Battenberg
Battenberg
(băt`ənbûrg), German princely family, issued from the morganatic union of Alexander, a younger son of Louis II, grand duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Countess Julia von Hauke, who was created (1858) princess of Battenberg. Their oldest son, Louis (1854–1921), an admiral in the British navy, married a granddaughter of Queen VictoriaVictoria(Alexandrina Victoria) , 1819–1901, queen of Great Britain and Ireland (1837–1901) and empress of India (1876–1901). She was the daughter of Edward, duke of Kent (fourth son of George III), and Princess Mary Louise Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
..... Click the link for more information. . During World War I he renounced (1917) his German title and anglicized his name as Mountbatten, whereupon he was created marquess of Milford Haven. His daughter Louise married Gustavus VIGustavus VI
(Gustaf Adolf), 1882–1973, king of Sweden (1950–73), son and successor of Gustavus V. After the death (1920) of his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught, he married (1923) Lady Louise Mountbatten (d. 1965).
..... Click the link for more information. , king of Sweden. Another daughter, Alice, married Prince Andrew of Greece, third son of King George IGeorge I,
1845–1913, king of the Hellenes (1863–1913), second son of Christian IX of Denmark. After the deposition (1862) of Otto I, he was elected to succeed on the throne of Greece.
..... Click the link for more information. of Greece; their son Philip was created duke of EdinburghEdinburgh, Prince Philip Mountbatten, duke of
, 1921–, consort of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, b. Greece. He was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice, daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg, and a grandson of George I of Greece, great-grandson of
..... Click the link for more information. and married (1947) Princess Elizabeth of England (later Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II,
1926–, queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1952–), elder daughter and successor of George VI, and Britain's longest reigning monarch. At age 18 she was made a State Counsellor, a confidante of the king.
..... Click the link for more information. ). Louis Mountbattenwas the son of the 1st marquess of Milford Haven. The second son of Prince Alexander of Hesse-Darmstadt, also named AlexanderAlexander
(Alexander of Battenberg), 1857–93, prince of Bulgaria (1879–86); second son of Prince Alexander of Hesse-Darmstadt and nephew of Alexander II of Russia.
..... Click the link for more information. , was (1879–86) prince of Bulgaria. A third son, Henry, married Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria of England; their daughter, Victoria, married Alfonso XIIIAlfonso XIII,
1886–1941, king of Spain (1886–1931), posthumous son and successor of Alfonso XII. His mother, Maria Christina (1858–1929), was regent until 1902.
..... Click the link for more information. of Spain.
Bibliography
See A. Hatch, The Mountbattens (1965); E. Spiro, From Battenberg to Mountbatten (1966).