Prince Leopold of Bavaria#External links

{{Infobox royalty

| image = Leopold2.1.jpg

| caption = Prince Leopold {{circa|1910–1915}}

| spouse ={{marriage|Archduchess Gisela of Austria|20 April 1873}}

| issue ={{plainlist|

| house =Wittelsbach

| father =Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

| mother =Archduchess Augusta of Austria

| birth_date ={{birth date|1846|2|9|df=y}}

| birth_place =Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Confederation

| death_date ={{death date and age|1930|9|28|1846|2|9|df=y}}

| death_place =Munich, Bavaria, Weimar Republic

| burial_place =St. Michael's Church, Munich

}}

Prince Leopold of Bavaria (Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf; 9 February 1846 – 28 September 1930) was born in Munich, the second son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria (1821–1912) and his wife Archduchess Augusta of Austria (1825–1864). He was a Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) who commanded German and Austro-Hungarian forces on the Eastern Front in World War I.

Biography

= Military career =

Prince Leopold entered the Bavarian Army at the age of 15, and received his patent as a lieutenant dated 28 November 1861.Bavarian War Ministry, Militär-Handbuch des Königreichs Bayern, 1914 He saw first combat during the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, where he commanded an artillery battery at Kissingen and Rossbrunn.

In 1870, King Ludwig II of Bavaria sent Leopold to the battlefields of France, where the Bavarian Army was fighting alongside the Prussian Army in the Franco-Prussian War. He served with the 3rd Bavarian Artillery Regiment and saw action at Sedan and Beauvert. He was promoted to major in December 1870.Bavarian War Ministry, Militär-Handbuch des Königreichs Bayern, 1914 For his bravery against the enemy he received both the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Classes, the Bavarian Military Merit Order Knight 1st Class, the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph, Bavaria's highest military decoration, and decorations from several other German states.

In the post-war years, Prince Leopold spent most of his time travelling, visiting Africa, Asia and countries of Europe. He was married on 20 April 1873 at Vienna to his second cousin Archduchess Gisela of Austria, daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and the Empress Elisabeth. From 1881 to 1887 Leopold was the commander of the 1st Royal Bavarian Division, from 1887 to 1892 of the I Royal Bavarian Corps. In both commands he would be succeeded by his younger brother, Prince Arnulf of Bavaria. In 1892 Leopold became the inspector general of the 4th Army Inspection, replacing Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal. After his appointment, the 4th Army Inspection gradually became consistent of Bavarian corps.{{Cite web|last=Biographie|first=Deutsche|title=Leopold - Deutsche Biographie|url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz53515.html#ndbcontent|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.deutsche-biographie.de|language=de}} He remained in the Bavarian Army and was finally promoted to the rank of field marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) on 1 January 1905. In 1911 he ordered a 6m racing yacht "Ralle II" from the great British yacht designer Alfred Mylne, built at the Rambeck yard on Lake Starnberg.{{Cite web|date=15 October 2010|title=Scottishboating: The Ralle II, a Scottish German detective story|url=http://scottishboating.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/scottish-german-detective-story.html}} He retired from active duty in 1913 to give chances to Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria.

= First World War =

Prince Leopold's retirement, however, did not last long. On 16 April 1915, he was given command of the German 9th Army, replacing General August von Mackensen. Leopold quickly proved himself an able commander as he took Warsaw on 4 August 1915. Following this success, he was put in command of Army Group Prince Leopold of Bavaria (Heeresgruppe Prinz Leopold von Bayern), which was a German force in the central/northern sector of the Eastern Front. He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on 5 August 1915, the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military decoration, on 9 August 1915 and the oak leaves to the Pour le Mérite on 25 July 1917.

File:Le prince Leopold de Bavière signe l'armistice.jpg.]]

On 29 August 1916, after the brutal summer campaigns succeeded in reversing the Brusilov Offensive against the Austrians, Leopold became the Supreme Commander of the German forces on the Eastern front (Oberbefehlshaber Ost), succeeding Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg. Leopold held this post for the rest of the war. Because of his position, Leopold was a potential German candidate for the throne of the puppet Kingdom of Poland.Polskie Towarzystwo Historyczne (Polish Historical Society), Przegląd historyczny (Historical Review), volume 60, page 87.

On 4 March 1918, Leopold received yet another high honor, the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded only five times during World War I.

Prince Leopold retired again in 1918 after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which had ended the war on the Eastern Front. This treaty was highly favorable to Germany, and Leopold ended his career with success. He died on 28 September 1930 in Munich and is buried in the Colombarium in the Michaelskirche in Munich.

