Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 207

Wilhelmshöhe Palace and Löwenburg Castle

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is home to the Wilhelmshöhe Palace or rather what is left of it after it was bombed during the Second World War. The middle part of it was reconstructed to serve as an art museum. The artwork is simply amazing, and they had an entire exhibition dedicated to Rembrandt’s Saskia, but they also have some royal women on their walls.

The southern wing of Wilhelmshöhe Palace is called the Weißenstein Wing, and it originally housed the staterooms and the private apartments of the Landgravial family. The Hercules monument began its life in 1701, followed by the Palace in 1785. Kassel became the capital of the Kingdom of Westphalia under the rule of Jérôme Bonaparte with Catharina of Württemberg as his Queen. He kept his court at Wilhelmshöhe, which was renamed Napoleonshöhe until the restoration of the Electorate. In 1866, Hesse-Kassel was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1870, French Emperor Napoleon III was imprisoned in the Palace, and his wife Eugénie de Montijo was allowed to visit him there.

The nearby Löwenburg Castle is quite a climb away, and despite its medieval look, it was built between 1793 and 1801. William IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, had the castle built for his mistress Karoline von Schlotheim and he is buried in the chapel nearby.

Click to view slideshow.

Entrance to the park itself is free, but you can buy a combi ticket to see the museum, the Weißenstein wing and Löwenburg Castle. It only costs 6 euro, but the Weißenstein wing and Löwenburg Castle can only be entered on the whole hour with a guided tour. You need to keep this in mind because Löwenburg Castle is at least a half-hour walk uphill. The guided tour in the Weißenstein wing was quite interesting and English booklets were available. The Löwenburg Castle’s tour is not quite so interesting as you can only see the chapel because the rest is under construction.

See more information about visiting the Bergpark here.

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Einstein and Elisabeth – Friendship with a Queen

In 1929, Albert Einstein – theoretical physicist and Nobel prize winner – visited the Belgian Royal court and a friendship began between him and the Queen of the Belgians, born Elisabeth of Bavaria. They played music together.

In early November 1929, Einstein was visiting Paris, and Elisabeth wrote to him, “It would give us much joy if you could come to Brussels on your way back to visit us at Laeken. Bring your violin! So, hope to see you soon! With kind regards, Your Elisabeth.” Unfortunately, Einstein was unable to make to Brussels.

Luckily for her, he did not stay away for long, and in October 1930, he came by with several others and Elisabeth enjoyed their company and even took their photos with her own little camera. They also played music for several hours, and then he unexpectedly was invited over for dinner (spinach with eggs and potatoes) which was just with the King and Queen and no staff. He wrote to his wife, “I really enjoyed my visit, and I am sure they feel the same.” During a more formal dinner at the end of the visit, he was seated next to Elisabeth.

Photo taken by Queen Elisabeth (public domain)

For Elisabeth, Einstein and making music were a way out of her golden cage. Music was like oxygen to her, and she enjoyed Einstein’s lack of interest in protocol and his apparent fame. On 10 December 1932, Einstein and his wife departed Antwerpen and headed for California. Einstein soon realised he could not return to Germany with the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. He did, however, return to Belgium and his rented villa was under the protection of county guards. He went to the German Embassy to surrender his German passport. During this time, he enjoyed musical breaks with Elisabeth, but his wife did not feel safe in Belgium. In September, they left Europe for good. Elisabeth and her husband wrote to him, “With sadness we see you leave to America and we hope to see you again soon. In our thoughts, we are with you, and we wish you a good journey and better days. May God protect you and bring insight into the minds of those people who are driven by madness to the wrong path.”

Einstein contacted Elisabeth once more to ask for help for an old friend of his, Julius Levin. He too had fled Germany, and with her “special interest” in him, he soon received leave to stay in Belgium. Einstein wrote to her, “I have also heard what you did for good old Levin, and that has done me the greatest pleasure. It is not just what you did, but especially how you did it. It was heartwarming. Such a combination of favour, seriousness and goodness is normally only found in a fairytale world.” He also promised her that he would not give up the violin.

