Category Archives: Current Monarchies

Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann I Josef, reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1805 – 1836. Born in Vienna, Austria on June 26, 1760, Johann Baptist Josef Adam Johann Nepomuk Aloys Franz de Paula was the sixth of the eight children and the fourth but the second surviving son of Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Leopoldine von Sternberg. Since the Principality of Liechtenstein was a constituent member of the Holy Roman Empire headed by the Habsburgs and Alois’ father had several government positions, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria.

Johann Josef had seven siblings:

Johann Josef as a teenager, 1776; Credit – Wikipedia

Because he had an elder brother and was not expected to succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef chose a military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Liechtenstein was a constituent state. At the age of 22, he joined the army with the rank of lieutenant. He participated in the Austro-Turkish War (1788 – 1791) and was promoted to the rank of colonel. Johann Josef gained prominence during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th-century, Holy Roman Emperor Franz II feared that Napoleon could take over his personal, hereditary Habsburg lands within the Holy Roman Empire, so in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor Franz I of Austria. As it turned out, Franz’s move was a wise one because the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806.

Holy Roman Emperor Franz I (on the left) meeting Napoleon I, Emperor of the French (on the right) after the Battle of Austerlitz. Johann Joseph is standing in between the two emperors. Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his childless brother Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein on March 24, 1805, Johan Josef became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. However, he continued his military career. Johann Josef was promoted to the rank of field marshal, became commander in chief of the army of the Austrian Empire, and led the Austrian army, the losing side, in the 1805 Battle of Austerlitz. He was later accused of making two unfavorable peace treaties with Napoleon. Both of these agreements were very favorable to Napoleon and unfavorable for Austria, and Johann Josef was accused of having little diplomatic ability. To avoid criticism, Johann Josef left the army in 1810 and shifted his activities to the administration and management of the estates.

In 1806, Napoleon accepted the Principality of Liechtenstein into the Confederation of the Rhine that gave Liechtenstein more sovereignty than it ever had. At the Congress of Vienna (1814 – 1815), which decided the political reorganization of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars and the defeat of Napoleon, the Principality of Liechtenstein was admitted as a sovereign member of the German Confederation, a political union of all German states.

As Prince of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef carried out progressive reforms, and in 1818, however, he approved a new constitution that limited the monarch’s power. He established modern practices in agriculture and forestry and reorganized the government administration to meet modern needs.

Johann Josef arranged for the extensive private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, started by Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein (reigned 1627 – 1684), to be transferred to the Liechtenstein Garden Palace in Vienna, Austria. From 1810, the art galleries at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace, eventually called the Liechtenstein Museum, were open to the public for a fee. It has not been run as a museum since 2012 and is now called Palais Liechtenstein. The Palais Liechtenstein remains home to part of the private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, one of the largest private collections in the world, and is available for visit by booked guided tours.

Josepha of Fürstenberg-Weitra, Johann Josef’s wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 12, 1792, in Vienna, Austria, Johann Josef married Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, daughter of Joachim Egon, Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra and Countess Sophia Maria of Oettingen-Wallerstein. Johann Josef and Josefa had fourteen children who were all born in Vienna, Austria including Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein who succeeded his father:

  • Princess Maria Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (1793 – 1808), died in her teens
  • Princess Karoline of Liechtenstein (born and died 1795), died in infancy
  • Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1796 – 1858), married Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, had eleven children
  • Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein (1798 – 1869), married Count Vincenz Esterházy von Galántha, no children
  • Princess Maria Josepha of Liechtenstein (1800 – 1884), unmarried
  • Prince Franz de Paula of Liechtenstein (1802 – 1887), married Countess Julia Potocka, had four children. Their great-grandson was Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
  • Prince Karl Johann of Liechtenstein (1803 – 1871), married Countess Rosalie d’Hemricourt von Grünne, had three children
  • Princess Klothilda of Liechtenstein (1804 – 1807), died in childhood
  • Princess Henriette of Liechtenstein (1806 – 1886), married Count Joseph Hunyady von Kethély (link in German), had six children
  • Prince Friedrich of Liechtenstein (link in German) (1807 – 1885), married famous German opera singer Sophie Löwe who left the opera to marry Friedrich, no children
  • Prince Eduard Franz of Liechtenstein (1809 – 1864), married Countess Honoria Choloniowa-Choloniewska, had two children
  • Prince Ludwig of Liechtenstein (1810 – 1824), died in his teens
  • Princess Ida Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (1811 – 1884), married Karl 4th Fürst Paar, Baron auf Hartberg und Krottenstein, had seven children
  • Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein (1816 – 1848), unmarried

The New Crypt, which Johann Josef had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 20, 1836, Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 75, died at Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna, Austria. His remains were transferred with military honors from the Liechtenstein Palace to the Church of St. Michael the Archangel near the Hofburg Palace in Vienna where a funeral service was held. Johann Josef was buried in the New Crypt, which he had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. His wife Josefa survived him by twelve years dying at the age of 72 on February 23, 1848, and was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Cs.wikipedia.org. 2021. Jan I. z Lichtenštejna – Wikipedie. [online] Available at: <https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_I._z_Lichten%C5%A1tejna> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Johann I. Josef (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_I._Josef_(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_I_Joseph,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 19th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/19-century/> [Accessed 13 December 2021].

Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein, as Iris, Greek goddess of the rainbow by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun,1793; Credit – Wikipedia

Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim was the wife of Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline Felicitas Engelberte was born on November 13, 1768, in Cologne, a Free Imperial City, a self-ruling state within the Holy Roman Empire, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. She was the second of the three daughters of Count Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1708 – 1772) and his third wife Countess Johanna Maximiliana Franziska von Limburg-Stirum (1744 – 1772). During this era, there were many men who were given the title Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) from the Holy Roman Emperor whether or not they reigned over a county. They were commonly styled Graf (Count). Their wives were styled Gräfin (Countess) and their children were styled Graf (Count) and Gräfin (Countess).

Karoline had one elder sister and one younger sister:

  • Countess Maria Christina von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1767 – 1811), married Count Johann Ernst von Königsegg-Aulendorf, had one son
  • Countess Franziska Wilhelmina von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1770 – 1789), married Prince Ludwig Aloys III of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, had one son

Karoline’s father first married Countess Maria Franziska von Manderscheid-Kail (1723 – 1739) who died childless at the age of sixteen. Karoline had two half-sisters from her father’s second marriage to Princess Luise of Salm-Salm (1725 – 1764):

  • Countess Auguste von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1744 – 1811), married Count Philipp Christian von Sternberg, had ten children
  • Countess Johanna Felicitas von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1753 – 1828), married Johann Franz Joseph von Nesselrode (1755 – 1824), had eight children

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 16, 1783, Karoline married Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Their marriage was childless.

Karoline had a long-term relationship with Franz von Langendonck, a captain in the Imperial Austrian Army. Karoline and Franz had two children:

  • Daughter, no information
  • Vicomte Charles Louis de Fribert (1793 – 1874), married Almeira Maria Esterházy de Galántha; it appears they had no children but Almeira had children from a previous marriage to Sir Albert Joseph Ghislain Murray, 4th Baronet

Karoline’s husband Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein died on March 24, 1805, aged 45, in Vienna, Austria. Because he had no male heir, Alois was succeeded by his brother Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline spent the rest of her life mainly in Vienna, Austria. She survived her husband by twenty-six years, dying on March 1, 1831, at the age of 62 in Vienna, Austria. She was buried in the Hietzing Cemetery (link in German) in Vienna.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karoline_von_Manderscheid-Blankenheim> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karoline_von_Manderscheid-Blankenheim> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/alois-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Graf Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Graf. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Graf-Johann-Wilhelm-von-Manderscheid-Blankenheim-Graf/6000000002188461979> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2021. Мандершейд-Бланкенхайм, Каролина — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%B4-%D0%91%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BC,_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0> [Accessed 6 December 2021].

Uppsala Cathedral in Uppsala, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Uppsala Cathedral; Credit – Av Andrew Friberg – Eget arbete, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62401111

Originally, a Roman Catholic church, Uppsala Cathedral in Uppsala, Sweden became a Lutheran church during the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. It is now a Church of Sweden, the Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. Uppsala Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Uppsala, the Primate of Sweden.

The church at Gamala Uppsala (Old Upsala) as it looks today; Credit – By Lestat (Jan Mehlich) – From Polish Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=459228

At the end of the Viking Age (circa 793 – 1066), the Viking temple at Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala) was replaced by a Christian church. The date of construction of the church at Gamala Uppsala is unknown but a Bishop of Uppsala was appointed in 1123. After the church was damaged by a fire, local church officials sought permission from Pope Alexander IV to build a larger church nearby. Permission was given with the condition that the location name of Uppsala would be preserved. A new site was chosen in nearby Östra Aros whose name was changed to Uppsala.

Construction started in 1272 on the site of an earlier stone church dedicated to the Holy Trinity. This earlier church is related to the story of Saint Erik IX of Sweden (reigned circa 1156 – 1160), Sweden’s patron saint who is buried at Uppsala Cathedral. Magnus Henriksson, a Danish lord and a claimant to the throne of Sweden, gathered an army near Östra Aros where Erik planned to attend Mass, in that earlier stone church, on the Feast of the Ascension, May 18, 1160. After Erik attended Mass, he armed himself, and with a few men, went out to meet Magnus’ troops. Erik was pulled off his horse by Magnus’ troops who stabbed him and then beheaded him. Magnus Henriksson reigned for a year as King Magnus II before he was killed.

The church was designed by unknown French architects who supervised the construction until 1281. Progress on the construction was slow because of the cold climate, the plague, and financial difficulties. In 1287, French master builder Étienne de Bonneuil and his assistants traveled to Sweden to work on the cathedral. By the end of the 14th century, the initial plans were completed. However, when the cathedral was consecrated in 1435 by Archbishop Olaus Laurentii, it still was not complete. The cathedral was dedicated to Saint Lawrence (one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome who were martyred in 258) Saint Eric IX of Sweden (the patron saint of Sweden although he was never canonized by the Roman Catholic Church), and Saint Olaf (the patron saint of Norway).

A photograph of Uppsala Cathedral circa 1860, before Zettervall’s restoration; Credit – Wikipedia

Uppsala Cathedral today; Credit – Wikipedia

Over the years, fire damage required some renovations. From 1885 – 1893, the architect Helgo Zettervall oversaw comprehensive restoration work, seeking to give the cathedral a French High Gothic appearance. He added pointed French spires to the towers and in an attempt to give the cathedral a slimmer appearance, Zettervall significantly altered large portions of the medieval outer brick walls. He has been criticized for not respecting the cathedral’s original Brick Gothic style. Further renovation work from 1963 – 1977 led by Swedish architect Åke Porne (link in Swedish) improved the building’s structure and included restoration of the walls and windows. Large portions of Zettervall’s cement additions to the exterior of the cathedral were removed.

