William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guillaume IV |
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William IV of Luxembourg
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| Grand Duke of Luxembourg | |
| Reign | 17 November 1905 – 25 February 1912 |
| Predecessor | Adolphe |
| Successor | Marie-Adélaïde |
| Regent | Grand Duchess Maria Anna (1908–1912) |
| Prime Minister | Paul Eyschen |
| Born | 22 April 1852 Biebrich Palace, Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau |
| Died | 25 February 1912 (aged 59) Berg Castle, Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg |
| Burial | Schlosskirche ("Castle Church") in Weilburg since 1953 |
| Spouse | Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal (m. 1893) |
| Issue | Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Hilda, Princess of Schwarzenberg Antonia, Crown Princess of Bavaria Elisabeth, Princess Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis Sophie, Princess Ernst Heinrich of Saxony |
| House | Nassau-Weilburg |
| Father | Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg |
| Mother | Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau |
William IV (born April 22, 1852) was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1905 until he passed away in 1912. He took over from his father, Adolphe.
William was a Protestant, which was the religion of his family, the House of Nassau. However, he married Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal, who was Roman Catholic. He believed that a country like Luxembourg, which was mostly Catholic, should have a Catholic ruler. Because of this, all the rulers after him have been Catholic.
A big change happened in 1907. William's cousin, Georg Nikolaus, was the only other male in the family who could inherit the throne. But Georg Nikolaus was born from a marriage that was not considered "royal" enough for succession. So, William decided that his cousin and his family could not inherit the throne. Instead, he named his oldest daughter, Marie-Adélaïde, as the next in line.
Marie-Adélaïde became Luxembourg's first female ruler when her father died in 1912. Later, in 1919, she stepped down, and her younger sister, Charlotte, became Grand Duchess. Charlotte's family still rules Luxembourg today. William IV was the last ruler of Luxembourg to die while still on the throne.
William's Family Life
On June 21, 1893, William married Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal at Fischhorn Castle. Marie Anne was the daughter of the former King Miguel I of Portugal. William and Marie Anne had six daughters together.
His Daughters
- Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1894–1924): She never married or had children.
- Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1896–1985): She married her cousin, Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma.
- Princess Hilda (1897–1979): She married Adolf, Prince of Schwarzenberg, and they had no children.
- Princess Antonia (1899–1954): She married Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria.
- Princess Elisabeth (1901–1950): She married Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis and had children.
- Princess Sophie (1902–1941): She married Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony and had children.
Titles William Held
Even though the Duchy of Nassau was taken over by Prussia in 1866, William and his family kept the title of Duke of Nassau.
See also
In Spanish: Guillermo IV de Luxemburgo para niños
