Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe (Leopold Julius Bernhard Adalbert Otto Karl Gustav; 30 May 1871 – 30 December 1949) was the final sovereign of the Principality of Lippe. Succeeding to the throne in 1905 he had been governing the state since 1904 as regent.
He served as an officer in the German Army until 1894, when he left to study political science at the universities of Bonn and Berlin.
Ruler of Lippe
Since 1895, Lippe had been ruled by a regent due to the incapacity of Prince Alexander. Leopold's father had acted as regent since 1897, and following his death on 26 September 1904, Leopold assumed the regency. This was not recognized by the German Emperor William II, who initially refused to legally recognize Leopold as regent as there was an issue over whether Leopold and his siblings were of legitimate rank, and as such eligible for the succession. As a result, the Diet of Lippe appointed a high commission to consider the matter.[1]
The regency issue was still ongoing when Prince Alexander died on 13 January 1905. Leopold was confirmed as Prince of Lippe and Alexander's successor on 25 October 1905, following a court ruling.[2]
On 3 June 1911, while out motoring, Leopold and his brother Prince Julius were attacked by a gang of Italian laborers who hurled a shower of missiles at the princes. Though Leopold escaped unhurt, his brother received a head wound.[3]
During World War I, Leopold upgraded the titles of the various lines of the House of Lippe. One of the members to benefit from the granting of titles was Leopold's nephew Count Bernhard of Biesterfeld (son of Leopold's brother Bernhard), who would go on to become the Prince Consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. On 24 February 1916, Bernhard and his brother were upgraded to the title Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness. The Counts of Lippe-Weissenfeld also benefited with creations of the title Prince of Lippe-Weissenfeld, with the style Serene Highness, taking place on 24 February 1916 for Count Clemens and his descendants, and again on 9 November 1918 for the other members of this line.
Just three days after upgrading the titles of members of the Lippe-Weissenfeld line, and following the German Empire's defeat in World War I and the subsequent revolution, Leopold was forced to renounce the throne on 12 November 1918.[2] Following the end of his rule, the Principality of Lippe was transformed into a Free state in the new Weimar Republic.
Post abdication
After the rise of Nazism in Germany all three of his sons by his first wife became members of the party. His eldest son the Hereditary Prince Ernst is reported to have been the first German prince to join the party when he signed up in May 1928.[4]
In addition to being pro Nazis both Hereditary Prince Ernst and Prince Chlodwig had contracted unequal marriages. So in 1947 when Leopold wrote his will, Armin, his youngest son and only child with his second wife, would succeed him as head of the House of Lippe and also become administrator of the princely family's properties such as Schloss Detmold. Thus when Leopold died in Detmold his three eldest sons were all disinherited and his youngest son Armin became head of the princely house.[5]
Marriages and children
Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe (1871–1949), the first and only ruler of Lippe of the Lippe-Biesterfeld branch
Ernst, Hereditary Prince of Lippe (1902–1987) married first (1924) Charlotte Ricken (1900–1974). After divorcing in 1934 he married secondly (1937) Herta-Elise Weiland (1911–1970)
Prince Leopold Bernhard of Lippe (1904–1965)
Princess Karoline of Lippe (1905–2001) married (1932) Count Hans von Kanitz (1893–1968)
Prince Chlodwig of Lippe (1909–2000) married (1940) Veronika Holl (1915–2007)
Princess Sieglinde of Lippe (1915–2008) married (1942) Friedrich Carl Heldman (1904–1977)
leopold, prince, lippe, leopold, julius, bernhard, adalbert, otto, karl, gustav, 1871, december, 1949, final, sovereign, principality, lippe, succeeding, throne, 1905, been, governing, state, since, 1904, regent, leopold, ivprince, lippereign25, october, 1905,. Leopold IV Prince of Lippe Leopold Julius Bernhard Adalbert Otto Karl Gustav 30 May 1871 30 December 1949 was the final sovereign of the Principality of Lippe Succeeding to the throne in 1905 he had been governing the state since 1904 as regent Leopold IVPrince of LippeReign25 October 1905 12 November 1918PredecessorAlexanderSuccessorMonarchy abolishedBorn30 May 1871 1871 05 30 OberkasselDied30 December 1949 1949 12 31 aged 78 DetmoldSpousePrincess Bertha of Hesse Philippsthal BarchfeldPrincess Anna of Ysenburg and BudingenHouseHouse of LippeFatherErnest Count of Lippe BiesterfeldMotherCountess Karoline of Wartensleben Contents 1 Early life 2 Ruler of Lippe 3 Post abdication 4 Marriages and children 5 Ancestry 6 ReferencesEarly life EditHe was born as Count Leopold of Lippe Biesterfeld in Oberkassel the son of Ernest Count of Lippe Biesterfeld and Countess Karoline of Wartensleben Leopold belonged to the Lippe Biesterfeld line of the House of Lippe which was the most senior line of the princely house after the reigning Lippe Detmold line He served as an officer in the German Army until 1894 when he left to study political science at the universities of Bonn and Berlin Ruler of Lippe EditSince 1895 Lippe had been ruled by a regent due to the incapacity of Prince Alexander Leopold s father had acted as regent since 1897 and following his death on 26 September 1904 Leopold assumed the regency This was not recognized by the German Emperor William II who initially refused to legally