Berthold, Grand Duke of Baden

From Kaiserreich

Berthold von Baden (born Berthold Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst August Heinrich Karl on February, 24 1906), is the ninth and current ruler of Grand-Duchy of Baden, one of the constituent states of the German Empire, succedding to his father Maximilian on November, 6 1929.

Biography

Berthold was born on February, 24 1906, son of Prince Maximilian of Baden, cousin and heir to then Grand-Duke Friedrich II, and Princess Marie Louise of Hanover and Cumberland. He early adhered to his father's liberal opinions, which were quite rare among German nobility in these times, but these principles never came to an application, as Maximilian only ruled the Grand-Duchy for less than a year and a half, from August 1928 to his death on November 1929; he was therefore succeeded by Berthold. Bringing some youth into German politics, he married on August, 17 1931 Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, granddaughter of king George I of Greece. They had two children together:Princess Margarita of Baden on July, 14 1932 and Prince Maximilian Andreas Friedrich Gustav Ernst August Bernhard of Baden on July, 3 1933, Berthold's heir presumptive, who would rule under the name of Maximilian II.