Luxembourg: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Prime Minister Resigns after Being Implicated in Spying Probe Geography Luxembourg is about half the size of Delaware. The Ardennes Mountains extend from Belgium into the northern section of Luxembourg. The rolling plateau of the fertile Bon Pays is in the south. Government Constitutional monarchy. History Luxembourg, once part of Charlemagne's empire, became an independent state in 963, when Siegfried, count of Ardennes, became sovereign of Lucilinburhuc (“Little Fortress”). In 1060, Conrad, a descendant of Siegfried, took the title count of Luxembourg. From the 15th to the 18th century, Spain, France, and Austria held the duchy in turn. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 made it a grand duchy and gave it to William I, king of the Netherlands. In 1839, the Treaty of London ceded the western part of Luxembourg to Belgium.

The eastern part, continuing in personal union with the Netherlands and a member of the German Confederation, became autonomous in 1848 and a neutral territory by decision of the London Conference of 1867, governed by its grand duke. Germany occupied the duchy in World Wars I and II. Allied troops liberated the enclave in 1944. Luxembourg joined NATO in 1949, the Benelux Economic Union (with Belgium and the Netherlands) in 1948, and the European Economic Community (later the EU) in 1957. In 1961, Prince Jean, son and heir of Grand Duchess Charlotte, was made head of state, acting for his mother. She abdicated in 1964, and Prince Jean became grand duke. Luxembourg's parliament approved the Maastricht Accord, paving the way for the economic unity of the EU in July 1992. Crown Prince Henri was sworn in as grand duke in Oct. 2000, replacing his father, Jean, who had been head of state for 26 years.

Abdication of Grand Duchess Charlotte; Accession of Grand Duke Jean | Unofficial Royalty Abdication of Grand Duchess Charlotte; Accession of Grand Duke Jean November 12 1964 – Abdication of Grand Duchess Charlotte; Accession of Grand Duke Jean “I feel I have reached the age to retire, and I think that Jean is the age to take over. After all, I am 68 now.” – Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg #51395609 / gettyimages.com On November 12, 1964, in the presence of her family and members of the government, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg signed the declaration of abdication after a reign which lasted nearly 46 years. Her eldest son Jean , became the new reigning Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Nearly 36 years, Jean himself would abdication in favor of his eldest son, the current Grand Duke Henri. (You can read more about that here ) Charlotte was never expected to become Grand Duchess. She was second of six daughters of Grand Duke Guillaume IV and his wife, Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal . At the time, ony male descendants could succeed to the throne.

However, having only daughters, Grand Duke Guillaume IV made a change to the house laws allowing his daughters to succeed him should there be no male heir. Upon his death in 1912, his eldest daughter, Marie-Adelaide , became Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. This change applied only to the daughters of Guillaume. It wouldn’t be until 2011 that Luxembourg adopted absolute primogeniture, allowing all children, in order of birth, to succeed to the throne. Marie-Adelaide’s reign lasted only until 1919. During World War I, she was perceived as being too “friendly” with the Germans who had occupied Luxembourg. While remaining with her constitutional role, her actions, or perceived actions, led to many in the government to call for her abdication. Ceding to this pressure, she abdicated on January 14 1919, and her younger sister Charlotte became the new Grand Duchess. Charlotte’s reign saw her become a much-loved leader in the country, and a voice of strength and unity during World War II.

When the Germans occupied Luxembourg, Charlotte, having learned from her sister’s experience during the first World War, chose not to remain in country and with her family, fled the country. She established her government-in-exile in London where she continued to give radio broadcasts to the people of Luxembourg. She and her family returned in 1945, where she worked effortlessly to rebuild and restore Luxembourg and propel the small Grand Duchy onto the world’s stage. After nearly 20 more years, Charlotte decided that it was time to pass the torch to her son Jean. While remaining the head of state, in 1961 Charlotte handed over much of her constitutional duties to Jean, who served as Lieutenant Representative. Finally, in 1964, she formally abdicated in his favor. #104411283 / gettyimages.com Following the brief ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace, at which Charlotte signed the declaration of abdication, her son Jean was formally enthroned at a ceremony in the Hall of the Chamber of Deputies, where he swore allegiance to the Constitution of Luxembourg.

A Te Deum was then held at the Cathedral Notre Dame de Luxembourg, and the family appeared several times on the balcony of the Grand Ducal Palace. Grand Duchess Charlotte passed away at her home, Fischbach Castle, in July 1985. She was 89. Check out other royal dates posted daily on our forum . Grand duke | Article about grand duke by The Free Dictionary Grand duke | Article about grand duke by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Related to grand duke: archduke grand duke 1. a prince or nobleman who rules a territory, state, or principality 2. a son or a male descendant in the male line of a Russian tsar 3. a medieval Russian prince who ruled over other princes Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content .