Elisabeth’s husband died in a mountaineering accident on 17 February 1934 and Elisabeth was devastated. She wrote to her daughter, “My pain is endless, and the void becomes greater every day.” Her old friend Einstein wrote to her three days after her husband’s death. “Not so often have I been so deeply shocked as by the news of the heavy blow that destroyed your harmonious existence.” She finally found the strength to write back to him in May. “From the depths of my heart, I thank you for your compassionate letter. The beautiful, uplifting thoughts with which you honour my beloved husband, have touched me deeply in my indescribable grief.”

Elisabeth no longer found joy in her life, and she could not stand living in the palace anymore – always hearing her husband’s footsteps. Einstein heard of her state and wrote to her, “Madam Barjansky tells me also in her last letter that you spent your days in silence and loneliness since that admirable man at your side was ripped away so suddenly. I am convinced that art can offer a nice way of life, even if it seems difficult.” He added in a later letter, “I sincerely hope that the spring will bring you silent joy and encourages you to take up a happy occupation.” Further tragedy was to come when Elisabeth’s daughter-in-law Astrid was killed in a car accident. Einstein wrote to her, “That you are once again affected by a calamity is shocking. Normally, one is slowly pained by a treacherous emergency, like a dark cloud floating above us, but your fate strikes you like lightning from a clear blue sky.” Tragedy would strike Einstein too when his wife Elsa died on 20 December 1936.

Elisabeth sent her condolences to Einstein but he did not write back until August saying he wanted to wait until he had something of substance to say but “the wait was in vain.” Elisabeth did not mind the wait and wrote back, “It was so nice to hear from you after such a long time. It would be wonderful to see you again, I have taken up the violin again.” Einstein once again her to help a friend of his as the tensions were rising. Hitler had already marched on Austria. The man he asked help for survived the war.

Belgium was invaded in 1940, and Elisabeth stayed by her son’s side as they became prisoners of war. She wrote to Einstein in 1941, “When shall we see each other again? We continue to have hope! I think often of the beautiful and happy hours we spent together.” Elisabeth – with her German background – was not afraid to go up against the occupying forces, and she often used her influence to save many lives. For her actions during the war, she was recognised as Righteous Among the Nations. In 1944, her son and his family were taken to Austria where they were eventually liberated by American troops. Elisabeth was the only royal to remain behind in Laeken, and on 3 September 1944 allied troops reached Brussels. She welcomed General Horrocks with open arms.

On 3 January 1949, a telegram arrived from Einstein’s stepdaughter Margot at the Royal Palace in Brussels. “Fathers condition good no malignancy – no cause for worry – he will give you the news himself when well enough – respectfully – Margot Einstein.” It wasn’t until 1951 that Einstein himself wrote to her, “Your kind greetings have given me much joy and have awakened many happy and cheerful memories.” However, he refused to return to Europe, to Elisabeth’s sadness, but she understood it. Contact between Einstein and Elisabeth became little more than New Year’s wishes and birthday wishes. Einstein’ last letter to Elisabeth dates from 2 March 1955, and he wrote of worries about the political situation in Europe and how he considered himself “an involuntary scam artist.” On 30 April 1955, another telegram arrived from Margot, “On Sunday night – 1.15 a.m. – he left us while sleeping.”

Elisabeth survived him for ten years.1

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Elisabeth of Brunswick-Luneburg – Queen & Countess

Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg was born circa 1230 as the daughter of Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Matilda of Brandenburg.

On 25 January 1252, Elisabeth married William II of Holland, who had also been elected King of the Romans in 1247. A huge fire ravaged the city of Brunswick during their wedding night, including through the castle where they were staying, and it was probably Elisabeth who led her groom to safety.

(public domain)

They went on to have two children: Floris (future Floris V, Count of Holland) and Machteld (died young). William’s election as King of the Romans was met with some resistance, and his marriage to Elisabeth got him some much-needed support.

