Duke of Teck () is a title which was created twice in Germanic lands. It was first borne from 1187 to 1439 by the head of a cadet line of the
German ducal
House of Zähringen
The House of Zähringen () was a dynasty of Duchy of Swabia, Swabian nobility. The family's name derived from Zähringen Castle near Freiburg im Breisgau. The Zähringer in the 12th century used the title of Duke of Zähringen, in compensation fo ...
, known as the "first House of Teck". The seat of this territory was
Castle Teck in the
Duchy of Swabia
The Duchy of Swabia (; ) was one of the five stem duchy, stem duchies of the medieval Kingdom of Germany, German Kingdom. It arose in the 10th century in the southwestern area that had been settled by Alemanni tribes in Late Antiquity.
While th ...
(from 1512 part of the
County of Württemberg).
The title was recreated in 1871 by King
Charles I of Württemberg for his cousin
Francis
Francis may refer to:
People and characters
*Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025)
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Francis (surname)
* Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...
, who as the product of a
morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spou ...
did not have a right to titles of nobility as a member of the
House of Württemberg
The House of Württemberg is an uradel, ancient German nobility, German dynasty and former royal family of the Kingdom of Württemberg.
History County
The House probably originated in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty. Around 1080 the ancestors ...
. His descendants settled in the United Kingdom and married into the
British royal family
The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
.
The first House of Teck
Adalbert I, son of
Conrad I, Duke of Zähringen, inherited his father's Swabian possessions around Teck Castle between
Kirchheim and
Owen. After the death of his brother
Berthold IV in 1186, Adalbert adopted the title of "Duke of Teck". His descendant,
Conrad II, became a candidate for the
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...
as
king of the Romans
King of the Romans (; ) was the title used by the king of East Francia following his election by the princes from the reign of Henry II (1002–1024) onward.
The title originally referred to any German king between his election and coronatio ...
upon the death of King
Rudolf I in 1291, but was slain the following year, probably by agents of his opponent
Siegfried of Westerburg, Archbishop of
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
.
In the 13th century, the family divided into the lines of Teck-
Oberndorf and Teck-Owen. The dukes of Teck-Oberndorf died out in 1363 and Frederick of Teck-Owen sold their possessions to the
counts of Hohenberg. In 1365, the dukes of Teck-Owen came into the possession of
Mindelheim but had to sell their lands around Castle Teck to the
counts of Württemberg in 1381. The last member of that line,
Louis of Teck,
Patriarch of Aquileia
This is a list of bishops and patriarchs of Aquileia in northeastern Italy. For the ecclesiastical history of the diocese, see Patriarchate of Aquileia.
From 553 until 698 the archbishops renounced Papal authority as part of the Schism of the T ...
from 1412, died in 1439.
In 1495, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I elevated Count
Eberhard von Württemberg to the status of reigning duke (''
herzog'') of Württemberg, also granting him the defunct title of "Duke of Teck". However, the title was not borne independently by any member or branch of that dynasty. Eventually, in 1806, the dignity was renounced by
Frederick upon his elevation as king.
The Teck branch of the Württembergs
Duke Alexander of Württemberg (1804–1885), an Austrian major-general and
cadet
A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...
of the dynasty that had become
kings of Württemberg in 1806, established a
non-dynastic line of dukes of Teck by virtue of his
morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spou ...
in 1835 with a Hungarian noblewoman,
Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...
(1812–1841). Their son, excluded from succession to the throne of Württemberg, was born Count
Francis von Hohenstein (1837–1900), sharing the title his mother was granted by Emperor
Ferdinand I of Austria
Ferdinand I ( 19 April 1793 – 29 June 1875) was Emperor of Austria from March 1835 until his abdication in December 1848. He was also King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Croatia and King of Bohemia, Bohemia (as Ferdinand V), King of Lombardy– ...
on 16 May 1835, two weeks after the couple married in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
.
In 1863, King
William I of Württemberg raised Francis in rank to "Prince (''
Fürst
' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German language, German word for a ruler as well as a princely title. ' were, starting in the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ...
'') of Teck" with the style
Serene Highness
His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH, second person address: Your Serene Highness) is a style (manner of address), style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Thailand. Until 1918, it was also associated with the p ...
(''Durchlaucht''), heritable by all his male-line descendants. In 1866, Francis married
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, a member of the
British royal family
The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
and granddaughter of King
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
. As the couple had to live on Mary's parliamentary
annuity
In investment, an annuity is a series of payments made at equal intervals based on a contract with a lump sum of money. Insurance companies are common annuity providers and are used by clients for things like retirement or death benefits. Examples ...
