Prince Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Prince Wilhelm Karl Bernhard Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (21 December 1853 – 15 December 1924) was a member of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, a collateral branch of an ancient House of Wettin.

Life Prince Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was born on 21 December 1853 in Stuttgart. He was the eldest son of the Prince Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his wife, Princess Augusta of Württemberg (1826–1898).

Prince Wilhelm also has had his own financial problems, and has been forced by the Grand Duke to live outside Weimar. Wilhelm was heir presumptive to the throne as the young Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst was a widower. Wilhelm Ernest's wife, Princess Karoline Reuss of Greiz died on 17 January 1905, eighteen months after their marriage, under mysterious circumstances.

Prince William had a problem with his eldest son. Prince Hermann morganatically married Wanda Paola Lottero (1881–1963) on 5 September 1909 in London. Lottero was an Italian stage actress, and due to Hermann's rollicking lifestyle, the ducal family forced him to renounce his rights of succession to the Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach throne, as well as his royal status, title and prerogatives, granting him a lesser, noble title, Count von Ostheim, along with a small allowance on the grounds that he stay out of the duchy. Prince Wilhelm also had a bad reputation. His behavior aroused the dissatisfaction of the head of the family. Prince Wilhelm fled to the United States in his youth, served as a riding master, clerk, book agent and even as a restaurant waiter in New York City, but was finally persuaded to return to Germany, marry his second cousin, and live on a small pension from the head of the house.

Marriage and family Prince Wilhelm married Princess Gerta Auguste of Ysenburg and Büdingen zu Wächtersbach (1863–1945), younger daughter of Ferdinand Maximilian I, Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen (1824–1903), and Princess Auguste Marie Gertrude of Hanau and Horowitz (1829–1887), on 11 April 1885 at Wächtersbach, Germany. Augusta Marie Gertrude was the daughter of Frederick William, Elector of Hesse. They had three children, two sons and one daughter: Prince Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (14 February 1886 – 6 June 1964) Prince Albrecht of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (23 December 1886 - 9 September 1918), killed in action during World War I Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (25 July 1888 - 18 September 1913)

Honours and arms During his life, Prince Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar and Eisenach received the following orders and decorations: Grand Cross of the White Falcon, 1853 Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, 1878 Cross of Honour of the House Order of Lippe, 1st Class Siam: Grand Cross of the White Elephant Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1871

Ancestry