File:Von Bayern.jpg

File:Von Bayern2.jpg

Military ranks

Sekondlieutenant: 28 November 1861
Premierlieutenant: 5 June 1864
Hauptmann: 28 April 1867
Major: 11 December 1870
Oberstleutnant: 27 March 1871
Oberst: 18 February 1873
Generalmajor: 1 November 1875
Generalleutnant: 16 June 1881
General der Kavallerie: 2 March 1887
Generaloberst: 9 February 1896
Generalfeldmarschall: 1 January 1905

Family

Prince Leopold and his wife Gisela had four children:

Princess Elisabeth Marie of Bavaria (1874–1957), who married Count Otto Ludwig Philipp von Seefried auf Buttenheim
Princess Auguste Maria of Bavaria (1875–1964), who married Archduke Joseph August of Austria
Prince Georg of Bavaria (1880–1943), married Archduchess Isabella of Austria
Prince Konrad of Bavaria (1883–1969), who married Princess Bona Margherita of Savoy-Genoa

Decorations and honors

;German decorations

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{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Bavaria}}:Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Bayern (1908), "Königliche Orden" pp. [https://archive.org/details/hofundstaatshan00landgoog/page/n37/mode/2up 7], [https://archive.org/details/hofundstaatshan00landgoog/page/n41/mode/2up 11], [https://archive.org/details/hofundstaatshan00landgoog/page/n45/mode/2up 15]
Knight of St. Hubert
Knight of the Military Merit Order, 2nd Class with Swords, ca. 1866; Grand Cross with Swords, 1917
Knight of the Military Order of Max Joseph, 1871; Grand Cross, 5 August 1915{{cite web|title=Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf Prinz von Bayern K.H.|website=the Prussian Machine|access-date=7 August 2020|url=http://prussianmachine.com/aok/leopold.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023185443/http://prussianmachine.com/aok/leopold.htm|archive-date=2017-10-23}}
Grand Prior of Lower Bavaria of the Royal Bavarian House Equestrian Order of St. George, 1874
St. George Medal
Ludwig Order, Honor Cross
Jubilee Medal with Crown
1866 Army Commemorative Cross
{{flagicon|Anhalt}} Anhalt: Grand Cross of Albert the Bear
{{flagicon|Baden}} Baden:
Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1898Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Baden (1910), "Großherzogliche Orden" p. [https://digital.blb-karlsruhe.de/blbihd/periodical/pageview/1881288 40]
Grand Cross of the Order of Berthold the First
{{flagicon|Duchy of Brunswick}} Brunswick:
Grand Cross of Henry the Lion, 1903Braunschweig, Staat (Hg.) (1905): Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig für 1905. In: Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig 1905. p. 11
War Merit Cross
{{flagicon|Saxe-Coburg-Gotha}} {{flagicon|Saxe-Altenburg}} {{flagicon|Saxe-Meiningen}} Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order
{{flagicon|Bremen}} 25px {{flagicon|Hamburg}} Free Hanseatic Cities: Hanseatic Crosses
{{flagicon|Grand Duchy of Hesse}} Hesse and by Rhine:Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Hessen (1879), "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" [https://archive.org/details/hofundstaatshan00gergoog/page/n36/mode/2up pp. 11], [https://archive.org/details/hofundstaatshan00gergoog/page/n154/mode/2up 130]
Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, 13 January 1865
Military Merit Cross (1870/71), 17 June 1873
{{flagicon image|Flagge Fürstentum Lippe.svg}} Lippe-Detmold:
War Honor Cross for Heroic Deeds
War Merit Cross
{{Flagicon image|Flagge Großherzogtümer Mecklenburg.svg}} Mecklenburg:
Grand Cross of the Wendish Crown, with Crown
1870 Military Merit Cross (Schwerin)
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Saxony}} Saxony:
Knight of the Rue Crown
Commander of the Military Order of St. Henry, 1st Class
{{flagicon|Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach}} Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Grand Cross of the White Falcon, 1888Staatshandbuch für das Großherzogtum Sachsen / Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (1900), "Großherzogliche Hausorden" [https://zs.thulb.uni-jena.de/rsc/viewer/jportal_derivate_00185861/Staatshandbuch_Film_Nr_16_0245.tif p. 16] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906150133/https://zs.thulb.uni-jena.de/rsc/viewer/jportal_derivate_00185861/Staatshandbuch_Film_Nr_16_0245.tif |date=2020-09-06 }}
{{flag|Schaumburg-Lippe}}: 1870 Military Merit Medal
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Württemberg}} Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1890[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Pc5CAAAAYAAJ/page/n63 Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg] (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 29
{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Prussia}}:
Knight of the Black Eagle
Grand Cross of the Red Eagle, with Swords
Pour le Mérite, 5 August 1915; with Oak Leaves, 25 July 1917
Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st Classes, 1870; Grand Cross, 4 March 1918
Grand Commander of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71
Centenary Medal
Officers' Long Service Cross
Red Cross Medal, 1st class with War Decoration
{{flagicon|Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen}} Hohenzollern: Cross of Honour of the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern, 1st Class

