Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
Prince Carl |
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels |
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Spouse |
Luise Auguste Stephanie Beyrich
m. 1834 - div. 1841
Princess Sophie of Salm-Salm; Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
m. 1845 - widowed 1875 - died 1876 |
Issue |
Prince Ludwig (1847-1900)
Princess Eulalia (1851-1922)
Princess Marie (1852-1882)
Princess Sophie (1853-1869)
Prince Alexander (1855-1926) |
Full name |
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig Georg Alfred Alexander |
Father |
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels |
Mother |
Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
Born |
27 July 1812(1812-07-27)
Neustrelitz |
Died |
13 November 1875(1875-11-13) (aged 63)
Rheingrafenstein |
Religion |
Lutheranism |
Prince Carl (Karl) of Solms-Braunfels (July 27, 1812 - November 13, 1875), was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas. Prince Solms named New Braunfels, Texas in honor of his homeland.
Early years and family life
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig Georg Alfred Alexander, Prince of Solms, Lord of Braunfels, Grafenstein, Münzenberg, Wildenfels, and Sonnenwalde was born in Neustrelitz. He was the son of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels and Princess Friederike of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.[1]
His 1834 morganatic marriage to Luise Auguste Stephanie Beyrich was considered below his royal station. In 1841, he gave in to royal pressure and settled on a monetary arrangement for a de facto royal annulment. Luise and the three children were ennobled by the Grand Duchy of Hesse with the name von Schoenau March 25, 1841. The family was later ennobled in the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1912.[2]
Prince Solmsl married Princess Maria Josephine Sophie of Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg,[3] widow of Prince Franz of Salm-Salm, on December 3, 1845. The union produced five children:[1]
- Prince Ludwig (1847–1900).
- Princess Eulalia (1851–1922).
- Princess Marie (1852–1882).
- Princess Sophie (1853–1869).
- Prince Alexander (1855–1926).
He was a well-educated and well-connected handsome prince of wealth and privilege who sought adventure and looked for new worlds to explore. In 1841, he became Captain in the cavalry in the Imperial Army of Austria.[4]
Texas
It was during his service with the cavalry that Carl read books about Texas and became interested in joining the Adelsverein, zealously campaigning for its success. Prince Solms was the motivating force, as the 1844 Commissioner General[5] of the Adelsverein, for the first colony of German emigrants to Texas. He arrived on Texas soil in July 1844, making an exploratory tour of Texas as advisor to the Adelsverein, who owned the rights to the Fisher-Miller Land Grant.[6] Subsequently, on behalf of the Adelsverein, Carl purchased an additional 1,300 acres (5.3 km2) on the Guadalupe River, where he established the colony of New Braunfels, Texas.[7] His vision cleared the path for John O. Meusebach to follow in 1845 as the organizer, negotiator and political force needed for community-building structure in the "New Germany".[8]
In anticipation of his marriage to Maria Josephine Sophie, Prince Solms formed plans to build "Sophie's Castle", laying the cornerstone in New Braunfels, Texas in 1845.[9] Sophie refused to leave Germany, and Carl never returned to Texas after his marriage to her on December 3, 1845.
Return to Germany and later years
After returning to Germany, he left the Austrian army and became a colonel in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse[10] in 1846. He was able to rejoin the Austrian army in 1850, becoming a brigadier in 1859 with command of dragoons on Lake Constance. He took part in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.[11] He retired as a field marshal in 1868 to his residence at the estate of Rheingrafenstein near Kreuznach on the Nahe River. Prince Solms died November 13, 1875, and is interred in the city cemetery of Bad Kreuznach.
Timeline
Timeline of the Life of Prince Carl (Karl) of Solms-Braunfels |
Year |
Event |
1812 |
- July 27 - Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig Georg Alfred Alexander[10] is born in Neustrelitz
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1834 |
- Marries Louise Auguste Stephanie Beyrich, later von Schönau,[12] mother to three of his children
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1841 |
- Separates from Louise to save his career
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1842 |
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1844 |
- Commissioner General of the first colony that the society proposed to establish in Texas
- July 1 - Arrives in Galveston, purchases land on Matagorda Bay to be called Carlshafen, or Indianola
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1845 |
- Secures title to 1,265 acres (5.12 km2) of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein[14]
- March 21 - Founds New Braunfels[7]
- May 15 - Returns to Germany
- December 3 - Marries the widow Maria Josephine Sophie,[3] widow of Prince Franz of Salm-Salm and princess of Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, mother to five of Carl's children
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1846 |
- Leaves the Austrian army - becomes a Colonel in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse
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1850 |
- Rejoins the Austrian army
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1859 |
- Becomes a brigadier with command of dragoons on Lake Constance
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1866 |
- Takes part in Austria war against Prussia.
