Louis II, Grand Duke of Baden

Louis II
Daguerreotype, c. 1850
Grand Duke of Baden
Reign24 April 1852 – 22 January 1858
PredecessorLeopold I
SuccessorFrederick I
RegentFrederick
Born(1824-08-15)15 August 1824
Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden
Died22 January 1858(1858-01-22) (aged 33)
Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden
HouseHouse of Zähringen
FatherLeopold I, Grand Duke of Baden
MotherPrincess Sophie of Sweden
ReligionLutheranism

Louis II (German: Ludwig II.; 15 August 1824 – 22 January 1858) was Grand Duke of Baden from 24 April 1852 to his death in 1858. He was the son of Leopold I, Grand Duke of Baden, and Princess Sophie of Sweden.

Early life

Louis was born on 15 August 1824 as a son of Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Baden (later Grand Duke Leopold I), and Princess Sophie of Sweden. At his birth, the Grand Duke of Baden was his paternal uncle, Louis I. As the future heirs to the throne, Louis and his younger brother, Frederick, received a modern education and often travelled to northern Italy and the Netherlands on family trips during their childhood.[1] At the age of seven, Louis' father acceded to the throne of Baden.[2] From December 1842 to May 1843, Louis and Frederick met high Austrian officials during a stay in Vienna. Louis later studied at the University of Heidelberg.

Reign

Louis succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Baden on 24 April 1852. His brother, Frederick, acted as regent, as Louis had a mental illness. In 1856, Frederick became Grand Duke, as Louis' mental illness was deemed irreversible and permanent. He was an honorary citizen of Karlsruhe. Louis died on January 22, 1858.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Louis II, Grand Duke of Baden
8. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Baden-Durlach
4. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden
9. Princess Amalia of Nassau-Dietz
2. Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden
10. Ludwig Heinrich, Baron Geyer of Geyersberg
5. Baroness Louise Karoline Geyer of Geyersberg
11. Countess Maximiliana Christiane of Sponeck
1. Louis II, Grand Duke of Baden
12. Gustav III of Sweden
6. Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
13. Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
3. Princess Sophie of Sweden
14. Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden
7. Frederica of Baden
15. Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt

References

  1. ^ Uwe A. Oster: Die Großherzöge von Baden (1806–1918). S. 152.
  2. ^ "Leopold I, Grand Duke of Baden". The British Museum. Retrieved 28 January 2025.