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The Shrine of Saint Erik IX of Sweden

The shrine of Saint Erik IX of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Saint Erik IX of Sweden is said to have been buried first in the church at Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala). In 1273, his remains were transferred to the new cathedral in Uppsala which was still under construction. The gilded silver casket that we see today was made in 1574 – 1579 by King Johan III of Sweden to replace an earlier casket that was melted down when he needed money.

From 2014 – 2016, the remains in the shrine were examined. The researchers were 90% sure that the remains are those of Saint Erik IX of Sweden. Carbon-14 testing matched the date of Erik’s death and the manner of death fits the story of Erik’s death. The remains are from a person who died a violent death, probably decapitation. The remains also show that the person was about 35 years old at the time of his death, was strongly built, healthy, and physically active during his life.

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The High Altar

The high altar; By .ky – Inside the church in Uppsala, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4968508

The high altar is used for the cathedral’s most important services. It is also here that all Swedish bishops are ordained. The silver chandelier is from 1647. The large crucifix in silver and crystal was installed in 1976.

Burchard Precht’s altarpiece was in Uppsala Cathedral until Helgo Zettervall removed it during his late 19th-century restoration. The altarpiece is now in the Gustav Vasa Church in Stockholm; Credit – Wikipedia

The altarpieces have changed over the years. From 1725 – 1731, Swedish-German furniture maker and sculptor Burchard Precht worked on a large Baroque altarpiece. It remained in Uppsala Cathedral until it was removed during Helgo Zettervall’s restoration at the end of the nineteenth century. At that time, Precht’s altarpiece was replaced by a neo-Gothic oak altarpiece designed by Swedish architect Folke Zettervall, Helgo Zettervall’s son. However, Precht’s altarpiece can still be seen at the high altar in the Gustaf Vasa Church in Stockholm.

The current altarpiece, a cross in silver and crystal installed in 1976; Credit – By Bo Berggren – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25916597

Folke Zettervall’s altarpiece was removed in 1964. It was replaced for several years by the Skånelaskåpet, a late medieval altar cabinet in oak, made in Brussels during the early 16th century, purchased for the Uppsala Cathedral from Skånela Church in 1912. The current altarpiece consists of a cross in silver and crystal. It was designed by Swedish architect Åke Porne, who led the 1963 – 1977 renovation of Uppsala Cathedral, and was made by Bertil Berggren-Askenström (link in Swedish), a Swedish sculptor and silversmith.

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The Pulpit

The pulpit; Credit – By Szilas – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27571416

The ornate pulpit, the largest in Sweden, was designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and carved by Swedish-German furniture maker and sculptor Burchard Precht. It was a gift from Queen Hedwig Eleonora, the wife of King Karl X Gustav, after the fire of 1702 and completed in 1710. Helgo Zettervall had the pulpit removed during the 1885 – 1893 renovation he led. He wanted to replace the Baroque masterpiece with a pulpit in the Gothic style. However, he did not have the funds for a new pulpit and so Precht’s pulpit returned to its place.

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The Restored Frescoes

Restored frescoes; Credit – Wikipedia

During the Reformation, the medieval frescoes on the walls and ceilings had been whitewashed. Many of these beautiful frescoes were uncovered and restored during Åke Porne’s 1963 – 1977 renovations.

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Coronations

Coronation of Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden in 1719; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1441 – 1719, all but three Swedish monarchs were crowned at Uppsala Cathedral.

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Wedding

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Burials

Tomb of King Gustav I Vasa and his first two wives; Credit – Von Skippy13 – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=726933

Except for Saint Erik IX, all the royal burials at Uppsala Cathedral are members of the family of King Gustav I Vasa. He was the first king of the House of Vasa and is considered the founding father of the modern Swedish state. During the Swedish War of Liberation (1521 – 1523), Gustav Vasa successfully deposed King Christian II from the throne of Sweden, ending the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. On June 6, 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden by the Swedish Riksdag (legislature) and soon all Danish troops were driven out of the country. King Gustav I Vasa ranks among Sweden’s greatest monarchs and some argue that he was the most significant ruler in Swedish history. He ended foreign domination in Sweden, centralized and reorganized the government, cut religious ties to Rome, established the Church of Sweden, and founded Sweden’s hereditary monarchy.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Eric IX of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_IX_of_Sweden> [Accessed 7 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Uppsala Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsala_Cathedral> [Accessed 7 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Svenska kröningar – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svenska_kr%C3%B6ningar> [Accessed 7 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Uppsala domkyrka – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsala_domkyrka> [Accessed 7 December 2021].

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein was born in Vienna, Austria on May 14, 1759. Alois Josef Johannes Nepomuk Melchior was the fifth of the eight children and the third but the eldest surviving of the five sons of Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg. Since the Principality of Liechtenstein was a constituent member of the Holy Roman Empire headed by the Habsburgs and Alois’ father had several government positions, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria.

Alois had seven siblings:

Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein, as Iris, Greek goddess of the rainbow by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun,1793; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein on August 18, 1781, the 22-year-old Alois became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. On November 16, 1783, Alois married 15-year-old Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, daughter of Count Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim and Countess Johanna von Limburg-Stirum. Although the couple had no children, Karoline had two illegitimate children with her long-time lover Franz von Langendonck, a captain in the Imperial Austrian Army.

