Princess Louise of Prussia
With this short biography blog post, we are going to Germany, in particular
to the royal court of Prussia, and their capital Berlin.
Princess Louise Marie Elisabeth of Prussia was born on 3 December 1838
to Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and his wife Princess Augusta of Saxe-
Weimar-Eisenach.
Louise was named after her grandmothers, Louise, Queen of Prussia and
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia and was known as "Vivi"
in her family.
Her parents were a happy but tense couple, and Louise had only one other
sibling, Prince Frederick William, who was seven years older. Upon her birth,
Augusta declared that her duty in perpetuating the Hohenzollern dynasty
was complete.
While Wilhelm showed some outward affection to his only son, he
lavished attention on Louise, and often his unexpected visits to her
schoolroom resulted in them playing together on the floor. Mother and
daughter however were not close.
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A lovely portrait of Winterhalter
Source picture: Wikipedia
Love and Marriage
Louise was betrothed to Frederick, Prince Regent of Baden, in 1854,
and they married 20 September 1856 at Neues Palais in Potsdam.
and they married 20 September 1856 at Neues Palais in Potsdam.
Frederick became regent because of the insanity of his brother Louis II,
Grand Duke of Baden. Frederick himself was proclaimed Grand Duke
when doctors declared that there was no chance of recovery.
Grand Duke of Baden. Frederick himself was proclaimed Grand Duke
when doctors declared that there was no chance of recovery.
As the only daughter of the Prussian crown prince (and later emperor),
their marriage caused Baden to gain a great deal of importance, and
even more so once the German Empire was founded.
their marriage caused Baden to gain a great deal of importance, and
even more so once the German Empire was founded.
Within a few weeks of their marriage, the new grand duchess was
already pregnant with their first child, Hereditary
Grand Duke Frederick.
already pregnant with their first child, Hereditary
Grand Duke Frederick.
Louise was a happy wife and mother, writing to a friend that
"since we last met, my life has become so much more beautiful,
more precious, to me, my happiness is so much richer and deeper
than before".
"since we last met, my life has become so much more beautiful,
more precious, to me, my happiness is so much richer and deeper
than before".
Louise and Frederick disliked the stiffness of the Karlsruhe court,
and gladly escaped to their castle on the island of Mainau.
and gladly escaped to their castle on the island of Mainau.
They were popular in Baden, and everyone spoke with affectionate
pride of their grand duke and duchess in Constance, where the
couple had a summer residence.
pride of their grand duke and duchess in Constance, where the
couple had a summer residence.
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Friends & Family
Louise was a great friend of Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse, her
sister-in-law's younger sister. The two often visited each other.
In Queen Victoria's letters, she and Frederick were always referred to with
pleasure or sympathy as good Fritz and Louise of Baden.
sister-in-law's younger sister. The two often visited each other.
In Queen Victoria's letters, she and Frederick were always referred to with
pleasure or sympathy as good Fritz and Louise of Baden.
Though friends as young girls, Louise and her sister-in-law Victoria,
Princess Royal ("Vicky") always had a "none-too-friendly rivalry",
particularly when comparing their children.
Princess Royal ("Vicky") always had a "none-too-friendly rivalry",
particularly when comparing their children.
The Austro-Prussian War caused a degree of friction between Baden
and Prussia, as the former, despite their close familial connections
to Berlin, chose to support the Austrians. As the daughter of the
Prussian king, Baden was not included in the list of states forced
to pay excessive indemnities to Prussia.
and Prussia, as the former, despite their close familial connections
to Berlin, chose to support the Austrians. As the daughter of the
Prussian king, Baden was not included in the list of states forced
to pay excessive indemnities to Prussia.
Duty
Because of her status as Grand Duchess, Louise was very
involved in her duchy's charitable organizations, particularly
issues concerning women. She helped found a welfare charity for
women called the Baden Frauenverein, which focused on providing
hospitals and homes to children.
involved in her duchy's charitable organizations, particularly
issues concerning women. She helped found a welfare charity for
women called the Baden Frauenverein, which focused on providing
hospitals and homes to children.
