Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine

Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine (German: Karl) (23 April 1809 – 20 March 1877) was a German prince, officer and politician. He was the second surviving son of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse and Wilhelmine of Baden. The prince had a military career and became a general in the infantry of the army of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. He was also a member of the Landtag of Hesse.

As his brother Grand Duke Louis III did not have children, he was succeeded by Prince Charles' eldest son, Grand Duke Louis IV.

Early life Prince Charles of Hesse was born on 23 April 1809 in the city of Darmstadt, capital of the newly created Grand Duchy of Hesse, established as the successor state of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806. He was the second surviving son of Louis, Hereditary Prince of Hesse (later Grand Duke Louis II) and his wife Wilhelmine of Baden, a daughter of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden. He was educated together with his older brother Prince Louis (later Grand Duke Louis III), and also made extensive educational journeys through Europe with his brother.

As a younger son, he was expected to have a military career. Initially, he joined the Imperial Austrian Army. In 1830, Prince Charles' grandfather, Grand Duke Louis I, died, and Charles' father became Grand Duke as Louis II. Shortly afterwards, in 1832, Prince Charles returned to Hesse, where he joined his father's army and became a general in the infantry. The following evening, news reached the Queen from Alice that Charles had "passed away quite peacefully after 6." The Queen appears to have been affected by Charles' death, referring to him in her journal upon his death as "dear excellent Prince Charles of Hesse", later repeating, "So grieved and feel deeply for poor Prince Charles." Prince Charles was buried at the Altes Mausoleum at Park Rosenhöhe in Darmstadt, one of the burial sites of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Charles's eldest son, Louis, would become Grand Duke of Hesse and by the Rhine upon the death of Charles's childless brother, Louis III, three months later in 1877.

Legacy In 1916, his granddaughter Victoria described him in her memoirs:My grandfather, Prince Charles, had always been delicate, suffering all his life from bronchitis and frequent migraines. He was very much of an invalid when I knew him and my grandmother took the greatest of care of him. They were a very devoted couple. He was a gentle person, lived a retired life and was very old fashioned in his habits. He was a good-looking man with a clean shaven face framed by side whiskers. He wore high cravats like stocks and fancy waistcoats and generally a frock coat. Out of doors in winter he always wore a black silk "respirator" over his mouth. He had a passion for collecting all kinds of odds and ends. [...] He was very kind to us little girls and we were fond of him.

Issue Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse (12 September 1837 – 13 March 1892); Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (13 June 1877 – 13 March 1892); married, firstly, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and had issue. Married, secondly, Alexandrine von Hutten-Czapska; annulled. Prince Heinrich of Hesse and by Rhine (1838–1900); married, firstly morganatically, Baroness Caroline of Nidda and had issue. Married, secondly, also morganatically, Baroness Emilie of Dornberg and had issue. Princess Anna of Hesse and by the Rhine (1843–1865); married Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and had issue. Prince Wilhelm of Hesse and by Rhine (1845–1900); married Baroness Josephine of Lichtenberg and had issue.

Ancestry