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Wilhelm Karl, Duke of Urach

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Prince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach (Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius; German: Fürst Wilhelm von Urach, Graf von Württemberg, 2. Herzog von Urach; 3 March 1864 – 24 March 1928), was a German prince who was elected in June 1918 as King of Lithuania, with the regnal name of Mindaugas II. He never assumed the crown, however, as German authorities declared the election invalid;[1] the invitation was withdrawn in November 1918. From 17 July 1869 until his death, he was the head of the morganatic Urach branch of the House of Württemberg.

Prince Wilhelm Karl
Mindaugas II
Wilhelm in 1909
Duke of Urach
Reign17 July 1869 – 24 March 1928
PredecessorPrince Wilhelm
SuccessorPrince Karl Gero
King-elect of Lithuania
Reign11 July – 2 November 1918
Born(1864-03-03)3 March 1864
Monaco
Died24 March 1928(1928-03-24) (aged 64)
Rapallo, Kingdom of Italy
Burial
Ludwigsburg Palace Church
SpouseDuchess Amalie in Bavaria
Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria
IssuePrincess Marie-Gabriele
Princess Elisabeth of Urach
Princess Karola
Prince Wilhelm
Karl Gero, Duke of Urach
Princess Margarete
Albrecht von Urach
Prince Eberhard
Princess Mechtilde
Names
Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius
HouseUrach
FatherWilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach
MotherPrincess Florestine of Monaco

Early life

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Born as Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius, Count of Württemberg, he was the elder son of Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach (the head of a morganatic branch of the Royal House of the Kingdom of Württemberg), and his second wife, Princess Florestine of Monaco, occasional Regent of Monaco and daughter of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco.

At the age of four, Wilhelm succeeded his father as Duke of Urach. He was born and spent much of his childhood in Monaco, where his mother Florestine often managed the government during the extended oceanographic expeditions of her nephew, Prince Albert I. Wilhelm was culturally francophone.

Candidate for various thrones

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Through his mother, Wilhelm was a legitimate heir to the throne of Monaco. Wilhelm's cousin Prince Albert I of Monaco had only one child, Prince Louis, who was unmarried and had no legitimate children. The French Republic, however, was reluctant to see a German prince ruling Monaco. Under French pressure,[citation needed] Monaco passed a law in 1911 recognising Louis's illegitimate daughter, Charlotte, as heir; she was adopted in 1918 by her grandfather Prince Albert I as part of the Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918. Wilhelm was relegated to third in line to Monaco's throne, behind Louis and Charlotte. Furthermore, in July 1918 France and Monaco signed the Franco-Monegasque Treaty; it required all future princes of Monaco to be French or Monegasque citizens and secure the approval of the French government to succeed to the throne.[2] After the accession of Prince Louis II in 1922, Wilhelm renounced his rights of succession to the throne of Monaco in favour of distant French cousins, the counts de Chabrillan, in 1924.

In 1913, Wilhelm was one of several princes considered for the throne of Albania.[3] He was supported by Catholic groups in the north and attended the Albanian Congress of Trieste. In 1914, Prince William of Wied was selected instead.

In 1917, as a newly retired general, Wilhelm sounded out the possibility of being made Grand Duke of Alsace-Lorraine after the war was over.[4] In 1918, he accepted the short-lived invitation to reign as Mindaugas II of Lithuania. His claims were published in a 2001 essay by his grandson-in-law, Sergei von Cube.[5]

Military career

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As was typical of members of his family, Wilhelm entered the army in 1883 and served as a professional officer. By the outbreak of World War I, he was a Generalleutnant and commander of the 26th Infantry Division (1st Royal Württemberg) of the Imperial German Army.[6][7] Until November 1914 this division was part of the German assault on France and Belgium, where Wilhelm's sister-in-law Elisabeth of Belgium was queen. In December 1914, the division fought in the battle to cross the Bzura river in Poland. From June to September 1915, the division moved from north of Warsaw to positions close to the Neman River, an advance of hundreds of miles in the campaign in which Poland was taken (the Great Russian Retreat of World War I). In October–November 1915, the division took part in the Serbian Campaign, moving from west of Belgrade to Kraljevo in less than a month. The division served at Ypres in Belgium from December 1915 to July 1916, then was largely destroyed at the Somme battles from August to November 1916 while holding the Schwaben Redoubt (Swabia is part of Württemberg).[8]

On 30 December 1916, Wilhelm was named commanding general of the 64th Corps (Generalkommando 64) on the Western Front, taking command on 5 January 1917 and holding it until 10 December 1918 when the corps-level command was deactivated.[9] He was promoted to General der Kavallerie on 25 February 1917.[10]His aides de camp included Eugen Ott and Erwin Rommel.[11]

King of Lithuania

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Main article: Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

On 4 June 1918, the Council of Lithuania voted to invite Wilhelm to become the king of a newly independent Lithuania. Wilhelm agreed and was elected on 11 July 1918, taking the name Mindaugas II. His election can be explained by several factors:[12]

  • he was Roman Catholic (the dominant religion in Lithuania);
  • he was not a member of the House of Hohenzollern, the family to which belonged the German Emperor William II, who wanted Lithuania to be a monarchy in personal union with Prussia;
  • the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk of March 1918 had established Germany's power in the region, for the time being;
  • he had had a successful military career;
  • if the Central Powers were to win the war, Lithuania could have expected German protection in the event of future intrusions by Russia.

According to Wilhelm's agreement with the Council of Lithuania, he had to live in Lithuania and learn to speak its language.

 
Portrait 1918

In addition, he was also descended from Casimir IV Jagiellon, grand duke of Lithuania, through his daughter Barbara Jagiellon.

From the beginning, Wilhelm's reign was controversial. The four socialists of the twenty members of the Council of Lithuania left in protest. The German government did not recognize Wilhelm's selection as king, although the influential publicist and politician Matthias Erzberger, also a Catholic from Württemberg, supported the claim. Wilhelm never had the chance to visit Lithuania;[13] he remained instead at Lichtenstein Castle, his home south of Stuttgart. He did start to learn the Lithuanian language, however.[14] Within a few months of his election, it became clear that Germany would lose World War I, and on 2 November 1918, the Council of Lithuania reversed its decision.

In the tiny chapel of Lichtenstein Castle is a framed letter from Pope Benedict XV welcoming Wilhelm's selection as the future king of Lithuania.[15]

In 2009, Wilhelm's grandson Inigo was interviewed on television in Vilnius, and said: "...if he was honoured with a proposal to assume the throne of Lithuania, he would not refuse it."[16]

The German anti-war novelist Arnold Zweig set his 1937 novel Einsetzung eines Königs (The Crowning of a King) around the election of Mindaugas in 1918.[17]

Marriages and children

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Wilhelm Karl and his family
 
Marriage of the Duke of Urach

Wilhelm was married twice. On 4 July 1892, he married firstly Duchess Amalie in Bavaria (1865–1912), daughter of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria, a niece of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, and a direct descendant of the Lithuanian princess Ludwika Karolina Radziwiłł of Biržai. Nine children were born of this marriage:

In 1924, Wilhelm married secondly Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria (1884–1975), daughter of King Ludwig III of Bavaria. This marriage was childless.

Prince Eberhard's son Inigo made a sentimental journey to Lithuania in November 2009, which was covered by the local media.[18][19]

