss Hohenburg, 2 August 1950), married in Schloss Hohenburg on 14 November 1922 Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis (Regensburg, 2 February 1901 – Schloss Niederaichbach, 22 April 1933), son of Albert I, Prince of Thurn and Taxis,^[3] and had issue
• Princess Sophie (Berg Castle, 14 February 1902 – Munich, 24 May 1941), married at Schloss Hohenburg on 12 April 1921 Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony (Dresden, 9 December 1896 – Neckarhausen, 14 June 1971), youngest son of king Frederick Augustus III of Saxony,^[4] and had issue

Titles and honours

Titles

• 22 April 1852 - 23 November 1890: His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Nassau^[5]
• 23 November 1890 - 17 November 1905: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau^[6]
• 17 November 1905 - 25 February 1912: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau^[6]

National honours

•  Luxembourg: Sovereign of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
•  Luxembourg: Sovereign of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
•  Luxembourg: Sovereign of the Order of the Oak Crown

Foreign honours

•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion

Ancestry

Ancestors of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

8. Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg               4. William, Duke of Nassau                       9. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg               2. Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg                             10. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg               5. Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen                       11. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               1. William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg                                   12. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau               6. Prince Frederick Augustus of Anhalt-Dessau                       13. Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg               3. Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau                             14. Prince William of Hesse-Kassel               7. Princess Marie Luise Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel                       15. Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark

Notes and references

1. Almanach de Gotha (1901), article "Luxembourg"
2. Theroff, Paul. "Princely House of Schwarzenberg". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site). []
3. Theroff, Paul. "Princely House of Thurn and Taxis". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site). []
4. Theroff, Paul. "Royal House of Saxony". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site). []
5. It was customary for a reigning Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Highness.
6. It was customary for a reigning Grand Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Royal Highness

External links

• Grand-Ducal House of Luxembourg