Figure 1.--This is Prince Franz, a son of Ludwig III. Franz is shown with his son Ludwig. I am not sure when this portrait was taken, but it was during World War I--probably about 1916. Prince Franz commanded units on the Western Frint.

Prince Franz of Bavaria was born at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg, Bavaria (1875). Franz was King Ludwig III's third son. His mother was Princess/Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (1849- ). Austria-Este was an Italian-based cadet offshoot of the main Hapsburg family. We know nothoing about his childhood at this time. He went into the Imperial Army. He commanded the commander of the 2. Infanterie-Regiments König. Just before the outbreak of World War I, Prince Franz was given command of the 3. bayerische Infanteriebrigade. He compiled an impressive record during the fighting on the Western Front. It was renamed the 4. Infanterie-Brigade. Prince Franz commanded his brigade in the victorious battles of Fort Douaumont, Passchendaele and Kemmelberg on the Western Front. He received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph (May 25, 1916). He was next given command of the entire 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division (October 28, 1916). Prince Franz was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph and the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military decoration (May 16, 1918). The 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division was involved in the Second Battle of the Somme and suffered heavy losses (summer 1918). They were then moved to the quieter Italian front where it was when the war ended. Prince Franz married Princess Isabella Antonie of Cro˙ (1912). The House of Cro˙ takes it name from the Château de Cro˙ and became an international family. Isabella was the daughter of Duke Karl Alfred of Cro˙ and Princess Ludmilla of Arenberg. They were married at the Schloss Weilburg in Baden near Vienna, Austria. They had six children: Ludwig (1913- ), Maria Elisabeth (1914- ), Aldegunde Maria (1917-2004), Eleonore Marie (1918- ), Princess Dorothea Therese (1920- ), and Rasso (1926- ), We know very little about the children or their adult lives. Prince Franz of Bavaria died at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg (1957). He is interned in the Colombarium at the Michaelskirche in Munich.

Parents

Prince Franz was King Ludwig III's third son. His mother was Princess/Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (1849- ). Austria-Este was an Italian-based cadet offshoot of the main Hapsburg family.

Childhhod

Prince Franz of Bavaria was born at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg, Bavaria (1875). We know nothoing about his childhood at this time.

Education

Military Career

Prince Frbnz went into the Imperial Army. He commanded the commander of the 2. Infanterie-Regiments König.

World War I

Just before the outbreak of World War I, Prince Franz was given command of the 3. bayerische Infanteriebrigade. He compiled an impressive record during the fighting on the Western Front. It was renamed the 4. Infanterie-Brigade. Prince Franz commanded his brigade in the victorious battles of Fort Douaumont, Passchendaele and Kemmelberg on the Western Front. He received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph (May 25, 1916). He was next given command of the entire 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division (October 28, 1916). Prince Franz was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph and the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military decoration (May 16, 1918). The 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division was involved in the Second Battle of the Somme and suffered heavy losses (summer 1918). They were then moved to the quieter Italian front where it was when the war ended.

Family

Prince Franz married Princess Isabella Antonie of Cro˙ (1912). The House of Cro˙ takes it name from the Château de Cro˙ and became an international family. Isabella was the daughter of Duke Karl Alfred of Cro˙ and Princess Ludmilla of Arenberg. They were married at the Schloss Weilburg in Baden near Vienna, Austria. They had six children: Ludwig (1913- ), Maria Elisabeth (1914- ), Aldegunde Maria (1917-2004), Eleonore Marie (1918- ), Princess Dorothea Therese (1920- ), and Rasso (1926- ), We know very little about the children or their adult lives.

Later Life

Rupert's younger brother Franz and his family lived most of the year at Schloss Sárvár. This wa alarf\ge large estate in western Hungary which had been inherited by Rupert and Franz's mother Queen Mary IV and III. We do not yet have details on Prince Franz's politics other than he si\urely was a moarchist. He may have followed his older brother Prince Ruprecht who wanted nthing to do with the NAZIS. Crown Prince Rupprecht (Ruppert) succeeded as head of the Wittelsbach dynasty upon the death of his father, Ludwig III, the last ruling King of Bavaria (1921). With the NAZI takeover, actions against monarchist groups and the Wittelsbachs in particular must have affected Prince Franz abnd his family. In order to avoid membership in the Nazi University Student Corps, Prince Franz had his son Ludwig withdraw from his university in Germany, and began studies at the University of Budapest. Prince Franz and his family spent most of World War II at the family castle in Hungary. With the approach of the Red Army, they fled back to Bavaria (1945). They settled at the family castle Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg. It was there the Prince died (1957). He is interned in the Colombarium at the Michaelskirche in Munich.

Created: March 16, 2003
Last updated: 5:06 PM 8/29/2012