}}

Other countries

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{{flag|Austria-Hungary}}:
Knight of the Golden Fleece, 1868{{cite web|url=http://www.antiquesatoz.com/sgfleece/knights5.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729141537/http://www.antiquesatoz.com/sgfleece/knights5.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2018 |title=Chevaliers de la Toisón d'Or - Knights of the Golden Fleece |last= Boettger|first=T. F.|website=La Confrérie Amicale|access-date=25 June 2019}}
Grand Cross of St. Stephen, 1881[http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm "A Szent István Rend tagjai"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222022855/http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm|date=22 December 2010}}
Grand Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa, 26 March 1918{{cite web|url=http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/mmto.htm|title=Militär Maria-Theresien-Orden 1914-1918|website=www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk|access-date=13 September 2020|archive-date=20 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620055434/http://austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/mmto.htm|url-status=dead}}
Military Merit Cross, 1st Class with War Decoration
Large Military Merit Medal ("Signum Laudis")
Red Cross Decoration 1st Class with War Decoration
1898 Franz Joseph I Jubilee Medal
1908 Franz Joseph I Jubilee Cross in Gold
1908 Franz Joseph I Military Jubilee Cross
{{flag|Belgium}}:
{{MilAward Desc|BEOOLGC|country=yes}}
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} Italy: Knight of the Annunciation, 10 September 1897{{cite book|author=Italia : Ministero dell'interno|title=Calendario generale del Regno d'Italia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TKVreIv7hYkC&pg=PR3|year=1900|publisher=Unione tipografico-editrice|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=TKVreIv7hYkC&pg=PA54 54]}}
{{flag|Luxembourg}}: Knight of the Gold Lion of Nassau
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Montenegro}} Montenegro: Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I
{{Flag|Ottoman Empire}}:
Gold Imtiaz Medal, with Swords
Grand Commander of the Order of Glory
Turkish War Medal ("Gallipoli Star")
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Portugal}} Portugal: Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Romania}} Romania: Grand Cross of the Star of Romania
{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} Serbia:
Grand Cross of the White Eagle{{Cite book|last=Acović|first=Dragomir|title=Slava i čast: Odlikovanja među Srbima, Srbi među odlikovanjima|year=2012|location=Belgrade|publisher=Službeni Glasnik|pages=369}}
Grand Cross of the Cross of Takovo
{{flagcountry|Restoration (Spain)}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, April 1876; with Collar, 1883{{citation |chapter-url=http://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/issue.vm?id=0001063199&search=&lang=es|chapter=Real y distinguida orden de Carlos III |title=Guóa Oficial de España |date=1929|access-date=4 March 2019|pages=219, 223|language=es}}
{{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}}:
{{MilAward Desc|GCVOhon|country=yes}}, 15 August 1907[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28058/page/6150 The London Gazette], issue 28058, p. 6150

}}

The orders above which were from Allied nations were awarded prior to World War I.Decorations as of 1914 from the Bavarian War Ministry, Militär-Handbuch des Königreichs Bayern, 1914. World War I decorations from award rolls, Erhard Roth, Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Königreichs Bayern im Ersten Weltkrieg, 1997 ({{ISBN|3-932543-19-X}}), and Ferry W. von Péter, Verleihungen nichtbayerischer Orden und Ehrenzeichen an bayerischer Militärangehörige 1914-1918, 2001 ({{oclc|163144588}})

Ancestry

{{ahnentafel

|collapsed=yes |align=center

|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;

|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;

|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;

|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;

|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;

|1= 1. Prince Leopold of Bavaria

|2= 2. Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

|3= 3. Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria

|4= 4. Ludwig I of Bavaria

|5= 5. Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen

|6= 6. Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany

|7= 7. Princess Maria Anna of Saxony

|8= 8. Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria

|9= 9. Princess Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt

|10= 10. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

|11= 11. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

|12= 12. Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany

|13= 13. Princess Luisa of Naples and Sicily

|14= 14. Maximilian, Hereditary Prince of Saxony

|15= 15. Princess Carolina of Parma

}}

Notes

External links

{{PM20|FID=pe/011279}}

{{Succession box| title=Commander, 1. Königlich Bayerische Division| before=Generalleutnant Hugo Ritter von Diehl | after=Generalleutnant Prince Arnulf of Bavaria | years=16 June 1881 – 3 March 1887}}

{{Succession box| title=Commander, I. Königlich Bayerisches Armeekorps| before=General der Infanterie Karl Freiherr von Horn | after=Generaloberst Prince Arnulf of Bavaria | years=3 March 1887 – 27 June 1892}}

{{Succession box| title=Commander, IV Army Inspection| before=Generalfeldmarschall Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal | after=Generalfeldmarschall Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria | years=27 June 1892 – 27 March 1913}}

{{Succession box| title=Commander, 9th Army| before=Generaloberst August von Mackensen | after=Dissolved | years=17 April 1915 – 30 July 1916}}

{{Succession box| title=Commander, Heeresgruppe Prinz Leopold von Bayern| before=none | after=Remus von Woyrsch | years=5 August 1915 – 30 July 1916}}

{{Succession box| title=Oberbefehlshaber Ost| before=Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg | after=Dissolved | years=29 August 1916 – 1918}}

Category:1846 births

Category:1930 deaths

Category:People of the Austro-Prussian War

Category:German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War

Category:German Army generals of World War I

Category:Field marshals of Bavaria

Category:Field marshals of the German Empire

Category:Princes of Bavaria

Category:House of Wittelsbach

Category:Members of the Bavarian Reichsrat

Category:Military personnel from the Kingdom of Bavaria