In November 1255 – shortly after the birth of their daughter – Elisabeth accompanied her husband to Worms, but on the way, she was kidnapped by a knight named Herman von Rietberg who robbed her of her possessions and held her captive in his castle. She was eventually released after a large ransom was paid.

More tragedy was to come, and on 28 January the following year, her husband went to battle with the Frisians, and during the battle, he got lost and crossed a frozen lake. His horse fell through and William was killed by the Frisians. They secretly buried his body under the floor of a house, and his body was not recovered until 26 years when his son took revenge on the Frisians.

Elisabeth was not granted custody of her son, and it was instead given to his uncle – also named Floris – and then to his aunt Adelaide of Holland. It was Adelaide who had the most influence on the young Count’s education. We don’t know exactly what happened to Elisabeth. She survived her husband for ten years and sometimes appeared on charters. It is unclear where she lived during these years. She died on 27 May 1266 and was interred in Middelburg. When her son found her husband’s body, he was brought to Middelburg to be buried with her.1

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Hampton Court Palace – Tudor meets Stuart

The site of Hampton Court Palace had belonged to the Order of St John of Jerusalem when it was taken over by Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York – and a favourite of King Henry VIII. Thomas Wolsey spent a fortune on the palace but little is now unchanged. By 1528, he was headed for his own downfall and he passed the Palace to King Henry VIII as a gift.

King Henry VIII did his own work on the Palace, including the kitchens to provide for the entire court. He also added the Great Halla and the gatehouse with the astronomical clock. Anne Boleyn‘s apartments above the gate when she was executed in 1536 and when walking under the gate, you can see one of the last few surviving emblems of the H and A intwined. The following year, Jane Seymour died at Hampton Court Palace shortly after giving birth to the future King Edward VI. Unfortunately, these rooms no longer exist. King Henry VIII was in the chapel of the palace when he was informed of his fifth wife’s adultery. Catherine Howard was then confined to her rooms.

His daughter Queen Mary I spent her honeymoon at Hampton Court Palace and she chose it as the place for the birth of her first child. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a phantom pregnancy and she waited five months to no avail. It was the site of another honeymoon in 1625 when King Charles I took his new bride Henrietta Maria there. It was largely uninhabited for the following reigns and entered its glory period during the time of joint monarchs King William III and Queen Mary II. They planned to demolish the Tudor palace one section at a time and replacing in the Baroque style. However, Queen Mary died halfway through the project and it was never completely finished and the different styles give it its currently multi-faceted look.

King George I and King George II and his wife Caroline of Ansbach were the last monarchs to live at Hampton Court Palace. Queen Victoria had the palace open to the public and it has been a huge tourist attraction ever since.

Click to view slideshow.

Hampton Court Palace is a place with a lot of history and it is a lovely place to visit. The different styles are both interesting and confusing. You truly feel that you are walking in history – the sound effects when you walk in help a lot! I was a bit disappointed with the shops though, as much of it is geared towards children but you can’t even get a decent book on William and Mary.

You can find more current information about visiting Hampton Court Palace here.

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Marie Sophie in Bavaria – The brave Queen (Part two)

Read part one here.

The exiled Marie Sophie and Francis were given sanctuary by Pope Pius IX in the Quirinal Palace where they stayed for 18 months while the Farnese Palace was being prepared for them. Though they had some financial investments, finances were pretty strained. Francis’s stepmother and her children also settled in Rome, and the relationship remained strained. Marie Sophie was still only 19 years old, and she was now without a crown.

In May 1861, Marie Sophie went to visit her childhood home at Possenhofen, and she finally felt a little better. Meanwhile, her heroic behaviour was the talk of Europe, and her parents were discussing a marriage between Marie Sophie’s sister Mathilde Ludovika and the King’s half-brother Prince Louis, Count of Trani. The King’s stepmother probably believed more in a possible restoration than Marie Sophie and Francis did, but they did not object to the marriage. Empress Elisabeth thought it a good idea because the sisters could then keep each other company. On 6 June 1861, Mathilde Ludovika and Prince Louis married at the Ducal Palace in Munich. Within a year, Prince Louis showed more interest in other women.