, the prince having inherited little income, they lived mostly in England—first at
Kensington Palace (where their children were born) and later at
Royal Lodge in
Surrey
Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
,
both residences lent them by
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
.
In 1871, King
Charles I of Württemberg granted Francis the new (and, within the
German nobility
The German nobility () and Royal family, royalty were status groups of the Estates of the realm, medieval society in Central Europe, which enjoyed certain Privilege (law), privileges relative to other people under the laws and customs in the Ger ...
, higher) title of "Duke (''
Herzog'') of Teck",
[ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor). Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Peerage, London, 1973, pp. 252, 289, 291, 293. ] heritable by male-line
primogeniture
Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn Legitimacy (family law), legitimate child to inheritance, inherit all or most of their parent's estate (law), estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some childre ...
. In 1887, Queen Victoria granted the Duke of Teck the British style of ''
Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style used to address (in second person) or refer to (in third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. It is typically used with a possessive adjec ...
''
on a non-hereditary basis.
In 1893, Francis' daughter,
Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, married Prince George, Duke of York, who later reigned as King
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
George w ...
.
[ When the first duke of Teck died in 1900, the title passed to his eldest son, Prince Adolphus of Teck. King George V granted the second duke of Teck, his brother-in-law, the personal style of ''Highness'' in 1911.
The title existed until the ]First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, when anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
prompted the British monarch to adopt a non-German surname and relinquish all German titles on behalf of himself and those of his family members domiciled in his realms, including the Tecks.[ The Duke of Teck thus renounced, in July 1917, his German titles of prince and duke in the ]Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg ( ) was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Electorate of Württemberg, which existed from 1803 to 1806.
Geogr ...
, as well as the styles of ''Highness'' and ''Serene Highness''. Adolphus, along with his brother, Prince Alexander of Teck, assumed the name "Cambridge", which had been borne as a territorial designation
In the United Kingdom, a territorial designation follows modern Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage titles, linking them to a specific place or places. It is also an integral part of all baronetcies. Within Scotland, a territorial designation ...
by their maternal grandfather, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge.
On 16 July 1917, Adolphus was created as " Marquess of Cambridge", " Earl of Eltham" and "Viscount Northallerton" in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.[ His elder son took the ]courtesy title
A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title).
In some context ...
of "Earl of Eltham". His younger children became "Lord/Lady (Christian name) Cambridge", as children of a marquess
A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...
. Adolphus's younger brother, Alexander, who had married Princess Alice of Albany in 1904, was simultaneously created " Earl of Athlone" and " Viscount Trematon". Their son Prince Rupert of Teck (1907–1928), who also took the surname of Cambridge and was known by the courtesy title of "Viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty.
In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...
Trematon",[ was one of the descendants of Queen Victoria who suffered from haemophilia, along with the crown princes Alexei of Russia and Alfonso of Spain.
The last male-line descendant of the first duke of Teck was his grandson George Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge. He died in 1981 and the ]marquess
A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...
ate of Cambridge became extinct.
Members
* Princess Claudine of Teck (1836–1894)
* Prince Francis, Duke of Teck (1837–1900) m. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
** Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (1867–1953) m. King George V of the United Kingdom
**Prince Adolphus, Duke of Teck, later Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge (1868–1927) m. Lady Margaret Grosvenor
***Prince George of Teck, later George Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge (1895–1981) m. Dorothy Hastings
**** Lady Mary Cambridge (1924–1999) m. Peter Whitley
***Princess Mary of Teck, later Lady Mary Cambridge (1897–1987) m. Henry Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort
***Princess Helena of Teck, later Lady Helena Cambridge (1899–1969) m. Colonel John Evelyn Gibbs
***Prince Frederick of Teck, later Lord Frederick Cambridge (1907–1940)
** Prince Francis of Teck (1870–1910)
**Prince Alexander of Teck, later Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George; born Prince Alexander of Teck; 14 April 1874 – 16 January 1957), was a member of the extended British royal family, as a great-grandson of King Georg ...
(1874–1957) m. Princess Alice of Albany
***Princess May of Teck, later Lady May Cambridge (1906–1994) m. Sir Henry Abel Smith
***Prince Rupert of Teck, later Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon (1907–1928)
***Prince Maurice of Teck (1910–1910)
* Princess Amalie of Teck (1838–1893) m. Count Paul von Hügel (1835–1897)
See also
* Coat of arms of Württemberg
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teck, Duke Of
1430s disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire
1439 disestablishments in Europe
States and territories established in 1187
1871 establishments in Germany
1917 disestablishments in Germany
Dukedoms of Germany
Former states and territories of Baden-Württemberg
Medieval history of Germany