William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

William IV Grand Duke of Luxembourg Reign November 17, 1905– February 25, 1912Born April 22, 1852(1852-04-22) Birthplace Biebrich Palace, WiesbadenDied February 25, 1912(aged 59) Place of death Berg Castle, Colmar-BergBuried Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg CityPredecessor AdolpheSuccessor Marie-AdélaïdeConsort Marie Anne of PortugalIssue Marie-Adélaïde, Charlotte, Hilda, Antoinette, Elisabeth, Sophie Royal House House of Nassau-WeilburgFather AdolpheMother Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau

Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
Houses of Nassau and Bourbon
AdolpheChildren William IV Hilda, Grand Duchess of BadenWilliam IV Children Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde Grand Duchess Charlotte Hilda, Princess of Schwarzenberg Antonia, Crown Princess of Bavaria Princess Elisabeth Princess Sophie Marie-Adélaïde CharlotteChildren Grand Duke Jean Elisabeth, Duchess of Hohenberg Princess Marie-Adélaïde Princess Marie Gabrièle Prince Charles Alix, Princess of LigneGrandchildren Princess Charlotte Prince Robert JeanChildren Princess Marie Astrid Grand Duke Henri Prince Jean Princess Margaretha Prince GuillaumeGrandchildren Princess Marie Gabrièle Prince Constantin Prince Wenceslas Prince Carl Johann Prince Paul-Louis Prince Léopold Princess Charlotte Prince Jean HenriChildren Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Prince Félix Prince Louis Princess Alexandra Prince Sébastien

William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Guillaume Alexandre) (April 22, 1852 – February 25, 1912) was the eldest child of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He became Grand Duke on the death of his father on November 17, 1905.

William IV was a Protestant, the religion of the House of Nassau. He married Marie Anne of Portugal, believing that a Roman Catholic country ought to have a Roman Catholic monarch. Thus since William IV all other Grand Dukes have been Catholic.

At the death of his uncle, Prince Nikolaus-Wilhelm in 1905, the only other legitimate male in the House of Nassau-Weilburg was Guillaume's cousin, Georg Nikolaus, Count of Merenberg, the product of a morganatic marriage. So in 1907, Guilliame declared the Counts of Merenberg non-dynastic, naming his own eldest daughter Marie-Adélaïde (1894–1924) as heir to the grand ducal throne. She became Luxembourg's first reigning female monarch upon her father's death in 1912, and upon her own abdication in 1919, was succeeded by her younger sister Charlotte (1896–1985). Charlotte's descendants have reigned until the present day.

Family

On June 21, 1893, he married Marie Anne of Portugal, daughter of the deposed king Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. The couple had six daughters, but no sons.

Marie-Adélaïde (1894-1924) who remained unmarried and childless
Charlotte (1896-1985) who married her first cousin Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma, a son of Marie Anne's younger sister.
Hilda (15 February 1897-8 September 1979), who married Adolf, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Antoinette (1899-1954), who married Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria as his second wife
Elisabeth (7 March 1901-2 August 1950), who married Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis (2 February 1901-22 April 1933), son of Albert I, Prince of Thurn and Taxis. Had issue.
- Prince Anselm Albert of Thurn and Taxis (14 April 1924-25 February 1944); killed in action in Solotaia-Balka during WWII
- Princess Iniga of Thurn and Taxis (born 25 August 1925); married Prince Eberhard of Urach (1907-1969), son of Mindaugas II of Lithuania
Sophie Caroline (14 February 1902-24 May 1941), who married Ernst Heinrich, Prince of Saxony (9 December 1896-14 June 1971), youngest son of king Frederick Augustus III of Saxony. Had three sons.

Ancestry

Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg William, Duke of Nassau Princess Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg Princess Louise of Saxe-Altenburg Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Friedrich August of Anhalt-Dessau Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau Prince William of Hesse Landgravine Marie of Hesse-Kassel Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark

Preceded by
Adolphe Grand Duke of Luxembourg
1905–1912 Succeeded by
Marie-Adélaïde