King Francis set up a government in exile in Rome which had the full support of the Pope. However, their social life was restricted, and Marie Sophie was bored and restless. It was perhaps no surprise that the vivacious Marie Sophie – with her impotent husband – fell in love with Armand de Lavayss, a Belgian Captain of the Papa Guard. In August 1862, Marie Sophie left first for the baths of Soden and then to Taxis where her sister Helene lived. Newspapers reported that she was ill, but she was, in fact, expecting a child. It was later announced that she needed rest after her tragic experiences at Gaeta and would retire to the Ursuline Convent at Augsburg where a doctor would attend on her. On 24 December 1862, Marie Sophie gave birth to a daughter who was named Maria Cristina Pia. Not much is know about the girl, except that she was removed from her mother and either given to her father or adopted. She died at the age of 19 from consumption. Marie Sophie was devasted to be separated from her child, and she became very depressed.

Unaware of the affair, Francis tried to reconcile with her wife while she was away. After an absence of almost a year, Marie Sophie returned to Rome and confessed the affair. Francis forgave her, and it was around this time he also underwent medical treatment for his phimosis. It was a new beginning. Mathilde Ludovika had been on the verge of leaving Rome, but Marie Sophie convinced her to stay. Mathilde Ludovika followed her sister’s example and fell pregnant by the Duke of Ripalda. In early 1864, she gave birth to a daughter named Marie, who was adopted by her paternal family. Mathilde Ludovika too managed to make things right with her husband, at least long enough to have his child as well. On 1 January 1867, she gave birth to a daughter named Maria Theresa. She was to be their only child.

In the spring of 1869, Marie Sophie learned that she was finally expecting a child by her husband. Empress Elisabeth came to Rome to be with her sister during her confinement. On 24 December 1869 – exactly seven years after the birth of Maria Cristina Pia – she gave birth another daughter who was given almost the exact same name: Maria Cristina Louise Pia. She was baptised four days later by the Pope himself, who was also her godfather. However, the little girl was a sickly child, and for the final week of her life, Marie Sophie sat by her cradle without undressing or going to bed. Francis recorded in his diary that she was “seized with convulsions and flew to heaven.” Marie Sophie reportedly clung to her daughter’s body all night. They would never have another child, and the little girl was laid to rest in the Church of Santa Spirito dei Napoletani.

Maria Cristina Louise Pia (public domain)

Marie Sophie began to pack her bags immediately after the funeral and left Rome on 8 April. She eventually returned to her husband, who was by then in Paris, and they began to divide their time between Paris, the south of France and Bavaria. She even began to regularly visit England, where she rented a house. Ever restless, she travelled all around Europe and did not spend much time with her husband. Mathilde Ludovika’s Prince Louis committed suicide in 1886. The sisters were reunited with most of their siblings for Empress Elisabeth’s 50th birthday at Gödollo. In November 1888, their father Duke Max died at the age of 79, following by the suicide of Empress Elisabeth’s son Crown Prince Rudolf in January 1889. On 16 May 1890, Helene died at the age of 52 with Empress Elizabeth by her side. Not much later, Marie Sophie hurried to be bedside of their mother Ludovika, but she arrived a few hours too late. Ludovika died on 25 January 1892 at the age of 83.

Marie Sophie and Francis spent the summer of 1894 together in Bavaria and by that time Francis was already seriously ill. She returned to Paris while he took the baths of Arco. He would die there on 27 December 1894, and once again Marie Sophie arrived too late. On 13 January 1895, he was buried in the Catholic Church at Arco. Marie Sophie returned to Bavaria with her brother and his wife. More tragedy as to come. Her sister Sophie Charlotte, Duchess of Alençon, perished during a fire in a charity bazaar in Paris on 4 May 1897. Her sister Empress Elisabeth was assassinated on 10 September 1898. Marie Sophie did not attend the funeral. During her final years, she divided her time between Paris and Munich.

