Countess Louise Caroline von Hochberg, born Geyer von Geyersberg (26 May 1768 in Karlsruhe – 23 June 1820, Karlsruhe), from 1787 Baroness von Hochberg, from 1796 Countess of Hochberg, was the second wife of the Margrave and later Grand Duke Charles Frederick of Baden. Her descendants eventually ascended the grand ducal throne and reigned until 1918.
Louise Caroline von Hochberg
Louise Caroline, Countess von Hochberg. Contemporary Painting, 1800
Countess Louise Caroline Geyer von Geyersberg was the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Heinrich Philip Geyer von Geyersberg (1729-1772) and his wife, Countess Maximiliana Hedwiger von Sponeck.[1] The latter was the niece-in-law of Leopold Eberhard, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard. Louise Caroline descends from a family of Lower Austria surnamed Geiger; Walther Geiger, a postal administrator in Vienna, being ennobled in the Holy Roman Empire, along with some collateral relatives, in 1595. In 1625 Emperor Ferdinand II authorised them to add the noble suffix "von Geyersberg".[1] Sometime after 1675 Louise Caroline's great-grandfather, Christophe Ferdinand, substituted a more aristocratic version of the surname, "Geyer von Geyersberg". While in the service of Eberhard Louis, Duke of Württemberg his son, Christian Heinrich, self-assumed the title of baron in 1729, having married Christiane von Thummel the previous year. Nonetheless, prior to Louise Caroline's marriage, written references to her at the court of Baden omit any baronial title.[1]
Louise Caroline attended a private school in Colmar. Later she attended the court of Baden-Durlach as a lady in waiting to the Hereditary Princess Amalie.
Marriage to Margrave Charles Frederick
Although referred to at the wedding on 24 November 1787 by the title "Baroness Geyer von Geyersberg" by her fiance, her marriage to the Margrave Charles Frederick, who had been widowed since 1783, was at the time deemed morganatic because she was regarded as of unequal rank to the prince.[1][2] Following the wedding, the Margrave declared that his wife would bear the title of Baroness von Hochberg.[1][2] In the same proclamation, co-signed by the three sons of his first marriage, he reserved decision on the title and succession rights of sons to be born of the marriage.[2] In July 1799 letters patent were issued by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, of retroactive effect to 12 May 1796, elevating her to the Imperial title Countess of Hochberg.[1][2] She never obtained the rank of an Imperial princess, nor that of Margravine, the title borne by Charles Frederick's first wife.[1]
Sons' inheritance
Although Louise Caroline's children were not initially legally recognised as of dynastic rank, on 20 February 1796 their father clarified in writing (subsequently co-signed by his elder sons) that the couple's sons were eligible to succeed to the margravial throne in order of male primogeniture after extinction of the male issue of his first marriage, who were by then the only remaining dynasts of the House of Baden.[2] The Margrave further declared that his marriage to their mother must "in no way be seen as morganatic, but rather as a true equal marriage", although the daughters remained baronesses and the sons were only assigned the title Count von Hochberg at that time. But in 1799 Louise's sons were granted the title of Imperial Counts von Hochberg (retroactive to 1796).[1]
On 10 September 1806, after the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire and assumption of the fully sovereign title Grand Duke of Baden, Charles Frederick confirmed the dynastic status of the sons of his second marriage. This act was, yet again, signed by all other males of the House of Baden (i.e., his three eldest sons), but was not promulgated.
Charles Frederick died in 1811 and was succeeded (his eldest son being already deceased) by his grandson, Charles, Grand Duke of Baden. On 4 October 1817, as neither he nor the other sons from his grandfather's first marriage had surviving male descendants, Charles confirmed the succession rights of his half-uncles, granting each the title, Prince and Margrave of Baden, and the style of Highness. He asked the princely congress in Aachen on 20 November 1818, just weeks before his death, to confirm the succession rights of the sons of Louise Caroline.
But this proclamation of Baden's succession evoked international challenges. The Congress of Vienna had, in 1815, recognised the eventual claims of Austria and Bavaria to parts of Baden which it allocated to Charles Frederick in the Upper Palatinate and the Breisgau, anticipating that upon his imminent demise those lands would cease to be part of the Grand Duchy. The disputes were resolved by the Treaty of Frankfurt, 1819, under which Baden ceded a portion of Wertheim, already enclaved within Bavaria, to that Kingdom, whereupon the succession as settled in 1817 was recognized by Bavaria and Austria.
