The Saxe-Coburg, desd. of Prince Ferdinand and Antonia Kohary

[bluetoria]

Does anyone, please, have any information about Leopold (? of Saxony) son of Philip of S-C-Kohary, & Louise of Beligum. (I have him down as Duke of Saxony...but perhaps he is a Coburg?)
He was born in July 1878 & was reputedly murdered by a woman (? a former lover) in Vienna 27 April 1916.
I'd be grateful for any info...thank you

[Eurohistory]

Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Kohary linie) [1878-1916] was the eldest child, only son, of Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife, née Princess Louise of Belgium, herslef the eldest daughter of King Leopold II of the Belgians.

Prince Philipp's father, Prince August (1818-1881) was a first cousin of King Leopold II.  Both August and Leopold II were also first cousins to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, all four being grandchildren of Duke Franz Friedrich Anton of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg and his second wife, the former Countess Augusta of Reuß-Ebersdorf.

Furthermore, Philipp and Lepold II were also both granbdsons of King Louis Philippe of the French through their mothers: Queen Louise Marie of Belgium and Princess Clementine of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - both born members of the Orléans family.

As for Prince Leopold he did indeed die from wounds suffered after his mistress attacked him, first shotting him and then throwing acid at him.  However, and contrary to popular belief, Leopold did not die after the attack, as in fact he survived several months of terrible agony.  It seems that he broke off his relationship with this woman for as the eldest of his line and heir to the vast Kohary inheritance in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Leopold needed to produce a legitimate heir from an equal marriage.  The lady in question did not like this and took mad action against her paramour.

Leopold also had a really bad relationship with his mother Louise, as he felt the full brunt of her scandals and infidelities.  In her own memoirs, Louise Coburg expresses almost no regret for her son's fate...all too sad really.

Arturo Beéche

[bluetoria]

Thank you, Arturo!
"Hell hath no fury...." A real crime of passion then!!
How terrible to be burned with acid...presumably the scorned woman was arrested?

[Marlene]

Does anyone, please, have any information about Leopold (? of Saxony) son of Philip of S-C-Kohary, & Louise of Beligum. (I have him down as Duke of Saxony...but perhaps he is a Coburg?)
He was born in July 1878 & was reputedly murdered by a woman (? a former lover) in Vienna 27 April 1916.
I'd be grateful for any info...thank you
 

Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary (also Duke of Saxony, as all members of the Saxe branches were dukes/duchesses of Saxony as well.)
He died in a Vienna hospital, "while undergoing an operation" that was intended to repair damage "frightful injuries" caused when a bottle of vitriol was thrown at him.  The acid was hurled at him by a woman "who had been betrayed" by Leopold who had promised a morganatic marriage.  She was the daughter of a Viennese govt offficial - when she found herself abandoned and destitute after this "betrayal", she throw the acid at Leopold and the committed suicide in his presence.  The Washington Post had a story May 28. 1916.

[Eurohistory]

Yes she was and sent to prison, it was a terribly messy scandal and put an end to the senior line of the Kohary-Coburg branch.  After Leopold's death in 1916, life was sucked out of Prince Philipp since it deprived him of any possibility of having a direct heir and grandchildren.  Philipp died five years later a broken man.

After Philipp's death in 1921, his share of the Kohary inheritance, one of the largest Europe has ever seen, was divided between his childless daughter Dora and his nephews (August Leopold and Ludwig Gaston) as well as his brother, former King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, who by then was residing in golden exile in Coburg's Burglaßschloßen.

Arturo Beéche

[bluetoria]

Oh? Which is true? She committed suicide in his presence (Marlene) - which would in a way be more romantic!
Or...she was sent to prison (Arturo)...which would be much less romantic.
Either way it's a very sad story! (For her...& for him, even though he abandoned her!)

[Marlene]

Yes she was and sent to prison, it was a terribly messy scandal and put an end to the senior line of the Kohary-Coburg branch.  After Leopold's death in 1916, life was sucked out of Prince Philipp since it deprived him of any possibility of having a direct heir and grandchildren.  Philipp died five years later a broken man.

After Philipp's death in 1921, his share of the Kohary inheritance, one of the largest Europe has ever seen, was divided between his childless daughter Dora and his nephews (August Leopold and Ludwig Gaston) as well as his brother, former King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, who by then was residing in golden exile in Coburg's Burglaßschloßen.