Link to this page: Juncker wants to contest Luxembourg elections Yesterday the two had proved the simple truth that one can make money online quite easily and now both are sharing the highly desired position at the top of the Grand Duke online casino Hall of Fame: Dave with a $16500 win (about €11515) and Carin with €7300 (more than $10,460). Uzbek Ambassador to Luxembourg presents his credentials HM the King also voices satisfaction at the special bonds of solidarity and cooperation linking Morocco and Luxembourg in all fields, expressing to Grand Duke Henri resolve to carry on joint action for the consolidation of these relations both a the bilateral level and in the frame of the advanced status linking Morocco and the European Union. Luxembourg Profile – Important Facts, People and History Famous Luxembourger People The Grand Duchy Luxembourg, the sixth smallest nation in the world has its share of famous personalities that have made a mark in different fields – from the arts, politics, literature, sports and science. They are just some of many famous Luxembourgers who have lifted Luxembourg’s name worldwide and made a difference in our world. Their purpose and stories inspired awe if not greatness.

:: List of Famous People from Luxembourg :: Joseph Jean Ferdinand Kutter Joseph Kutter was born on December 12, 1894. He was one of the most important painters of Luxembourg. He introduced modern painting in his country, greatly inspired by the Impressionists painters of Europe but created his own style called Expressionism. He was first introduced to the works of Wilhelm Maria Hubertus Leibl when he studied painting at the Munich Academy before he became influenced by the style of French artist, Paul Cézanne. Kutter’s painting style always portrayed the subjects in the foreground. He regularly used strong brushstrokes with his portraits all notably showing large noses that particularly attract attention. Most notable of Kutter’s work were the Snow Scene, Wooden Horse, Red House and The Champion. Kutter contracted a disease that doctors failed to diagnose, which brought him great pain at times. He died on January 2, 1941. Marc Girardelli Marc Girardelli was born in Austria on July 18, 1963. Now retired, he was a former alpine ski racer and had been the World Cup overall champion five times.

Girardelli excelled in all of the five alpine disciplines at the height of his career. Girardelli started skiing at five years of age and began to race when he was seven years old. He was an Austrian skier until 1976 then switched to Luxembourg due to coaching disagreements. He made significant progress in his first podium in 1981 and from then on became a regular contender for the giant slalom and slalom podiums. He attained his first victory in Sweden in 1983 although it was followed by agony when he tore all the ligaments in his left knee, his first major skiing injury. But in the following year, 1984, Girardelli won five slalom races, placing third in the World Cup overall standings. He went on to win 11 races and the World Cup overall title in 1985, 1986 and 1989. He had his second major skiing injury in 1990 where he almost became a paraplegic.

He subsequently made a full recovery and won the World Cup overall title once again in 1991, and won the coveted title for the fifth time in 1993 – an achievement that is still unequalled in the men’s side. He was not eligible to join the Luxembourg skiing team in the 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics because he was still an Austrian citizen at the time. He finally received his Luxembourg citizenship before the Winter Olympics in 1988 but he did not win any medal. In the 1992 Winter Olympics, Girardelli won silver in the giant slalom and in the Super G. Henri Owen Tudor Engineer, inventor and industrialist, Henri Owen Tudor, born on September 30, 1859 was the developer of the first practical lead-acid battery in the world, the Tudor battery. He developed it in 1886. He quickly established a manufacturing plant in Luxembourg but found it too costly because local demand was very little at that time and his country did not have a lead industry. Tudor expanded and established manufacturing in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and in Belgium.

His company employed 25,000 people by the time Henry Tudor died in 1928, ironically from lead poisoning. Joseph (Josy) Barthel Josy Barthel, one of Luxembourg’s outstanding athletes was born on April 24, 1927. He was a middle distance runner during WWII. He won the Military World Championships held in Berlin in the 800 meter division in 1947. He improved his record by winning both the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters the following year in the Military World Championships held in Brussels. He held the distinction of winning the gold in the Men’s 1500 meters during the Summer Olympics in 1952. And he was the only athlete from Luxembourg to have won an Olympic gold medal. Four years earlier, in the Summer Olympics in London, Josy finished 9th in the finals of the 1,500 meters. In 1949 he won the Student World Championships in the 800 meters, and then followed that up with wins in the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters in 1951.

Josy Barthel retired from running after participating in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He acted as the president of the Luxembourg Athletics Federation in 1962 before he held the position of president of the Luxembourgish Olympic and Sporting Committee from 1973 to 1977. Josy died from a severe illness on July 7, 1992. The Lycée Technique Josy Barthel and the Stade Josy Barthel were named in his honor. Gilles Müller Gilles Müller who was born on May 9, 1983 holds the distinction of being one of the most successful professional tennis players from Luxembourg. He was a finalist in the Wimbledon Championships in 2001. Müller was the 2001 boy’s singles champion in the US Open, beating Yeu-Tzuoo Wang 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the finals and ended the year as the Number 1 Junior Tennis Player in the world.

Although he has yet to win a title in the men’s senior tour, Gilles has the talent to advance in his career as he has beaten some of the great tennis players such as Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Almagro, Laurent Recouderc, Nikolay Davydenko and Feliciano Lopez. Charly Gaul Charly Gaul was one of the cycling greats from Luxembourg. He was born in Pfaffenthal on December 8, 1932. Charly was a fragile-looking man with a long, sad face. He had short legs which were not in proportion to his lanky figure. Despite looking fragile, Charly was a slaughterman at an abattoir and also worked in a butcher’s shop. He was an amateur cyclist who had won over 60 races before he turned professional in 1953. Charly was at his best when riding in cold, wet weather as he cannot stand the heat and he was a better climber, earning him the nickname, The Angel of the Mountains when he participated in the Tour de France in 1958.

He won the 1958 Tour de France with four stage victories, while he set the stage for that important victory by winning the Giro d’Italia in 1956 and again in 1959. Charly was also the Luxembourg cyclo-cross champion in 1953. Despite his fame, Charly lived as a recluse after retirement, losing much of his memory. He died of lung cancer on December 6, 2005. Hugo Gernsbacher Hugo Gernsbacher was born in Bonnevoie, a suburb in the capital city of Luxembourg on August 16, 1884. His name was shortened to Hugo Gernsback when he went to the United States. Gernsback was a writer, magazine publisher and an inventor. He published the first science fiction magazine and considered as the father of science fiction together with Jules Vern and H. G. Wells for the significance of his contribution to the science fiction genre. The Hugos, the annual awards for achievements in science fiction are named after him.

Hugo Gernsback founded the radio station WRNY in New York, the Modern Electronics magazine, the first magazine in the world dedicated to radio and electronics, the Wireless Association of America and The Electrical Experimenter, another amateur radio magazine. It was later named Science and Invention. Gernsback also published a magazine called Amazing Stories containing science fiction stories but lost the popular magazine due to a bankruptcy lawsuit. He came back with Air Wonder Stories and Science Wonder Stories, two new magazines which he published until 1936 before these were sold to Thrilling Publications. In 1952 and 1953, Gernsback published the Science-Fiction Plus magazine. Hugo Gernsback died on August 19, 1967 in New York. Jonas Ferdinand Gabriel Lippmann Gabriel Lippmann was born on August 16, 1845 was an inventor and physicist and a recipient of the Nobel laureate in physics. His family moved to Paris when he was three years old. Although inattentive in school, he was quite interested in mathematics and preferred to study physics than take the exam that will prepare him for a teaching profession.

He was sent by the French government on a special mission to the Heidelberg University where he graduated summa cum laude, specializing in electricity. Eventually he became a physics professor at the Sorbonne. Some of the notable contributions of Lippmann included the first capillary electrometer, later called the Lippmann electrometer, used in the first ECG machine. He also invented the method to reproduce colors based on interference phenomenon in photography and eventually received a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1908 for his invention. He was also able to devise integral photography in 1908, a method of recording images of scenes appearing in vertical and horizontal locations creating life-size and three dimensional scenes. Lippmann was also the inventor of the ceolostat, a tool used in astronomy that compensates for the earth’s rotation, thus allowing a region of the sky to be photograph without manifesting any movement. Georges Christen Georges Christen is a strongman born in Luxembourg in 1962. He has amazed the world with his feats of strength, including towing ships, planes trains with his teeth, bending nails, and tearing up phone books.

Overall, Christen holds 23 Guinness World Records, including the first man to inflate hot water bottles by sheer lung power. William Justin Kroll William Justin Kroll was a National Investors Hall of Fame inductee in 2000. He was born on November 24, 1889 in Luxembourg. Kroll invented a process in 1932 to produce metallic titanium by combining titanium tetrachloride with calcium. The process was later named the Kroll Process. In its pure form titanium was difficult to extract from its natural state and it was impossible to heat the metal since it becomes useless. As titanium is the 4th most abundant structural metal, Kroll’s invention was highly significant. It paved the way to create a metal alloy that is non-corrosive, with superior strength and lightness, which became highly prized as the metal of choice for the production of jet engines, piping systems, marine equipment, watches and golf clubs. It is also used in the manufacture of artificial knees and hips. Dr. Kroll died on March 30, 1973.

