Julia, Princess of Battenberg, previously Countess Julia von Hauke and Countess of Battenberg (born Julia Therese Salomea Hauke; – 19 September 1895), was the wife of

Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine (Alexander Ludwig Georg Friedrich Emil; 15 July 1823 – 15 December 1888), was the third son and fourth child of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse, and Wilhelmine of Baden. He was a brother of Tsarina Mar ...

, the third son of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse. The daughter of a Polish general of German descent, Julia was not of royal origin. She became a

lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting (alternatively written lady in waiting) or court lady is a female personal assistant at a Royal court, court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking nobility, noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was o ...

to Marie of Hesse, wife of the future Russian Emperor Alexander II and a sister of Alexander, whom Julia married after meeting him in the course of her duties. Although the marriage of social unequals like Julia and Alexander was deemed

morganatic Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...

, the Duke of Hesse made her Princess of Battenberg. Julia was the mother of Alexander, Prince of Bulgaria, and she is an ancestor of the current

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and Spanish royal families.

Life

Hauke was born in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

Congress Poland Congress Poland or Congress Kingdom of Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It was established w ...

, then ruled in

personal union A personal union is a combination of two or more monarchical states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, involves the constituent states being to some extent in ...

by the

Russian emperor The emperor and autocrat of all Russia (, ), also translated as emperor and autocrat of all the Russias, was the official title of the Russian monarch from 1721 to 1917. The title originated in connection with Russia's victory in the Great Nor ...

. She was the daughter of Hans Moritz Hauke, a Polish general of German descent. Her mother, Sophie, was the daughter of Polish military surgeon Franz Leopold Lafontaine. Her father fought in

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's Polish Legions in Austria, Italy, Germany, and the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

. After his service in the army of the

Duchy of Warsaw The Duchy of Warsaw (; ; ), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a First French Empire, French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars. It initially comprised the ethnical ...

from 1809 to 1814, he entered the ranks of the army of

, and was promoted to

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

in 1828. Recognizing his abilities, Emperor Nicholas I appointed him Deputy Minister of War of Congress Poland and on 4 May 1829 made him a hereditary

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

von Hauke. In the November Uprising of 1830, led by rebelling army cadets, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, Poland's Russian

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

, managed to escape, but Julia's father was shot dead by the cadets on a

street. Her mother died of shock shortly afterwards, and their children were made wards of the Emperor. Hauke served as

to Marie of Hesse, wife of the future Emperor Alexander II and a sister of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine. She met Prince Alexander while performing her duties at court in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

. The Emperor did not approve of a courtship between her and his son's brother-in-law, so the two arranged to leave Saint Petersburg. By the time Julia and Alexander were able to marry, she was six months pregnant with their first child, Marie. They were married on 28 October 1851 in Breslau in Prussian

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

(now called

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

and in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

). Since she was not considered equal for royal marriage purposes, her children did not qualify for succession to the throne of

Hesse and by Rhine The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine () was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The grand duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 as the Grand Duchy of Hesse (). It assumed the name ...

. Her marriage was declared to be

after the birth of her first son. Her husband's brother, Grand Duke Louis III of Hesse-Darmstadt, made her Countess of Battenberg in 1851, with the style of

Illustrious Highness His/Her Illustrious Highness (abbreviation: H.Ill.H.) is the usual English-language translation of the German word , a style historically attributed to certain members of the European nobility. It is not a literal translation, as the German word ...

(). In 1858, she was elevated to Princess of Battenberg, with the style of

Serene Highness His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH, second person address: Your Serene Highness) is a style (manner of address), style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Thailand. Until 1918, it was also associated with the p ...

(). Battenberg became the name of a morganatic branch of the Grand Ducal House of Hesse. Hauke converted to

Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

on 12 May 1875. Prior to her conversion, she frequently visited Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches throughout Hesse, often traveling great distances. Her religion was openly criticized by members of her husband's family until her conversion. Her children were baptized Lutheran. She died at Heiligenberg Castle on 19 September 1895.

