Bernadotte af Wisborg
Encyclopedia
The title Count of Wisborg is, since 1892, borne by the male-line descendants of four princes of Sweden
who married morganatically
without the consent of the King of Sweden and thereby lost the right of succession to the throne of Sweden for themselves, their children and their descendants. The four former princes of Sweden each lost their Swedish titles and assumed the surname of Bernadotte
. In each case the former prince of Sweden was given the title Count of Wisborg by the reigning Grand Duke or Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
. In Sweden, these members of the House of Bernadotte are considered part of the unintroduced nobility and Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg was for many years chairman of Ointroducerad Adels Förening
.
The four former princes of Sweden given the title Count of Wisborg are:
The agnatic (male-line) descendants of each of these four former princes of Sweden are entitled to the title Count of Wisborg. In practice, their surname is often included in the title, Count Bernadotte of Wisborg. The most well-known is Folke Bernadotte
, a son of Oscar Bernadotte, the first Count of Wisborg. He was the United Nations Security Council
mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947–1948, assassinated in 1948 by Zionist militants.
A fifth prince of Sweden, Carl (1911–2003), married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles in 1937. He was given the title Prince Bernadotte by his brother-in-law King Leopold III of Belgium
. His male-line descendants bear the title Count Bernadotte (but this line will end at once with his only daughter).
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
who married morganatically
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
without the consent of the King of Sweden and thereby lost the right of succession to the throne of Sweden for themselves, their children and their descendants. The four former princes of Sweden each lost their Swedish titles and assumed the surname of Bernadotte
Bernadotte
The House of Bernadotte, the current royal house of Sweden, has reigned since 1818. Between 1818 and 1905, it was also the royal house of the Norway...
. In each case the former prince of Sweden was given the title Count of Wisborg by the reigning Grand Duke or Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. In Sweden, these members of the House of Bernadotte are considered part of the unintroduced nobility and Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg was for many years chairman of Ointroducerad Adels Förening
Ointroducerad Adels Förening
Ointroducerad Adels Förening , which translates to "Association of the Unintroduced Nobility" and "Association of the Unintroduced Nobility of Sweden" respectively, is an association of noble families which are resident in Sweden, and which have not been "introduced" at the Swedish House of Nobility...
.
The four former princes of Sweden given the title Count of Wisborg are:
- Oscar BernadottePrince Oscar, Duke of GotlandPrince Oscar Carl August Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was the second son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sofia of Nassau...
(1859–1953), second son of King Oscar II of SwedenOscar II of SwedenOscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
. He married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles on March 15, 1888. He was created Count of Wisborg by Grand Duke Adolphe of LuxembourgAdolphe, Grand Duke of LuxembourgAdolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
on February 2, 1892. Oscar's mother, Queen Sofia of Sweden, was the half-sister of Grand Duke Adolphe. A possible explanation for the choice of the Wisborg title is that Oscar was formerly Duke of GotlandGotlandGotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
and the fortification VisborgVisborgVisborg refers to a fortress in the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. There was no one fortress called "Visborg", rather it refers to successive fortresses built in Visby...
(then spelled Wisborg) lies within Gotland.
- Lennart BernadottePrince Lennart, Duke of SmålandLennart Bernadotte Count of Wisborg, né Prince Gustaf Lennart Nicolaus Paul of Sweden , a grandson of King Gustaf V of Sweden, was until 1932 a Prince of Sweden and the Duke of Småland....
(1909–2004), only son of Prince Vilhelm, Duke of Södermanland. He married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles on March 11, 1932. He was created Count of Wisborg by Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg on July 2, 1951. Lennart styled himself Prince Lennart Bernadotte, but this usage was never recognised by King Carl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
.
- Sigvard BernadottePrince Sigvard, Duke of UpplandSigvard Oscar Fredrik Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish industrial designer. He was the second son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught and was originally known as Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland, but lost his royal titles in 1934 when he...
(1907–2002), second son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of SwedenGustaf VI Adolf of SwedenGustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...
. He married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles on March 8, 1934. He was created Count of Wisborg by Grand Duchess Charlotte of LuxembourgCharlotte, Grand Duchess of LuxembourgCharlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
on July 2, 1951. Sigvard unilaterally reclaimed the title of Prince of Sweden on May 28, 1983, but this usage was never recognised by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
- Carl Johan Bernadotte (born 1916), fourth son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. He married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles on February 19, 1946. He was created Count of Wisborg by Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg on July 2, 1951. He is the last surviving great-grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
The agnatic (male-line) descendants of each of these four former princes of Sweden are entitled to the title Count of Wisborg. In practice, their surname is often included in the title, Count Bernadotte of Wisborg. The most well-known is Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman noted for his negotiation of the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during World War II, including 450 Danish Jews from Theresienstadt released on 14 April 1945...
, a son of Oscar Bernadotte, the first Count of Wisborg. He was the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947–1948, assassinated in 1948 by Zionist militants.
A fifth prince of Sweden, Carl (1911–2003), married morganatically and lost his Swedish titles in 1937. He was given the title Prince Bernadotte by his brother-in-law King Leopold III of Belgium
Leopold III of Belgium
Leopold III reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicated in favour of the Heir Apparent,...
. His male-line descendants bear the title Count Bernadotte (but this line will end at once with his only daughter).
See also
- VisborgVisborgVisborg refers to a fortress in the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. There was no one fortress called "Visborg", rather it refers to successive fortresses built in Visby...