View source for Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg

{{Infobox military person
|name     = Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
|birth_date={{Birth date|1865|December|23}}
|death_date={{Death date and age|1939|October|31|1865|December|23}}
|image    = AlbrechtHerzogWürttemberg.jpg
|caption  = Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg ca. 1905
|birth_place = Vienna, [[Austrian Empire]]
|death_place = [[Altshausen]], Germany
|religion = Roman Catholicism
|allegiance   = {{flagicon|German Empire}} [[German Empire]]
|serviceyears = 
|rank     = [[Generalfeldmarschall]]
|commands = [[4th Army (German Empire)|German 4th Army]] (1914–1917)<br> [[Army Group Albrecht]] (1917–1918)
|battles  = [[World War I]]<br> [[Battle of the Ardennes]]<br> [[Battle of the Yser]]<br> [[Second Battle of Ypres]]
|awards   = [[Order of the Golden Fleece|Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece]] (1893)<br> [[Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin)|Military Merit Cross]] (1914)<br> [[Pour le Mérite]] (1915)
| religion    = Roman Catholicism
}}

'''Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg''' or ''Albrecht Herzog von Württemberg'' (''Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph von Württemberg'', 23 December 1865&nbsp;– 31 October 1939) was a German [[Generalfeldmarschall]] and head of the Royal [[House of Württemberg]]. He was a great-great grandson of [[Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg]].

==Early life==
Duke Albrecht was born in Vienna as the eldest child of Duke [[Philip of Württemberg|Philipp of Württemberg]]<ref>born 30 July 1838 in Neuilly-sur-Seine; died 11 October 1917 in Stuttgart.</ref> and his wife [[Maria Theresa of Austria (1845–1927)|Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria]],<ref>born 15 July 1845 in Vienna; died 8 October 1927 in Tübingen.</ref> daughter of [[Archduke Albert, Duke of Teschen]].

==World War I==

At the start of [[World War I]], Duke Albrecht commanded the [[4th Army (German Empire)|German 4th Army]] and led them to victory in the [[Battle of the Ardennes]] in August 1914. Following this victory, the 4th Army saw action in the [[First Battle of the Marne]] before being transferred to Flanders in October, where Duke Albrecht commanded them during the [[Battle of the Yser]]. Duke Albrecht  also commanded the German forces during the [[Second Battle of Ypres]], where poison gas was used on a large scale for the first time.

Duke Albrecht was awarded the [[Pour le Mérite]] in August 1915 and was promoted to [[Generalfeldmarschall]] in August 1916. The newly formed [[Army Group Albrecht]] was placed under his commanded in February 1917 and he was responsible for the southern sector of the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] until the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]].

==Post war==

Duke Albrecht had become heir presumptive to the Kingdom of Württemberg following the death of his father in October 1917, but, following the [[German Empire]]'s World War I defeat and the abdication of his cousin King [[William II of Württemberg|William II]] following the [[German Revolution]], he never succeeded to the throne. He became head of the [[House of Württemberg]] on the death of William II on October 2, 1921.

Duke Albrecht died at [[Altshausen]] Castle on October 29, 1939. His son [[Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg|Duke Philipp Albrecht]] succeeded him as head of the House of Württemberg.

==Family==

[[File:Margaretha Sophie.jpg|250px|right]] Duke Albrecht was married in Vienna on 24 January 1893 to [[Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria]],<ref>born 13 May 1870 in [[Artstetten Castle]]; died 24 August 1902 in [[Gmunden]].</ref> a daughter of [[Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria|Archduke Carl Ludwig]]. They had seven children:
*[[Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg]] (1893–1975).
*[[Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg]] (born 8 January 1895 in Stuttgart; died 24 June 1954 in [[Schwäbisch Gmünd]]), who married [[Princess Nadezhda of Bulgaria]] (1899–1958), daughter of Tsar [[Ferdinand I of Bulgaria|Ferdinand I]]. They had five children.
*[[Duke Carl Alexander of Württemberg]] (born 12 March 1896 in Stuttgart; died 27 December 1964 in [[Altshausen]]), known as "Father Odo".
*Duchess Maria ''Amalia'' of Württemberg (born 15 August 1897 in [[Gmunden]]; died 13 August 1923 in [[Altshausen]]), briefly engaged to [[Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony|Crown Prince George of Saxony]].
*Duchess Maria ''Theresa'' of Württemberg (born 16 August 1898 in Stuttgart; died 26 March 1928 in [[Eibingen]]).
*Duchess Maria ''Elisabeth'' of Württemberg (born 12 September 1899 in Potsdam; died 15 April 1900 in [[Meran]].)
*Duchess Margarita Maria of Württemberg (born 4 January 1902 in Stuttgart; died 22 April 1945 in [[Altshausen]].)