Children

There were five children of the marriage, all princes and princesses of Battenberg: * Princess Marie of Battenberg (1852–1923), married Gustav, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg (d. 1908) in 1871, and had issue. * Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854–1921), married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (1863–1950) in 1884, and had issue (including Queen Louise of Sweden and

Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (born Prince Louis of Battenberg; 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979), commonly known as Lord Mountbatten, was ...

). In 1917, Louis and his descendants gave up their German titles and took the surname Mountbatten; Louis was later created the first Marquess of Milford Haven. Via his daughter

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

, whose only son,

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...

, married Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, Louis is an ancestor of the current

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

. * Prince Alexander of Battenberg (1857–1893), known as ''Sandro'', elected Prince of Bulgaria 1879 and abdicated in 1886, married morganatically Johanna Loisinger (1865–1951) in 1889, and had issue. * Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858–1896), known as ''Liko'', married Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1857–1944) in 1885, and had issue (including

Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg (24 October 1887 – 15 April 1969) was Queen of Spain as the wife of King Alfonso XIII from their marriage on 31 May 1906 until 14 April 1931, when the Spanish Second Republic was proclaimed. A Hess ...

, via whom he is an ancestor of the current

Spanish royal family The Spanish royal family constitutes the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon (), also known as the House of Bourbon-Anjou (). The royal family is headed by King Felipe VI and currently consists of the King; Queen Letizia; their children, Leono ...

). In 1917, Henry's descendants gave up their German titles and took the surname Mountbatten; his eldest son,

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

, was later created the first Marquess of Carisbrooke. * Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg (1861–1924), known as ''Franzjos'', married Princess Anna of Montenegro (1874–1971) in 1897, and had no issue.

Descendants change name to Mountbatten

Julia's eldest son, Louis, became a

British subject The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...

, and 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 ...

, due to

anti-German sentiment Anti-German sentiment (also known as anti-Germanism, Germanophobia or Teutophobia) is fear or dislike of Germany, its Germans, people, and its Culture of Germany, culture. Its opposite is Germanophile, Germanophilia. Anti-German sentiment main ...

prevalent at the time,

anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

his name to '' Mountbatten'' (a literal translation of the German ''Battenberg''), as did his nephews, the surviving sons of Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice. The members of this branch of the family also renounced all German titles and were granted

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

s by their cousin King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

: Prince Louis became the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, while Prince Alexander, Prince Henry's eldest son, became the 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke.

Honours

* :''Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogs Hessen'' (1879), "Genealogie" p. 4 ** Military Medical Cross, ''26 March 1871''''Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogs Hessen'' (1879), "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 146 ** Commemorative Medal for the French Campaign in 1870/71 (for non-combatants) ** Dame of the Grand Ducal Hessian Order of the Golden Lion, ''1 January 1883'' * : ** Dame of Honour of the

Order of Theresa The Order of Theresa was an order for noble ladies in the Kingdom of Bavaria. It continues to function today as an honorary society to which belong the princesses of the House of Wittelsbach as well as other ladies from Bavarian noble families. H ...

** Cross of Merit, 1st Class for 1870/71 * : ** Dame Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Saint Catherine ** Red Cross Medal, 1st Class

Ancestry

References

Other sources

* ''Almanach de Gotha'',

Gotha Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine Wettins from 1640 until the ...

, 1931. * Eckhart G. Franz, ''Das Haus Hessen: Eine europäische Familie'',

Kohlhammer Verlag W. Kohlhammer Verlag GmbH, or Kohlhammer Verlag, is a German publishing house headquartered in Stuttgart. History Kohlhammer Verlag was founded in Stuttgart on 30 April 1866 by . Kohlhammer had taken over the businesses of his late father-in-la ...

, Stuttgart 2005 (S. 164–170), {{DEFAULTSORT:Julia, Battenberg, Princess of 1825 births 1895 deaths Nobility from Warsaw Morganatic spouses of German royalty Battenberg family Julia House of Hesse-Darmstadt Ladies-in-waiting from the Russian Empire Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany Princesses in the German Empire Converts to Lutheranism from Roman Catholicism Recipients of the Order of Saint Catherine Mothers of Bulgarian monarchs