Lednice Castle; Credit – By Alena Tučímová – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35791237

Alois did much to improve the administration and management of his estates. He introduced modern methods of production on his estates, experimented with breeding, and imported numerous useful and ornamental plants for economic reasons and botanical interests. Alois was passionate about books and continued to expand the princely library by purchasing extensive collections.

Valtice Castle; Credit – By Huhulenik – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15256136

Among the many properties owned by the House of Liechtenstein were the ones in Moravia, now in the Czech Republic, since 1130. After World War II, the properties were seized by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia. During his reign, Alois engaged architect Joseph Hardtmuth (link in German) to work at Eisgrub Castle, now called Lednice Castle, and Valtice Castle. Hardmuth renovated farm buildings and castle buildings, designed landscaped gardens, and erected exotic structures such as obelisks, triumphal arches, and artificial ruins.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein died on March 24, 1805, aged 45, in Vienna, Austria. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. Alois was succeeded by his brother Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline, Alois’ widow, survived her husband by twenty-six years, dying at the age of 62 in Vienna, Austria. She was buried in the Hietzing Cemetery (link in German) in Vienna.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Alois I. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_I._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Joseph Hardtmuth – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hardtmuth> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Schloss Lednice – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Lednice> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Aloys I, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloys_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Valtice – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valtice> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-josef-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 18th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/18-century/> [Accessed 5 December 2021].

Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) in Stockholm, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Stockholm Cathedral with the Royal Palace of Stockholm on the right; Credit – By Julian Herzog, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62714436

Stockholm Cathedral is between the Royal Palace of Stockholm and Stortorget, the old main square of Stockholm, in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm. Originally, a Roman Catholic church, Stockholm Cathedral became a Lutheran church during the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. It is now a Church of Sweden, the Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. The church has several names: Storkyrkan (in Swedish, stor = great and krykan = church, hence Great Church), Stockholms domkyrka (Stockholm Cathedral) and Sankt Nikolai kyrka (Saint Nicholas Church). In Sweden, it is most commonly called Storkyrkan.

The mail aisle of Stockholm Cathedral; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14668823

According to tradition, the first church on the site was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra and was built in the 13th century by Birger Jarl, the founder of Stockholm A large donation to the church in 1346 by King Magnus IV of Sweden and his wife Blanche of Namur probably indicates the beginning of renovations and additions. After significant renovations and additions in the 14th and 15th centuries, the church reached its present size and shape as a five-aisled hall church in 1480. The church was originally built in the Brick Gothic style of the 13th century with a tower. From 1736 – 1742, Swedish architect Johan Eberhard Carlberg was employed to renovate the exterior and build a new tower. The exterior was transformed from a Gothic style to a Baroque style. The exterior seen today is still largely the result of Carlberg’s work.

Eustachius Erdmüller’s altarpiece; Credit – By Øyvind Holmstad – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45574353

The Baroque altarpiece over the main altar was made in silver and ebony by Hamburg goldsmith Eustachius Erdmüller and was completed in 1652. The central part is divided into three levels with each level containing a panel with a silver relief. The reliefs depict, from bottom to top, the Crucifixion, the Entombment, and Christ in the realm of the dead. Silver statuettes of Moses and John the Baptist flank the Crucifixion panel. The second and third panels are flanked by the Four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Royal Pews; Credit – By Jorge Láscar from Melbourne, Australia – Royal Pews and their crowns – Sankt Nikolai kyrka, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66006973

On either side of the nave are the two royal pews. The lower part is a seating area enclosed by a decorated wooden barrier. Originally a throne was placed in each pew. The upper part of each pew is a gilt wooden canopy in the form of an oversize royal crown carried by angels against a background of imitated drapery. The royal pews, intended for the royal family, were designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and made by Swedish-German furniture maker and sculptor Burchard Precht.

Pulpit; Credit – By Øyvind Holmstad – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45764645

The gilt wooden pulpit in the French Baroque style was also made by the sculptor Burchard Precht between 1698 and 1702.

Saint George and the Dragon; By Tuomas Vitikainen – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67092031

Perhaps the most impressive sight at Stockholm Cathedral is the wooden sculpture that depicts the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. The statue was commissioned by Sten Sture the Elder, Swedish statesman and Regent of Sweden from 1470 – 1497 and 1501 -1503, following his victory over the Danish army in the Battle of Brunkeberg in 1471. During the battle, Sten Sture had prayed to Saint George to protect his army. The sculpture is attributed to Bernt Notke, one of the foremost artists in northern Europe at that time. The 12 feet/3.75 meters high statue depicts Saint George on horseback and stands on a wooden plinth, decorated with scenes from the legend of Saint George.

Statue of Saint George and the Dragon; Credit – By BugWarp – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87483011

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Royal Events at Stockholm Cathedral

Over the centuries, many royal events have occurred at Stockholm Cathedral. The list below does not purport to be complete.

Coronations

The Coronation of King Gustav III of Sweden (Uncompleted) by Carl Gustav Pilo; Credit – Wikipedia

Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) along with Uppsala Cathedral and a few other churches have served as sites for the coronation of Sweden’s rulers. In 1873, King Oscar II was the last Swedish monarch to have a coronation. His son King Gustav V of Sweden (reigned 1907 – 1950) chose not to be crowned and his successors King Gustaf VI Adolf and King Carl XVI Gustav followed suit.

