Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe
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Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe (30 May 1871-30 December 1949) was the last Prince of Lippe
He was born in Oberkassel the son of Count Ernst of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1842-1904) and Princess Karoline of Wartensleben (1844-1905). He served as an officer in the German Army until 1894, when he left to study political science at the universities of Bonn and Berlin.
From the death of his father the regent of Lippe in 1904, Leopold succeeded him as regent due to the incapacity of his cousin, Prince Alexander. Following the death of Alexander and the extinction of the Lippe-Detmold line in 1905, Leopold succeeded as the Prince of Lippe. In 1916 he created his nephew Count Bernhard a Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Bernhard would latter become Prince Consort to Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Leopold ruled as Prince until he was forced to abdicate on 12 November 1918 along with the other German monarchies following the German Empire's defeat in the first world war.
Leopold was married to Princess Bertha of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1874-1919) on the 16 August 1901 in Rotenburg, and had issue:
- Hereditary Prince Ernst of Lippe (1902-1987)
- Prince Leopold of Lippe (1904-1965)
- Princess Karoline of Lippe (1905-2001)
- Prince Chlodwig of Lippe (1909-2000)
- Princess Sieglinde of Lippe (born 1915)
He was married secondly to Princess Anna of Ysenburg-Büdingen (1886-1980) on the 26 April 1922, and from this marriage he had one son.
- Armin, Prince of Lippe (born 1924)
Leopold died in Detmold on the 30 December 1949. His son from his second marriage Armin is the present head of the house of Lippe.
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Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe
Born: 30 May 1871 Died: 30 December 1949 |
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| German royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Count Ernst |
Regent of Lippe 26 September 1904 – 25 October 1905 |
End of Regency became Prince
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| Preceded by Prince Alexander |
Prince of Lippe 25 October 1905 – 12 November 1918 |
Monarchy abolished |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Loss of title |
— TITULAR — Prince of Lippe 25 October 1905 – 30 December 1949 |
Succeeded by Prince Armin |
