Princess Marie of Battenberg
Encyclopedia
Princess Marie Caroline of Battenberg was a Princess of Battenberg and, by marriage, The Princess of Erbach-Schönberg. She worked as a writer and translator.
(1823–1888), founder of the House of Battenberg
and his morganatic wife, the Countess Julia Hauke (1825–1895), daughter of the Polish Count John Maurice Hauke. As a result of a morganatic marriage
, Marie and her siblings were excluded from the succession of the Grand Duchy of Hesse
, and bore the title Princes of Battenberg. Marie was conceived six months before her parents married, which she always told people that her birthday was the 15 July and not in February.
since 1879 was Prince of Bulgaria. Her memoir of a visit to him, My Trip to Bulgaria, was published in 1884.
Marie translated The Gate of Paradise and An Easter Dream of Edith Jacob, and A Trip to Siberia by Kate Marsden. She also published her memoirs, which plays her relationship with her mentally-unstable son Maximilian in an essential role.
, Count Gustav Ernst of Erbach-Schönberg (1840–1908), who was elevated to the rank of Prince in 1903 because of family ties with the British Royal Family
and the Russian Imperial Family.
They had four children:
Early life
Marie was the eldest child and only daughter of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by RhinePrince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
Prince Alexander Ludwig Georg Friedrich Emil of Hesse, GCB was the third son and fourth child of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse and Wilhelmina of Baden.-Questioned parentage:...
(1823–1888), founder of the House of Battenberg
Battenberg family
The Battenberg family was a morganatic branch of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, rulers of the Grand Duchy of Hesse in Germany. The first member was Julia Hauke, whose brother-in-law Grand Duke Louis III of Hesse created her Countess of Battenberg with the style Illustrious Highness in 1851, at her...
and his morganatic wife, the Countess Julia Hauke (1825–1895), daughter of the Polish Count John Maurice Hauke. As a result of a morganatic marriage
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...
, Marie and her siblings were excluded from the succession of the Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
, and bore the title Princes of Battenberg. Marie was conceived six months before her parents married, which she always told people that her birthday was the 15 July and not in February.
Works as translator
Marie's brother, AlexanderAlexander, Prince of Bulgaria
Alexander Joseph, Prince of Bulgaria GCB , known as Alexander of Battenberg, was the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigning from 29 April 1879 to 7 September 1886.-Early life:...
since 1879 was Prince of Bulgaria. Her memoir of a visit to him, My Trip to Bulgaria, was published in 1884.
Marie translated The Gate of Paradise and An Easter Dream of Edith Jacob, and A Trip to Siberia by Kate Marsden. She also published her memoirs, which plays her relationship with her mentally-unstable son Maximilian in an essential role.
Marriage and family
The Princess married on 19 April 1871 in DarmstadtDarmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Count Gustav Ernst of Erbach-Schönberg (1840–1908), who was elevated to the rank of Prince in 1903 because of family ties with the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
and the Russian Imperial Family.
They had four children:
- Count AlexanderAlexander, Prince of Erbach-SchönbergAlexander, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg was the 2nd Prince of Erbach-Schönberg, eldest son of Gustav, 1st Prince of Erbach-Schönberg.-Early life:...
(later 2nd Prince) of Erbach-Schönberg (12 September 1872 – 18 October 1944) - Count Maximilian of Erbach-Schönberg (17 March 1878 – 25 March 1892)
- Count (later Prince) Victor of Erbach-Schönberg (26 September 1880 – 27 Apr 1967)
- Countess (later Princess) Marie of Erbach-Schönberg (7 July 1883 – 12 Mar 1966)
Titles and styles
- 15 July 1852 – 26 December 1858: Her Illustrious Highness Countess Marie of Battenberg
- 26 December 1858 – 19 April 1871: Her Serene Highness Princess Marie of Battenberg
- 19 April 1871 – 18 August 1903: Her Serene Highness Countess Gustav of Erbach-Schönberg, Princess of Battenberg
- 18 August 1903 – 20 June 1923 : Her Serene Highness The Princess of Erbach-Schönberg