In 1830, ten years after Louise Caroline's death, following the death of Louis I (who was the last ruler of the old line), her son Leopold finally ascended the throne as Grand Duke. Louise's descendants ruled the Grand Duchy of Baden until its abolition in 1918. The current pretenders are descendants of Louise Caroline.[1]
Kaspar Hauser
It was alleged that Louise Caroline conspired to substitute a dead infant for the first-born son of Grand Duke Charles and Grand Duchess Stephanie, in order to secure the throne for her own sons. When Kaspar Hauser was found, rumour had it that he was this first-born prince of Baden, allegedly spirited away at birth and raised without knowledge of his royal ancestry. Modern historians consider this legend as refuted.[3]
Offspring
By her marriage to Charles Frederick she had the following children:[1]
^ abcdefghijHuberty, Michel; Giraud, Alain; Magdelaine, F. and B. (1991). L'Allemagne Dynastique, Tome VI. France: Laballery. pp. 95–97, 107–108, 114, 120–121, 477–478. ISBN2-901138-06-3.
^ abcdeSchulze, Hermann. Die Hausgesetze der regierenden deutschen Fürstenhäuser, vol. 1. Jena, 1862, pages 165-69.
^Reinhard Heydenreuter: König Ludwig I. und der Fall Kaspar Hauser, in: Staat und Verwaltung in Bayern. Festschrift für Wilhelm Volkert zum 75. Geburtstag. Ed. by Konrad Ackermann and Alois Schmid, Munich 2003, pp. 465-476, here p. 465.
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January 29, 2023
louise, caroline, hochberg, countess, louise, caroline, hochberg, born, geyer, geyersberg, 1768, karlsruhe, june, 1820, karlsruhe, from, 1787, baroness, hochberg, from, 1796, countess, hochberg, second, wife, margrave, later, grand, duke, charles, frederick, b. Countess Louise Caroline von Hochberg born Geyer von Geyersberg 26 May 1768 in Karlsruhe 23 June 1820 Karlsruhe from 1787 Baroness von Hochberg from 1796 Countess of Hochberg was the second wife of the Margrave and later Grand Duke Charles Frederick of Baden Her descendants eventually ascended the grand ducal throne and reigned until 1918 Louise Caroline von HochbergLouise Caroline Countess von Hochberg Contemporary Painting 1800Born 1768 05 26 26 May 1768KarlsruheDied23 June 1820 1820 06 23 aged 52 KarlsruheNoble familyGeyer von GeyersbergSpouse s Charles Frederick Grand Duke of BadenIssueLeopold Grand Duke of BadenPrince WilliamPrince Frederick AlexanderPrincess AmaliePrince MaximilianFatherLieutenant Colonel Baron Louis Henry Philipp Geyer von GeyersbergMotherCountess Maximiliana Christiane von Sponeck Contents 1 Origin 2 Marriage to Margrave Charles Frederick 3 Sons inheritance 4 Kaspar Hauser 5 Offspring 6 References and notes 7 External linksOrigin EditCountess Louise Caroline Geyer von Geyersberg was the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Heinrich Philip Geyer von Geyersberg 1729 1772 and his wife Countess Maximiliana Hedwiger von Sponeck 1 The latter was the niece in law of Leopold Eberhard Duke of Wurttemberg Montbeliard Louise Caroline descends from a family of Lower Austria surnamed Geiger Walther Geiger a postal administrator in Vienna being ennobled in the Holy Roman Empire along with some collateral relatives in 1595 In 1625 Emperor Ferdinand II authorised them to add the noble suffix von Geyersberg 1 Sometime after 1675 Louise Caroline s great grandfather Christophe Ferdinand substituted a more aristocratic version of the surname Geyer von Geyersberg While in the service of Eberhard Louis Duke of Wurttemberg his son Christian Heinrich self assumed the title of baron in 1729 having married Christiane von Thummel the previous year Nonetheless prior to Louise Caroline s marriage written references to her at the court of Baden omit any baronial title 1 Louise Caroline attended a private school in Colmar Later she attended the court of Baden Durlach as a lady in waiting to the Hereditary Princess Amalie Marriage to Margrave Charles Frederick EditAlthough referred to at the wedding on 24 November 1787 by the title Baroness Geyer von Geyersberg by her fiance her marriage to the Margrave Charles Frederick who had been widowed since 1783 was at the time deemed morganatic because she was regarded as of unequal rank to the prince 1 2 Following the wedding the Margrave declared that his wife would bear the title of Baroness von Hochberg 1 2 In the same proclamation co signed by the three sons of his first marriage he reserved decision on the title and succession rights of sons to be born of the marriage 2 In July 1799 letters patent were