Jeff Strasser Jeff Strasser, born on October 5, 1974, is one of the most successful footballers from Luxembourg. Although retired from club football, at the international level, he still plays as a defender. His football career took off when he played for the first divisions in France and Germany. He first played for FC Metz in Ligue 1 for France between 1993 and 1999. He later moved to the German Bundesliga, playing for 1.FC Kaiserslautern where he spent three seasons from 1999 to 2001. In 2002 Strasser moved to another German football club, Borussia Monchengladbach and stayed there for four seasons, scoring 10 goals in 194 appearances for the two German clubs. RC Strasbourg in French Ligue 2 side was Strasser’s club in August 2006. After one season he signed up with FC Metz for two seasons. When his contract ended he went back to Luxembourg to play for CS Fola Esch.

His contract was for 2 years but it only lasted for 17 days because he moved to play for Grasshopper, a Swiss football club based in Zurich, where Strasser stayed for one year. That was the end of his club career as he announced his retirement on May 17, 2010 from club football. Strasser is a member of the national football team of Luxembourg and made his debut in a World Cup qualifying match with Greece in 1993 and had played 29 World Cup qualifying matches in his international career. He already had earned 88 caps for Luxembourg and scored 6 goals, making him an all-time record holder for most caps in his country. Since his retirement, Strasser had been appointed to be the youth manager of CS Fola Esch. After seven months Strasser was promoted to coach the senior team of Fola Esch. Emil Gustav Hirsch Emil Hirsch was born on May 22, 1852 in Luxembourg, the son of a philosopher and Rabbi Samuel Hirsch. His family moved to the United States where Emil received his education from the University of Pennsylvania and has his post-graduate work done in Berlin.

Emil became a rabbi at Baltimore’s Har Sinai Congregation from 1877 to 1878 and then spent two years as a rabbi in Louisville, Kentucky. From 1880 up to 1923, a total of 42 years, Emil Hirsch was the rabbi of the Chicago Sinai Congregation where he made a massive impact on a mixed congregation, unwavering in his conviction to have social reforms. In 1892 he was appointed as a professor of philosophy and rabbinical literature at the University of Chicago. From 1885 to 1897 Emil Hirsch served on the board of the Chicago Public Library. He also did various editing work, including the Jewish Encyclopedia’s Department of the Bible. He was instrumental in convincing Sears, Roebuck and Co. co-owner Julius Rosenwald to help build public schools for African-Americans. Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d’Aviano He is better known as Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, born on January 5, 1921. His parents were Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma.

Pope Benedict XV was one of his godparents. Grand Duke Jean ruled Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000. His family fled to Paris when Luxembourg was invaded by Germany in 1940. Grand Duke Jean later studied at Université Laval in Quebec, where he took up law and political science. In 1942 he volunteered in the Irish Guards. He received military training and became a captain in 1944 and joined the troop that fought in the liberation of Luxembourg as well as Brussels. He was an Irish Guard Colonel of the Regiment while ruling Luxembourg until he abdication on October 7, 2000. Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume Henri is the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He was born on April 16, 1955 and is the eldest of son of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. He came to the throne when Grand Duke Jean abdicated in his favor in 2000. On November 12, 1964 Henri became the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

He studied in Luxembourg, and then obtained his bachelor’s degree in France in 1974. At the University of Geneva, Grand Duke Henri took up political sciences graduated in 1980. He received his military officer trainingin the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. Grand Duke Henri married fellow political sciences student Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista in February 1981. They have five children and two grandchildren. Jean-Claude Juncker Jean-Claude Juncker is the current and the longest serving head of government of Luxembourg, having been the Prime Minister since January 20, 1995. He was born on December 9, 1954. Juncker is also the current president of the Euro Group, which has political control over the Euro and the EU’s monetary union. As the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, he had served as the President of the European Council in 1997 and 2005, serving for 6 months for each term. Jean-Claude Juncker also served as Governor of the World Bank in 1989 while holding the position of Minister of Labor.

In his second term, he gained more prominence in the European Union by chairing the Council of Economic and Financial Affairs and became one of the architects for the creation of the official European Union and the use of a single currency, the euro. While his superior, Jacques Santer was nominated as the president of the European Commission, Grand Duke Jean appointed Juncker as the Prime Minister in 1995. He also swapped his position of governor of the World Bank to be governor of the IMF, while holding his ministerial positions. In his position as Prime Minister, he embarked on improving the profile of Luxembourg internationally and went on state visits. He successfully settled the dispute between President Jacques Chirac of France and Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany over the policy of the EU Economic and Monetary Union. He received the Vision for Europe Award in 1998 because of his instigation of social integration in Europe, European policy against unemployment and ideals for the Euro 11. He was successful in having the Luxembourg vote for the ratification of the proposed constitution of the European Union and was awarded the Charlemagne Prize or the Karlspreis in 2006.

