Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

Maria-Adelheid or Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Maria Adelheid Theresia Hilda Antonia Wilhelmina vu Lëtzebuerg, French: Marie Adélaïde Thérèse Hilda Antonie Wilhelmine, born: Marie Adelheid Thérèse Hilda Wilhelmine von Nassau-Weilburg; 14 June 1894 – 24 January 1924) was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1912 to 1919. Marie-Adélaïde ruled for less than 7 years and due to her unpopularity, she was forced to abdicate in favour of her sister Grand Duchess Charlotte.

Biography

Early years

Marie-Adélaïde was born on 14 June 1894 in Berg Castle as the eldest child of Grand Duke William IV of Luxembourg and Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal. Her maternal grandparents were King Miguel of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Since her father had six daughters and no sons, he proclaimed Marie-Adélaïde as the heir presumptive on 10 July 1907, in order to solve any succession crisis. Thus, when her father died on 25 February 1912, she succeeded to the throne at the age of 17, becoming the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. Her mother served as regent until Marie-Adélaïde's eighteenth birthday in June 1912. She was also the first sovereign of Luxembourg since 1296 to have actually been born within the country.

During her reign

Marie-Adélaïde was highly interested in politics and took an active part in the government and the political life of the Grand Duchy. She was a devout Catholic, with strong religious convictions and political views. On the day of her ascension to the throne - 25 July 1912 - she refused to sign a new law reducing the role of Catholic priests within the education system.^[1]

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the German Empire violated the neutrality of Luxembourg by invading the country on 2 August. Although Marie-Adélaïde issued a formal protest, this did nothing to prevent the military occupation of Luxembourg. She decided not to resist the occupying army, but tried instead to maintain her country's neutrality throughout the War. However, during the War she developed a rather cordial relationship with the German occupiers, and her political opponents in Luxembourg painted her as pro-German. After the end of the War she was harshly criticized for her attitude and the perception of the Grand Duchess as pro-German led the French government to declare: "The French Government does not consider it possible to have contact or negotiations with the Government of the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, whom it considers as gravely compromised…" Although she had not done anything unconstitutional, voices in Parliament began to demand her abdication in January 1919. At the same time, prominent political figures in both neighbouring France and Belgium espoused annexationist plans towards the Grand Duchy and thus had a vested interest in further discrediting Marie-Adélaïde. Under intense national and international pressure, and after consulting with the Prime Minister, the 25-year-old Grand Duchess decided to abdicate, doing so on 14 January 1919. She was succeeded by her younger sister, Charlotte.^[2]

After her abdication

After her abdication Marie-Adélaïde went into exile by travelling through Europe. She entered a Carmelite convent in Modena, Italy in 1920. Later, she joined the Little Sisters of the Poor in Rome, taking the name "Sister Marie of the Poor". Her worsening health did not allow her to remain a nun, however, and she eventually had to leave the convent. She then moved to Hohenburg Castle in Bavaria, where she died of influenza in 1924. On 22 October 1947, her body was interred in the Ducal Crypt of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in the city of Luxembourg.^[3]

Titles and styles

• 14 June 1894 – 10 July 1907: Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Marie-Adélaïde of Nassau-Weilburg^[4]
• 10 July 1907 – 25 February 1912: Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau-Weilburg^[4]
• 25 February 1912 – 14 January 1919: Her Royal Highness The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
• 14 January 1919 – 24 January 1924: Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau-Weilburg
  • As Roman Catholic nun: Sister Marie of the Poor

Ancestry

See also

• German occupation of Luxembourg in World War I

References

Further reading

• O'Shaughnessy, Edith. Marie Adelaide, Grand Duchess of Luxemburg, Duchess of Nassau. New York: Jonathan Cape and Robert Ballou, 1932.
• Schous, Marie. Marie Adelheid van Nassau, Groothertogin van Luxemburg. 's Hertogenbosch: G. Mosmans, 1931.
• Zenner, Theodor. Marie Adelheid: Lebensbild der verstorbenen Grossherzogin von Luxemburg. 1925
• Marburg, Theodor. The Story of a Soul. Philadelphia: Dorrance, 1938.
• Leighton, Isabel, and Bertram Bloch. Marie-Adelaide: A Play. New York: Rialto Service Bureau.