Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde

Countess Klaudia Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde (September 21, 1812 - October 1, 1841) was the wife of Duke Alexander of Württemberg. Her son, Francis, Duke of Teck was the father of Mary of Teck, Queen consort to George V of the United Kingdom.

She was born in Erdőszentgyörgy, Transylvania (then part of Hungary) to László Count Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde and his wife Ágnes Baroness Inczédy de Nagy-Várad. At birth she was styled as Countess Klaudina (Claudine) Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde.

In 1835, she married Duke Alexander of Württemberg, the son of Duke Louis of Württemberg, younger brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg. Due to the German laws relating to the line of succession she was viewed as being of non-royal rank and the marriage was declared morganatic. She was denied the title of Duchess. However she was later created Countess von Hohenstein and her entire family were granted German title and styled as Dukes and Princesses of Teck.

Legacy

Claudine Countess Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde and Countess von Hohenstein, together Duke Alexander of Württemberg had three children:

* Princess Claudine of Teck (1836 - 1894)
* Prince Francis of Teck, later 1st Duke of Teck (1837- 1900)
* Princess Amelie of Teck (1838 - 1893)

All children were initially styled as Count or Countess von Hohenstein, taking their titles from their mother. However in 1863, the children were created Prince or Princess of Teck, with the style "Serene Highness" in the Kingdom of Württemberg.

Prince Francis of Teck was later created Duke of Teck. He married Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, a granddaughter of King George III and became a member of the British Royal Family. His only daughter Mary of Teck married Prince George, Duke of York in July 1893, becoming Queen Consort on her husband's accession to the throne in May 1910. The current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is Mary's granddaughter, and thus Claudine's great-great-granddaughter.

Claudine died in Austria in 1841 after being thrown from her horse in front of a cavalry charge at a military review.

ee also

* Mary of Teck
* Samuel Aba of Hungary
* Genealogy of the British Royal Family

References

* Siebmachers Wappenbuch Die Wappen des Adels von Ungarn
* The Almanach de Saxe Gotha , Volume II , Page Six, Claudine Gfn Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde, cr Gfn von Hohenstein
*ROMÁNIAI MAGYAR IRODALMI LEXIKON, SZÉPIRODALOM, KÖZÍRÁS, TUDOMÁNYOS IRODALOM, MŰVELŐDÉS, III Kh–M KRITERION KÖNYVKIADÓ, BUKAREST 1994, ISBN 973 26 0369 0
* MARY, 1867–1953, Queen Consort of George V of England, The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press.
* Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon főszerkesztő: Kristó, Gyula, szerkesztők: Engel, Pál és Makk, Ferenc (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1994)
* Kristó, Gyula - Makk, Ferenc: Az Árpád-ház uralkodói (IPC Könyvek, 1996)

[http://www.thepeerage.com/p10096.htm#i100951 the Peerage]