Karl, Grand Duke of Baden

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Karl, Grand Duke of Baden

Karl Ludwig Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden (July 8, 1786 in Karlsruhe-December 8, 1818 in Rastatt) became ruler of Baden on June 10, 1811 and ruled until his death.

His father was Karl Ludwig of Baden, the heir to the Margraviate of Baden, which was raised to a grand duchy after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. His mother was Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt, the daughter of Ludwig IX of Hesse-Darmstadt. He was the brother-in-law of the rulers of Bavaria, Russia and Sweden. His eldest sister Karoline was the queen consort of Maximilian I of Bavaria, his second eldest sister Luise was the Empress consort of Alexander I of Russia and his third eldest sister Friederike was the queen consort of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden.

Karl was 25 years old when he became the Grand Duke. He succeeded his grandfather Karl Friedrich upon the latters death, as Karl's father had died in 1801 during a trip to Sweden.

Events that occurred during his reign

• The end of Napoléon I's rule and the Congress of Vienna, which confirmed the territorial gains Baden had made during the Napoleonic era.
• 1818 The passing of a new, liberal constitution
• The height of Friedrich Weinbrenner's career
• 1817 The start of the administration of the Rhine by Johann Gottfried Tulla
• The premiere of the velocipede by Karl Drais

Marriage and family

Hereditary Prince Karl married Stéphanie de Beauharnais (August 28, 1789 – January 29, 1860), daughter of Claude de Beauharnais and the adopted daughter of Napoléon I of France in Paris on April 8, 1806. Their children:

• Luise (June 5, 1811 – July 19, 1854) married her first cousin Gustav of Sweden (November 9, 1799 – August 4, 1877) on November 9, 1830.
• Unnamed son (September 29, 1812 – October 16, 1812)
• Josephine (October 21, 1813 – June 19, 1900) married Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (September 7, 1811 – June 2, 1885) on October 21, 1834.
• Alexander (May 1, 1816 – May 8, 1817)
• Marie (October 11, 1817 – October 17, 1888) married William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton (February 15, 1811 – July 15, 1863) on February 23, 1843

As Grand Duke Karl did not have any surviving male children, upon his death he was succeeded by his uncle Ludwig I. It has been speculated that the foundling Kaspar Hauser was his son, and therefore the actual hereditary prince, a claim now established as false.