William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

William IV (William Alexander; French: Guillaume Alexandre; 22 April 1852 – 25 February 1912) reigned as the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 17 November 1905 until his death. He succeeded his father, Adolphe.

William IV
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign17 November 1905 –
25 February 1912
PredecessorAdolphe
SuccessorMarie-Adélaïde
RegentMarie Anne of Portugal
(1908–1912)
Born(1852-04-22)22 April 1852
Biebrich Palace, Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau
Died25 February 1912(1912-02-25) (aged 59)
Berg Castle, Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg
Burial
Schlosskirche ("Castle Church") in Weilburg since 1953
SpouseMarie Anne of Portugal
IssueMarie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Hilda, Princess of Schwarzenberg
Antonia, Crown Princess of Bavaria
Princess Elisabeth
Princess Sophie
HouseNassau-Weilburg
FatherAdolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
MotherPrincess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau

William was a Protestant, the religion of the House of Nassau. He married Princess Marie Anne of Portugal, believing that a Roman Catholic country ought to have a Roman Catholic monarch. Thus his heirs have been Catholic.

At the death of his uncle, Prince Nikolaus-Wilhelm in 1905, the only other legitimate male in the House of Nassau-Weilburg was William's cousin, Georg Nikolaus, Count of Merenberg, the product of a morganatic marriage. So in 1907, William declared the Counts of Merenberg non-dynastic, naming his own eldest daughter Marie-Adélaïde (1894–1924) as heir presumptive to the grand ducal throne. She became Luxembourg's first reigning grand duchess upon her father's death in 1912, and upon her own abdication in 1919, was succeeded by her younger sister Charlotte (1896–1985). Charlotte's descendants reign until the present day.

To date, William is the last monarch of Luxembourg to die whilst still on the throne.

Marriage

On 21 June 1893 in Fischhorn Castle, Zell am See, he married Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal, daughter of the deposed king Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. The couple had six daughters:

Issue

Titles and honours

Titles and styles

Although the duchy of Nassau was annexed by Prussia after the Austro-Prussian war of 1866, the title of Duke of Nassau was retained by William and his heirs.[1] This does not imply any sovereignty over Nassau.

  • 22 April 1852 - 23 November 1890: His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Nassau[2]
  • 23 November 1890 - 17 November 1905: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau[3]
  • 17 November 1905 - 25 February 1912: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau[3]

Honours

National

Foreign

Ancestry

Notes and references
  1. Almanach de Gotha (1901), article "Luxembourg"
  2. It was customary for a reigning Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Highness.
  3. It was customary for a reigning Grand Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses to use the style of Royal Highness
  4. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch für des Herzogtum Anhalt (1883), "Herzoglicher Haus-Orden Albrecht des Bären" p. 16
  5. "A Szent István Rend tagjai" Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Baden (1896), "Großherzogliche Orden" pp. 62, 77
  7. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Bayern (1908), "Königliche Orden" p. 8
  8. Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig für das Jahr 1908. Braunschweig 1908. Meyer. p. 9
  9. Jørgen Pedersen (2009). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009 (in Danish). Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 288. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2.
  10. Staatshandbuch für das Großherzogtum Sachsen / Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (1900), "Großherzogliche Hausorden" p. 16
  11. Sveriges statskalender (in Swedish), 1905, p. 440, retrieved 2018-01-06 – via runeberg.org
William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Cadet branch of the House of Nassau
Born: 12 April 1852 Died: 25 February 1912
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Adolphe		 Grand Duke of Luxembourg
1905–1912		 Succeeded by
Marie-Adélaïde
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