Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (12 October 1855 – 21 January 1934) was the fourth Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and became Duke of Schleswig-Holstein in 1931.

Friedrich Ferdinand
Duke of Schleswig-Holstein
Head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Predecessor	Friedrich
Successor	Wilhelm Friedrich
Born	(1855-10-12)12 October 1855 Kiel, Duchy of Holstein
Died	21 January 1934(1934-01-21) (aged 78) Primkenau, Province of Silesia, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany[1]
Spouse	Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Issue	Victoria Adelaide, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alexandra Victoria, Princess August Wilhelm of Prussia Helena Adelaide, Princess Harald of Denmark Adelaide Louise, Princess of Solms-Baruth Wilhelm Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein Karoline Mathilde, Countess Hans of Solms-Baruth
Full name Frederick Ferdinand George Christian Charles William German: Friedrich Ferdinand Georg Christian Karl Wilhelm
House	Glücksburg
Father	Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Mother	Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe

Family and succession

Friedrich Ferdinand was born in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein, the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe and a nephew of Christian IX of Denmark. Friedrich Ferdinand succeeded to the headship of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and title duke upon the death of his father on 27 November 1885. When the Head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein died on 27 April 1931, Friedrich Ferdinand became the Head of the House of Oldenburg and inherited the title Duke of Schleswig-Holstein.

Marriage and issue

Friedrich Ferdinand married Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and his wife Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, on 19 March 1885 at Primkenau. Friedrich Ferdinand and Karoline Mathilde had six children:

• Princess Viktoria Adelheid Helene Luise Marie Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (31 December 1885 – 3 October 1970)
• Princess Alexandra Viktoria Auguste Leopoldine Charlotte Amalie Wilhelmine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (21 April 1887 – 15 April 1957)
• Princess Helene Adelheid Viktoria Marie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1 June 1888 – 30 June 1962)
• Princess Adelheid Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (19 October 1889 – 11 June 1964)
• Wilhelm Friedrich Christian Günther Albert Adolf Georg, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (23 August 1891 – 10 February 1965)
• Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (11 May 1894 – 28 January 1972)

Death

Friedrich Ferdinand died in 1934 at Hause Eckernförde close to Güby in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany aged 78.

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

• 12 October 1855 – 19 December 1863: His Serene Highness Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• 19 December 1863 – 24 October 1878: His Highness Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• 24 October 1878 – 27 November 1885: His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• 27 November 1885 – 27 April 1931: His Highness The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• 27 April 1931 – 21 January 1934: His Highness The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

Honours

• Duchy of Anhalt: Grand Cross of Albert the Bear, 1886[2]
•  Denmark: Knight of the Elephant, 8 April 1876[3]
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 11 October 1905[4]
•  Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1877[5]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

8. Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck 4. Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 9. Countess Friederike of Schlieben 2. Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 10. Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel 5. Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel 11. Princess Louise of Denmark 1. Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein 12. Philip II, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe 6. George William, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe 13. Princess Juliane of Hesse-Philippsthal 3. Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe 14. Georg I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont 7. Princess Ida of Waldeck and Pyrmont 15. Princess Augusta of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

References

1. H. Sandner, in his biography of his son-in-law, Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Hitlers Herzog (2010), states on p. 257 that Friedrich Ferdinand dies at Primkenau, Silesia (now Przemków, Poland).
2. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Herzogtum Anhalt (1894) "Herzoglicher Haus-orden Albrecht des Bären" p. 17
3. Bille-Hansen, A. C.; Holck, Harald, eds. (1900) [1st pub.:1801]. Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1900 [State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1900] (PDF). Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender (in Danish). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 30 April 2020 – via da:DIS Danmark.
4. The Edinburgh Gazette, issue 11771, p. 1013
5. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 28

Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg Born: 12 October 1855 Died: 21 January 1934
German nobility
Preceded by Friedrich	Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 27 November 1885–27 April 1931	Succeeded by Himself as Duke of Schleswig-Holstein
Preceded by Albert	Duke of Schleswig-Holstein 27 April 1931–21 January 1934	Succeeded by Wilhelm Friedrich