Prince Ludwig Gaston of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Ludwig Gaston Klemens Maria Michael Gabriel Raphael Gonzaga; 15 September 1870 – 23 January 1942), known in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
as Dom Luís Gastão, was a German prince of the
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry is the Catholic cadet branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, founded after the marriage of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Maria Antonia Koháry de Csábrág. Among its desc ...
, and the last surviving grandchild of
Emperor Pedro II of Brazil.
Biography
Early life
Ludwig Gaston was born at
Schloss Ebenthal (Niederösterreich) in
Ebenthal, Lower Austria
Ebenthal is a town in the district of Gänserndorf in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.
Geography
Ebenthal lies near Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type ...
in
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, the youngest son of
Prince Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Prince Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Ludwig August Maria Eudes; 8 August 1845 – 14 September 1907), known in Brazil as Dom Luís Augusto, was a German prince of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry and an Admiral in the Imperia ...
and
Princess Leopoldina of Brazil
Princess Leopoldina of Brazil (Leopoldina Teresa Francisca Carolina Miguela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga; 13 July 1847 – 7 February 1871) was the daughter of Emperor Pedro II and Empress Teresa Cristina. She shared the first name of her grandmother ...
, the second daughter of Dom Pedro II. His siblings were Princes
Peter August
Peter August is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Wes Ramsey. Peter is introduced as a media publisher in 2017, and is soon revealed to be the previously unknown son of Cesar ...
,
August Leopold and
Joseph Ferdinand. Shortly after their mother's death in 1871, Ludwig and his brothers moved to Brazil, where they lived with their maternal grandfather until a
military coup d'état in 1889 abolished the monarchy, forcing the imperial family into exile.
Military and later life
Ludwig Gaston went to
Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt (; ; Central Bavarian: ''Weana Neistod'') is a city located south of Vienna, in the state of Lower Austria, in northeast Austria. It is a self-governed city and the seat of the district administration of Wiener Neustadt-Land Distr ...
to study at the
Theresian Military Academy
The Theresian Military Academy (german: Theresianische Militärakademie, TherMilAk) is a military academy in Austria, where the Austrian Armed Forces train their officers. Founded in 1751, the academy is located in the castle of Wiener Neustadt ...
, where he successfully graduated in 1892. After that, he was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
of the Fourth Tiroler Jäger-Regiment of the
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
in
Lienz
Lienz (; Southern Bavarian: ''Lianz'') is a Town privileges, medieval town in the Austrian state of Tyrol (state), Tyrol. It is the administrative centre of the Lienz (district), Lienz district, which covers all of East Tyrol. The municipality a ...
. On 1 May 1896, Ludwig obtained the rank of
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
; on 29 March 1900, he was given command of the First Tiroler Jäger-Regiment in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...
, and on 1 May 1903, he further advanced to the rank of
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
.
He left the army on 8 February 1907.
In
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, on 1 May 1900, the prince married firstly
Princess Mathilde, daughter of
King Ludwig III of Bavaria. Their wedding was hosted by her grandfather,
Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria
''Leopold Charles Joseph William Louis''
, image_size =
, image = Luitpold Wittelsbach cropped.jpg
, succession = Prince Regent of Bavaria
, reign = 10 June 1886 – 12 December 1912
, reign-type = Tenure
, regent = Ludw ...
. They had two children:
*''Antonius'' Maria Ludwig Klemens Eugen Karl Heinrich August Luitpold Leopold Franz Wolfgang Peter Gaston Alexander Alfons Ignatius Aloysius Stanislaus (Innsbruck, 17 June 1901 – Haar, 1 September 1970), married on 14 May 1938 to Luise Mayrhofer, without issue.
*''Maria Immaculata'' Leopoldine Franziska Theresia Ildefonsa Adelgunde Klementine Hildegard Anna Josepha Elisabeth Sancta-Angelica Nicoletta (Innsbruck, 10 September 1904 – Varese, Italy, 18 March 1940), unmarried and without issue.
After the death of his first wife in 1906, he married for a second time Countess Anna of
Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg, daughter of Karl Johann Nepomuk Ferdinand, Prince von und zu Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg and Josephine,
Markgräfin von
Pallavicini
The House of Pallavicini, also known as Pallavicino and formerly known as Pelavicino, is an ancient Italian noble family founded by Oberto II ''Pelavicino'' of the Frankish Obertenghi family.
The Pallavicini of Genoa
The first recorded member o ...
, (1873 – 1948) at
Bischofteinitz on November 30, 1907. They had one daughter:
*''Josefine'' Maria Anna Leopoldine Amalie Klementine Ludovica Theresia Gabriela Gonzaga (Schloß Vogelsang, 20 September 1911 –
Stockdorf
Stockdorf is the largest district in the municipality of Gauting in the District of Starnberg in upper Bavaria, Germany. It is inhabited by approximately 4,000 citizens.
Geography
The village is situated at the Würm River, directly bordered i ...
, 27 November 1997), married on 12 May 1937 to Richard, Freiherr von Baratta-Dragono (1901 – 1998), with issue; divorced in 1945.
Death
Prince Ludwig Gaston died on 23 January 1942 in Innsbruck, and was buried in the
St. Augustine's Church in
Coburg
Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it was ...
.
Titles, styles and honours
Titles and styles
* 15 September 1870 – 23 January 1942: ''His Highness'' Prince Ludwig Gaston of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony
Honours
*
![D-SAX Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/D-SAX_Sachsen-Ernestinischer_Hausorden_BAR.svg)
Grand Cross of the
, ''1892''
[Bragança (2008), 166]
*
![Bavaria012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Bavaria012.png)
Knight of the
Order of St. Hubert
The Royal Order of Saint Hubert (german: Sankt Hubertus Königlicher Orden), or sometimes (german: Königlicher Orden des Heiligen Hubertus) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood founded in 1444 or 1445 by Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülic ...
, ''1900''
Ancestry
Bibliography
*
Defrance, Olivier. ''La Médicis des Cobourg, Clémentine d’Orléans'', Bruxelles, Racine, 2007 ()
*
Bragança, ''Dom'' Carlos Tasso de Saxe-Coburgo e. ''A Princesa Leopoldina'', ''in'' Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, vol. 243, 1959 (ISSN 0101-4366)
* Bragança, ''Dom'' Carlos Tasso de Saxe-Coburgo e. ''Palácio Leopoldina'', ''in'' Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, vol. 438, 2008 (ISSN 0101-4366)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ludwig Gaston Of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince
1870 births
1942 deaths
People from Klagenfurt-Land
Princes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry
Theresian Military Academy alumni