Prince Albert of Prussia (1837–1906)

Madrid solemn act of the imposition to H.M. the King by Prince Albert of Prussia. (Illustration by Juan Comba)

Prince Albert of Prussia (Template:Langx; 8 May 1837 – 13 September 1906) was a Prussian general field marshal, Herrenmeister (Grand Master) of the Order of Saint John from 1883 until his death, and regent of the Duchy of Brunswick from 1885, also until his death.

Biography

Albert was born in Berlin on 8 May 1837, the son of Prince Albert of Prussia and Princess Marianne, daughter of King William I of the Netherlands. His father was the brother of King Frederick William IV of Prussia and William I, German Emperor.

Albrecht entered the Prussian army in 1847, serving in the First Schleswig War and participating in the battles of Skalitz, Schweinschädel and Königgrätz in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. In the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, he commanded a guard cavalry brigade at Gravelotte and Sedan. After the fall of the Second Empire, he was subordinated to Edwin von Manteuffel in the fighting around Bapaume and St. Quentin. In 1874, he became commander of the X Corps stationed in Hannover. In 1883, he succeeded his uncle Prince Charles as Herrenmeister of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg). In 1885, Albert was chosen as Regent for the Duchy of Brunswick, as German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck had removed Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover, from office.<ref name="mg1">Template:Citation</ref> In 1913, Ernst August's son, Ernest Augustus, became Duke of Brunswick who only reigned for 5 years and 6 days. After accepting the regency, Albert and Marie resided chiefly in Brunswick, Berlin, and Kamenz.<ref name="mg1" />

Prince Albrecht died at Schloss Kamenz on 13 September 1906. He was buried in the Mausoleum auf dem Hutberge in the park of Schloss Kamenz. After World War II, the mausoleum was plundered and the bodies of Albert and his wife were reburied in the park.Template:CN

Marriage and issue

Albert's parents had been unhappily married to each other and were later divorced. The unhappiness of that marriage had been a formative influence on Albert during his growing years. His decision to wait until he was 36 before marrying is thought to have been a reflection of his parents' marital situation.<ref name=nyt2>Template:Citation</ref>

On 9 April 1873 in Berlin, he married Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg. They had three sons:

• Prince Friedrich Heinrich Albrecht (15 April 1874 – 13 November 1940)
• Prince Joachim Albrecht (27 September 1876 – 24 October 1939); married firstly Baroness Marie of Liebenberg (née Blich-Sulzer) (1872-1919) and Karoline Kornelia Stockhammer (1891-1952)
• Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (12 July 1880 – 9 March 1925); married Princess Agatha of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst

Honours and awards

German honours<ref name = "HofUndStaat1">Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat (1906), Genealogy p. 4</ref>

Foreign honours<ref name = "HofUndStaat1"/>

External links

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