Marie Sophie lived through the First World War and saw the fall of several empires and kingdoms. In February 1922, Marie Sophie fell seriously ill, but she recovered. Three years later, she once again fell ill while visiting her brother in Munich. She died of pneumonia on 19 January 1925. She was interred at Tegernsee Abbey next to her parents.1

 

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Marie Sophie in Bavaria – The brave Queen (Part one)

Marie Sophie in Bavaria was born on 4 October 1841 as the daughter of Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. She was the younger sister of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who was known as Sisi. She was one of ten siblings, of which eight survived to adulthood.

All the siblings were high-spirited, and Marie Sophie gained the nickname “Madi.” She loved being outdoors, and she loved to swim. The family spent the summers at Possenhofen, where life was generally informal, while the winters were spent in Munich. They enjoyed a simple upbringing, and little attention was paid to their education. When Marie Sophie was 11 years old, her elder sister was betrothed to their first cousin, Emperor Franz-Joseph I of Austria. It had been planned that he should marry her eldest sister Helene, but he preferred Elisabeth. Franz Joseph and Elisabeth were married in 1854. The jilted Helene did not remain unmarried for long, and she married Maximilian Anton Lamoral, Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis in 1858. Marie Sophie was now the eldest unmarried daughter.

In October 1857, Marie Sophie celebrated her 16th birthday amongst rumours that Francis, the Duke of Calabria, the eldest son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, would soon be asking for her hand in marriage. It was a great match, and her parents saw little reason to reject the offer. At last, attention turned to her education, and Marie Sophie underwent a crash course in court etiquette, basic Italian, and the art of conversation. Marie Sophie had also not yet had her first period, and doctors tried to kickstart it by treating her with leeches and hot baths. Her mother dreaded her daughter’s departure and wrote to her sister Sophie, “Although I must wish that it will not be drawn out, for surely it is better that she comes young into this altogether different, foreign situation, she will find and adapt herself all the more readily and with less difficulty.”

The proxy wedding was celebrated on 8 January 1859 at the Church of All Saints at the palace in Munich. She wore a dress of brocade and lace with orange blossom and long white velvet train and a veil held down by a coronet. Her uncle, Prince Leopold of Bavaria, stood in for the groom. The wedding was attended by King Maximilian II of Bavaria and his wife Queen Marie (born of Prussia). On 13 January, Marie Sophie said goodbye to her family, and she headed south. She was forced to spend an extra week in Vienna when her father-in-law became ill, and she could not have her state entry into Naples. On 3 February, she finally arrived in her new homeland with only her canary Hansi as a companion. She finally met Francis for the first time, and they spoke to each other in hesitant French. Her father-in-law was too ill to be there, and she enquired after him. She would later meet him while he was on his sickbed, and he embraced her tenderly. Shortly after her arrival, a second wedding ceremony took place in the palace.

In accordance with tradition, Marie Sophie and her new husband were locked in a chamber for the wedding night. Her husband – who was particularly devout – spent much of the night in prayer while Marie Sophie cried. She finally fell asleep from exhaustion, and he then crept into bed, trying not to disturb her. Needless to say, the marriage was not consummated. They were not off to a good start and in many ways, they were exact opposites. Marie Sophie was now part of a royal family overshadowed by the King’s illness, and the Queen treated her coldly. Queen Maria Theresa (born of Austria) was Francis’ stepmother, and she would prefer to see her eldest son succeed as King. When she asked Francis to intercede on her behalf with his stepmother, he refused to do so, leading to quarrel between Marie Sophie and Francis. However, the main issue became the lack of consummation, probably caused by Francis’s phimosis – a genital condition which in most cases cured itself naturally. Marie Sophie tried to make the best of the whole situation with diversions, such as fishing. On 22 May 1859, Marie Sophie’s father-in-law died, and she became Queen consort of the Two Sicilies after just four months of marriage. She was still only 17 years old.