issued by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II of retroactive effect to 12 May 1796 elevating her to the Imperial title Countess of Hochberg 1 2 She never obtained the rank of an Imperial princess nor that of Margravine the title borne by Charles Frederick s first wife 1 Sons inheritance EditAlthough Louise Caroline s children were not initially legally recognised as of dynastic rank on 20 February 1796 their father clarified in writing subsequently co signed by his elder sons that the couple s sons were eligible to succeed to the margravial throne in order of male primogeniture after extinction of the male issue of his first marriage who were by then the only remaining dynasts of the House of Baden 2 The Margrave further declared that his marriage to their mother must in no way be seen as morganatic but rather as a true equal marriage although the daughters remained baronesses and the sons were only assigned the title Count von Hochberg at that time But in 1799 Louise s sons were granted the title of Imperial Counts von Hochberg retroactive to 1796 1 On 10 September 1806 after the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire and assumption of the fully sovereign title Grand Duke of Baden Charles Frederick confirmed the dynastic status of the sons of his second marriage This act was yet again signed by all other males of the House of Baden i e his three eldest sons but was not promulgated Charles Frederick died in 1811 and was succeeded his eldest son being already deceased by his grandson Charles Grand Duke of Baden On 4 October 1817 as neither he nor the other sons from his grandfather s first marriage had surviving male descendants Charles confirmed the succession rights of his half uncles granting each the title Prince and Margrave of Baden and the style of Highness He asked the princely congress in Aachen on 20 November 1818 just weeks before his death to confirm the succession rights of the sons of Louise Caroline But this proclamation of Baden s succession evoked international challenges The Congress of Vienna had in 1815 recognised the eventual claims of Austria and Bavaria to parts of Baden which it allocated to Charles Frederick in the Upper Palatinate and the Breisgau anticipating that upon his imminent demise those lands would cease to be part of the Grand Duchy The disputes were resolved by the Treaty of Frankfurt 1819 under which Baden ceded a portion of Wertheim already enclaved within Bavaria to that Kingdom whereupon the succession as settled in 1817 was recognized by Bavaria and Austria In 1830 ten years after Louise Caroline s death following the death of Louis I who was the last ruler of the old line her son Leopold finally ascended the throne as Grand Duke Louise s descendants ruled the Grand Duchy of Baden until its abolition in 1918 The current pretenders are descendants of Louise Caroline 1 Kaspar Hauser EditIt was alleged that Louise Caroline conspired to substitute a dead infant for the first born son of Grand Duke Charles and Grand Duchess Stephanie in order to secure the throne for her own sons When Kaspar Hauser was found rumour had it that he was this first born prince of Baden allegedly spirited away at birth and raised without knowledge of his royal ancestry Modern historians consider this legend as refuted 3 Offspring EditBy her marriage to Charles Frederick she had the following children 1 Leopold August 29 1790 April 24 1852 William April 8 1792 11 October 1859 Frederick Alexander June 10 1793 June 18 1793 Amalie January 26 1795 September 14 1869 married on 19 April 1818 Charles Egon II Prince of Furstenberg October 28 1796 October 22 1854 Maximilian December 8 1796 6 March 1882 References and notes Edit a b c d e f g h i j Huberty Michel Giraud Alain Magdelaine F and B 1991 L Allemagne Dynastique Tome VI France Laballery pp 95 97 107 108 114 120 121 477 478 ISBN 2 901138 06 3 a b c d e Schulze Hermann Die Hausgesetze der regierenden deutschen Furstenhauser vol 1 Jena 1862 pages 165 69 Reinhard Heydenreuter Konig Ludwig I und der Fall Kaspar Hauser in Staat und Verwaltung in Bayern Festschrift fur Wilhelm Volkert zum 75 Geburtstag Ed by Konrad Ackermann and Alois Schmid Munich 2003 pp 465 476 here p 465 Entry in the Deutsche Biographische EnzyklopadieExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louise Caroline of Hochberg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Louise Caroline of Hochberg amp oldid 1059395752, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