:: References :: Luxemburger Wort - Grand Duke Jean at 95 Luxembourg's former head of state Grand Duke Jean at 95 Published on Tuesday, 5 January, 2016 at 08:00 More picture galleries (JB) Grand Duke Jean will make a rare public appearance on Saturday at a special Philharmonie concert marking his 95th birthday. But he did not always keep such a low public profile, particularly when he served as a soldier for the British Army and during his 36 years as the eighth Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Born to be a leader Prince Jean was born January 5, 1921, at the Grand Ducal family home, the Château de Colmar-Berg, the eldest son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Félix de Bourbon-Palma. Not a lot of people know this, but his godfather was Pope Benedict XV. A soldier's life When Luxembourg was occupied by the Nazis during World War II, Grand Duke Jean, then Prince Jean, joined the Irish Guards, training at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 1942.

Remarkably, the royal prince served as a guard to the British Royal family at Buckingham Palace and even had to stand on duty when the King received a visit from his mother and sisters. Normandy Landings Prince Jean participated in the strategically pivotal Normandy or D-Day landings, arriving five days after the major assault on June 11, 1944, as part of a reinforcement unit. Three months later he drove into the newly liberated Luxembourg, along with the American Fifth Armoured Division. Incidentally, he re-entered the Grand Duchy at Rodange, the same way his family had left that hurried morning in May 1940. Rising up the ranks Grand Duke Jean was in Luxembourg on April 14, 1945, to greet his mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte, when she returned from her five-year exile to jubilant crowds. By this time, he had risen to the ranks of Captain and, working with the allied mission in Luxembourg following Germany's surrender, he worked to help repatriate Luxembourg nationals who had been deported.

Prince Jean was promoted to General of the Luxembourg Army in 1964, Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards in 1984, and in 1995 he was made Honorary General of the British Army. A father and leader Recent arrivals to Luxembourg will know Grand Duke Jean best as the father to the current Grand Duke, Henri. Prince Jean married Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium, the daughter of former King Leopold III of Belgium, on April 9, 1953. A year later they had the first of five children, Princess Marie-Astrid. Prince Henri, was the second oldest, followed by twins Prince Jean and Princess Margaretha and Prince Guillaume. On November 12, 1964, he became the Grand Duchy's eighth sovereign (since the country gained independence in 1839) and the first Grand Duke in history to have been born and grow up in the Grand Duchy. He represented the country for 36 years until he abdicated on October 7, 2000. Chief Scout Given his military background, it is fitting that the retired figure head is involved in a number of organisations supporting former soldiers.

But he also has many diverse interests, for instance in environmental protection, sport, photography and music. He is also Chief Scout of the Luxembourg Scouting Association. Today, he lives at his home in Fischbach Castle. In 2014, Editions Saint Paul produced a book about Jean de Luxembourg commemorating 50 years since his accession to the throne. To order a copy, visit Do not miss the news - sign up to receive the wort.lu newsletter in English delivered to your inbox six days a week. More on this theme Luxembourg: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Prime Minister Resigns after Being Implicated in Spying Probe Geography Luxembourg is about half the size of Delaware. The Ardennes Mountains extend from Belgium into the northern section of Luxembourg. The rolling plateau of the fertile Bon Pays is in the south. Government Constitutional monarchy. History Luxembourg, once part of Charlemagne's empire, became an independent state in 963, when Siegfried, count of Ardennes, became sovereign of Lucilinburhuc (“Little Fortress”). In 1060, Conrad, a descendant of Siegfried, took the title count of Luxembourg.

From the 15th to the 18th century, Spain, France, and Austria held the duchy in turn. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 made it a grand duchy and gave it to William I, king of the Netherlands. In 1839, the Treaty of London ceded the western part of Luxembourg to Belgium. The eastern part, continuing in personal union with the Netherlands and a member of the German Confederation, became autonomous in 1848 and a neutral territory by decision of the London Conference of 1867, governed by its grand duke. Germany occupied the duchy in World Wars I and II. Allied troops liberated the enclave in 1944. Luxembourg joined NATO in 1949, the Benelux Economic Union (with Belgium and the Netherlands) in 1948, and the European Economic Community (later the EU) in 1957. In 1961, Prince Jean, son and heir of Grand Duchess Charlotte, was made head of state, acting for his mother. She abdicated in 1964, and Prince Jean became grand duke.

Luxembourg's parliament approved the Maastricht Accord, paving the way for the economic unity of the EU in July 1992. Crown Prince Henri was sworn in as grand duke in Oct. 2000, replacing his father, Jean, who had been head of state for 26 years. Luxembourg: History Luxembourg History Through the Nineteenth Century The county of Luxembourg (originally Lützelburg), extending between the Meuse and Moselle rivers and including the Luxembourg province of Belgium, was one of the largest fiefs in the Holy Roman Empire. John of Luxemburg , king of Bohemia and father of Emperor Charles IV , made Luxembourg a duchy in 1354. The elder line of the house continued in Bohemia and other parts of the Roman empire, with Emperors Wenceslaus and Sigismund; the younger line, descended from Charles's brother, Duke Wenceslaus, continued in Luxembourg. (The French noble family of Luxembourg was descended in collateral line from an early count of Luxembourg.) In 1443, Philip the Good of Burgundy seized the duchy, and in 1451, he was confirmed in possession by the estates of Luxembourg.