Christenings

Christening of Crown Prince Victoria, 1977; Credit – http://www.nordstjernan.com/news/people/4354/

Weddings

Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, 2010

Funerals

Funeral of King Gustaf VI Adolf, 1973

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2022. Sankt Nikolai kyrka – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankt_Nikolai_kyrka> [Accessed 17 January 2022].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Saint George and the Dragon (Notke) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George_and_the_Dragon_(Notke)> [Accessed 17 January 2022].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Storkyrkan – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storkyrkan> [Accessed 17 January 2022].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2022. Sankt Göran och draken, Gamla stan – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankt_G%C3%B6ran_och_draken,_Gamla_stan> [Accessed 17 January 2022].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2022. Storkyrkan – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storkyrkan> [Accessed 17 January 2022].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2022. Svenska kröningar – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svenska_kr%C3%B6ningar> [Accessed 17 January 2022].

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, Princess of Liechtenstein Credit – Wikipedia

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg was the wife of Franz Josef I, who reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1772 – 1781. She was a member of an influential discussion group called the Salon of the Five Princesses that acted as the political advisers of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor. Marie Leopoldine Walburga Eva was born in Vienna, Austria on December 11, 1733. She was the second of the six children and the eldest of the four daughters of Count Franz Philipp von Sternberg (1708 – 1786 – link in German) and Eleonore Marie Leopoldine von Starhemberg (1712 – 1800).

Leopoldine had five siblings:

  • Count Franz Philipp Christian von Sternberg (1732 – 1811), married Countess Augusta Leopolda von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, had sixteen children
  • Countess Maria Josepha von Sternberg (1735 – 1803), married Prince Karl Borromäus Egon von Fürstenberg, had three children
  • Count Thomas Gundakar von Sternberg (1737 – 1802), unmarried
  • Countess Sophie von Sternberg (1738 – 1803), married Count Johann Vinzenz von Waldstein, had three children
  • Countess Maria Carolina von Sternberg (1741 – 1771), married Major General Johann Nepomuk von Lützow

Leopoldine’s father Count Franz Philipp von Sternberg came from an important Bohemian noble family and served in several diplomatic roles in the Holy Roman Empire. From 1745 – 1748, he was the ambassador to the Reichstag (parliament) in the Free Imperial City of Regensburg. For fourteen years, from 1749 – 1763, Count Franz Philipp was the Austrian ambassador to both the Polish royal court and the Saxony electoral court. For his services to the Holy Roman Empire, he received the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1763. From 1765 to 1780, Count Franz Philipp served as Hofmeister, the highest office in the court of the formidable Empress Maria Theresa.

Leopoldine’s mother Countess Eleonore Marie Leopoldine von Starhemberg was the daughter of Count Konrad Sigismund von Starhemberg who also served the Habsburgs as the imperial ambassador to the Reichstag in Regensburg and the imperial ambassador to Great Britain. Count Konrad Sigismund had married Princess Maria Leopoldina of Löwenstein-Wertheim (1689–1763) and the marriage brought him many family ties to German royal and noble families.

Leopoldine’s husband Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of the service to the Habsburgs of Leopoldine’s father and maternal grandfather, it should be no surprise that she made an excellent marriage. On July 6, 1750, she married Prince Franz Josef of Liechtenstein, the eldest of the thirteen children of Prince Emanuel of Liechtenstein and Countess Maria Anna Antonia of Dietrichstein-Weichselstädt, Baroness of Hollenburg and Finkenstein.

Leopoldine and Franz Josef had eight children:

Franz Josef’s father was the younger brother of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein who reigned from 1712 – 1718, was Regent from 1732 – 1745, and then reigned again from 1748 until his death in 1772. Joseph Wenzel had five children, including three sons, and all five died in early childhood. Noting that his nephew Franz Josef might be a future Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, Joseph Wenzel took him under his wing. Like Leopoldine’s father and grandfather, her husband participated in a number of diplomatic missions on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. On February 10, 1772, Franz Josef’s uncle Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died with no surviving sons. Because he was the nearest male relative, Franz Josef succeeded his uncle as the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein.

From 1768 – 1790, Princess Eleonore of Liechtenstein (1745 – 1812) who was married to Prince Franz Josef’s brother Prince Karl Borromeo of Liechtenstein, held a discussion group called the Salon of the Five Princesses that was influential in the affairs of state for over twenty years. Leopoldine was a member of the group along with Eleonore’s half-sister Maria Leopoldine, Countess von Kaunitz-Rietberg (1741- 1795) Princess Maria Josepha von Clary und Aldringen (1728 – 1801), Princess Maria Sidonia Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau (1729 – 1815). Count Franz Moritz von Lacy (1725 -1801), an Austrian Field Marshal and Chief Treasurer Prince Franz Xaver Wolfgang von Orsini-Rosenberg (1723 -1796) frequently attended the group’s meetings. The discussion group acted as the political advisers of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, who met with the group to discuss state affairs once a week and then four times a week after 1780. The group lost its influence upon Joseph II’s death in 1790.


Leopoldine’s sons Aloys I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit- Wikipedia

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died August 18, 1781, aged 54, in Metz, France. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. After her husband’s death, Leopoldine lived with her youngest daughter Maria Josefa in Vienna, Austria. Leopoldine saw two of her sons, Aloys I and Johann I Josef, become the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein. Leopoldine survived her husband by twenty-eight years, dying at the age of 75 on June 27, 1809, in Valtice, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. She was buried at St. Andrew’s Church in Vienna-Hütteldorf, Austria.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Cs.wikipedia.org. 2021. Konrád Zikmund Starhemberg – Wikipedie. [online] Available at: <https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konr%C3%A1d_Zikmund_Starhemberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franz Philipp von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Philipp_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Leopoldine von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopoldine_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Eleonore of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleonore_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Leopoldine von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopoldine_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-josef-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 4 December 2021].

