Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen
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, spouse = , house = Wettin , father =
Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1 April 1851 – 16 January 1928), was the last reigning duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Biography Bernhard was born on 1 April 1851 at Meiningen in what was then the German Confederation, as the eldest son of Georg ...
, mother =
Princess Charlotte of Prussia English: Victoria Elizabeth Augusta Charlotte , father = Frederick III, German Emperor , mother = Victoria, Princess Royal , birth_date = , birth_place = New Palace, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia , death_date = , death_pla ...
, birth_date = , birth_place =
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
,
German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
, death_date = , death_place = Hirschberg, Silesia, Provisional Government of National Unity , date of burial = 1 September 1945 , place of burial = Kowary,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, religion =
Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
} Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen (Feodora Viktoria Auguste Marie Marianne; 12 May 1879 – 26 August 1945) was born at
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
, the only child of
Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1 April 1851 – 16 January 1928), was the last reigning duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Biography Bernhard was born on 1 April 1851 at Meiningen in what was then the German Confederation, as the eldest son of Georg ...
, and his wife,
Princess Charlotte of Prussia English: Victoria Elizabeth Augusta Charlotte , father = Frederick III, German Emperor , mother = Victoria, Princess Royal , birth_date = , birth_place = New Palace, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia , death_date = , death_pla ...
(the eldest daughter of
Frederick III, German Emperor Frederick III (german: Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl; 18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888), or Friedrich III, was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days between March and June 1888, during the Year of the Three Emperors. Known informa ...
, and
Victoria, Princess Royal Victoria, Princess Royal (Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa; 21 November 1840 – 5 August 1901) was German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of German Emperor Frederick III. She was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingd ...
). Feodora was the first great-grandchild of both
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
of Great Britain and
Emperor William I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...
of Germany.


Early life

Princess Feodora was born on 12 May 1879 as the only child of Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen, and his wife
Princess Charlotte of Prussia English: Victoria Elizabeth Augusta Charlotte , father = Frederick III, German Emperor , mother = Victoria, Princess Royal , birth_date = , birth_place = New Palace, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia , death_date = , death_pla ...
, herself the eldest daughter of German Crown Prince Frederick William and Crown Princess Victoria. The new baby was the first grandchild of the Crown Prince and Princess, and through her mother was also the first great-grandchild of the British
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
. Charlotte, who loved to socialize, had hated being pregnant, believing that it limited her activities. Preferring to return to enjoying social life in Berlin, she declared after Feodora's birth that she would have no further children, dismaying her mother, Crown Princess Victoria. It was unusual to be an only child in European royal families, and Feodora likely endured a lonely childhood. Charlotte loved to travel, and often left her daughter with Vicky at
Friedrichshof Schlosshotel Kronberg (Castle Hotel Kronberg) in Kronberg im Taunus, Hesse, near Frankfurt am Main, was built between 1889 and 1893 for the dowager German Empress Victoria and originally named Schloss Friedrichshof in honour of her late husb ...
, whom she viewed as the source of a convenient nursery. The Crown Princess, for her part, loved having the chance to spend time with her eldest granddaughter. Describing Feodora on one visit, she wrote that "she is really a good little child, & far easier to manage than her Mama". Victoria, who became
German empress The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
in 1888, perceived a deficit in Feodora's upbringing and gradually became concerned about the girl's physical appearance and mental development, describing the thirteen-year-old as possessing "sharp pinched features" and an unusually short stature. Feodora also cared little for her studies, preferring instead to discuss fashion. Her grandmother, who placed a high value on education, blamed insufficient parental guidance for the girl's lack of studiousness, commenting that the "atmosphere of her home is not the best for a child of her age... With Charlotte for an example, what else can one expect... Her parents are rarely ever at home or together... She hardly knows what home life is!" Queen Victoria was fond of her eldest great-grandchild. In June 1887, the young Feodora and her parents attended the queen's
Golden Jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
in London. While her parents stayed at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
, Feodora stayed with her young cousin
Princess Alice of Battenberg Princess Alice of Battenberg (Victoria Alice Elizabeth Julia Marie; 25 February 1885 – 5 December 1969) was the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, and the paternal grandmother of King Charles III ...
at the home of the Dowager Duchess of Buccleuch at
Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It is the main ...
, allowing the girls to watch the royal procession as it made its way to
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
. Queen Victoria described her as "sweet little Feo, who is so good and I think grown quite pretty. We were delighted to have her and I think the dear child has enjoyed herself."


