Countess Claudine Rhédey Von Kis-Rhéde

Countess Claudine Susanna Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde (Hungarian: Gróf kisrédei Rhédey Klaudina Zsuzsanna) was born on September 21, 1812, and died on October 1, 1841. She was of Hungarian noble descent and was married to Duke Alexander of Württemberg. Her son, Francis, Duke of Teck, became an ancestor of the British royal family, with Mary of Teck serving as queen consort to King George V. As a result, the current British monarch, Charles III, is a direct descendant of Claudine.

Early Life and Family Background:

Claudine was born at her family estate, Rhédey castle, located in Sankt Georgen auf der Heide, known in Hungarian as Erdőszentgyörgy, in Transylvania. At the time of her birth, the region was part of the Austrian Empire; today, it is Sângeorgiu de Pădure, Romania. She was the daughter of Count László Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde (birth: September 29, 1775; death: November 22, 1833) and Baroness Ágnes Inczédy de Nagy-Várad (circa 1788 – circa 1856). The Rhédey family was of notable historical significance; among its members was Ferenc Rhédey, who served as Prince of Transylvania from 1657 to 1658. Upon her birth, she was styled as Countess Klaudina Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde.

Marriage and Status:

In 1835, Claudine married Duke Alexander of Württemberg, the youngest child of Duke Louis of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg. Duke Alexander was the only son of Duke Louis, who was a brother of King Frederick I of Württemberg. Due to German laws concerning royal succession, her marriage was considered morganatic, meaning she was not granted a royal or ducal title upon marriage. Nonetheless, she was created Countess of Hohenstein by Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria on May 16, 1835, shortly after her marriage.

Death:

Countess Claudine died in Austria in 1841 after an accident involving her horse. Her remains were initially interred in the Rhédey Mausoleum but were later moved to the family crypt in the Reformed Church of Sângeorgiu de Pădure.

Children:

Claudine and Duke Alexander of Württemberg had three children:

1. Princess Claudine of Teck (1836–1894)

2. Prince Francis of Teck (1837–1900) – Later created the 1st Duke of Teck by King Charles I of Württemberg; he married Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, granddaughter of King George III. Their daughter, Mary of Teck, married Prince George, Duke of York, later King George V.

3. Princess Amalie of Teck (1838–1893) – Married Baron (later Count) Paul von Hügel.

Titles and Later Recognition:

Initially, the children bore the titles of Counts or Countesses of Hohenstein, derived from their mother. In 1863, they were elevated to Princes and Princesses of Teck with the style "Serene Highness" in the Kingdom of Württemberg.

Lineage and Descendants:

Prince Francis of Teck was later created Duke of Teck. His marriage to Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge linked the family to the British royal family. Their daughter, Mary of Teck, married Prince George, Duke of York, in 1893, becoming queen consort in 1910. As such, Claudine is an ancestor of the current British monarch, Charles III.

Ancestry:

The Rhédey family has roots tracing back to the 13th century and descends from the House of Aba, of which Samuel Aba was a significant figure in Hungarian history as king between 1041 and 1044. On her maternal side, Claudine was descended from Vlad the Monk, brother of Vlad Dracula. Her paternal ancestry includes Jovan Branković.

References:

Sources include heraldic records, Hungarian and Romanian historical lexicons, and biographies of the House of Württemberg and the British royal family.