Just a few days later, the new King and Queen held a reception at the Palace at Naples as officials came to the hands of their new sovereigns. No longer under the control of Queen Maria Theresa, the relationship between Marie Sophie and her husband improved, though he remained shy and lacking in confidence. Their reign was to be short. In 1860, unrest captured the city of Naples to calls for the unification of Italy. The situation became increasingly desperate with invading forces taking over several towns. Francis desperately promised to proclaim the constitution of 1852  and was promptly seized by panic attacks. The constitution came far too late, and the Queen Dowager took her children to the safety of the city of Gaeta. Marie Sophie remained with her husband and even declared that if he would not place himself at the head of his troops, she would do so herself. Troops continued to invade, and eventually, they were also forced to withdraw to the fortified city of Gaeta. The siege of Gaeta would last for three months and for Marie Sophie, it was perhaps her finest hour. She cared for the wounded, rallied the army and dared the invaders to do their worst. When the leader of the enemy forces told her to mark her residence with a flag so that they could avoid it, she dismissed it and dared them to shoot at her if they wanted to. She also ordered her soldiers down to the seaside rampart and told them to moon the fleet attacking them. She was not to be messed with and went down in history as the “heroine of Gaeta.” There were a few occasions where she barely escaped with her life.

The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies came to an end on 20 March 1861, leaving Francis and Marie Sophie without a throne.1

Part two coming soon.

 

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The Year of Queen Victoria – Queen Victoria’s half-brother Charles, 3rd Prince of Leiningen

Queen Victoria’s half-brother Charles was born on 12 September 1804 as the son of Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Victoria herself married at the age of 17 to the widowed Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen who was then 40 years old and had previously been married to Victoria’s aunt Henriette of Reuss-Ebersdorf. A daughter named Feodora followed in 1807.

Victoria spent most of her time with her lady-in-waiting, Baroness Späth. Her husband’s death in 1814 probably came as a relief to her and Victoria welcomed her newfound independence. Victoria adored her son, and she had initially not wished to remarry to the Duke of Kent as she might have lost the guardianship over Charles. She was eventually persuaded by her brother, who would later become King Leopold I of the Belgians. As his mother began her new adventure, Charles was away at school in Switzerland. His half-sister was born on 24 May 1819, and for his stepfather’s birthday in November, Charles wrote a congratulatory letter from Geneva. They would not see much of each other as the Duke of Kent died on 23 January 1820, and his mother was widowed once more. From 1821, Charles studied law at the University of Göttingen.

However, Charles was a grown man when he finally met his half-sister for the first time. In the summer of 1825, the family – including Charles and their mutual grandmother Augusta – travelled to Claremont. They celebrated the Duchess of Kent’s birthday there. Victoria and her half-brother were not close in her youth as he had allied himself with the much-hated Sir John Conroy – on whom he depended for money. On 13 February 1829, Charles married Maria von Klebelsberg who had been a lady-in-waiting to Prince Albert’s mother, Princess Louise. His family had not been amused by his choice for a bride. He moved with his new wife to Amorbach and began wildly expensive renovations, the money for which appeared to have come from the Duchess of Kent’s accounts. On 9 November 1830, Marie gave birth to their first child named Ernst Leopold – who would later succeed him as Prince of Leiningen. A second son named Eduard Friedrich was born in 1833.

For Charles, a regency by his mother over Victoria would prolong financial support, and so he turned on his half-sister, and she grew to hate him. She often railed against “the wickedness of the Prince of Leiningen and his friend S.J. (Sir John).” Baron Stockmar – an advisor to the then Princess Victoria – warned him to stop his bullying behaviour and that “treachery, lies and fraud” were not “the weapons of success.”  Charles refused to back down and told his half-sister, “Do you think the native hails your reign with unparalleled joy, calls you their hope because you will be a Queen of eighteen years? Oh no! They expect that you will follow the path of your mother.” Praising John Conroy, he added that he had “worked hard many a year to create this enormous popularity for you.”

Charles was in London when his half-sister turned 18, and he, Victoria and their mother rode through the parks that afternoon. Despite her hatred for her half-brother, Victoria gave her brother the Order of the Garter upon her accession. Perhaps she had begun to thaw somewhat, and it appeared their relationship would improve over the years. Charles often visited – like in summer of 1848 when he joined Victoria, Albert and their two eldest children in Scotland. Charles was briefly named President of the Reich Ministery that same year.