Marriage

As Feodora grew older, her marriage began to be a consideration. The exiled Prince Peter Karađorđević, thirty-six years older than Feodora, proposed himself as a suitor, though this was likely a bid to gain support for succeeding to the Serbian throne. Charlotte declared that "for such a throne Feodora is far too good". Her mother's maternal first cousin Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the only son of Charlotte's friend (and Feodora's maternal grandaunt) the
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha This is a list of the Duchesses, Electresses and Queens of Saxony; the consorts of the Duke of Saxony and its successor states; including the Electorate of Saxony, the Kingdom of Saxony, the House of Ascania, Albertine, and the Ernestine duchies, ...
, was also considered. Several months after returning from Queen Victoria's
Diamond Jubilee A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
celebrations in June 1897, Feodora became engaged to Prince Heinrich XXX
Reuss of Köstritz The Principality of Reuss-Gera (german: Fürstentum Reuß-Gera), called the Principality of the Reuss Junior Line (german: Fürstentum Reuß jüngerer Linie) after 1848, was a sovereign state in modern Germany, ruled by members of the House of Re ...
(1864-1939), with the betrothal announced in early October. Born in Castle Neuhoff, he was the youngest son of Prince Heinrich IX
Reuss of Köstritz The Principality of Reuss-Gera (german: Fürstentum Reuß-Gera), called the Principality of the Reuss Junior Line (german: Fürstentum Reuß jüngerer Linie) after 1848, was a sovereign state in modern Germany, ruled by members of the House of Re ...
(1827-1898) and Baroness Anne Marie Wilhelmine Helene of Zedlitz und Leipe (1829-1907). Henry's father died in early 1898, forcing a temporary postponement of the marriage. Rumours that the marriage had been cancelled proved to be untrue, and they married at Breslau on 24 September 1898 in a Lutheran ceremony. Princess Feodora was the only great-grandchild of Queen Victoria and only grandchild of German Empress Victoria to be married in their lifetimes; she married in 1898 and both the Queen and the German Empress died in 1901. Prince Henry was a captain in the Brunswick Infantry Regiment No. 92, though not particularly wealthy or high-ranked. Feodora's grandmother Empress Victoria was surprised at the choice of groom, particularly his lack of position, but observed that the bride at least seemed happy. Of the fifteen-year age gap, Victoria commented, "I am very glad he is older than she is, and if he is wise and steady and firm, he may do her a vast deal of good, and it may turn out very well, but she has had a strange example in her mother, and is a strange little creature." The historian
John Van der Kiste John Van der Kiste (born 15 September 1954 in Wendover, Buckinghamshire) is a British author, son of Wing Commander Guy Van der Kiste (1912–99). He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, where he briefly formed a rock band Cobweb with fe ...
writes that Feodora was "evidently besotted" with her new husband, and she likely also sought marriage as an escape from her "irksome home life". Once returned from their honeymoon, Henry spent much of his time on duty with his regiment, while Feodora joined a reading group and attended the opera and theatre in Berlin. Feodora also often accompanied her husband during his military assignments, travelling throughout Germany.


Last years

Feodora suffered most of her adult life from ill health, describing it as "the old story" of her life. Like her mother and maternal grandmother, and maternal great grandmother Feodora's illnesses included dizziness, insomnia, nausea, various pains, paralysis, constipation, and diarrhoea. She underwent several operations to treat her illnesses and alleviate her infertility, each without success. Feodora visited
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cast ...
in 1900, which would be the last time she saw her great-grandmother before Queen Victoria's death the following year. Henry attended her funeral, but ill health kept Feodora from attending. Feodora blamed
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
for her condition, though Charlotte told family members that Henry had given his wife a venereal disease, an allegation Feodora furiously denied. Charlotte asked her daughter to get tested by Charlotte's personal physician; when Feodora refused, it confirmed to Charlotte that her beliefs were correct. In reaction, Feodora refused to enter her mother's house and complained to family members of Charlotte's "incredible" actions. In 1903, the couple moved to
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish, Low Saxon: ''Flensborg''; North Frisian: ''Flansborj''; South Jutlandic: ''Flensborre'') is an independent town (''kreisfreie Stadt'') in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the ...
upon Henry being transferred, where they lived in a small house. Feodora found that the region's mild climate had a positive impact on her health. To further improve it and increase the probability of becoming pregnant, she took pills of
arsenic Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As and atomic number 33. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal. Arsenic is a metalloid. It has various allotropes, but ...
and
thorium Thorium is a weakly radioactive metallic chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. Thorium is silvery and tarnishes black when it is exposed to air, forming thorium dioxide; it is moderately soft and malleable and has a high me ...
. Her poor health recurred, however, and she again began suffering from toothache and migraines. In October 1904, a serious illness was blamed on influenza. Her further efforts to conceive included numerous visits to private clinics through the years, which often led to painful surgeries and procedures.


Two World Wars

With the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Henry was dispatched to the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
, while his wife opened a small hospital to treat wounded soldiers. By this stage, relations between him and his wife had deteriorated; Henry believed Feodora enjoyed complaining about being sick and seeing doctors. He wrote that her illness "consists mainly in complete lack of energy and mental apathy", and complained that "she grossly exaggerates her illnesses and causes me and others quite unnecessary anxiety". Henry died in 1939. After the war concluded with Germany's defeat, Feodora's father's rule over the
Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen Saxe-Meiningen (; german: Sachsen-Meiningen ) was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia. Established in 1681, by partition of the Ernestin ...
was ended. Her post-war life is mostly unknown, and records of her subsequent medical history have mainly been lost. She spent her final years at the Sanatorium Buchwald-Hohenwiese, near Hirschberg, Silesia, in what is now southwestern
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. She committed suicide on 26 August 1945, dying shortly after World War II ended. In describing Feodora's life, the historian John Van der Kiste writes that "the princess who had so desperately wanted children of her own had instead continued to battle with constant physical ailments, insomnia and severe depression, and endured many years of ill-health similar to that of her mother".


Medical analysis

In the 1990s, the historian
John Röhl John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
and his colleagues Martin Warren and David Hunt found Feodora's grave in Poland, exhuming the body for DNA analysis in the belief that it would reveal signs of the genetic disease porphyria however, it was proved inconclusive.


Ancestry


References

;Works cited * * * * * * *


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Feodora Of Saxe-Meiningen, Princess 1879 births 1945 suicides House of Reuss House of Saxe-Meiningen People from Potsdam Princesses of Reuss Princesses of Saxe-Meiningen Suicides in Poland