Christian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Encyclopedia
Christian Frederick Charles Alexander (German: Christian Friedrich Karl Alexander) (24 February 1736 in Ansbach
– 5 January 1806 in Benham Castle near Speen
) was the last Margrave
of the two Franconian principalities Brandenburg-Ansbach
and Brandenburg-Bayreuth
, which he sold to the King of Prussia
, a fellow member of the House of Hohenzollern
.
, the daughter of King Frederick William I of Prussia
and sister of Frederick II of Prussia
.
After the sudden death of his elder brother Charles Frederick August on 9 May 1737, "Alexander," as he later called himself, became Crown Prince of the principality. From 1748 to 1759, he studied in Utrecht
. As the young "Count of Sayn" (the county of Sayn-Altenkirchen
in the Westerwald having been absorbed into the Principality of Ansbach
in 1741) he travelled to Turin
and Savoy
.
On 22 November 1754, in Coburg
, Charles Alexander married Caroline Friederike of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1735–1791), daughter of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
and Anne Sophie, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
On 3 August 1757, Charles Alexander became the Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. The Residenz
of the principality was Ansbach, but Charles Alexander preferred his hunting estate and country seat in Triesdorf. Here, he renovated the "White Castle" for his mistress Hippolyte Clairon, the "Red Castle" for himself, and built the Villa Sandrina for another mistress, "Fräulein Kurz", and the "Round Villa" (Villa Rotunda) for his mistress (and later wife) Elizabeth Craven
.
In 1758, Charles Alexander founded the porcelain
factory in Ansbach
and made ventures into agriculture by importing sheep. In 1769, he acquired the principality of Bayreuth pursuant to the Haus- und Reichsgesetze laws of the House of Hohenzollern
.
In 1780, Charles Alexander founded his own bank, the Hochfürstlich-Brandenburg-Anspach-Bayreuthische Hofbanco, out of which later came the Bayerische Hypotheken- und Wechselbank ("Bavarian Mortgage and Change Bank", today absorbed into the HypoVereinsbank
). He evidently wanted to avoid supporting the Jewish banking houses that were then overseeing his financial affairs, and to keep as much of his revenue as possible in his own hands by setting himself up as a private banker.
One of Charles Alexander's enterprises earned income from hiring auxiliary troops to George III of Great Britain for the Colonies in America. He had nominal command over the "Frankish Army" of 1,644 mercenaries, of whom apparently only 1,183 returned to their homeland in 1783. The Margrave rented further troops to Holland. With these incomes, he paid down the principality's debts, which amounted to 5,000,000 guilder
s at the time he took office (1757). By the time of his abdication 34 years later, the principality's debt stood at only 1,500,000 guilders.
Charles Alexander's first wife Caroline Friederike died on 18 February 1791 in Unterschwaningen
, where she had lived since separating from her husband. On 19 May of the same year, Charles Alexander left Triesdorf for England.
On 13 October or 30 October 1791, in Lisbon
, he married Lady Elizabeth Craven
(1750–1828), the daughter of the 4th Earl of Berkeley
, and widow of the 6th Baron Craven
, who had died shortly before.
On 16 January 1791, Charles Alexander sold his Margravate to Prussia
. The contract was arranged by Charles August, Baron of Hardenberg, who had been Acting Minister in Ansbach since 1790. Under the terms of the contract, Prussia paid the Margrave as compensation an annual stipend of 300,000 guilders.
On 2 December, in Bordeaux, France
, he signed his formal abdication
as Margrave.