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark – Fifty Years on the Throne

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 14, 2022, Queen Margrethe II marked fifty years on the Danish throne. She is the second longest-reigning Danish monarch after King Christian IV who reigned for 59 years, 330 days, from April 4, 1588 until February 28, 1648. As of January 14, 2022, the only current monarchs who reigned longer than Queen Margrethe II were Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (reigned since February 6, 1952) and Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei (reigned since October 5, 1967). Queen Margrethe II stated several times that she had no intention of abdicating as several other European monarchs had done. She viewed her position as a job for life and recognized Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom as a source of inspiration for her devotion to duty.

In January 1972, shortly after King Frederik IX of Denmark had given his New Year speech, he became ill with flu-like symptoms. On January 3, 1972, he had a cardiac arrest and was rushed to Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. The king improved for a time but then took a turn for the worse, and on January 14, 1972, King Frederik IX died at the age of 72. His eldest daughter succeeded him as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. She became the first female monarch in Denmark since Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark (reigned 1387 – 1412), Norway (reigned 1388 – 1412), and Sweden (reigned 1389 – 1412).

Margrethe and her family in 1956: left to right Princess Benedikte, Princess Anne-Marie, Queen Ingrid, Princess Margrethe, and King Frederik IX 

In 1947, King Frederik IX succeeded to the Danish throne upon the death of his father King Christian X. At that time, women were excluded from the line of succession. Having only three daughters, and unlikely that there would be more children, King Frederik IX’s heir presumptive was his younger brother Prince Knud. Frederik soon began to work toward changing the succession laws in Denmark. Finally, in 1953, a new Act of Succession was passed, changing the succession to male-preference cognatic primogeniture – meaning that sons would come before daughters. (A 2009 succession law now allows for the succession of the firstborn child regardless of gender.) The 1953 Act of Succession meant that in the absence of a son, King Frederik IX’s daughters could succeed to the throne, and Frederik’s eldest daughter Margrethe became the heiress-presumptive. Her uncle Prince Knud, who had held the title of Hereditary Prince of Denmark, was not very happy with the new laws, as he and his two sons were now pushed further down the line. In somewhat of a consolation, Knud was given the title Hereditary Prince Knud even though he was no longer the direct heir to the throne. However, Margrethe, as heiress-presumptive, was never given the title of Crown Princess.

Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag proclaiming Margrethe Queen of Denmark on January 15, 1972; Credit – photo: Radical Royalist

On January 15, 1972, in keeping with tradition, Margrethe was formally proclaimed Queen of Denmark by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. To the crowds gathered below, she gave a brief speech: “My beloved father, our King, is dead. The task that my father had carried for nearly 25 years is now resting on my shoulders. I pray to God to give me help and strength to carry the heavy heritage. May the trust that was given to my father also be granted to me.” After being joined briefly on the balcony by her husband Prince Henrik, the couple traveled back to Amalienborg where they again appeared on the balcony, this time with their two young sons, three-and-a-half-year-old Crown Prince Frederik and two-and-a-half-year-old Prince Joachim.

Queen Margrethe II with her husband Prince Henrik and their sons Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim on the balcony at Amalienborg on January 15, 1972

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The first official photograph of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 1972

Due to COVID-19, a number of the events that had been scheduled in mid-January 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary were rescheduled for September 2022. These include a celebration at the Copenhagen City Hall, a command performance at the Royal Danish Theatre’s Old Stage, a celebratory church service in Copenhagen Cathedral, and a gala banquet at Christiansborg Palace.

Queen Margrethe’s youngest sister Queen Anne-Marie of Greece was unable to participate in the limited number of events on January 14, 2022. Her husband former King Constantine II of Greece was ill with COVID-19 and because she had been exposed to COVID-19, Anne-Marie was not allowed to travel to Denmark.

The program for January 14, 2022 was as follows.

  • 9:30 AM – Queen Margrethe II began the day with a Council of State at Christiansborg Palace together with her son Crown Prince Frederik
  • 10:00 AM – Queen Margrethe II, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, her son Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie, and her sister Princess Benedikte attended the Danish Parliament’s official celebration of the anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.
  • 12:00 PM – Queen Margrethe II, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, her son Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie, and her sister Princess Benedikte participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid’s grave outside Roskilde Cathedral.

For more information see:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan, 2015. King Frederik IX of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-ix-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Kongehuset.dk. 2022. The 50 years anniversary of HM The Queen’s accession to the throne. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/the-50-years-anniversary-of-hm-the-queens-accession-to-the-throne> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Kongehuset.dk. 2022. The 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s accession to the throne. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/the-50th-jubilee-of-her-majesty-the-queens-accession-to-the-throne> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Mehl, Scott, 2014. Accession of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/january-14-1972-accession-of-queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Mehl, Scott, 2014. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].

Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm looking toward the entrance; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663353

The Royal Palace is located in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. It is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch although the actual residence of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia is Drottningholm Palace in Ekerö municipality on the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, west of Stockholm, Sweden. However, the offices of the Swedish monarch, other members of the Swedish royal family, and the Royal Court of Sweden are located at the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; Credit – By Grishasergei – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16370245

The current palace was built on the site of the former Tre Kroner Castle (Three Crowns Castle), built in the 13th century, which was destroyed by fire in 1697. Construction began in 1697 and was completed in 1760. The Royal Palace was designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. After Tessin the Younger died in 1728, the Royal Palace was completed by Swedish architect Carl Hårleman who also designed a large part of its interior.