Arturo Beéche

Are you sure she was sent to prison ... according to one article that I have, she committed suicide after the attack.  The WPost article is rather graphic about the details of the attack, and the damage to Leopold (he died in the hospital.)

[Eurohistory]

Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary (also Duke of Saxony, as all members of the Saxe branches were dukes/duchesses of Saxony as well.)
He died in a Vienna hospital, "while undergoing an operation" that was intended to repair damage "frightful injuries" caused when a bottle of vitriol was thrown at him.  The acid was hurled at him by a woman "who had been betrayed" by Leopold who had promised a morganatic marriage.  She was the daughter of a Viennese govt offficial - when she found herself abandoned and destitute after this "betrayal", she throw the acid at Leopold and the committed suicide in his presence.  The Washington Post had a story May 28. 1916.

HI Marlene,

I have read about this "suicide" claim, but I have no yet been able to prove the veracity of it.  Coburg family lore argues that the woman in question was alive and caught by the police.  Nonethless the whole thing was a nasty episode.  Would you happen to have another source that would verify the WP piece?

Many thanks!

Arturo Beéche

[Marlene]

Oh? Which is true? She committed suicide in his presence (Marlene) - which would in a way be more romantic!"


I would hardly call commiting suicide a romantic gesture.  My information comes from an article in the Washington Post.

[Marlene]

HI Marlene,

I have read about this "suicide" claim, but I have no yet been able to prove the veracity of it.  Coburg family lore argues that the woman in question was alive and caught by the police.  Nonethless the whole thing was a nasty episode.  Would you happen to have another source that would verify the WP piece?

Many thanks!

Arturo Beéche

No  just the WPost article "Immediately after attacking him, the girl, who had entreated in vain to provide for her welfare, committed suicide in his presence."

[Eurohistory]

Bizarre and failed romance I suppose...terrible story anyhow...one of the worst among the Coburgs and there are many sad stories in that family.

Amazingly enough there is a long list of Coburg Princes whose eldest sons died before their father:

Father - Son

King Edward VII - Duke of Clarence
Duke Alfred - Alfred Jr.
Arthur - Arthur Jr.
Leopold I - Louis Philippe
Leopold II - Leopold
Philippe of Flanders - Baudouin
Ferdinand I - Pedro V
Philipp - Leopold
August Leopold - August Clemens
Johannes Heinrich - Johannes Albert
Ferdinand I - Boris III

Odd is it not...

Arturo Beéche

[Eurohistory]

No  just the WPost article "Immediately after attacking him, the girl, who had entreated in vain to provide for her welfare, committed suicide in his presence."

Thanks...I can search the Vienna library when next in the city this coming Spring as this is one piece of the puzzle that remains murky...I had hoped there would be an archive in the remodelled Coburg Palais, but Prince Philipp ( a terribly helpful man), does not remember if his parents (Philipp Josias and Sarah) donated the family records to the Austrian National Library.

Arturo Beéche

[bluetoria]

Oh? Which is true? She committed suicide in his presence (Marlene) - which would in a way be more romantic!"


I would hardly call commiting suicide a romantic gesture.

Oh Marlene!! The romance!! Have you not seen the film 'Elvira Madigan' where the dashing young soldier & the dancer shoot themselves under a holm oak tree to the strains of Mozart's sonata...so BEAUTIFUL.  
"Farewell, God knows when we shall meet again,
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins!!!"  (Romeo & Juliet)

(In reality of course it wouldn't be like that...& the acid kind of spoils this story.)

[Marlene]

Oh Marlene!! The romance!! Have you not seen the film 'Elvira Madigan' where the dashing young soldier & the dancer shoot themselves under a holm oak tree to the strains of Mozart's sonata...so BEAUTIFUL.  
"Farewell, God knows when we shall meet again,
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins!!!"  (Romeo & Juliet)


(In reality of course it wouldn't be like that...& the acid kind of spoils this story.)

Sorry, don't see this as romantic ... sick, and selfish, but not romantic.    (and never saw Elvira Madigan.) Taking one's own life is not the answer.

[bluetoria]

Sorry, don't see this as romantic ... sick, and selfish, but not romantic.   Taking one's own life is not the answer.

Marlene, I'm not SERIOUSLY advocating suicide - it's contrary to all my beliefs - (but as someone who has had close personal experience of it, I would extremely wary of calling the person who killed himself either  sick or selfish.)
However! Since I started it...I was only considering it in the light of a romantic story - & as I said the reality isn't quite the same as a dream.

More to the point...THANK YOU for your information about Leopold.