Sergei Georgievich, 8th Duke of Leuchtenberg

Sergei Georgievich
Duke of Leuchtenberg
Sergei Georgievich, c. 1917
Born	(1890-07-04)4 July 1890 Peterhof, Russian Empire
Died	Rome, Italy
House	Beauharnais
Father	George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg
Mother	Princess Anastasia of Montenegro

Sergei Georgievich, 8th Duke of Leuchtenberg (4 July 1890 – 7 January 1974) was the son of George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg and his second wife Princess Anastasia of Montenegro. He succeeded his half-brother Alexander Georgievich as Duke of Leuchtenberg from 1942 until his death.

Background and early life

Prince Sergei was born on 4 July 1890 in Peterhof, Russian Empire to George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg and Princess Anastasia of Montenegro. Like his father, Sergei was styled His Imperial Highness from birth. George's first wife, Duchess Therese Petrovna of Oldenburg, died in 1883, leaving a young son. Sergei's father remarried six years later, when he caught the attention of Princess Anastasia of Montenegro at her sister Milica's wedding. George and Anastasia soon married and produced two children, Sergei and Elena. Anastasia divorced her husband in 1906 in order to marry Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia.

Later years

Coat of Arms of the Dukes of Leuchtenberg

Sergei introduced Alexander Andreyevich Svechin to his step-father Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, who was known for his religiosity and interest in mysticism. Grand Duke Nicholas died in 1929, and Sergei attended his funeral along with his sister Princess Elena.

Sergei died 16 December 1974 in Rome and was buried in the non-Catholic cemetery for foreigners in Testaccio. He was the last Duke of Leuchtenberg (now living descendants of the Duke of Leuchtenberg are descended from a morganatic marriage, which is why they lost their dynastic status of the members of the Russian Imperial House and the right to the Bavarian ducal title).

Ancestry

Family of Sergei Georgievich, 8th Duke of Leuchtenberg

16. Alexandre de Beauharnais, vicomte de Beauharnais               8. Eugène de Beauharnais, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg                       17. Joséphine Tascher de La Pagerie               4. Maximilian de Beauharnais, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg                             18. Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria               9. Princess Augusta of Bavaria                       19. Landgravine Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt               2. George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg                                   20. Paul I of Russia               10. Nicholas I of Russia                       21. Sophie Dorothea of Württemburg               5. Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia                             22. Frederick William III of Prussia               11. Charlotte of Prussia                       23. Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               1. Sergei Georgievich, Duke of Leuchtenberg                                         24. Stanko Petrović-Njegoš               12. Mirko Petrović-Njegoš                       25. Christine Vrbitsa               6. Nicholas I of Montenegro                             26. Drago Martinović               13. Anastasija Martinović                       27. Stana Martinović               3. Princess Anastasia of Montenegro                                   28. Peter Perkov Vukotić               14. Petar Vukotić                       29. Stana Milić               7. Milena Vukotić                             30. Tadija Vervodić               15. Jelena Voivodić                       31. Milica Pavičević

References

Sergei Georgievich, 8th Duke of Leuchtenberg House of Beauharnais Born: 4 July 1890 Died: 7 January 1974
German nobility
Preceded by Alexander Maximilianovich	Duke of Leuchtenberg 26 September 1942 – 7 January 1974	Succeeded by Nicholas Nikolaevich (contested)