Prince Franz of Bavaria

Prince Franz of Bavaria (German: Franz Maria Luitpold Prinz von Bayern) (10 October 1875 – 25 January 1957) was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a Major General in the Bavarian Army.

Prince Franz of Bavaria
Born(1875-10-10)10 October 1875
Schloss Leutstetten, Starnberg, Kingdom of Bavaria
Died25 January 1957(1957-01-25) (aged 81)
Schloss Leutstetten, Starnberg, Bavaria, West Germany
Burial
St. Michael's Church, Munich
SpousePrincess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ (m.1912)
IssuePrince Ludwig
Princess Maria Elisabeth
Princess Adelgunde Maria
Princesss Eleonore Marie
Princess Dorothea Therese
Prince Rasso
HouseWittelsbach
FatherLudwig III of Bavaria
MotherArchduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este

Early life and military career

Franz was born at Schloss Leutstetten, Starnberg, Bavaria. He was the third son of King Ludwig III of Bavaria and his wife Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este. Initially, Franz served as a commander of the 2. Infanterie-Regiments König, but shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he was given command of the 3. bayerische Infanteriebrigade, which was later renamed and became the 4. Infanterie-Brigade. Prince Franz led this brigade through its victories at Fort Douaumont, Passchendaele and Kemmelberg.

For his exemplary leadership during these operations he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on 25 May 1916 and on 28 October 1916 was given command of the entire 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division. In Spring 1918, Prince Franz was also awarded the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph and the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military decoration, on 16 May 1918. However, during the summer 1918, the 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division suffered severe loses during the Battle of the Somme and was transferred to Italian Front on border protection duties, where he stayed for the remainder of the war.

Marriage

On 12 July 1912 Prince Franz married Princess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ, the daughter of Duke Karl Alfred of Croÿ and Princess Ludmilla of Arenberg. The wedding took place at the Schloss Weilburg in Baden near Vienna, Austria-Hungary. The couple had six children:

Death

Prince Franz of Bavaria died on 25 January 1957 at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg, Bavaria and is buried in the Colombarium in the Michaelskirche in Munich, Bavaria.

Decorations and honors

Bavaria

Prussia

Other German states

Other countries

Ancestry

References
  • Das Bayernbuch vom Kriege 1914-1918, Konrad Krafft von Dellmensingen, Friedrichfranz Feeser, Chr. Belser AG, Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1930
  • Die Wittelsbacher. Geschichte unserer Familie. Adalbert, Prinz von Bayern. Prestel Verlag, München, 1979
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