Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz (11 December 1856 – 9 August 1929) was an Austrian noblewoman and a noted archaeologist.

Early life

Princess Marie Gabriele Ernestine Alexandra was born 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. ...

in 1856 as the youngest daughter of Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Grätz and, his first wife, Duchess Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Among her siblings were Hugo, 3rd Prince of Windisch-Graetz (who married Princess Christiane von Auersperg); Princess Alexandrine (wife of Count Rudolf von Khevenhüller-Metsch), Princess Olga (wife of Count Andreas Mocenigo). After her mother died in 1859, her father married Princess Matilda Radziwill (1836-1918), with whom he had three more children: Prince Ernst Wilhelm of Widisch-Graetz (1872-1897); Princess Aloisia Maria Mathilde of Widisch-Graetz (1874-1888) and Princess Elisabeth Maria Mathilde of Widisch-Graetz (1876-1884); all of whom died unmarried. Her paternal grandparents were Weriand, 1st Prince of Windisch-Graetz and Princess Maria Eleonore Carolina of

Lobkowicz The House of Lobkowicz (''Lobkovicové'' in modern Czech, sg. ''z Lobkovic''; ''Lobkowitz'' in German) is an important Bohemian noble family that dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest noble families of the region. Over the ce ...

(1795-1876). Her maternal grandparents were

Grand Duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly: * in ...

Paul Frederick and Princess Alexandrine of Prussia.

Archeological interests

Marie née Windisch-Graetz surveyed several archaeological excavations in

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

and

Carniola Carniola ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region still tend to identify with its traditional parts Upp ...

, including excavations at Hallstatt Archaeological Site in Vače. Some of the artifacts were sold to museums in

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

and

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

by her daughter Duchess Marie Antoinette of Mecklenburg.

Personal life

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...

on 5 May 1881, she married her first cousin, the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

-born Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, second son of

Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis II (German: ''Friedrich Franz II;'' 28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) was a Prussian officer and Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883. Biography He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the ...

, and his wife,

Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz Princess Augusta Reuss, Junior Line (Auguste Mathilde Wilhelmine Reuß; 26 May 1822 – 3 March 1862) was Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as the first spouse of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Early life Princess ...

. The couple had five children, three of whom survived to adulthood, including: * Duke Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg (1882–1904) * Duchess Marie Louise of Mecklenburg (1883–1883), who died young. * Duchess Marie Antoinette of Mecklenburg (1884–1944) * Duke Henry Borwin of Mecklenburg (1885–1942), who married Elizabeth Tibbits Pratt. After her death in 1928, he married Natália Oelrichs. After her death in 1931, he married Karola Ernestine von Alers, a daughter of Wilhelm Karl Georg von Alers and Adelaide Marie Pauline Ernstine von Chamisso de Boncourt. * Duke Joseph of Mecklenburg (1889–1889), who died young. All of their children were raised as

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, Marie's religion, and lived a quiet life in

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, where they befriended Cardinal Sarto (later

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X (; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing Modernism in the Catholic Church, modern ...

), who often visited the family and acted as their spiritual advisor. On 21 April 1884 Duke Paul Frederick deferred his and his sons' rights of succession to

Mecklenburg-Schwerin The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin () was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1701, when Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick William and Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Adolphus Frederick II divided ...

in favour of his younger brothers and their sons, so they would take precedence over him and his. In 1887 her husband, raised a

Lutheran 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 ...

, converted to Roman Catholicism, the religion of his wife and their common children. In 1906, after raising the concerns of his nephew

Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Frederick Francis IV (Friedrich Franz Michael; 9 April 1882 – 17 November 1945) was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and regent of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He inherited the throne when he was fifteen years old in 1897 and was forced ...

, about his expenses Duke Paul Frederick and his wife were ordered to submit expenditures to the comptroller of the royal household.

Notes

References

Literature

* Viola Maier: ''Die Herzogin Marie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1856–1929).'' In: Julia K. Koch, Eva-Maria Mertens (eds.): ''Eine Dame zwischen 500 Herren. Johanna Mestorf, Werk und Wirkung'' (= ''Frauen, Forschung, Archäologie.'' Bd. 4). Waxmann, Münster etc., 2002, , pp. 257–265. * Andrea Rottloff: ''Archäologen'' (= '' Die Berühmten''). Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 2009, pp. 87–89. *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Marie of Windisch-Graetz, Princess 1856 births 1929 deaths Austrian princesses Duchesses of Mecklenburg-Schwerin House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin People from Ludwigslust House of Windisch-Graetz Austrian women archaeologists Archaeologists from Vienna Nobility from Vienna People from Austria-Hungary