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The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, looking toward the altar; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663324

The Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, which this writer has visited, is a church of the Church of Sweden, an Evangelical Lutheran church. It is the parish church for the members of the Royal Parish which comprises the Swedish royal family, employees at the court, and their relatives. Services are held every Sunday and on holy days, and the royal family uses the church for other ceremonies.

Ceiling painting and decorations of the Royal Chapel; Credit – By Ad Meskens – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72492390

Built during the 18th century along with the rest of the Royal Palace, the Royal Chapel was consecrated in 1754. The ceiling paintings and decorations have the theme of the Ascension of Jesus Christ and were the collaborative work of Swedish architect Carl Hårleman, French painter Guillaume Taraval and Swedish decorative artist Johan Pasch and French sculptors Jacques Philippe Bouchardon (link in French) and Charles Guillaume Cousin (link in Swedish).

Thanksgiving service in 2013 marking the 40th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf’s accession to the throne. There is a good view of the pulpit on the right.

A close-up view of the pulpit; Credit – By Holger.Ellgaard – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14663388

The pulpit was created in the years 1748 -1751 mainly by French sculptor Jacques-Philippe Bouchardon.

The magnificent altarpiece; Credit – By Steven Lek – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61789914

Jacques-Philippe Bouchardon had been working on an altarpiece but he died before it was completed. His replacement Swedish sculptor Pierre Hubert L’Archevêque damaged Bouchardon’s incomplete work out of rivalry and began his own altarpiece. L’Archevêque eventually tired of working on the altarpiece and it was completed in 1779 by Johan Tobias Sergel, one of Sweden’s greatest sculptors. The magnificent altarpiece depicts Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Above the altar is a banner carried by two angels with the Latin words Pro Mundi Vita, “For the world to live” from the Gospel of John.

This short video of video clips from the christening of Princess Estelle, daughter of Crown Princess Victoria, provides some views of the Royal Chapel.

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The Duke of Småland’s baptism at the Royal Chapel in 1782, oil painting by Elias Martin; Credit – Wikipedia

It can be assumed that after the completion of the Royal Palace in 1754, christenings and other religious events occurred at the Royal Chapel. It is a tradition in the Swedish royal family to attend a Te Deum at the Royal Chapel to give thanks for the birth of a new royal baby within days of the birth. Some recent Te Deums are listed below.

Some royal events at the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden include:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Stockholm Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Palace> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2019. Swedish Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/swedish-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Stockholms slott – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholms_slott> [Accessed 3 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Slottskyrkan – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slottskyrkan> [Accessed 3 December 2021].

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Credit – Wikipedia

The nephew of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein, Franz Josef I reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1772 – 1781. Franz de Paula Josef Johann Nepomuk Andreas was born on November 19, 1726, in Milan, Duchy of Milan, now in Italy. He was the eldest of the thirteen children and the eldest of the eight sons of Prince Emanuel of Liechtenstein (1700 – 1771) and Countess Maria Anna Antonia of Dietrichstein-Weichselstädt, Baroness of Hollenburg and Finkenstein (1706 – 1777).

Franz Josef had twelve younger siblings:

  • Prince Karl Borromeo of Liechtenstein (1730 – 1789), married Princess Maria Eleonore of Oettingen-Spielberg, had seven children
  • Prince Philipp Josef of Liechtenstein (1731 – 1757), unmarried, died in battle
  • Prince Emanuel Josef of Liechtenstein (1732 – 1738), died in childhood
  • Prince Johann Josef of Liechtenstein (1734 – 1781), unmarried
  • Prince Anton Josef of Liechtenstein (1735 – 1737), died in childhood
  • Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein (1736 – 1739), died in childhood
  • Princess Maria Amalia of Liechtenstein (1737 – 1787), married Johannes Siegmund Friedrich, 2nd Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch, had seven children
  • Princess Maria Anna of Liechtenstein (1738 – 1814), married Count Emanuel Philibert von Waldstein, had eleven children
  • Princess Franziska Xaveria of Liechtenstein (1739 – 1821), Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne, had seven children
  • Princess Maria Christina of Liechtenstein (1741 – 1819), married Count Franz Ferdinand Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, had four children
  • Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein (1741 – 1766), married Count Karl Joseph Pálffy ab Erdöd, Chancellor of Hungary, had two children
  • Prince Josef Leopold of Liechtenstein (1743 – 1771), unmarried

Franz Josef’s father was the younger brother of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein who reigned from 1712 – 1718, was Regent from 1732 – 1745, and then reigned again from 1748 until his death in 1772. Joseph Wenzel had five children, including three sons, and all five died in early childhood. Noting that his nephew Franz Josef might be a future Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, Joseph Wenzel took him under his wing.

Franz Josef’s uncle Joseph Wenzel; Credit – Wikipedia

From the age of 20, Franz Josef accompanied his uncle Joseph Wenzel on military campaigns during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740 – 1748). He fought in the Battle of Piacenza where his uncle led the troops of the Holy Roman Empire to victory. Liechtenstein was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire. The Wars of the Austrian Succession ensured that Maria Theresa, the only surviving child of Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI, would be the sovereign ruler of the Habsburg territories. However, because only males could be elected Holy Roman Emperors, Maria Theresa arranged for her husband Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany to be elected Holy Roman Emperor. Despite the snub, Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia wielded the real power. Maria Theresa was the sovereign ruler of the Habsburg territories from 1740 until her death in 1780, which coincides with the years of Franz Josef’s adulthood and his reign as Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein.

