Albrecht, King of Württemberg

From Kaiserreich

Albrecht von Württemberg (born Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph on December, 23 1865 in Vienna, Austria)is the fifth and current King of Württemberg since October, 2 1921, succeeding to his cousin Wilhelm II. The head of one of the constituent kingdoms of the German Empire, he's also Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army.

Biography

Albrecht was born to Duke Philipp of Württemberg and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. Belonging to the fifth branch, the ducal one, of the House of Wurttemberg which descended from the seventh son of Duke Friedrich II Eugen, who ruled at the time of the French Revolution. The Kingdom was then ruled by the eldest branch, whose Head was King Karl then Albrecht was born. As Karl died in 1891 without a child, he was succeeded by his nephew, Wilhelm II, who had not any son too. Thus Philipp became the heir presumptive to the throne of Württemberg, but as he died in 1917, four years before Wilhelm II himself, it was Albrecht who finally became the heir.

At the start of the Weltkrieg, Duke Albrecht commanded the German 4th Army and led them to victory in the Battle of the Ardennes in August 1914. Following this victory, the 4th Army saw action in the First Battle of the Marne before being transferred to Flanders in October, where Duke Albrecht commanded them during the Battle of the Yser. Duke Albrecht also commanded the German forces during the Second Battle of Ypres. Duke Albrecht was awarded the Pour le Mérite in August 1915 and was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall in August 1916. The newly formed Army Group Albrecht was placed under his commanded in February 1917 and he was responsible for the southern sector of the Western Front until its collapse in 1919.

Succeeding to his cousin in 1921, he was already well implemented in his new kingdom's politics, as he was member of the Württemberg Country Estates since 1891: even if he first let individuals represent him during the meetings of the Estates, he later attended them. Helped by his skills as commander of the German Army, he tries to be a popular monarch as his cousin was, and pledges for a hard stance against the problems that National-Populism can create in Germany.

Family

Duke Albrecht was married in Vienna on 24 January 1893 to Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria, daughter of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria, sister of Archduke Ferdinand, whose assassination trigerred the Weltkrieg and grand aunt of current Emperor Otto I of Austria-Hungary. The line of the House of Württemburg is now assured, as they had seven children, but only four are living by now:

• Philipp Albrecht, Crown Prince of Württemberg (born on November, 14 1893), who has five children from his two marriages with Archduchess Helena, Princess of Tuscany and his sister Rosa Maria.
• Prince Albrecht Eugen (born 8 January 1895), who married Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria, daughter of Tsar Ferdinand I. They have four children.
• Prince Carl Alexander (born 12 March 1896).
• Princess Maria Amalia (1897-1923).
• Princess Maria Theresa (1898-1928).
• Princess Maria Elisabeth (1899-1900)
• Princess Margarita Maria (born 4 January 1902)