Erika Irene-Aquitania

**Erika, Duchess of Sussex** (born **Princess** **Erika Irene-Aquitania**; 18 August 1765 – 6 November 1856), also known as **Princess Fredricka of Austria**, was an Austrian-Prussian princess and second wife of the Duke of Sussex, Prince Augustus Frederick. Her first marriage to Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria was so shrouded in mystery and red-tape that members of her own family didn`t even know until the beginning of the 19th century that she had married another person after the death of her husband. Her two younger siblings, Prince Fredrick of Silesia and Princess Alice of Silesia, became her heir presumptive's in cause of her own children dying before their death; her only brother (Fredrick) would be poisoned by protesters, with her younger sister Alice ascending as heir presumptive.

Erika grew up in Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia. Her father, who was the youngest son of the King of Prussia was gifted the former Hapsburg territory of Silesia upon the occasion of his wedding to Erika`s mother as a wedding gift from his father and granted him complete authority over the province. Her sickly mother was often found in the library and as her paternal grandfather had not specified an exact line of succession of former Hapsburg territory of Silesia, Erika became the heir apparent to her father—as she was the heir apparent to her father, more was expected of her—her father wrote of Erika`s training in his diary, "My oldest daughter Erika trains everyday in swordsmanship, chivalry, and leadership—God help her the day that she goes to war." Despite her spunky nature, she enjoyed the company of the young Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria and personally arranged their engagement—which greatly surprised the young Archduke—their marriage was halted by the War of the Austrian Succession and eventually led to them marrying in 1777. This first marriage was filled with love, and produced only one child (Prince Karl II)—both parents were disappointed as they had hoped for a daughter instead of a son—Erika entrusted him to the care of a governess and was greatly pained after her much beloved husband died in 1801. As even the Archduke`s mother had not learned of their marriage—Erika managed to avoid speculation of her husband and never mentioned her first marriage. In 1830, she met the young Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, and was enamored with him—he was quite taken with her and heavily enjoyed her company—in 1834, the two married each other in a large civil ceremony which shocked both the British and Prussian Royal Courts as they had no idea that either of their respective royals were planning to settle down with each other. She passed Karl II off, as her late maternal uncle`s youngest child born to his late wife, Princess Diana of Greece—she named him as her successor which shocked both of the Royal Courts—due to having no "children" yet. At age sixteen, Prince Karl was later assassinated by his own paternal uncle, who saw his own younger half-sisters, Princesses Augusta and Margaret as having more claim to the throne than him. The Austrian-Prussian was incredibly shocked and distraught at his funeral—her own paternal uncle was sentenced to death for manslaughter—a crime from which he was not acquitted and he was burned at the stake for supposed witchcraft.

## Biography

### **Early Life**

Erika Fredricka was born at Lion Duchy Palace, Silesia. She was the 1st child and 1st daughter of Fredrick and Viktoria II of Irene, Prussia, and Silesia.

She was baptised in the Holy Chapel at Lion Duchy Palace, on 25 September 1765, by Archbishop of Silesia Morgiana Cornwall. Her godparents were the Duchess of Prussia (her paternal aunt, for whom the Countess of Dulce-Prussia, Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen, stood proxy), Grand Duchess Elizabeth Augustus of Mecklenburg (her maternal grandaunt, from whom the Viscountess of Parma stood proxy), and Princess Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine (her sixth-once-removed cousin, for whom The Viscountess Isabella, Lady-in-waiting to her mother, stood proxy).

She was tutored at home—her status as the heir apparent to her father made her a target for high-profile assassinations—