Luxembourg passed in 1482 to the house of Hapsburg following the death of Mary of Burgundy. For the ensuing three centuries it shared the history of the S Netherlands (see Netherlands, Austrian and Spanish ), passing from Spanish to Austrian rule in 1714. The southern part of the duchy, including Montmédy, Thionville, and Longwy, was ceded to France in the Peace of the Pyrenees (1659). In 1684, Louis XIV of France seized Luxembourg, but he was obliged to restore it to Spain by the Treaty of Ryswick (1697). Occupied by the French during the French Revolutionary Wars, the duchy was formally ceded to France by the Treaty of Campo Formio (1797). The Congress of Vienna (1814–15) officially made Luxembourg a grand duchy, in personal union through the sovereign with the Netherlands. At the same time, Luxembourg became a member of the German Confederation, and the fortress in the capital was garrisoned by Prussian troops.

When in 1830 the Belgians rebelled against William I of the Netherlands, Luxembourg shared in the revolt. Belgium, on gaining independence, claimed the entire grand duchy; it eventually obtained (1839) the major part (i.e., the present Belgian Luxembourg prov.). The remainder, continuing in personal union with the Netherlands as well as a member of the German Confederation, became autonomous and was granted a constitution in 1848. When the German Confederation was dissolved in 1866, William III of the Netherlands agreed to sell the grand duchy to France, nearly provoking war between France and Prussia. At the London Conference of 1867 the European powers declared Luxembourg a neutral territory; its fortress was dismantled and the Prussian garrison withdrawn. William III died (1890) without a male heir; his daughter Wilhelmina succeeded him in the Netherlands, but Duke Adolf of Nassau , from a collateral line, became grand duke of Luxembourg. The Twentieth Century Grand Duke Adolf was followed in 1905 by William IV and in 1912 by Marie Adelaide.

In 1914, Germany violated the neutrality of the grand duchy and occupied it for the duration of World War I. Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide abdicated in 1919 in favor of her sister, Charlotte , who married Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. Germany again invaded (May, 1940) neutral Luxembourg in World War II. The grand duchess and her cabinet fled abroad, and a government in exile was established in London. Allied troops liberated Luxembourg in Sept., 1944. Luxembourg entered the United Nations (1946) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, and it received Marshall Plan aid. A constitutional revision (1948) abolished the perpetual neutrality of the grand duchy, a status that in practice had ended with the introduction of compulsory military service (1944–67). In 1958, Luxembourg joined with Belgium and the Netherlands to establish the Benelux Economic Union and became a founding member of the European Economic Community (now the European Union).

In 1961, Prince Jean, son and heir of Grand Duchess Charlotte, was made his mother's representative as head of state; she formally abdicated in 1964, and Prince Jean became grand duke. In 1995 Jean-Claude Juncker of the Social Christian People's party became premier; he succeeded Jacques Santer , who became head of the European Union's European Commission . Juncker resigned in 2013 and new elections were called after a misconduct scandal involving Luxembourg's secret service; Juncker was responsible for the agency's oversight. A recent problem in Luxembourg has been the increasing number of aging citizens and a lack of population growth, both of which affect the economy and have led to a dependence on foreign workers. Grand Duke Jean abdicated in favor of his eldest son, Prince Henri, in Oct., 2000. Constitutional changes in 2008 ended the monarch's power to approve Luxembourg's laws.

Sections in this article: Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg | Unofficial Royalty Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg photo: Wikipedia Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg was the sovereign from January 14, 1919 until November 12, 1964. She was born Princess Charlotte Adelgonde Élise/Elisabeth Marie Wilhelmine on January 23, 1896 at Berg Castle , the second of six daughters of Grand Duke William IV and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal . At the time, Luxembourg did not allow for female succession. However, having only six daughters, William IV had the laws changed to allow his daughters to succeed him. Upon his death in February 1912, Charlotte’s elder sister, Marie-Adélaide succeeded as Grand Duchess. However, Marie-Adélaide’s actions during World War I and her perceived close relationship with the Germans, forced her to abdicate the throne in January 1919. Charlotte became the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. View image | gettyimages.com November 6, 1919, Grand Duchess Charlotte married her first cousin, Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma .

He was the son of Robert I, Duke of Parma , and his second wife, Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal . One of 24 children of his father’s two marriages, Felix was the younger brother of Empress Zita of Austria . Following a rather small and private civil ceremony in the morning, a large religious ceremony was held at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg City.

The couple lived at Berg Castle, and had six children: Grand Duke Jean (1921- ); married Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium, five children Princess Elizabeth (1922-2011) – married Franz, Duke of Hohenberg, two children Princess Marie-Adélaide (1924-2007) – married Count Karl Josef Henckel von Donnersmarck, four children Princess Marie Gabrielle (1925- ) – married Knud Johan, Count of Holstein-Ledreborg, seven children Prince Charles (1927-1977) – married Joan Douglas Dillon, two children Princess Alix (1929- ) – married Antoine, 13th Prince de Ligne, seven children Luxembourg was a neutral country under the terms of the Treaty of London 1839 . Despite this, just as they’d done in World War I, German forces invaded Luxembourg in May 1940, and the Grand Duchess along with her leading ministers decided to place themselves under the protection of France. Charlotte and her family took up residence in southwest France, but were soon forced to leave due to the German advances.

They settled in Portugal, but were soon on the move again. Charlotte went on to London where she began making radio broadcasts to the people of Luxembourg, something for which she would become well known during the war. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s husband and children had sailed to the United States, on a US Navy ship sent for them by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Arriving in July 1940, they settled at Hillwood, the Long Island estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post (a close friend of the Grand Duchess), and remained there for a few months before moving on to Canada. In October 1940, Charlotte and her mother settled in a home at 1305 Pine Avenue in Montreal, and were soon joined by the rest of her family. In March 1941, she purchased the former Alexander Stewart House on Embassy Row in Washington DC. The house served as the base for the Luxembourg Legation, and also as the residence of the Charlotte’s mother, the Dowager Grand Duchess Maria Ana. (Charlotte later sold the house to the Luxembourg government in 1962.

The building remains the Luxembourg Embassy.) Sadly, in July 1942, the Dowager Grand Duchess passed away in New York City. She was initially buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens, NY, and following the war, her remains were moved to the Grand Ducal Crypt at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg. View image | gettyimages.com Grand Duchess Charlotte returned to London in 1943 and remained there for the duration of the war. Finally, on April 14, 1945, Charlotte returned to her homeland, and the family took up residence at Fischbach Castle , which had suffered significantly less damage than the other royal properties – Berg Castle and the Grand Ducal Palace. Her focus now became the rebuilding of Luxembourg, and bringing the tiny nation to a more prominent profile in Europe. Through the remainder of her reign, she entertained world leaders and paid visits to many others. Her efforts to gain Luxembourg a place on the world’s stage were successful. In 1949, under Charlotte’s guidance, Luxembourg was one of the founding members of NATO .

View image | gettyimages.com In April 1961, Charlotte transferred many of her constitutional duties to her son Jean, although she remained Head of State. Three years later, on November 12, 1964, Grand Duchess Charlotte formally abdicated the throne of Luxembourg, and Jean became the new reigning Grand Duke. Charlotte and her husband celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1969, and he passed away a few months later, on April 8, 1970, at Fischbach Castle. Grand Duchess Charlotte made her last public appearance in May 1985, at a visit from Pope John Paul II held at the Grand Ducal Palace. She died two months later, on July 9, 1985, at Fischbach Castle. She was 89 years old. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, following which her remains were interred in the Grand Ducal Crypt. Learn more about royalty, past and present here and share your thoughts on our forums .

Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg | Royalty Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg 485pages on This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia ( view authors ) Henri ( given names : Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume; born at Betzdorf Castle in Betzdorf, Luxembourg, 16 April 1955) is the head of state of Luxembourg. Contents Edit Henri became Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg on 12 November 1964 and was educated in Luxembourg and in France, where he obtained his baccalaureate in 1974. He then studied political sciences at Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, in Geneva, graduating in 1980. The Grand Duke also undertook military officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England. Personal life The Grand Duke lives with his family at Berg Castle in Luxembourg. He also has a holiday home at Cabasson, near Bormes-les-Mimosas in the south of France. Marriage Edit While studying in Geneva, Henri met the former María Teresa Mestre y Batista , who was also a political sciences student.

They married in Luxembourg on 4 February/14 February 1981 with the previous consent of the Grand Duke, dated 7 November 1980. Children Prince Sébastien Henri Marie Guillaume (b. 16 April 1992) Health Edit On February 3, 2011, Henri was admitted to the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg after becoming ill. Shortly after, the Grand Ducal Court issued a statement saying that he was to undergo an angioplasty. The day after, the Communications Chief announced that the surgery had been a success. “The state of His Royal Highness’ health is not disturbing,” the statement read, before stating the Grand Duke may leave hospital within the next few days. Although the reason has not formally been disclosed, it is reported that the Grand Duke felt ill after waking on the third, and the Court Physician noticed circulation problems. It was then that he was rushed to hospital, to the cardiac unit, and was discharged the following day. As of February 5, he is currently believed to be spending time at Berg Castle in Colmar-Berg.