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1868 |
- Retires as a field marshal to Rheingrafenstein near Kreuznach on the Nahe River
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1875 |
- November 13 - dies[1] Is interred in the city cemetery of Bad Kreuznach
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Ancestry
Ancestors of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels |
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16. Count Wilhelm Moritz of Solms-Greifenstein & Braunfels |
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8. Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Solms-Braunfels |
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17. Landgravine Magdalene Sophie of Hessen-Homburg |
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4. Ferdinand, Prince of Solms-Braunfels |
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18. Johann Ernst, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg |
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9. Princess Magdalene Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg |
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19. Countess Marie Polyxene of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg |
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2. Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels |
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20. Friedrich Ernst, Count of Solms-Laubach |
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10. Christian August, Count of Solms-Laubach |
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21. Countess Friederike Charlotte of Stolberg-Gedern |
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5. Sophie Christine Wilhelmine of Solms-Laubach |
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22. Wolfgang Ernst I, Prince of Isenburg and Büdingen in Birstein |
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11. Princess Elisabeth of Isenburg and Büdingen in Birstein |
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23. Countess Friederike of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg |
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1. Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels |
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24. Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
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12. Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
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25. Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen |
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6. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
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26. Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen |
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13. Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen |
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27. Countess Sophie Albertine of Erbach-Erbach |
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3. Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
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28. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt |
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14. Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt |
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29. Countess Charlotte Christine Magdalene Johanna of Hanau |
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7. Landgravine Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt |
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30. Count Christian Karl Reinhard of Leiningen-Dagsburg |
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15. Maria Luise Albertine von Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg |
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31. Countess Katharina Polyxena of Solms-Rödelheim |
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References
- ^ a b c "Solms-Braunfels Royalty 1800-1940". RoyaltyGuide=Netherlands. http://www.royaltyguide.nl/families/solms/solmsbraunfels4.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ “Genealogisches Handbuch des in Bayern immatrikulierten Adels p. 743 Band XXII,Verlag Degener & Co, Neustadt an der Aisch 1998
- ^ a b "Solms-Braunfels Princes 1800-1940". RoyaltyGuide=Netherlands. http://www.royaltyguide.nl/families/lowenstein/lowensteinwertheimrosenberg3.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ "Imperial Army of Austria". International Napoleonic Wargaming Club. http://www.battleground-club.de/imperial-army-of-austria/Austrian_infantry_a.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010. International Napoleonic Wargaming Club
- ^ "A Guide to the Solms-Braunfels Archives, 1842-1957". Texas Archival Research Online. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utcah/00025/cah-00025.html. Retrieved 8 May 2010. Briscoe Center, UT Austin
- ^ Biesele, Rudolph L: Fisher-Miller Land Grant from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 08 May 2010. Texas State Historical Association
- ^ a b Carl of Solms, Prince (2000). Voyage to North America, 1844-45: Prince Carl of Solms' Texas Diary of People, Places, and Events. University of North Texas Press. ISBN 978-1574411249.
- ^ a b Brister, Louis E.: Adelsverein from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 08 May 2010. Texas State Historical Association
- ^ "Sophienburg, New Braunfels, Texas". Sophienburg Museum & Archives. http://www.sophienburg.com/. Retrieved 14 May 2011. Sophienburg Museum & Archives
- ^ a b Lich, Glen E and Moltmann, Gunter: Prince Karl of Solms-Braunfels from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 08 May 2010. Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ "Austro-Prussian War". Wars of the World. http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/sierra/sevenweeks1866.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010. OnWar.com
- ^ Theroff, Paul. "An Online Gotha - Solms". http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/gotha/solms.html. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ Geue, Ethel H (2009). New Homes in a New Land German Immigration to Texas, 1847-1861. Clearfield. p. 22. ISBN 978-0806309804.
- ^ Block, W T. "The Story of Our Texas German Pilgrims". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.. http://www.texasescapes.com/WTBlock/Texas-German-Pilgrims-Death-March-to-Comal-County.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
External links
Persondata |
Name |
Carl Of Solms-Braunfels, Prince |
Alternative names |
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Short description |
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Date of birth |
27 July 1812 |
Place of birth |
Neustrelitz |
Date of death |
13 November 1875 |
Place of death |
Rheingrafenstein |