Dukes of Leuchtenberg

Duke of Leuchtenberg was a title created by Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria and awarded to his son Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus. Little is known about this title until its re-creation by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria on 14 November 1817 and awarded to his son-in-law Eugène de Beauharnais. Eugène was the adopted step-son of the deposed Emperor Napoleon I of France, and Eugène had been his heir in Frankfurt and briefly in Italy. King Maximilian Joseph compensated his son-in-law after he lost his other titles and named him heir to the kingdom after the male-line descendants of the royal house and next in precedence after the Royal Family.

The companion title, also in the Bavarian peerage, was Prince of Eichstätt, which was resigned by the 4th Duke to the King of Bavaria in 1855.

Contents

Dukes of Leuchtenberg, 18th century to 1817

Dukes of Leuchtenberg, 1817 to present

Dukes of Leuchtenberg (Russian & Finnish titles, 1890 Russian creation)

On 14 July 1839, Nicholas I of Russia granted the Russian and Finnish style Imperial Highness to the then-Duke of Leuchtenberg, Maximilian de Beauharnais 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg.

Nicholas, 4th Duke of Leuchtenberg, was named as Duke of Leuchtenberg in the Russian Empire in 1890 by Alexander III of Russia, as they were by then members of the extended Russian Imperial Family. This creation elevated the style from Serene to Imperial Highness, and was to be carried by all male line descendants of Nicholas, the incumbent Duke from 1852 to 1891.

The title was largely ceremonial, with no lands or governance attached; the style and title became "Duke von (or of) Leuchtenberg, de Beauharnais."

The current heir to the Dukedom is Nicholas (born 1933).

Genealogy

External links