Royal life Edit Prince Henri became heir apparent to the Luxembourg throne on the abdication of his paternal grandmother, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg , on 12 November 1964. From 1980 to 1998, he was a member of the Council of State. On 4 March 1998, Prince Henri was appointed as Lieutenant Representative by his father, Grand Duke Jean, meaning that he assumed most of his father's constitutional powers. On 7 October 2000, immediately following the abdication of his father, Henri acceded as Grand Duke of Luxembourg and took the constitutional oath before the Chamber of Deputies later that day. As the head of a constitutional monarchy, Grand Duke Henri's duties are primarily representative. However, he retains the constitutional power to appoint the Prime Minister and Government, to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, to promulgate laws and to accredit ambassadors. Grand Duke Henri is Commander-in-Chief of the Luxembourg Army, in which he holds the rank of General. He is also an Honorary Major in the British Parachute Regiment. One of the Grand Duke's main functions is to represent Luxembourg in the field of foreign affairs.

In May 2001, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa undertook their first foreign state visit to Spain, at the invitation of Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain Grand Duke Henri is a member of the International Olympic Committee, a member of The Mentor Foundation (established by the World Health Organization) and a Director of the Charles Darwin Trust for the Galapagos Islands. Euthanasia controversy Edit On 2 December 2008 it was announced that Grand Duke Henri had stated he would refuse to sign into law the act on euthanasia that had been voted on earlier in the year by the Chamber of Deputies. A second and final vote has yet to take place, at which point signature of the Grand Duke would be necessary to approve and enact the law. Whilst the long-term implications for the constitutional position of the Grand Duke are unclear, it was announced by Minister of State Jean-Claude Juncker that a Constitutional Amendment would be proposed, whereby the signature of the Monarch would no longer be necessary for a law to take effect. This would remove one of the legislative roles of the Grand Duke, namely approving new legislation.

The Luxembourg royal house has tried to block a decision by parliament only once before, when the Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide refused to sign an education bill in 1912. Media and publicity Edit Since the accession of Henri to the Grand Ducal Throne in 2000, the Court's approach to media and publicity has varied markedly. In 2002, Grand Duke Henri expressly identified himself with a press conference called by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa with a view to discussing with journalists the shortcomings of her personal relations with her mother-in-law, the former Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. In contrast, when the Grand Ducal Couple's first grandchild was born in 2006, the Court Circular pointedly omitted to mention the event, probably as the father Prince Louis was not married at the time. However, the pregnancy was announced on 2005, so the country was informed that the prince and his girlfriend were going to be parents. The press also had access to the child's baptism. The Grand Ducal Family's approach to media and publicity issues has itself given rise to media comment regarding the quality of communications advice which has been sought and followed.

As well as the public airing of the difficulties between the Grand Duchess and her mother-in-law, several other events have resulted in adverse publicity, most notably: in 2004, the opening of Parliament by the Grand Duke in person, the first time in over 100 years the Monarch had done so; in 2005, the Grand Duke announced he intended to vote in favor of the European Constitution in the impending referendum, only to be reminded by senior politicians that he had no such right; the proposed sale of large tracts of the Gruenewald in the summer of 2006 shortly followed by the proposed sale (cancelled shortly afterwards) at Sotheby's of recently-deceased Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte's effects.

Titles, styles and honors 16 April 1955-12 November 1964: His Royal Highness Prince Henri of Luxembourg 12 November 1964-7 October 2000: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg 7 October 2000-: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri's full name, style and title is: His Royal Highness Henri, by the Grace of God, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Count of Sayn, Königstein, Katzenelnbogen and Diez, Burgrave of Hammerstein, Lord of Mahlberg, Wiesbaden, Idstein, Merenberg, Limburg and Eppstein. However, on ascending the throne, Grand Duke Henri relinquished the styling "by the Grace of God", and in the laws, decrees, and official documents his name and title is: "Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau".

Honors Royals gather for the Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg's 95th birthday | Daily Mail Online The cream of the continent's royals gathered for the Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg's 95th birthday - but how many do YOU recognise? Royal guests from all over Europe gathered to help the Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg celebrate birthday Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of the Belgians were on hand to help ring in the party Queen Sofia of Spain and King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece also made an appearance in the snap His friends and family joined him at a concert at the Philharmonie Philharmonic Orchestra sang happy birthday to the Grand Duke Jean before presenting him with a birthday cake

Question: In which country did Grand Duke Jean become head of state in 1964?
Answer: Luxembourg