Duke Eugen of Württemberg (; 21 November 1758 – 20 June 1822) was a German prince. He was the brother of

Frederick I of Württemberg Frederick I (Frederick William Charles, ; 6 November 1754 – 30 October 1816) was the ruler of Württemberg from 1797 to his death. He was the last Duke of Württemberg from 1797 to 1803, then the first and only Elector of Württemberg from ...

Life

Duke Eugen was born at

Schwedt Schwedt (or Schwedt/Oder; ) is a town in Brandenburg, in northeastern Germany. With the official status of a ''Große Kreisstadt, Große kreisangehörige Stadt'' (major district town), it is the largest town of the Uckermark (district), Uckermark ...

Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg () was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that, having electoral status although being quite poor, grew rapidly in importance after inheriting the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 and then came ...

, the third child of

Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg Friedrich Eugen, Duke of Württemberg (21 January 1732 – 23 December 1797) was the fourth son of Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg, and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis. He was born in Stuttgart. From 1795 until 1797, he was Duke ...

(1732–1797), (son of

Charles Alexander, Duke of Württemberg Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

, and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis) and his wife, Margravine Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1736–1798), (daughter of

Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt (17 November 1700 – 4 March 1771) was a German nobleman. In his lifetime, from 1711 to 1771, he held the titles Prince in Prussia and Margrave of Brandenburg, with the style Royal Highness. He was made ...

and

Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia (; 25 January 1719 – 13 November 1765) was the ninth child and fifth daughter of Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. By marriage, she was a Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt. ...

). Eugen was educated by Johann Georg Schlosser, a brother of

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

. The prince entered the Army of the Kingdom of Prussia. His regiment the

Oleśnica Oleśnica (; ) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland, within the Wrocław metropolitan area. It is the administrative seat of Oleśnica County and also of the rural district of Gmina Oleśnica, although it is not part ...

Silesian Hussars being stationed, at that time, near the residence of Eugen's relatives, part of the Duchy of Oels. Whose last Duke Charles Christian Erdmann, left Eugen, in his will, and by fee-tail, the estate of Pokój, Carlsruhe Palace. From 1795 Eugen was governor of the fortress of Glogau. In the

War of the Fourth Coalition The War of the Fourth Coalition () was a war spanning 1806–1807 that saw a multinational coalition fight against Napoleon's First French Empire, French Empire, subsequently being defeated. The main coalition partners were Kingdom of Prussia, ...

, at the

Battle of Jena-Auerstedt A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

he commanded the Reserve cavalry of the Prussian Army. On 18 October 1806 he fought at the

Battle of Halle In the Battle of Halle on 17 October 1806 a French corps led by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte fought the Prussian Reserve under Eugene Frederick Henry, Duke of Württemberg. The French defeated their opponents, forcing the Prussians to retreat ...

where he was defeated by

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

Jean Bernadotte Charles XIV John (; 26 January 1763 – 8 March 1844) was King of Sweden and King of Norway, Norway from 1818 until his death in 1844 and the first monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. In Norway, he is known as Charles III John () and before he be ...

(later became King Charles XIV John of Sweden). Carlsruhe became the permanent residence of Duke Eugen, which he endowed with a theater and chapel. The Duke was a great patron of the composer

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (5 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and Music criticism, critic in the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Best known for List of operas by Carl Maria von Weber, h ...

, who became his secretary and in September 1806 he was designated as

Kapellmeister ( , , ), from German (chapel) and (master), literally "master of the chapel choir", designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term has evolved considerably in i ...

at Carlsruhe. Eugen's son, distinguished himself in the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition () (December 1812 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation (), a coalition of Austrian Empire, Austria, Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia, Russian Empire, Russia, History of Spain (1808– ...

which led to the theater being closed, and Carl Maria von Weber dismissed. In 1820 Eugen built the Cavalier Homes on the Schlossplatz in Carlsruhe. From 1820 until his death Eugen was a member of the First Chamber of the Estates of Württemberg though he never appeared in person to the meetings, being represented by Count Charles of Reischach.

Marriage and issue

On 21 January 1787, in Meiningen, he married

Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern Princess Louise Maximiliane Caroline Emanuel of Stolberg-Gedern (20 September 1752 – 29 January 1824) was the wife of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobitism, Jacobite claimant to the English throne, English and Scottish thrones. The unhappy mar ...

, daughter of Prince Christian Karl of

Stolberg-Gedern The Lordship of Gedern (German: ''Herrschaft Gedern'') was a lordship or herrschaft centred on Gedern near Büdingen in Hesse, Germany. It is first recorded in a document from Lorsch Abbey dating to 780. History The lords of Ortenburg (descended fr ...

and Countess Eleonore Reuss of Lobenstein. Louise was the widow of

Charles William, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen August Friedrich Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (19 November 1754 – 21 July 1782), was a duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Family He was the first son of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal. Reig ...

. They had five children: * Duke Eugen of Württemberg (18 January 1788 – 16 September 1857), married in 1817 to Princess Mathilde of Waldeck and Pyrmont, had issue; Married secondly in 1827 to

Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (22 November 1807 – 5 September 1880) was a member of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and a Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg by birth and a member of the House of Württemberg and a Duchess of Württembe ...

, had issue. * Duchess Louise of Württemberg (4 June 1789 – 26 June 1851), married in 1811 to Friedrich August Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Oehringen, had issue. * Duke Georg Ferdinand of Württemberg (15 June 1790 – 25 December 1795) * Duke Heinrich of Württemberg (13 December 1792 –28 November 1797) *

Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg Duke Friedrich ''Paul Wilhelm'' of Württemberg (; 25 June 1797, in Pokój, Opole Voivodeship, Bad Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia – 25 November 1860, in Bad Mergentheim, Mergentheim, Kingdom of Württemberg) was a member of the List of ...

(25 June 1797 – 25 November 1860), married in 1827 to

Princess Maria Sophia of Thurn and Taxis Princess Maria Sophia of Thurn and Taxis (; 4 March 1800, Regensburg – 20 December 1870, Regensburg) was a member of the House of Thurn and Taxis, a Princess of Thurn und Taxis, Thurn and Taxis by birth, a member of the House of Württemberg ...

, had issue.

Ancestry

Notes and sources

*The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: page 222 *L'Allemagne dynastique, Huberty, Giraud, Magdelaine, Reference: vol II page 476. {{DEFAULTSORT:Eugen of Wurttemberg 1758 births 1822 deaths People from Schwedt People from the Margraviate of Brandenburg Prussian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars German Lutherans Dukes of Württemberg (titular) Military personnel from Brandenburg Sons of dukes