The Franconian region over which he had ruled changed hands many times. On 15 December 1805, in the first Treaty of Schönbrunn
, Prussia ceded the Principality of Ansbach
to France
in exchange for the Electorate of Hanover
; in 1806, Ansbach was acquired by the Kingdom of Bavaria
in exchange for the Duchy of Berg, and soon afterwards, the Prussian defeat at Jena
on 14 October 1806 resulted in the cession of the Principality of Bayreuth
to the French in the Treaty of Tilsit in July 1807. In 1810, Bayreuth was acquired by Bavaria. Finally, in 1871, Bavaria was incorporated into the North German Confederation
to form a German Empire
under Prussian control.
at Hammersmith
, and in 1798, he acquired the Benham Park
estate at Speen
near Newbury
in Berkshire
. On 5 January 1806, aged 69, Charles Alexander died after a short illness caused by lung
disease. Today, a memorial in St Mary's Church in Speen
, simply records "In Memory of the Margrave of Anspach, who died at Benham 5th January 1806". http://www.berkshirehistory.com/churches/speen_margrave_anspach.html
----
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
– 5 January 1806 in Benham Castle near Speen
Speen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
) was the last Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of the two Franconian principalities Brandenburg-Ansbach
Principality of Ansbach
The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...
and Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Principality of Bayreuth
The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
, which he sold to the King of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, a fellow member of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
.
Life
His parents were Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Friederike Luise of PrussiaPrincess Friederike Luise of Prussia
Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia was a daughter of Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover and Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach.-Family:...
, the daughter of King Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
and sister of Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
.
After the sudden death of his elder brother Charles Frederick August on 9 May 1737, "Alexander," as he later called himself, became Crown Prince of the principality. From 1748 to 1759, he studied in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
. As the young "Count of Sayn" (the county of Sayn-Altenkirchen
Sayn-Altenkirchen
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen was a German county located in what is now Rhineland-Palatinate, near the Sieg River....
in the Westerwald having been absorbed into the Principality of Ansbach
Principality of Ansbach
The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...
in 1741) he travelled to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
.
On 22 November 1754, in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
, Charles Alexander married Caroline Friederike of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1735–1791), daughter of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.He was the fourth living son of John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the third born by his father's second wife Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont.During his youth, Francis Josias served in the Imperial...
and Anne Sophie, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
On 3 August 1757, Charles Alexander became the Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. The Residenz
Residenz
Residenz is a very formal, otherwise obsolete, German word for "place of living". It is in particular used to denote the building or town where a sovereign ruler resided, therefore also carrying a similar meaning as the modern expressions seat of government or capital...
of the principality was Ansbach, but Charles Alexander preferred his hunting estate and country seat in Triesdorf. Here, he renovated the "White Castle" for his mistress Hippolyte Clairon, the "Red Castle" for himself, and built the Villa Sandrina for another mistress, "Fräulein Kurz", and the "Round Villa" (Villa Rotunda) for his mistress (and later wife) Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven , Princess Berkeley , previously "Lady Craven" of Hamstead Marshall, was an author, playwright, traveller, and socialite, perhaps best known for her travelogues...
.
In 1758, Charles Alexander founded the porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
factory in Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
and made ventures into agriculture by importing sheep. In 1769, he acquired the principality of Bayreuth pursuant to the Haus- und Reichsgesetze laws of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
.
In 1780, Charles Alexander founded his own bank, the Hochfürstlich-Brandenburg-Anspach-Bayreuthische Hofbanco, out of which later came the Bayerische Hypotheken- und Wechselbank ("Bavarian Mortgage and Change Bank", today absorbed into the HypoVereinsbank
HypoVereinsbank
UniCredit Bank Aktiengesellschaft is the sixth-largest private German financial institution, with a strong presence in Bavaria. The company is based in Munich, and together with Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, Commerzbank and Deutsche Postbank, it belongs to the Cash Group...
). He evidently wanted to avoid supporting the Jewish banking houses that were then overseeing his financial affairs, and to keep as much of his revenue as possible in his own hands by setting himself up as a private banker.