==Ancestry==
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<center>{{ahnentafel-compact5
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|1= 1. '''Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg'''
|2= 2. [[Duke Philipp of Württemberg]]
|3= 3. [[Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (1845–1927)|Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria]]
|4= 4. [[Duke Alexander of Württemberg (1804–1881)|Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|5= 5. [[Princess Marie of Orléans (1813–1839)|Princess Marie of Orléans]]
|6= 6. [[Archduke Albert, Duke of Teschen]]
|7= 7. [[Princess Hildegard of Bavaria]]
|8= 8. [[Duke Alexander of Württemberg (1771–1833)|Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|9= 9. [[Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]]
|10= 10. [[Louis-Philippe I, King of the French]]
|11= 11. [[Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies]]
|12= 12. [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen]]
|13= 13. [[Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg]]
|14= 14. [[Ludwig I, King of Bavaria|Ludwig I of Bavaria]]
|15= 15. [[Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen]]
|16= 16. [[Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg]]
|17= 17. [[Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt]]
|18= 18. [[Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]]
|19= 19. [[Countess Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf]]
|20= 20. [[Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans]]
|21= 21. [[Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon]]
|22= 22. [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies]]
|23= 23. [[Maria Carolina of Austria]]
|24= 24. [[Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor]]
|25= 25. [[Maria Luisa of Spain]]
|26= 26. [[Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg]]
|27= 27. [[Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg]]
|28= 28. [[Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria]]
|29= 29. [[Landgravine Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt]]
|30= 30. [[Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg]]
|31= 31. [[Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]]
}}</center>
{{ahnentafel bottom}}

==Decorations and awards==
* Knight of the [[Military Order of Max Joseph]]
* [[Pour le Mérite]] (1915)
* [[Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin)|Military Merit Cross]], 1st class (Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 1914)
* [[Order of the Golden Fleece]] (Austria, 1893)

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{EB1922 Poster|Albert, Duke of Württemberg}}
*[http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/albrecht.htm Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg]
*[http://www.geocities.com/henrivanoene/genwurttemberg5.html Pictures of the children of Albrecht] ([http://www.webcitation.org/5kmW8SKCP Archived] 2009-10-25)

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[House of Württemberg]]|23 December|1865|31 October|1939|}}
{{S-roy|de}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Duke Philipp of Württemberg|Duke Philipp]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Line of succession to the former throne of Württemberg|Heir to the Throne of Württemberg]]'''<br />''as heir presumptive''|years='''11 October 1917 – 30 November 1918}}
{{S-non|reason=Monarchy abolished|reason2=[[German Revolution of 1918–19|German Revolution]]}}
{{s-pre|}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William II of Württemberg|Wilhelm II]]}}
{{s-tul|title=[[List of rulers of Württemberg|King of Württemberg]]|years=2 October 1921 – 31 October 1939|reason=[[German Revolution of 1918–19|Kingdom abolished in 1918]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg|Duke Philipp Albrecht]]}}
{{s-mil}}
{{Succession box| title=Commander, [[4th Army (German Empire)|4th Army]]| before=Formed from [[German Army (German Empire)#Army inspectorate|VI Army Inspectorate]]<br>(''VI. Armee-Inspektion'') | after=[[General der Infanterie]] [[Friedrich Bertram Sixt von Armin]] | years=2 August 1914-25 February 1917}}
{{S-end}}
{{Wikipedia|Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Albrecht Of Wurttemberg, Duke}}
[[Category:1865 births]]
[[Category:1939 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Vienna]]
[[Category:Field marshals of the German Empire]]
[[Category:Dukes of Württemberg]]
[[Category:German military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Pretenders to the throne of Württemberg]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Military Order of Max Joseph]]
[[Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin), 1st class]]
[[Category:Members of the Württembergian Chamber of Lords]]
[[Category:Military personnel of Württemberg]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Military Merit Order (Württemberg)]]