Count Aage of Rosenborg
Encyclopedia
Aage, Count of Rosenborg (Aage Christian Alexander Robert; June 10, 1887 – February 19, 1940), was a Danish prince and officer of the French Foreign Legion
. He was born in Copenhagen
the eldest child and son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark
and Princess Marie d'Orléans.
Prince Aage carried on a passionate flirtation
with Princess Marie Bonaparte
, the wife of his cousin Prince George of Greece and Denmark
, who had also enjoyed intimacies with his father. In neither case does it appear that Prince George objected, or felt obliged to give the matter any attention. In 1909 Prince Aage joined the Danish Army, and by 1913 had risen to the rank of lieutenant
. During World War I
he served as an observer
in Italy
for a year. Returning home to Denmark
he was promoted to captain.
Without the legally required permission of the Danish king, Aage married Matilda Calvi dei conti di Bergolo (Buenos Aires
, 17 September 1885 – Copenhagen
, 16 October 1949), daughter of Carlo Giorgio Lorenzo Calvi, 5th Count
di Bergolo by his wife Baron
ess Anna Guidobono Calvalchini Roero San Severino, in Turin
on 1 February 1914. A few days later, he renounced his place in the line of succession to the Danish throne
, forfeiting his title of Prince of Denmark, and his style
of Royal Highness
. With the king's authorisation, he assumed the title "Prince Aage, Greve af (Count of) Rosenborg" and the style of Highness on 5 February 1914. Although the comital
title in the Danish nobility
was made hereditary for all of his legitimate descendants in the male line
, use of the princely prefix was restricted to himself and his wife alone. Aage and Mathilde had one son before their divorce in 1939:
In 1922, Aage received permission from the king, as required by Danish law, to leave the Danish army in order to join the French Foreign Legion
. And after negotiations between the Danish and the French governments Prince Aage entered the Foreign Legion with the rank of captain.
He went into battle in Morocco
within a year of service. He received the Croix de Guerre
after being shot in the left leg. During his seventeen years in the Foreign Legion Prince Aage attained the rank of lieutenant colonel
, and also received France's highest medal, the Légion d'honneur
.
Prince Aage died in Taza
, Morocco, in 1940, and was buried in Sidi Bel Abbès
, Algeria
. Before the Foreign Legion left Algeria in 1962, it was decided that the remains of three selected soldiers should be brought to the new headquarters in France
. The remains of Prince Aage were selected as the representation of the foreign officers in the Foreign Legion. As of today, his remains lie next to those of Général Rollet and légionnaire Zimmermann in the town of Puyloubier
, France.
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. He was born in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
the eldest child and son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark
Prince Valdemar of Denmark
Prince Valdemar of Denmark, GCTE was a member of the Danish Royal Family, the youngest son of Christian IX of Denmark and his wife Luise of Hesse-Kassel...
and Princess Marie d'Orléans.
Prince Aage carried on a passionate flirtation
Flirting
Flirting is a playful, romantic, or sexual overture by one person to another subtly indicating an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person, and can involve verbal communication as well as body language...
with Princess Marie Bonaparte
Princess Marie Bonaparte
Princess Marie Bonaparte was a French author and psychoanalyst, closely linked with Sigmund Freud. Her wealth contributed to the popularity of psychoanalysis, and enabled Freud's escape from Nazi Germany....
, the wife of his cousin Prince George of Greece and Denmark
Prince George of Greece and Denmark
align=right| Prince George of Greece and Denmark was the second son of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga, and is remembered chiefly for having saved the life of a future Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II...
, who had also enjoyed intimacies with his father. In neither case does it appear that Prince George objected, or felt obliged to give the matter any attention. In 1909 Prince Aage joined the Danish Army, and by 1913 had risen to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served as an observer
Observer status
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization's activities. Observer status is often granted by intergovernmental organizations to non-member states and international nongovernmental organizations that have...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for a year. Returning home to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
he was promoted to captain.
Without the legally required permission of the Danish king, Aage married Matilda Calvi dei conti di Bergolo (Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, 17 September 1885 – Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 16 October 1949), daughter of Carlo Giorgio Lorenzo Calvi, 5th Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
di Bergolo by his wife Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
ess Anna Guidobono Calvalchini Roero San Severino, in 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...
on 1 February 1914. A few days later, he renounced his place in the line of succession to the Danish throne
Line of succession to the Danish Throne
Denmark used a system of male-preference primogeniture until 2009. The male preference cognatic primogeniture was changed in favour of an absolute primogeniture...
, forfeiting his title of Prince of Denmark, and his style
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
. With the king's authorisation, he assumed the title "Prince Aage, Greve af (Count of) Rosenborg" and the style of Highness on 5 February 1914. Although the comital
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
title in the Danish nobility
Danish nobility
Nobility in Denmark was a leading social class until the 19th or 20th century. Danish nobility exists yet and has a recognized status in Denmark, a monarchy, but its real privileges have been abolished....
was made hereditary for all of his legitimate descendants in the male line
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
, use of the princely prefix was restricted to himself and his wife alone. Aage and Mathilde had one son before their divorce in 1939:
- Valdemar Alexander Georg Luigi Maria, Count of Rosenborg (Turin, 3 January 1915 – ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 1 April 1995), married at Villefranche-sur-MerVillefranche-sur-MerVillefranche-sur-Mer is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera.-Geography:...
, NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, on 20 April 1949 Floria, BaronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
ne d'Huart-Saint-Mauris (Paris, 10 August 1925 – Paris, 20 August 1995), (divorced from Charles Emmanuel, 3rd Prince and Count de La Rochefoucauld-MontbelLa RochefoucauldLa Rochefoucauld can refer to:People:* Antoine de La Rochefoucauld* Count Antoine de La Rochefoucauld , 19th century Rosicrucian* François de La Rochefoucauld , French author...
, died 30 January 2000), without issue.
In 1922, Aage received permission from the king, as required by Danish law, to leave the Danish army in order to join the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. And after negotiations between the Danish and the French governments Prince Aage entered the Foreign Legion with the rank of captain.
He went into battle in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
within a year of service. He received the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
after being shot in the left leg. During his seventeen years in the Foreign Legion Prince Aage attained the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, and also received France's highest medal, the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
Prince Aage died in Taza
Taza
Taza is a city in northern Morocco, which occupies the corridor between the Rif mountians and Middle Atlas mountains, about 120 km east of Fez. It is located at 150 km from Nador, and 210 km from Oujda...
, Morocco, in 1940, and was buried in Sidi Bel Abbès
Sidi Bel Abbes
Sidi Bel-Abbes is capital of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya , Algeria. It is named after a Muslim holy man who is buried there. It is the commercial center of an important area of vineyards, market gardens, orchards, and grain fields. It is surrounded by a wall with four gates and there is a...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. Before the Foreign Legion left Algeria in 1962, it was decided that the remains of three selected soldiers should be brought to the new headquarters in 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...
. The remains of Prince Aage were selected as the representation of the foreign officers in the Foreign Legion. As of today, his remains lie next to those of Général Rollet and légionnaire Zimmermann in the town of Puyloubier
Puyloubier
Puyloubier is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.In Puyloubier can be found the Institution des Invalides de la Legion Etrangere.-Population:-References:*...
, France.