Decorations and awards

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German states

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Foreign states

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Ancestors

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Holborn, Hajo (1982). A history of Modern Germany. Princeton University Press. p. 429. ISBN 0-691-00797-7.
  2. ^ 1918 Franco-Monegasque Treaty text Archived 19 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Arben Puto, L'indépendance albanaise et la diplomatie des grandes puissances: 1912–1914 (Tirana: Editions "8 Nëntori", 1982), 456.
  4. ^ London Times. Düsseldorfer Nachrichten excerpt. 1918/11/5. p. 8.
  5. ^ Von Cube Essay, 2000
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Kriegsministerium (Hrsg.): Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich Württembergischen) Armeekorps für 1914, E.S. Mittler & Sohn, Berlin, 1914, p. 1160
  7. ^ "Wilhelm II Herzog von Urach". home.comcast.net. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  8. ^ Online history of the division (cached at the Internet Archive)
  9. ^ Günter Wegner: Stellenbesetzung der Deutschen Heere 1815-1939. Band 1: Die Höheren Kommandostellen, Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1990, ISBN 3-7648-1779-8, p. 643
  10. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1917 Nr. 9, Stuttgart 25 February 1917, p. 41.
  11. ^ "Erwin Rommel". Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
  12. ^ See von Cube's essay, op.cit.
  13. ^ Page, Stanley W. (1959). The Formation of the Baltic States. Harvard University Press. p. 94.
  14. ^ Mindaugas Peleckis and Tomas Baranauskas.Karališkojo kraujo paieškos: Lietuva ir šimto dienų karalius. Retrieved 20 June 2007
  15. ^ Stuttgart archives, HStA. GU 117, file 847: copy of letter from Benedict XV dated 24 July 1918.
  16. ^ "Lithuania - Official Gateway to Lithuania". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  17. ^ Eric Sutton (Translator); "The Crowning of a King", English edition; The Viking Press, 1938 ASIN: B00085BS08
  18. ^ "TV coverage (in Lithuanian and English)". Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  19. ^ Lithuanian web page
  20. ^ Militär-Wochenblatt, 1915 No. 16/20, Berlin 27 January 1915, p. 481
  21. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1918 No. 8, Stuttgart 25 February 1918, p. 54
  22. ^ Otto von Moser: Die Württemberger im Weltkriege (in German), 2nd Edition, Chr. Belser AG, Stuttgart 1928.
  23. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1915 No. 48, Stuttgart 30 July 1915, p. 413
  24. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 49, Stuttgart 12 September 1916, p. 538
  25. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 58, Stuttgart 16 October 1916, p. 611
  26. ^ Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Bayern (1906), "Königliche Orden" p. 9
  27. ^ Militär-Wochenblatt, 1914 No. 170, Berlin 3 December 1914, p. 3653
  28. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1915 No. 14, Stuttgart 6 March 1915, p. 146
  29. ^ Erhard Roth: Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Königreichs Bayern im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914-1918, Phaleristischer Verlag Michael Autengruber, Offenbach am Main, 1997, ISBN 3-932543-19-X, p. 14
  30. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1917 No. 26, Stuttgart 11 June 1917, p. 183
  31. ^ Erhard Roth: Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Königreichs Bayern im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914-1918, Phaleristischer Verlag Michael Autengruber, Offenbach am Main, 1997, ISBN 3-932543-19-X, p. 12
  32. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1918 No. 37, Stuttgart 31 August 1918, p. 306
  33. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 19, Stuttgart 14 April 1916, p. 199
  34. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1915 No. 78, Stuttgart 31 December 1915, p. 722
  35. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1917 No. 40, Stuttgart 15 September 1917, p. 318
  36. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1917 No. 15, Stuttgart 22 March 1917, p. 104
  37. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1915 No. 68, Stuttgart 6 November 1915, p. 607
  38. ^ Militär-Wochenblatt, 1915 No. 11, Berlin 16 January 1915, p. 230
  39. ^ Militär-Wochenblatt, 1915 No. 96/97, Berlin 29 May 1915, p. 2335
  40. ^ Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, M 707 Nr. 1819
  41. ^ Sachsen (1901). "Königlich Orden". Staatshandbuch für den Königreich Sachsen: 1901. Dresden: Heinrich. p. 5 – via hathitrust.org.
  42. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 23, Stuttgart 10 May 1916, p. 243
  43. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 11, Stuttgart 10 March 1916, p. 145
  44. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1918 No. 20, Stuttgart 15 May 1918, p. 178
  45. ^ Bille-Hansen, A. C.; Holck, Harald, eds. (1923) [1st pub.:1801]. Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1923 [State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1923] (PDF). Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender (in Danish). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri. p. 51. Retrieved 2 November 2019 – via da:DIS Danmark.
  46. ^ Sovereign Ordonnance of 4 December 1883
  47. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 19, Stuttgart 14 April 1916, p. 200
  48. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1918 No. 37, Stuttgart 31 August 1918, p. 306
  49. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1918 No. 37, Stuttgart 31 August 1918, p. 306
  50. ^ Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt: Personal-Nachrichten, 1916 No. 19, Stuttgart 14 April 1916, p. 200
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Wilhelm Karl, 2nd Duke of Urach
Born: 30 May 1864 Died: 24 March 1928
German nobility
Preceded by Duke of Urach
17 July 1869 – 11 August 1919 		Succeeded by
Regnal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Vytautas 		King of Lithuania
11 July 1918 – 2 November 1918 		Succeeded by
Republic established
Titles in pretence
Loss of title — TITULAR —
King of Lithuania
2 November 1918 – 24 March 1928 		Succeeded by
— TITULAR —
Duke of Urach
11 August 1919 – 24 March 1928
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