William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

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William IV
Guillaumeivluxembourg.jpg
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign 17 November 1905 –
25 February 1912
Predecessor Adolphe
Successor Marie-Adélaïde
Regent Marie Anne of Portugal
(1908–1912)
Born (1852-04-22)22 April 1852
Biebrich Palace, Wiesbaden
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
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 heiress-presumptive to the grand ducal throne. She became Luxembourg's first reigning female monarch 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:

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
Foreign honours

Ancestry

Family of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Karl Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. William, Duke of Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Wilhelm Georg of Kirchberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Isabella Auguste Reuss-Greiz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Friederike Karoline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Louise of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Prince Frederick Augustus of Anhalt-Dessau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg[7]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt[7]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Prince William of Hesse-Kassel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Princess Marie Luise Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes and references

  1. Almanach de Gotha (1901), article "Luxembourg"
  2. http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/gotha/schwarzenberg.html Princely House of Schwarzenberg
  3. http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/gotha/thurn.html Princely House of Thurn and Taxis
  4. http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/gotha/saxony.html Royal House of Saxony
  5. It was customary for a reigning Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Highness.
  6. 6.0 6.1 It was customary for a reigning Grand Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Royal Highness
  7. 7.0 7.1 Miroslav MAREK. "Hesse-Homburg", 2003-05-02. Retrieved on 2009-03-05

External links

William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Cadet branch of the House of Nassau
Born: 12 April 1852 Died: 25 February 1912
Regnal titles
Preceded by Grand Duke of Luxembourg
1905–1912
Succeeded by
Marie-Adélaïde