Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen
Encyclopedia
Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen (born 31 January 1926) is the head of the Royal House of Saxony
.
Born in Schloss Prüfening
, Regensburg
, Bavaria
, Germany
as son of Hereditary Prince Frederick Christian of Saxony
, Margrave of Meissen and Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis
.
He and Princess Anastasia of Anhalt (born 1940) were married on 31 January 1963 in Vevey
, Switzerland
. They have no children.
, the son of his eldest sister Princess Anna
and her late husband Prince Robert of Gessaphe. Alexander is married to Princess Gisela of Bavaria
. At the time it was said that the remaining male dynasts consented to the Margrave's decision, however the Margrave's brother Albert
has recently stated that he does not accept the decision. The royal line of the House of Wettin applies semi-salic law
, which allows for inheritance through a female. If the Margrave or his brother Albert were the last male dynast then this would lead firstly to the children of their sisters Maria Josepha (unmarried), Maria Anna and Mathilde, but only Mathilde's marriage uncontestedly met equality requirements and her only son died in 1987. Therefore, if the Gessaphe marriage were non-dynastic, the succession would pass to the issue of the Margrave's paternal aunts, who are Margarete Karola
(1900–1962), Maria Alix
(1901–1990) and Anna (1903–1976), all of whom left children. Margaret being the eldest, the heir would be her grandson Karl Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern (born 1932), head of the princely line of the House of Hohenzollern
. The Margrave's brother Albert, however, supports discarding equality requirements to allow his cousin Timo's morganatic
-born son Rüdiger (born 1953) to eventually succeed. Rüdiger has with his first wife Astrid Linke (1949–1989) three sons Daniel
(born 1975), Arne (born 1977) and Nils (born 1978).
There are several extant lines of the House of Wettin who individually ruled the various Saxon Duchies and the Grand Duchy of Saxony (based at Weimar). Arguably, the male dynasts of the non-royal lines should be taken into account and can be included in the Saxon royal succession.
Wettin (dynasty)
The House of Wettin is a dynasty of German counts, dukes, prince-electors and kings that once ruled the area of today's German states of Saxony, the Saxon part of Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia for more than 800 years...
.
Born in Schloss Prüfening
Prüfening Abbey
Prüfening Abbey was a Benedictine monastery on the outskirts of Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany. Since the beginning of the 19th century it has also been known as Prüfening Castle...
, Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, 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...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as son of Hereditary Prince Frederick Christian of Saxony
Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen
Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen was the head of the Royal House of Saxony.-Life:He was born at Dresden, the second son of King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony and his wife Archduchess Luise, Princess of Tuscany...
, Margrave of Meissen and Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis
Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis
Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis was a Princess of Thurn and Taxis by birth and a Princess and Duchess of Saxony, Margravine of Meissen, and titular Queen consort of Saxony through her marriage to Friedrich...
.
He and Princess Anastasia of Anhalt (born 1940) were married on 31 January 1963 in Vevey
Vevey
Vevey is a town in Switzerland in the canton Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.It was the seat of the district of the same name until 2006, and is now part of the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. They have no children.
Succession
As Maria Emanuel has no children he has acknowledged as his heir Prince Alexander of Saxe-GessaphePrince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe
Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe , is the adopted heir of Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen, and a businessman with Lebanese, Mexican and German roots....
, the son of his eldest sister Princess Anna
Princess Anna of Saxony (b. 1929)
Princess Maria Anna Josepha of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony is a Princess of Saxony and member of the House of Wettin by birth and a Princess of Gessaphe and member of the House of Afif-Gessaphe by marriage...
and her late husband Prince Robert of Gessaphe. Alexander is married to Princess Gisela of Bavaria
Princess Gisela of Bavaria
Princess Gisela Maria Karolina Adelgunde of Bavaria is a Princess of Bavaria and member of the House of Wittelsbach by birth and a Princess of Saxe-Gessaphe and member of the House of Saxe-Gessaphe by marriage...
. At the time it was said that the remaining male dynasts consented to the Margrave's decision, however the Margrave's brother Albert
Prince Albert of Saxony
Prince Albert Joseph Maria Franz-Xaver of Saxony, Duke of Saxony is the fourth child and youngest son of Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen and his wife Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis and a younger brother of Maria...
has recently stated that he does not accept the decision. The royal line of the House of Wettin applies semi-salic law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
, which allows for inheritance through a female. If the Margrave or his brother Albert were the last male dynast then this would lead firstly to the children of their sisters Maria Josepha (unmarried), Maria Anna and Mathilde, but only Mathilde's marriage uncontestedly met equality requirements and her only son died in 1987. Therefore, if the Gessaphe marriage were non-dynastic, the succession would pass to the issue of the Margrave's paternal aunts, who are Margarete Karola
Princess Margarete Karola of Saxony
Princess Margarete Karola Wilhelmine Viktoria Adelheid Albertine Petrusa Bertram Paula of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony was the fifth...
(1900–1962), Maria Alix
Princess Maria Alix of Saxony
Princess Maria Alix Luitpolda Anna Henriette Germana Agnes Damiana Michaela of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony was the sixth child and third-eldest...
(1901–1990) and Anna (1903–1976), all of whom left children. Margaret being the eldest, the heir would be her grandson Karl Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern (born 1932), head of the princely line of the House of Hohenzollern
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
. The Margrave's brother Albert, however, supports discarding equality requirements to allow his cousin Timo's morganatic
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...
-born son Rüdiger (born 1953) to eventually succeed. Rüdiger has with his first wife Astrid Linke (1949–1989) three sons Daniel
Prince Daniel Timo of Saxony
Prince Daniel Timo of Saxony, Duke of Saxony is the oldest son of Prince Ruediger of Saxony, who is in line to become a disputed Head of the Royal House of Saxony....
(born 1975), Arne (born 1977) and Nils (born 1978).
There are several extant lines of the House of Wettin who individually ruled the various Saxon Duchies and the Grand Duchy of Saxony (based at Weimar). Arguably, the male dynasts of the non-royal lines should be taken into account and can be included in the Saxon royal succession.