Princess Sophie of Schönburg-Waldenburg
Encyclopedia
Princess Sophie Helene Cecilie of Schönburg-Waldenburg (21 May 1885 - 3 February 1936) was the wife of Prince William of Wied. With her husband's ascension to the Albanian throne she became the Princess of Albania
.
, Brandenburg
the daughter of Hereditary Prince Victor of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1856–1888) and his wife Princess Lucia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1859–1903).
She had some distant Albanian ancestry, being a descendant of Ruxandra Ghica, daughter of Grigore I Ghica
.
Her maternal grandparents were Emil, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1824–1878) and his first wife Pulcheria Cantacuzene (1820–1865), a Romanian princess. Emil was the son of August Ludwig of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1788–1874) and Franziska Allesina von Schweitzer (1802–1878).
August Ludwig was the eighth of ten sons born to Christian Heinrich, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1753–1800) and his wife Charlotte Friederike Franziska, Countess of Leiningen-Westerburg
. Christian Heinrich was the penultimate ruler of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
as a state of the Holy Roman Empire
. He reigned as a Count from 1773 to 1792 and as a Prince from 1792 to his death. Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was mediatised
to the Grand Duchy of Hesse
in 1806.
Both of Princess Sophie's parents died when she was young so she spent much of her youth at the Fantanele
estate in Moldavia
which was owned by her maternal relatives.
On 30 November 1906 at Waldenburg, Saxony
Princess Sophie married Prince William of Wied, they had two children.
, whom she had known since moving to Romania after the death of her parents. Princess Sophie and Queen Elisabeth sang, painted, composed and played musical instruments together. Queen Elisabeth played an important role in getting Princess Sophie's husband William the Albanian throne by asking Take Ionescu
to persuade the great powers to select William. Princess Sophie and Queen Elisabeth both worked to overcome William's reluctance to accept the throne.
Eventually William agreed, and on February 21, 1914, Prince William and Princess Sophie hosted a delegation of Albanian notables at their castle in Neuwied
, where William was formally offered the throne. The Albanian delegation then visited Waldenburg, Saxony
, where they paid their respects to Princess Sophie's family.
Sophie and her husband arrived in Albania on March 7, 1914, in Durrës
, the provisional capital. However, her Albanian adventure proved short-lived. On September 3, 1914, with the country in turmoil, Princess Sophie and Prince William left Albania, never to return. However, she officially remained the Princess of Albania until January 31, 1925, when the country was declared a republic.
Princess Sophie died at Fântânele
, Romania
.
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
.
Family and marriage
Princess Sophie was born in PotsdamPotsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, Brandenburg
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
the daughter of Hereditary Prince Victor of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1856–1888) and his wife Princess Lucia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1859–1903).
She had some distant Albanian ancestry, being a descendant of Ruxandra Ghica, daughter of Grigore I Ghica
Grigore I Ghica
Grigore I Ghica, a member of the Ghica family, was Prince of Wallachia between September 1660 and December 1664 and again between March 1672 and November 1674....
.
Her maternal grandparents were Emil, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1824–1878) and his first wife Pulcheria Cantacuzene (1820–1865), a Romanian princess. Emil was the son of August Ludwig of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1788–1874) and Franziska Allesina von Schweitzer (1802–1878).
August Ludwig was the eighth of ten sons born to Christian Heinrich, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1753–1800) and his wife Charlotte Friederike Franziska, Countess of Leiningen-Westerburg
Leiningen-Westerburg
Leiningen-Westerburg was an historic state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the vicinity of Leiningen and Westerburg in what is now the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate....
. Christian Heinrich was the penultimate ruler of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was a county , most of which is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany . Its seat was the town and palace in Berleburg...
as a state of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. He reigned as a Count from 1773 to 1792 and as a Prince from 1792 to his death. Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was mediatised
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
to 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...
in 1806.
Both of Princess Sophie's parents died when she was young so she spent much of her youth at the Fantanele
Hemeius
Hemeiuş is a commune in Bacău County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Fântânele, Hemeiuş and Lilieci....
estate in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
which was owned by her maternal relatives.
On 30 November 1906 at Waldenburg, Saxony
Waldenburg, Saxony
Waldenburg is a town in the district Zwickau in Saxony, Germany.-Subdivisions:The town of Waldenburg consists of the following subdivisions:*Waldenburg*Dürrenuhlsdorf*Franken*Niederwinkel*Oberwinkel*Schlagwitz*Schwaben-Attractions:...
Princess Sophie married Prince William of Wied, they had two children.
- Princess Marie Eleonore (1909–1956)
- Hereditary Prince Carol VictorCarol Victor, Hereditary Prince of AlbaniaCarol Victor, Hereditary Prince of Albania was the only son of William, Prince of Albania and briefly heir to the Principality of Albania. He held the title of Hereditary Prince of Albania.-Early life:...
(1913–1973)
Princess of Albania
Princess Sophie was close to her husband's aunt Queen Elisabeth of RomaniaElisabeth of Wied
-Titles and styles:*29 December 1843 – 15 November 1869: Her Serene Highness Princess Elisabeth of Wied*15 November 1869 – 26 March 1881: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Romania...
, whom she had known since moving to Romania after the death of her parents. Princess Sophie and Queen Elisabeth sang, painted, composed and played musical instruments together. Queen Elisabeth played an important role in getting Princess Sophie's husband William the Albanian throne by asking Take Ionescu
Take Ionescu
Take or Tache Ionescu was a Romanian centrist politician, journalist, lawyer and diplomat, who also enjoyed reputation as a short story author. Starting his political career as a radical member of the National Liberal Party , he joined the Conservative Party in 1891, and became noted as a social...
to persuade the great powers to select William. Princess Sophie and Queen Elisabeth both worked to overcome William's reluctance to accept the throne.
Neuwied
Neuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
, where William was formally offered the throne. The Albanian delegation then visited Waldenburg, Saxony
Waldenburg, Saxony
Waldenburg is a town in the district Zwickau in Saxony, Germany.-Subdivisions:The town of Waldenburg consists of the following subdivisions:*Waldenburg*Dürrenuhlsdorf*Franken*Niederwinkel*Oberwinkel*Schlagwitz*Schwaben-Attractions:...
, where they paid their respects to Princess Sophie's family.
Sophie and her husband arrived in Albania on March 7, 1914, in Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
, the provisional capital. However, her Albanian adventure proved short-lived. On September 3, 1914, with the country in turmoil, Princess Sophie and Prince William left Albania, never to return. However, she officially remained the Princess of Albania until January 31, 1925, when the country was declared a republic.
Princess Sophie died at Fântânele
Hemeius
Hemeiuş is a commune in Bacău County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Fântânele, Hemeiuş and Lilieci....
, Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
.