Carl Alexander I, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Charles Alexander (Karl Alexander August Johann; 24 June 1818 – 5 January 1901) was the ruler of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach as its grand duke from 1853 until his death.

Early life Born in Weimar, Karl Alexander was the second but eldest surviving son of Karl Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. His mother engaged as tutor for Karl the Swiss scholar Frédéric Soret who became a close acquaintance to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Career

On 8 July 1853 his father died, and Karl Alexander became Grand Duke; however, he postponed his constitutional accession until Goethe's birthday, on 28 August 1853.

Karl Alexander renovated Wartburg Castle and left his traces in many places in Eisenach. He was the protector of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, retained the tradition of Weimar's classical period, and gave the old part of Weimar a new and better appearance with the establishment of the Herder monument and the double monument for Goethe and Schiller. In 1860, he founded the Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School in Weimar (with Arnold Böcklin, Franz von Lenbach, and the plastic artist Reinhold Begas). As Grand Duke he was automatically rector, or president, of the University of Jena, where he supported especially the collections, among them prominently the Oriental Coin Cabinet.

In the Franco-Prussian War from 1870 to 1871, Karl Alexander participated only in "Samaritan"; he stressed, however, for his entrance into the war in favor of Schleswig in 1849. The Weimar Congress of the Goethe Federation (opposing the Lex Heinze) occurred towards the end of his reign, in November 1900. That congress described his government as the Silver Age of Weimar.

Personal life

On 8 October 1842 at Kneuterdijk Palace in The Hague, Karl Alexander married his first cousin, Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, daughter of William II and Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia, sister of his mother. Together, they had four children:

Karl August Wilhelm Nicolaus Alexander Michael Bernhard Heinrich Frederick Stefan, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1844–1894), who married his second cousin, Princess Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in 1873. Marie Anna Alexandrine Sophie Auguste Helene (1849–1922), known as Marie; she married Prince Heinrich VII Reuss of Köstritz in 1876. Maria Anna Sophia Elisabeth Bernhardine Ida Auguste Helene (1851–1859), known as Anna; she died young. Elisabeth Sibylle Maria Dorothea Anna Amalie Luise (1854–1908), known as Elisabeth; she married Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1886.

In late December 1900, Karl Alexander reportedly fell ill with influenza. His condition soon worsened, becoming complicated with inflammation of the lungs and a slowing heart rate before the end of the month. He died at Weimar on 5 January 1901. Following his death, he was succeeded as Grand Duke by his grandson Wilhelm Ernst, his only son Carl August having predeceased him.

Relationship with Hans Christian Andersen When he was the Hereditary Grand Duke, Karl Alexander established a strong friendship with Fanny Lewald and the Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen, but this close relationship stopped in 1849 for the war against Denmark over the duchies of Schleswig-Holstein (the First Schleswig War). Andersen was reportedly infatuated with Karl Alexander, writing "I quite love the young duke, he is the first of all princes that I really find attractive". Andersen and Karl Alexander maintained a relationship for many years and according to Andersen, the relationship was romantic in nature. In 1997, 173 letters between the two spanning 32 years, was published.

Honours and awards He received the following awards: German honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry