Duke ''Robert'' Maria Klemens Philipp Joseph of Württemberg (; 14 January 1873 in

Meran Merano (, ; ) or Meran () is a (municipality) in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeier Va ...

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

– 12 April 1947 in Schloss Altshausen,

Altshausen Altshausen is a small Swabian municipality with around 4,100 inhabitants, near the city of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg, in southern Germany. Geography Altshausen is situated in Upper Swabia, about 40 kilometers north of Lake Constance. Nor ...

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

) was a member of the

House of Württemberg The House of Württemberg is an uradel, ancient German nobility, German dynasty and former royal family of the Kingdom of Württemberg. History County The House probably originated in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty. Around 1080 the ancestors ...

and a Duke of Württemberg.''Gothaischer Kalender: Genealogischer Hof-Kalender und diplomatisch-statistisches Jahrbuch'', Justus Perthes, Gotha 1921, p. 101

Family

Robert was the fourth child of

Duke Philipp of Württemberg Philipp, Duke of Württemberg (30 July 1838 – 11 October 1917) was a German prince, head of the Roman Catholic cadet branch of the dynasty which ruled the Kingdom of Württemberg. Biography He was the son of Duke Alexander and of Princes ...

and his wife Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. He was the younger brother of ''Generalfeldmarschall''

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg Albrecht, Duke and Crown Prince of Württemberg (Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph; 23 December 1865 – 31 October 1939) was the last crown prince of the Kingdom of Württemberg, a German military commander of World War I, and the head of ...

. Robert belonged to the fifth branch (called the ducal branch) of the

, descended from the seventh son 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 ...

. On the extinction of the eldest branch in 1921 with the death of the former King

William II of Württemberg William II (; 25 February 1848 – 2 October 1921) was the last King of Württemberg. He ruled from 6 October 1891 until the dissolution of the kingdom on 30 November 1918. He was the last German ruler to abdicate in the wake of the November Rev ...

, the ducal branch became the new dynastic branch of the House.

Marriage

Robert married Archduchess Maria Immakulata of Austria, seventh child and fifth eldest daughter of Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria and his wife Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, on 29 October 1900 in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. Robert and Maria Immakulata did not have children.

Military career

Robert served as a cavalry officer in the Württemberg contingent of the Prussian Army. From 27 January 1907 to 21 September 1912, he was commander of the 2nd Württemberg Dragoon Regiment No. 26. He was then commander of the 26th Cavalry Brigade from 21 September 1912 until 30 July 1916. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he led his brigade as part of the 7th Cavalry Division. On 19 September 1916, he was promoted to ''

Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...

''.

Ranks

* 1891 : ''Sekondelieutenant'' (=

Leutnant () is the lowest junior officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High German «locum ...

) * 1896 : ''Premierlieutenant'' (=

Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...

) * 1900 : ''

Rittmeister Rittmaster () is usually a commissioned officer military rank used in a few armies, usually equivalent to Captain. Historically it has been used in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other countries. A is typically in charge of a s ...

'' * 1904 : ''

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

'' * 1907 : ''

Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...

'' * 1909 : ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...

'' * 1913 : ''

Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...

'' * 1916 : ''

Honors and awards

Honorary titles and positions

* ''

à la suite À la suite (, ''in the entourage f') was a military title given to those who were allotted to the army or a particular unit for honour's sake and were entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position. In Prussia ...

'' to the 2nd Württemberg Dragoon Regiment No. 26 (''Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württembergisches) Nr. 26'') (11 October 1891) * ''

'' to the 2nd Pomeranian Uhlan Regiment No. 9 (''2. Pommersches Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 9'') (7 September 1900) *

to the Austro-Hungarian 9th Dragoon Regiment (''k.u.k. Dragoner Regiment „Erzherzog Albrecht“ Nr. 9'') * Title of

k.u.k. The phrase Imperial and Royal (, ) refers to the court/government of the Habsburgs in a broader historical perspective. Some modern authors restrict its use to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. During that period, it ind ...

Feldmarschalleutnant Lieutenant field marshal, also frequently historically field marshal lieutenant (, formerly , historically also and, in official Imperial and Royal Austrian army documents from 1867 always , abbreviated ''FML''), was a senior army rank in certai ...

''''Ranglisten des Kaiserlichen und Königlichen Heeres 1918'', k.u.k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna 1918, p. 36

Decorations and awards

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert Of Wurttemberg, Duke 1873 births 1947 deaths Dukes of Württemberg (titular) People from Merano Lieutenant generals of Württemberg Lieutenant generals of Prussia Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Recipients of the Military Merit Order (Bavaria) Knights of the Order of Saint Joseph