Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ernest Louis |
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Photograph by Jacob Hilsdorf, 1905
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| Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine | |||||
| Reign | 13 March 1892 – 9 November 1918 | ||||
| Predecessor | Louis IV | ||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished | ||||
| Born | 25 November 1868 New Palace, Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse |
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| Died | 9 October 1937 (aged 68) Schloss Wolfsgarten, Langen, Hesse, Nazi Germany |
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| Burial | Neues Mausoleum, Park Rosenhöhe, Darmstadt, Germany | ||||
| Spouse |
Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh
(m. 1894; div. 1901)Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich
(m. 1905) |
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| House | Hesse-Darmstadt | ||||
| Father | Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine | ||||
| Mother | Princess Alice of the United Kingdom | ||||
Ernest Louis (born November 25, 1868 – died October 9, 1937) was the last Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He ruled from 1892 until 1918.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ernest Louis was the older son of Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. His mother was Princess Alice of the United Kingdom. She was the daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Ernest Louis was nicknamed "Ernie."
He grew up in Darmstadt with his four sisters. One sister, Alexandra, married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Another sister, Victoria Mountbatten, was the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Ernest Louis had a loving family. However, he experienced several sad losses during his childhood. When he was five, his younger brother, Prince Friedrich, died after a fall. Friedrich had haemophilia, a condition that affects blood clotting. Ernest Louis was very upset by this.
In 1878, when Ernest was ten, a serious illness called diphtheria spread through Darmstadt. His father and all the children, except Elisabeth, became sick. His mother, Princess Alice, cared for them. Sadly, his youngest sister, Princess Marie, died. A few weeks later, Princess Alice also became ill and died.
Marriages and Children
First Marriage: Victoria Melita
On April 19, 1894, Ernest Louis married his cousin, Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh. She was often called "Ducky." Their grandmother, Queen Victoria, encouraged this marriage and attended the wedding.
Ernest and Victoria Melita had two children:
- A daughter, Elisabeth (born 1895 – died 1903). She passed away at age eight from typhoid fever. Her father was heartbroken by her death. He wrote in his memoirs that Elisabeth was "the sunshine of my life."
- A son who was stillborn in 1900.
Their marriage was not a happy one. They had different personalities and often argued. Victoria Melita did not enjoy her public duties as much as Ernest. After Queen Victoria died in 1901, the couple decided to divorce. They officially divorced on December 21, 1901.
Second Marriage: Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich
Ernest Louis married Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich on February 2, 1905. This marriage was much happier and more peaceful.
They had two sons:
- Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse (1906–1937). He married Ernest's grand-niece, Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark. Sadly, Georg Donatus, his wife, and two of their young sons died in a plane crash in 1937.
- Louis, Prince of Hesse and by Rhine (1908–1968). He married Margaret Campbell Geddes. They did not have children.
Ernest Louis also had a close friendship with Karl August Lingner, who invented a famous mouthwash. Lingner left his castle in Switzerland to Ernest Louis. However, the Hesse family never lived there and sold it later.
Grand Duke and Patron of Arts
In 1892, Ernest Louis became the Grand Duke after his father passed away.
He was a great supporter of the arts. He started the Darmstadt Artists' Colony, a place where artists could live and work together. Ernest Louis was also a creative person himself. He wrote poems, plays, and even composed music for the piano.
He ordered the building of the New Mausoleum in 1903. This special burial place was finished in 1910. It became the final resting place for his father, mother, and his younger siblings, Frittie and Marie.
World War I and the End of His Reign
During World War I, Ernest Louis served as a general in the German army. In 1917, his brother-in-law, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, was forced to give up his throne. A year later, in July 1918, Ernest's two sisters in Russia, Elizabeth and Alexandra, were killed.
At the end of the war in 1918, there was a revolution in Germany. Ernest Louis lost his throne and his role as Grand Duke. He refused to step down, but the monarchy was abolished.
Later Life and Death
Ernest Louis passed away on October 9, 1937, after a long illness. He died at his home, Schloss Wolfsgarten, near Darmstadt.
He received a large funeral on November 16, 1937. He was buried next to his beloved daughter, Elisabeth. Their burial place is in a special open-air area next to the New Mausoleum in the Rosenhöhe park in Darmstadt.
Legacy
His former sister-in-law, Marie of Romania, wrote about Ernest Louis in her memoirs. She described him as a very lively and artistic person. She said he was "full of almost feverish life" and enjoyed everything. He was also good at inventing fun activities. His energy was contagious and helped others enjoy themselves too.
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