Franz Josef’s wife Leopoldine; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 6, 1750, Franz Josef married Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, the daughter of Count Franz Philipp of Sternberg and Countess Leopoldine of Starhemberg.

Franz Josef and Leopoldine had eight children:

Franz Josef participated in a number of diplomatic missions on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1760, Franz Josef accompanied his uncle Joseph Wenzel on a trip to the Duchy of Parma, now in Italy, where they accompanied Princess Isabella of Parma to Vienna, Austria where she married Archduke Joseph of Austria, the future Holy Roman Emperor. In 1761, Franz Josef accompanied Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, brother of Holy Roman Emperor Francis Stephen, who was a Field Marsal of the Imperial Army, and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands to Mergentheim Palace, the administrative seat of the Teutonic Order, then in Bad Mergentheim, Fraconia, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. There Prince Charles Alexander was unanimously elected the 52nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.

In 1763, Franz Josef traveled to Spain during the marriage negotiations for Archduke Leopold of Austria, the future Holy Roman Emperor, to give his potential (and future) bride Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain a portrait of Archduke Leopold. In 1767, Franz Josef was made a member of the Imperial Privy Council and in 1771 he became the 802nd Commander of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In 1778, Franz Joseph was appointed president of the Lower Austrian nobility assembly.

When Franz Josef’s uncle Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died on February 10, 1772, with no surviving sons, he was succeeded by his nephew as Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Franz Josef immediately resigned from all his government duties of the Holy Roman Empire. Instead, he devoted himself to the administration of his estates. Franz Josef’s wealth significantly increased in 1772 when he received an inheritance from Maria Theresia, Duchess of Savoy-Carignano who had been born Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, the only surviving child of Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Maria Theresia’s only child predeceased her and Franz Josef was her distant, but nearest, relative.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died August 18, 1781, aged 54, in Metz, France. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. After Franz Josef’s death, his widow Leopoldine lived with one of her daughters in Vienna, Austria. She survived her husband by twenty-eight years, dying at the age of 75 on June 27, 1809, and was buried at St. Andrew’s Church in Vienna-Hütteldorf, Austria.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franz Josef I. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_I._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franz Joseph I, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Joseph_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 18th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/18-century/> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Emanuel, Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Emanuel-F%C3%BCrst-von-und-zu-Liechtenstein/5062354675600102553> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2021. Франц Иосиф I фон Лихтенштейн — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86_%D0%98%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%84_I_%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9B%D0%B8%D1%85%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%BD> [Accessed 4 December 2021].

Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace in Ekerö Municipality, Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

The Royal Chapel on the left at Drottningholm Palace; Credit – Av Arild Vågen – Eget arbete, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26866832

Drottningholm Palace is located in Ekerö municipality on the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, west of Stockholm, Sweden. It is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. Drottningholm Palace was designed by Swedish architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. When he died, his son Nicodemus Tessin the Younger continued his work and completed the interior designs. Construction began in 1696 and was completed in 1728. The palace grounds include a beautiful baroque garden and other gardens featuring numerous sculptures and statues, along with several fountains and water features.

The Royal Chapel; Credit – Wikipedia

The Royal Chapel, which this writer has visited, is on the northern end of Drottningholm Palace with an entrance leading directly into the palace. It is a church of the Church of Sweden, an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The building is completely round with three slightly protruding middle sections and is covered by a copper dome with windows topped by a lantern. The main entrance is located on the west side facing the gardens. The construction of the Royal Chapel was completed in 1728 and during the following years, Swedish architect Carl Hårleman oversaw the interior decoration work. The altarpiece depicting The Last Supper was done by the court painter Georg Engelhard Schröder. In 1730, the church was consecrated and it has been in continuous use since then. The altar is facing north, opposite the royal pew. The pews in the side aisles in the east-west direction were installed from 1910 – 1912.

The christening of Princess Leonore, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, in 2014

The local Lovön Parish conducts services in the chapel on the last weekend of each month. The Royal Chapel has been used over the years for regular worship and events by members of the Swedish royal family. Below is a list of some royal events that have occurred at the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace.

  • August 29, 1744 – Wedding of the future King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
  • December 7, 1976 – Wedding of Prince Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Halland (son of King Gustav VI Adolf) and Lilian Craig
  • September 9, 2016 – Christening of Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • December 1, 2017 – Christening of Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • June 8, 2014 – Christening of Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (daughter of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • October 11, 2015 – Christening of Prince Nicolas, Duke of Ångermanland (son of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • June 8, 2018 – Christening of Princess Adrienne, Duchess of Blekinge )daughter of Princess Madeleine, granddaughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
  • August 14, 2021 – Christening of Prince Julian, Duke of Halland (son of Prince Carl Philip, grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf)

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Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Drottningholm Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholm_Palace> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2019. Swedish Royal Christenings. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/swedish-royal-christenings/> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Kungligaslotten.se. 2021. Gift dig i Drottningholms slottskyrka. [online] Available at: <https://www.kungligaslotten.se/vara-besoksmal/drottningholms-slott/drottningholms-slottskyrka/gift-dig-i-drottningholms-slottskyrka.html> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Kungligaslotten.se. 2021. The Royal Chapel at Drottningholm. [online] Available at: <https://www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/drottningholm-palace/the-royal-chapel-drottningholm.html> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Drottningholms slott – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholms_slott> [Accessed 2 December 2021].
  • https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drottningholms_slottskyrka