In 1855, he suffered an apoplectic attack and a second attack the following year proved fatal. He died on 13 November 1856 with Feodora by his side. Victoria was pregnant with her final child and was also suffering from a bad cough and exhaustion. She was now also grieving the loss of her half-brother. Charles was succeeded by his eldest son as Prince of Leiningen.1

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From Queen Victoria to the Empress Frederick – 11 September 1898

From Queen Victoria to the Empress Frederick – Balmoral, 11 September 1898

After the assassination of Empress Elisabeth of Austria

I feel numb with horror at this horrible event. Such too you must feel, having seen the poor dear Empress, whose sorrows have been great, so lately. What a fatality in her family. Her cousin drowned1, her son murdered or committed suicide2, her sister burnt3 and herself stabbed to death. How the poor, good Emperor, whose life has been so full of trials and sorrows (will bear it)….

It is too, too awful. It seems she did not see what happened and so was able to walk on board the steamer but soon after fainted and then a stain of blood was discovered on her dress. (They took her) to the hotel where she died in about two hours never recovering consciousness. I am so anxious for details. They say the poor Emperor bears up with wonderful fortitude. Many thanks for your last dear letter and the account of your dreadful fall. You have indeed had a merciful escape and you must never risk that horse again… All (the) details of (the) great victory come in by degrees. It was a fearful battle and the memorial service (for General Gordon) in Khartoum must have been very touching.4

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Matilda of Brabant – The pious Countess

Matilda of Brabant, the sister of Marie – who was also her predecessor as Countess of Holland, was born around 1200 as the daughter of Matilda of Boulogne and Henry I, Duke of Brabant.

She was still quite young when she married Henry II, Count Palatine of the Rhine in Aachen in 1212. She was widowed just two years later and their marriage had been childless. She became engaged to Floris IV, Count of Holland on 5 November 1214 but their wedding did not take place until 1224 when Floris (born in 1210) reached marriageable age. Matilda was thus significantly older than her bridegroom.

Matilda and Floris went on to have five or six children together: William (future Count of Holland), Henry (possibly), Floris, Matilda (probably died young), Adelaide and Margaret. Floris was killed during a joust on 19 July 1234, leaving Matilda a widow with five (or six) very young children. Custody of her eldest son was given to her brother-in-law, yet another William. Matilda did not like this at all and it led to conflict in the family. After William’s death, custody briefly passed to another brother-in-law named Otto until Floris came of age in 1239. This also marked the return of Matilda to prominence. She put her seal to his first charters and often witnessed others.

Matilda focussed mainly on religious matters. She founded at least two convents. After being widowed, she mainly lived in ‘s-Gravenzande where she also found a church and a beguinage. She received a statue of the Virgin from her sister-in-law Sophie of Thuringia, the daughter of St. Elisabeth of Hungary. Once, Matilda visited a battlefield with two priests to search for survivors or the dying to support them in their final minutes.

Matilda would survive her eldest son, who also left a minor heir, her grandson Floris who became Floris V, Count of Holland. She died on 22 December 1267 and she was buried in Loosduinen – where her daughter would spark an extraordinary legend.1

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Margaret of Prussia – The Emperor’s Sister (Part two)

Read part one here.

Margaret’s husband and her elder sons took up arms in the name of the Fatherland. Her husband was appointed to command the 81st Infantry Regiment. He was injured in September 1914 in Belgium from grenade fragments, and he contracted blood poisoning. Although he survived his injuries, he was no longer fit for combat. Margaret’s two eldest sons were not quite so lucky. Maximilian was seriously wounded by machine-gun fire in Flanders and was evacuated to a monastery. When British forces took control of the monastery, he was transferred to a British field hospital. His wounds were too severe, and he died on 13 October 1914. Before his death, he had asked a British doctor to send a chain and locket to his mother, but the doctor was killed just two days later. Fortunately, he had written a note alongside the locket, and it was sent to the doctor’s widow. She passed it to Queen Mary, who gave it to Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden and the Dowager Grand Duchess of Baden who was working for the Red Cross and it eventually made its way to Margaret.

