Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Duke of Nassau
Died when: 88 years 116 days (1059 months)Star Sign: Leo
Adolphe (Adolf Wilhelm August Karl Friedrich; 24 July 1817 – 17 November 1905) was Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 23 November 1890 to his death on 17 November 1905.
The first grand duke from the House of Nassau-Weilburg, he succeeded King William III of the Netherlands, ending the personal union between the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Adolphe was Duke of Nassau from 20 August 1839 to 20 September 1866, when the Duchy was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia.Adolphe became Duke of Nassau in August 1839, following the death of his father William.
The Duchy was annexed to Prussia after Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War.From 1815 to 1839, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was ruled by the kings of the Netherlands as a province of the Netherlands.
Following the Treaty of London (1839), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg became independent but remained in personal union with the Netherlands.
Following the death of his sons, the Dutch king William III had no male heirs to succeed him.In the Netherlands, females were allowed to succeed to the throne.
Luxembourg, however, followed Salic law which barred females from succession.Thus, upon King William III's death, the crown of the Netherlands passed to his only daughter, Wilhelmina, while that of Luxembourg passed to Adolphe in accordance with the Nassau Family Pact.
Adolphe died in 1905 and was succeeded by his son, William IV.
