William II of Württemberg
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| William II | |||||
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| King of Württemberg | |||||
| Reign | 6 October 1891 – 30 November 1918 | ||||
| Predecessor | Charles I | ||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished | ||||
| Born | 25 February 1848 Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg |
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| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Bebenhausen, Weimar Republic |
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| Spouse | Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe |
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| Issue | Pauline, Princess of Wied Prince Ulrich |
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| House | Württemberg | ||||
| Father | Prince Frederick of Württemberg | ||||
| Mother | Princess Catherine of Württemberg | ||||
| Religion | Lutheran | ||||
William II (German Wilhelm II) (25 February 1848 in Stuttgart – 2 October 1921 in Bebenhausen) was King of Württemberg, from 6 October 1891 until the abolition of the kingdom on 30 November 1918. He was the son of Prince Frederick of Württemberg (1808–1870) and his wife Princess Catherine Frederica of Württemberg (1821–1898), daughter of King William I of Württemberg (1781–1864); his parents were first cousins.
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King of Württemberg
Upon the death of his childless maternal uncle, King Charles I (1823–1891), he succeeded to the throne of Württemberg. Though his claim appeared contrary to Salic law, as his mother Princess Catherine was the daughter of William I, on his father's side he was also the senior male-line descendant of Frederick I of Württemberg through his younger son Prince Paul.
In 1870 Württemberg took the side of Prussia in the Franco-German War. In 1871 Württemberg became a State of the German Reich, a significant limitation on its sovereignty.
Despite living in a landlocked kingdom, William II was a ship enthusiast. The king was instrumental in the establishment of the Württembergischer Yacht Club (formerly "Königlich Württembergischer Yacht-Club" or Royal Yacht Club of Württemberg) in 1911 on Lake Constance.
King William became a Generalfeldmarschall during World War I. In 1918, he was deposed from the throne along with the other German rulers. Considered to be a popular monarch, he had the habit of walking his two dogs in public parks in Stuttgart without bodyguards or the like, being greeted by his subjects with a simple Herr König ("Mister King"). William finally abdicated on 30 November 1918.[1]
Marriages and children
On 15 February 1877 at Arolsen he married Princess Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1857–1882). They had three children:
- Princess Pauline of Württemberg (19 December 1877 – 7 May 1965); married in 1898 William Frederick, Prince of Wied (1872–1945), and had issue.
- Prince Ulrich of Württemberg (28 July 1880 – 28 December 1880)
- a stillborn daughter (24 April 1882)
Marie died on 30 April 1882 in Stuttgart, from complications resulting from the birth of her third child. William, already depressed by the death of his only son, is said never to have recovered from this blow.
On 8 April 1886 at Bückeburg, he married Princess Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe (1864–1946). They had no children.
Succession
With William II's death in 1921 without male issue, the royal branch of the House of Württemberg became extinct and the headship of the house devolved to Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg.
Arms
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Styles
- 25 February 1848-25 June 1864:His Royal Highness Prince William of Württemberg
- 25 June 1864 - 6 October 1891:His Royal Highness Crown Prince William of Württemberg
- 6 October 1891 - 30 November 1918:His Majesty The King of Württemberg
- 30 November 1918 - 2 October 1921:His Majesty King William II of Württemberg
Ancestry
Decorations and awards
- Awards of Württemberg
- Grand Master of the following Orders:
- Foreign awards
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Austria)
- Knight of the Order of the Garter (United Kingdom) - Expelled in 1915
- Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (Kingdom of Italy)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph (Kingdom of Bavaria)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of St. Henry (Kingdom of Saxony)
- Pour le Mérite (German Empire)
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to William II of Württemberg. |
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William II of Württemberg
Born: 25 February 1848 Died: 2 October 1921 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by | King of Württemberg 1891 – 1918 |
Monarchy abolished |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Loss of title |
— TITULAR — King of Württemberg 1918 – 1921 Reason for succession failure: Kingdom abolished in 1918 |
Succeeded by Duke Albrecht |
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Heads of the House of Württemberg since 1918
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See also List of rulers of Württemberg
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- Articles needing translation from foreign-language Wikipedias
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- 1848 births
- 1921 deaths
- People from Stuttgart
- Field marshals of the German Empire
- House of Württemberg
- Crown Princes of Württemberg
- Kings of Württemberg
- Protestant monarchs
- Princes of Württemberg
- Members of the Württembergian Chamber of Lords
- Knights of the Golden Fleece
- Grand Crosses of the Military Order of Max Joseph
- Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Württemberg)
- Recipients of the Military Merit Order (Württemberg)
- Grand Crosses of the Friedrich Order
- Grand Crosses of the Military Order of St. Henry
- Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
- Monarchs who abdicated
- Burials at Alter Friedhof, Ludwigsburg