One of Charles Alexander's enterprises earned income from hiring auxiliary troops to George III of Great Britain for the Colonies in America. He had nominal command over the "Frankish Army" of 1,644 mercenaries, of whom apparently only 1,183 returned to their homeland in 1783. The Margrave rented further troops to Holland. With these incomes, he paid down the principality's debts, which amounted to 5,000,000 guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s at the time he took office (1757). By the time of his abdication 34 years later, the principality's debt stood at only 1,500,000 guilders.
Charles Alexander's first wife Caroline Friederike died on 18 February 1791 in Unterschwaningen
Unterschwaningen
Unterschwaningen is a municipality in the district of Ansbach in Bavaria in Germany....
, where she had lived since separating from her husband. On 19 May of the same year, Charles Alexander left Triesdorf for England.
On 13 October or 30 October 1791, in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, he married Lady Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven , Princess Berkeley , previously "Lady Craven" of Hamstead Marshall, was an author, playwright, traveller, and socialite, perhaps best known for her travelogues...
(1750–1828), the daughter of the 4th Earl of Berkeley
Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley
Lt.-Col. Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley KT was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley and Lady Louisa Lennox....
, and widow of the 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven was an English nobleman.He was the son of Rev John Craven of Staunton Lacy in Shropshire and succeeded his uncle, William Craven, as Baron Craven in 1769...
, who had died shortly before.
The end of the Margravate
| Ansbach Principality of Ansbach The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach... | Bayreuth Principality of Bayreuth The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence... |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1792 | Prussia | Prussia |
| 1805 | France | ↓ |
| 1806 | Bavaria | ↓ |
| 1807 | ↓ | France |
| 1810 | ↓ | Bavaria |
| ... | ↓ | ↓ |
| 1871 | Germany | Germany |
On 16 January 1791, Charles Alexander sold his Margravate to Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. The contract was arranged by Charles August, Baron of Hardenberg, who had been Acting Minister in Ansbach since 1790. Under the terms of the contract, Prussia paid the Margrave as compensation an annual stipend of 300,000 guilders.
On 2 December, in Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, he signed his formal abdication
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
as Margrave.
The Franconian region over which he had ruled changed hands many times. On 15 December 1805, in the first Treaty of Schönbrunn
Treaty of Schönbrunn
The Treaty of Schönbrunn , sometimes known as the Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at the Schönbrunn Palace of Vienna on 14 October 1809. This treaty ended the Fifth Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...
, Prussia ceded the Principality of Ansbach
Principality of Ansbach
The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in exchange for the Electorate of Hanover
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation...
; in 1806, Ansbach was acquired by the Kingdom of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in exchange for the Duchy of Berg, and soon afterwards, the Prussian defeat at Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
on 14 October 1806 resulted in the cession of the Principality of Bayreuth
Principality of Bayreuth
The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
to the French in the Treaty of Tilsit in July 1807. In 1810, Bayreuth was acquired by Bavaria. Finally, in 1871, Bavaria was incorporated into the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
to form a German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
under Prussian control.
After abdication
Charles Alexander sailed to England as a private citizen with his second wife, Elizabeth Craven and there the couple dedicated themselves to breeding horses. By December 1791, he had found a property near the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, and in 1798, he acquired the Benham Park
Benham Park
Benham Park is a mansion in the English county of Berkshire, within the civil parish of Speen. It is located west of Newbury, not far off the A34, near the village of Marsh Benham....
estate at Speen
Speen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
near Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. On 5 January 1806, aged 69, Charles Alexander died after a short illness caused by lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
disease. Today, a memorial in St Mary's Church in Speen
Speen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
, simply records "In Memory of the Margrave of Anspach, who died at Benham 5th January 1806". http://www.berkshirehistory.com/churches/speen_margrave_anspach.html
Ancestry
External links
- Triesdorf, Residenz des letzten Markgrafen von Ansbach-Bayreuth (German)
- http://www.freundetriesdorf.de/geschichte_200todestag.html (German)
- The Peerage.com
- Royal Berkshire History: Speen Monument to the Margrave of Anspach
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