Victor I, Duke of Ratibor
Encyclopedia
Victor I, Duke of Ratibor, Prince of Corvey, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst was a member of House of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
and later Duke
of the Silesian duchy
of Ratibor
.
, Kingdom of Württemberg
, eldest son of Franz Joseph, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1787–1841), (son of Karl Albrecht II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürs and Baroness Judith Reviczky of Revisnye) and his wife, Princess Constanze of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1792–1847), (daughter of Karl Ludwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie of Solms-Baruth).
After initial private lessons, he attended the Royal Grammar School in Erfurt
. He then studied law and modern languages in Göttingen
, Bonn
, Heidelberg
and Lausanne
. He also traveled to Switzerland
, Italy
, France
and England
.
He subsequently managed the property of his uncle, the Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg
, Victor Amadeus
. These included the former monastery of Corvey in Westphalia
, Ratibor in Upper Silesia
. This area was 34,000 hectares in size and consisted mainly of forest areas.
Victor was created Duke of Ratibor
and Prince of Corvey
on 15 October 1840 by King Frederick William IV of Prussia
.
His younger brother Chlodwig was Chancellor of Germany
and Minister President of Prussia from 1894 to 1900.
. During the Austro-Prussian War
and the Franco-Prussian War
, he organized as Chairman of the Silesian Association Knights Voluntary Health Care. Since 1872, he led the honorary title of General of Cavalry à la suite
.
. In 1850 Ratibor was a member of the Erfurt Union Parliament. From 1867 to 1870 he was a member of the North German Reichstag, and from 1872 to 1890 of the German Reichstag. He was also member from 1854 to 1893 of the Prussian House of Lords
. In the latter, he was co-founder of the New Group in 1870/72, from 1877 to 1893 President of the House.
Ratibor was one of the liberal-conservative Aristocracy, political reformants, he was a supporter of Otto von Bismarck
. He was also one of the founders of the Free Conservative Party
.
to Princess Amélie of Fürstenberg (1821–1899), daughter of Karl Egon II, Prince of Fürstenberg, and his wife, Princess Amalie of Baden.
They had ten children:
Hohenlohe
Hohenlohe is the name of a German princely family and the name of their principality.At first rulers of a county, its two branches were raised to the rank of principalities of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and 1764 respectively; in 1806 they lost their independence and their lands formed part of...
and later Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of the Silesian duchy
Duchies of Silesia
The Duchies of Silesia resulted from divisions of the original Duchy of Silesia after 1138.In accordance with the last will and testament of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the Kingdom of Poland was, upon his death in 1138, divided into five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, including...
of Ratibor
Duchy of Racibórz
Duchy of Racibórz was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Racibórz in Upper Silesia.-History:After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, the Duchy of Racibórz was formed in...
.
Early life and family
Victor was born at LangenburgLangenburg
Langenburg is a town in the district of Schwäbisch Hall, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on a hill above the river Jagst, 18 km northeast of Schwäbisch Hall...
, Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
, eldest son of Franz Joseph, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1787–1841), (son of Karl Albrecht II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürs and Baroness Judith Reviczky of Revisnye) and his wife, Princess Constanze of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1792–1847), (daughter of Karl Ludwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie of Solms-Baruth).
After initial private lessons, he attended the Royal Grammar School in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
. He then studied law and modern languages in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
. He also traveled to 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....
, 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...
, 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...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
He subsequently managed the property of his uncle, the Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg
Hesse-Rotenburg
Hesse-Rotenburg is a former German landgraviate created from the landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel in 1627. Independence ended in 1834 when the estates not bequeathed to princes Victor and Chlodwig of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfurst were reunited with Hesse-Kassel.-History:The line of Hesse-Kassel ...
, Victor Amadeus
Victor Amadeus, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg
Victor of Hesse-Rotenburg was the last Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg. Victor was also the Prince of Corvey from 1815 and Duke of Ratibor from 1821...
. These included the former monastery of Corvey in Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, Ratibor in Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
. This area was 34,000 hectares in size and consisted mainly of forest areas.
