William, Prince of Wied

William
Prince of Wied
200px William, Prince of Wied
Born	(1845-08-22)22 August 1845 Neuwied, Duchy of Nassau
Died	Neuwied, Kingdom of Prussia
Spouse	Princess Marie of the Netherlands
Issue	William Frederick, Prince of Wied Prince Alexander William, Prince of Albania Prince Victor Princess Louise Princess Elisabeth
Full name German: Wilhelm Adolph Maximilian Carl
House	House of Wied-Neuwied
Father	Hermann, Prince of Wied
Mother	Princess Marie of Nassau

William V, Prince of Wied (German: Wilhelm Adolph Maximilian Karl Fürst von Wied; 22 August 1845 – 22 October 1907) was a German officer and politician, elder son of Hermann, Prince of Wied. He was the father of William, Prince of Albania and brother of Queen Elisabeth of Romania.

Early life

William was the second child and first son of Hermann, Prince of Wied (1814–1864), son of Johann August Karl, Prince of Wied and Princess Sophie Auguste of Solms-Braunfels, and his wife, Princess Marie of Nassau (1825–1902), daughter of William, Duke of Nassau and his first wife Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Through her mother he was descendant of William IV stadtholder of the Netherlands and George II of Great Britain.

Military career

During the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, he was a lieutenant general staff of the 2nd Army. During 1870-71 he attended Franco-Prussian War.

Between 1893 and 1897 he was the Imperial commissioner and military Chief of volunteer nurses in the army. In 1893 he was appointed as General of Infantry à la suite.

Politics

Politically, William was a supporter of colonial policy. Between 1891 and 1892 he was chairman of the German anti-slavery committees. This funded include expeditions to unexplored areas in Africa. Since 1897, he was a member of the Colonial Council. William was co-founder and from 1898 to 1901 President of the Navy League.

Between 1875 and 1886 he was Marshal of Rhine Province parliament. He was from 1888 to 1894 and from 1899 to 1901 Chairman of the Rhine Province parliament. Since 1878, he was a member of the Prussian House of Lords. Which he was president from 1897 to 1904.

Marriage

William with his family

William married on 18 July 1871 in Wassenaar, Princess Marie of the Netherlands (1841–1910), younger daughter of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands (1792–1839) second son of William I of the Netherlands, and his wife, Princess Louise of Prussia (1808–1870), daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia.

They had six children:

• William Frederick, Prince of Wied (27 June 1872 – 18 June 1945) married Princess Pauline of Württemberg (1877–1965), had issue.
• Prince Alexander of Wied (28 May 1874 – 15 January 1877)
• William, Prince of Albania (26 March 1876 – 18 April 1945) married Princess Sophie of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1885–1936), had issue.
• Prince Victor of Wied (7 December 1877 – 1 March 1946) married Countess Gisela of Solms-Wildenfels (1891–1976), had issue.
• Princess Louise of Wied (24 October 1880 – 29 August 1965)
• Princess Elisabeth of Wied (28 January 1883 – 14 November 1938)

Titles and styles

• 22 August 1845 – 5 March 1864: His Serene Highness Prince William of Wied
• 5 March 1864 – 22 October 1907: His Serene Highness The Prince of Wied

Ancestry

Family of William, Prince of Wied

16. Johann Friedrich Alexander, Prince of Wied               8. Friedrich Karl, Prince of Wied                       17. Burgravine Caroline of Kirchberg               4. Johann August Karl, Prince of Wied                             18. Louis Ferdinand, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg               9. Countess Marie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg                       19. Countess Friederike Christine of Ysenburg and Büdingen               2. Hermann, Prince of Wied                                   20. Frederick William Ernest, Prince of Solms-Braunfels               10. Wilhelm, Prince of Solms-Braunfels                       21. Countess Sophie Christine of Solms-Laubach               5. Princess Sophie Auguste of Solms-Braunfels                             22. Karl Ludwig Wild- und Rheingraf, Count of Salm-Grumbach and Dhaun               11. Countess Auguste Franziska of Salm-Grumbach                       23. Princess Marianne of Leiningen               1. William, Prince of Wied                                         24. Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg               12. Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg                       25. Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau               6. William, Duke of Nassau                             26. Wilhelm Georg, Count of Sayn-Hachenburg, Burgrave of Kirchberg               13. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg                       27. Princess Isabella Auguste Reuss of Greiz               3. Princess Marie of Nassau                                   28. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen               14. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg                       29. Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar               7. Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen                             30. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               15. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz                       31. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

Notes and sources

• thePeerage.com - Wilhelm Adolph Maximilian Karl Fürst von Wied
• Genealogics - Leo van de Pas - Wilhelm, Fürst zu Wied
• The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: 336

William, Prince of Wied House of Wied-Neuwied Cadet branch of the House of Wied Born: 22 August 1845 Died: 22 October 1907
German nobility
Preceded by Hermann	Prince of Wied 1864–1907	Succeeded by William Frederick