Margaret was devastated by his death, “Words cannot express what I feel like, nor how great my misery is. That boy was so much to me & nothing will ever make the wound heal.” On 12 September 1916, her eldest son Friedrich Wilhelm was killed in combat in Romania. Prince Wolfgang – who was serving with the same regiment – asked to see his brother’s body and noted that he had had his throat slit. Margaret’s brother the Emperor ordered that her two other serving sons Philipp and Wolfgang should be kept out of harm’s way. Friedrich Wilhelm was buried in the chapel at Friedrichshof while Maximilian’s body was hidden by villagers who kept the location a secret until the war was over and reparations had been paid. His body was not returned until 1920 and was also interred at Friedrichshof.

Shortly before the end of the war, the former Grand Duchy of Finland proclaimed its independence and Margaret’s husband Frederick Charles was recommended by Germany as its new King. Margaret suddenly found herself Queen of a new Kingdom. But it was not to last. When the First World War ended, it no longer seemed feasible to have the brother-in-law of the abdicated German Emperor on the Finnish throne. Margaret and Frederick Charles were not quite so heartbroken. Friedrichshof was taken over by French troops, and the family was banished to a cottage on the grounds. They were eventually allowed to move back in, but they soon realised they could no longer afford the upkeep of the main house.

In 1924, Prince Wolfgang married Princess Marie Alexandra of Baden and the following year, Prince Philipp married Princess Mafalda of Savoy. Margaret’s first grandson – named Moritz – was born in 1926. Margaret’s relationship with her brother the former Emperor improved over the years even though he now lived in exile in the Netherlands. She and her husband also visited him in Doorn from time to time. Margaret was greatly affected by the death of her last sister Sophie in 1932. She wrote, “Sometimes I try not to think, but it is a useless struggle. She is always present wherever I am or whatever I do, as she always was, ever since I existed.” Margaret was now the last surviving daughter of Empress Frederick – Charlotte had died in 1919 and Victoria in 1929.

Margaret lived to see yet another war. Her son Philipp joined the Nazi party in 1930, followed by Christoph in 1931 and Richard and Wolfgang in 1932. Margaret began to share in the anti-Semitism and wrote, “So sad for me to see England against us once more & the Jewish influence so evident.” Margaret and her husband became members of the Nazi party in 1938. Margaret hoped that one day her brother would be restored to his position. On 28 May 1940, Margaret’s husband died at the age of 72. His final act had been a Heil Hitler salute as he was informed of early German victories. Adolf Hitler sent a wreath of condolence to Margaret, who in return wrote him a letter of thanks. She wrote, “May [God] crown you with success in all further great goals; that would be my own and my family’s lasting wish, as well as that of my beloved husband.” The former Emperor Wilhelm II died the following year in his exile in Doorn. Margaret travelled to the Netherlands to attend the funeral. Adolf Hitler came to Friedrichshof twice – in 1931 and 1932 – “for tea.”

Margaret was to lose one more son to the Fatherland. Christoph died on 7 October 1943 in a fighter plane crash in Italy. His widow Sophie moved to Friedrichshof, where she gave birth to their fifth child Clarissa. In 1944, Margaret’s daughter-in-law Marie Alexandra was killed in an air raid on Frankfurt. In the spring of 1945, American troops arrived at the gates of the Friedrichshof and Margaret, Sophie and Margaret’s nine grandchildren were told to leave within four hours. Margaret was in bed with pneumonia and protested that she was too ill to be moved. One of the sergeants threatened to shoot her, and she eventually relented. An American colonel later allowed Margaret two rooms in one of the houses on the estate, but the family was forced to split up. Friedrichshof was not returned to the family until 1953.

Margaret herself died on 22 January 1954 – exactly 53 years after Queen Victoria – in the rooms that had been allocated to her by the Americans. Her body lay in state in the entrance hall of Friedrichshof, and she was laid to rest in the chapel. 1

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