Victor was created Duke of Ratibor
Duchy of Racibórz
Duchy of Racibórz was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Racibórz in Upper Silesia.-History:After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, the Duchy of Racibórz was formed in...
and Prince of Corvey
Corvey Abbey
The Imperial Abbey of Corvey was a Benedictine monastery on the River Weser, 2 km northeast of Höxter, now in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany....
on 15 October 1840 by King Frederick William IV of Prussia
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
.
His younger brother Chlodwig was Chancellor of Germany
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
and Minister President of Prussia from 1894 to 1900.
Military career
During his military service, made at an early age in the cavalry. In the 1850s he commanded in repeated exercises the 2nd -Landwehr RegimentLandwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
. During the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
and the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, he organized as Chairman of the Silesian Association Knights Voluntary Health Care. Since 1872, he led the honorary title of General of Cavalry à la suite
À la suite
À la suite was a military title, given to those who were entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position. It can best be translated as "in the entourage of".In Prussia, these were:...
.
Political career
In 1847 Ratibor was a member of the Prussian United Diet. Between 1856 and 1893 he was a member of provincial parliament for Silesia Province. At first he was Marshal of the Assembly. After the introduction of the new provincial order, he was repeatedly chairman. He was also from 1849 to 1852 on the second chamber of the Prussian State ParliamentPreußischer Landtag
Preußischer Landtag or Prussian Landtag was the Landtag of the Kingdom of Prussia, which was implemented in 1849 after the dissolution of the Prussian National Assembly, building on the tradition of the Prussian estates that had existed from the 14th century in various forms and states in Teutonic...
. In 1850 Ratibor was a member of the Erfurt Union Parliament. From 1867 to 1870 he was a member of the North German Reichstag, and from 1872 to 1890 of the German Reichstag. He was also member from 1854 to 1893 of the Prussian House of Lords
Prussian House of Lords
The Prussian House of Lords was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918. The second chamber was the Prussian House of Representatives . The House of Lords was created on January 31, 1850 with the adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia...
. In the latter, he was co-founder of the New Group in 1870/72, from 1877 to 1893 President of the House.
Ratibor was one of the liberal-conservative Aristocracy, political reformants, he was a supporter of Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
. He was also one of the founders of the Free Conservative Party
Free Conservative Party
The Free Conservative Party was a right-wing political party in Prussia and the German Empire, which emerged from the Conservatives in the Prussian Landtag in 1866...
.
Marriage
Wilhelm married 19 April 1845 at DonaueschingenDonaueschingen
Donaueschingen is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Danube ....
to Princess Amélie of Fürstenberg (1821–1899), daughter of Karl Egon II, Prince of Fürstenberg, and his wife, Princess Amalie of Baden.
They had ten children:
- Princess Amelia of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (3 October 1846 – 25 August 1847)
- Victor II, Duke of RatiborVictor II, Duke of RatiborVictor II, Duke of Ratibor, Prince of Corvey, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst was a member of House of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst and Duke of the Silesian duchy of Ratibor .-Early life and family:...
(6 September 1847 – 9 August 1923), married in 1867 to Countess Maria Breunner-Enkevoirth, had issue. - Prince Franz of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (6 April 1849 – 27 May 1925)
- Princess Elisabeth of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (27 February 1851 – 5 October 1928)
- Prince Egon of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (4 January 1853 – 10 February 1896), married in 1885 to Princess Leopoldine of Lobkowicz, had issue.
- Princess Marie of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (27 June 1854 – 29 May 1928)
- Prince Maximilian of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (9 February 1856 – 12 January 1924), married in 1882 to Countess Franziska Grimaud d'Orsay, had issue.
- Prince Ernst of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (10 Nov 1857 – 25 February 1891)
- Prince Karl Egon of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (7 July 1860 – 4 June 1940)
- Princess Margaret of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (3 June 1863 – 4 June 1940)
Titles and styles
- 10 February 1818 – 15 October 1840: His Serene Highness Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
- 15 October 1840 – 30 January 1893: His Serene Highness The Duke of Ratibor, Prince of Corvey