With the support of the Women's Association, Louise founded the
first Badenese housewifery school in Karlsruhe, carrying on
Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder's goal of women
receiving special domestic training.
first Badenese housewifery school in Karlsruhe, carrying on
Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder's goal of women
receiving special domestic training.
Louise maintained a correspondence with Florence Nightingale,
who believed the grand duchess' letters could have been written
by "any administrator in the Crimean War".
who believed the grand duchess' letters could have been written
by "any administrator in the Crimean War".
The grand duchess also had a lifelong friendship with Clara Barton,
whom she met during the Franco-Prussian War.
whom she met during the Franco-Prussian War.
They organized military hospitals, and helped found sewing factories
for women to aid the war effort; at Louise's suggestion, Barton was
awarded the Iron Cross of Merit after the war by recently
crowned Emperor Wilhelm.
for women to aid the war effort; at Louise's suggestion, Barton was
awarded the Iron Cross of Merit after the war by recently
crowned Emperor Wilhelm.
Frederick & Louise
Source picture: Wikipedia
Elder years
Within two years, four of Louise's closest family members died
- her father, brother, younger son and mother. Vicky, now
Dowager Empress Frederick, took sympathy on Louise and
persuaded her mother to confer Royal Order of Victoria
and Albert, First Class, on her.
- her father, brother, younger son and mother. Vicky, now
Dowager Empress Frederick, took sympathy on Louise and
persuaded her mother to confer Royal Order of Victoria
and Albert, First Class, on her.
Frederick died on 28 September 1907, and their eldest
son succeeded as Frederick II. That same year, their only
daughter Victoria succeeded as Queen consort of Sweden.
son succeeded as Frederick II. That same year, their only
daughter Victoria succeeded as Queen consort of Sweden.
Louise, now Dowager Grand Duchess of Baden, lived to see her
duchy become absorbed into the new state of Germany under the
Revolution of 1918-19 that took place at the end of World War I.
duchy become absorbed into the new state of Germany under the
Revolution of 1918-19 that took place at the end of World War I.
At the time of the revolution, her daughter, Queen Victoria of Sweden,
was visiting her. After the abdication of the German emperor,
riots spread in Karlsruhe on 11 November.
was visiting her. After the abdication of the German emperor,
riots spread in Karlsruhe on 11 November.
The son of a courtier led a group of soldiers up to the front of the palace,
followed by a great crowd of people, where a few shots were fired.
followed by a great crowd of people, where a few shots were fired.
Louise, as well as the rest of the family, left the palace the backway
and left for the Zwingenberg palace in the Neckar valley. By
permission of the new government, they were allowed to stay
at the Langenstein Palace, which belonged to a Swedish count, Douglas.
and left for the Zwingenberg palace in the Neckar valley. By
permission of the new government, they were allowed to stay
at the Langenstein Palace, which belonged to a Swedish count, Douglas.
During these events, Louise was said to have kept her calm and never
uttered a word of complaint. The government gave the order that the
former Grand Ducal family was to be protected, and that Langenstein
be excepted from housing the returning soldiers, because
Louise's daughter, the Queen of Sweden, was in their company
and Baden should not do anything to offend Sweden.
uttered a word of complaint. The government gave the order that the
former Grand Ducal family was to be protected, and that Langenstein
be excepted from housing the returning soldiers, because
Louise's daughter, the Queen of Sweden, was in their company
and Baden should not do anything to offend Sweden.
In 1919, the family requested permission from the government
to reside in Mainau, and was met with the answer that they were now
private citizens and could do as they wished.
to reside in Mainau, and was met with the answer that they were now
private citizens and could do as they wished.
The new republican government gave her permission to live
out the rest of her life in retirement at Baden-Baden, where
she died on 24 April 1923.
out the rest of her life in retirement at Baden-Baden, where
she died on 24 April 1923.
Some Musings
Did you enjoy the portrait of Franz Xaver Winterhalter very much?
I liked it! His work always is so beautiful and recognizable!
Reading and reworking the small biography of Princess Louise
of Prussia always sets me thinking about her family ties, her duty
and the time she lived in.
of Prussia always sets me thinking about her family ties, her duty
and the time she lived in.
How must she really have felt about the revolutions in Germany?
Nevertheless I think she had an exceptional life!
Nevertheless I think she had an exceptional life!
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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