recognize Leopold as regent as there was an issue over whether Leopold and his siblings were of legitimate rank and as such eligible for the succession As a result the Diet of Lippe appointed a high commission to consider the matter 1 The regency issue was still ongoing when Prince Alexander died on 13 January 1905 Leopold was confirmed as Prince of Lippe and Alexander s successor on 25 October 1905 following a court ruling 2 On 3 June 1911 while out motoring Leopold and his brother Prince Julius were attacked by a gang of Italian laborers who hurled a shower of missiles at the princes Though Leopold escaped unhurt his brother received a head wound 3 During World War I Leopold upgraded the titles of the various lines of the House of Lippe One of the members to benefit from the granting of titles was Leopold s nephew Count Bernhard of Biesterfeld son of Leopold s brother Bernhard who would go on to become the Prince Consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands On 24 February 1916 Bernhard and his brother were upgraded to the title Prince of Lippe Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness The Counts of Lippe Weissenfeld also benefited with creations of the title Prince of Lippe Weissenfeld with the style Serene Highness taking place on 24 February 1916 for Count Clemens and his descendants and again on 9 November 1918 for the other members of this line Just three days after upgrading the titles of members of the Lippe Weissenfeld line and following the German Empire s defeat in World War I and the subsequent revolution Leopold was forced to renounce the throne on 12 November 1918 2 Following the end of his rule the Principality of Lippe was transformed into a Free state in the new Weimar Republic Post abdication EditAfter the rise of Nazism in Germany all three of his sons by his first wife became members of the party His eldest son the Hereditary Prince Ernst is reported to have been the first German prince to join the party when he signed up in May 1928 4 In addition to being pro Nazis both Hereditary Prince Ernst and Prince Chlodwig had contracted unequal marriages So in 1947 when Leopold wrote his will Armin his youngest son and only child with his second wife would succeed him as head of the House of Lippe and also become administrator of the princely family s properties such as Schloss Detmold Thus when Leopold died in Detmold his three eldest sons were all disinherited and his youngest son Armin became head of the princely house 5 Marriages and children Edit Leopold IV Prince of Lippe 1871 1949 the first and only ruler of Lippe of the Lippe Biesterfeld branch Leopold was married to Princess Bertha of Hesse Philippsthal Barchfeld 1874 1919 on 16 August 1901 in Rotenburg They had five children Ernst Hereditary Prince of Lippe 1902 1987 married first 1924 Charlotte Ricken 1900 1974 After divorcing in 1934 he married secondly 1937 Herta Elise Weiland 1911 1970 Prince Leopold Bernhard of Lippe 1904 1965 Princess Karoline of Lippe 1905 2001 married 1932 Count Hans von Kanitz 1893 1968 Prince Chlodwig of Lippe 1909 2000 married 1940 Veronika Holl 1915 2007 Princess Sieglinde of Lippe 1915 2008 married 1942 Friedrich Carl Heldman 1904 1977 He was married secondly to Princess Anna of Ysenburg and Budingen 1886 1980 on 26 April 1922 at Budingen From this marriage he had one son Armin Prince of Lippe 1924 2015 married Traute Becker in 1953 Their only son is Stephan Prince of Lippe born 1959 married Countess Maria of Solms Laubach in 1994Ancestry EditAncestors of Leopold IV Prince of Lippe16 Karl Count of Lippe Biesterfeld8 Ernst I Count of Lippe Biesterfeld17 Countess Ferdinande of Bentheim Tecklenburg Rheda4 Julius Count of Lippe Biesterfeld18 Karl Philipp von Unruh9 Modeste von Unruh19 Elisabeth Henriette Dorothea von Kameke2 Ernest II Count of Lippe Biesterfeld20 Count Friedrich Carl of Castell Castell10 Friedrich Count of Castell Castell21 Countess Amalie of Lowenstein Wertheim Virneburg5 Countess Adelheid of Castell Castell22 Charles Louis Prince of Hohenlohe Langenburg11 Princess Emilie of Hohenlohe Langenburg23 Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms Baruth1 Leopold IV Prince of Lippe24 Count Leopold of Wartensleben12 Count Casar of Wartensleben25 Caroline Louise Dorothea von der Recke6 Count Leopold of Wartensleben26 Carl Georg Friedrich von Gfug13 Friederike von Gfug Heiress of Osniszczewo27 Johanna Juliane von Lestwitz3 Countess Karoline of Wartensleben28 Johannes Arnold Halbach14 Arnold Halbach29 Maria Gertrud Hilger7 Mathilde Halbach30 Bohl Bohlen15 Caroline Bohlen31 Johanna Magdalene OswaldReferences Edit Lippe Principality Defies The Kaiser New York Times 1904 10 06 p 9 a b Almanach de Gotha 179th ed Justus Perthes 1942 p 76 Laborers Stone Prices New York Times 1911 06 04 p 4 Petropoulos Jonathan 2006 Royals and the Reich The Princes Von Hessen in Nazi Germany Oxford University Press p 98 ISBN 0 19 516133 5 Beeche Arturo E October 2006 A Headless House The Dynastic Dispute of the House of Lippe European Royal History Journal LIII 14 15 Leopold IV Prince of LippeHouse of LippeBorn 30 May 1871 Died 30 December 1949Regnal titlesPreceded byCount Ernest II Regent of Lippe26 September 1904 25 October 1905 End of Regencybecame PrincePreceded byPrince Alexander Prince of Lippe25 October 1905 12 November 1918 Monarchy abolishedGerman RevolutionTitles in pretenceLoss of titleRepublic declared TITULAR Prince of Lippe12 November 1918 30 December 1949 Succeeded byPrince Armin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leopold IV Prince of Lippe amp oldid 1107358725, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
