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German state (1815?1918)
| This article
is largely based on an article in the out-of-copyright
Encyclopædia Britannica
Eleventh Edition
, which was produced in 1911.
It should be brought up to date to reflect subsequent history or scholarship (including the references, if any). When you have completed the review, replace this notice with a simple note on this article's talk page.
(
September 2018
)
|
The
Grand Duchy of Oldenburg
(
German
:
Großherzogtum Oldenburg
, also known as
Holstein-Oldenburg
) was a
grand duchy
within the
German Confederation
,
North German Confederation
and
German Empire
that consisted of three widely separated territories:
Oldenburg
,
Eutin
and
Birkenfeld
. It ranked tenth among the German states and had one vote in the
Bundesrat
and three members in the
Reichstag
.
Its ruling family, the
House of Oldenburg
, also came to rule in
Denmark
,
Norway
,
Sweden
,
Greece
,
Russia
and
United Kingdom
.
History
[
edit
]
The Grand Duchy of Oldenburg came into existence in 1815 combining the territory of the old Duchy of Oldenburg with the
Principality of Birkenfeld
. Whilst Oldenburg was elevated to a grand duchy at the
Congress of Vienna
, the first two grand dukes continued to style themselves as merely dukes and it was not until 1829 that the newly acceded
Augustus
used the title of grand duke. Although paternalist, the early grand dukes did not grant a constitution until events overtook them in 1848.
The European Revolutions
[
edit
]
Oldenburg did not entirely escape from the
Revolutions of 1848
that swept across
Europe
, but no serious disturbances took place therein. In 1849 Augustus granted a constitution of a very liberal character to his subjects. Hitherto his country had been ruled in the spirit of
enlightened despotism
which had been strengthened by the absence of a privileged class of nobles, the comparative independence of the peasantry, and the importance of the towns; thus a certain amount of friction was inevitable. In 1852 some modifications were introduced into the constitution, yet it remained one of the most progressive in the
German Confederation
. Important alterations were made in the administrative system in 1855 and again in 1868, and government oversight on church affairs was ordered by a law of 1863. In 1863,
Peter II
, who had ruled since the death of his father Augustus in 1853, seemed inclined to press a claim to the vacant
Duchy of Schleswig
and
Duchy of Holstein
, but ultimately in 1867 he abandoned this in favor of the
Kingdom of Prussia
and received some slight compensation. In 1866 he had sided with Prussia against the
Austrian Empire
during the Seven Weeks War and joined the
North German Confederation
. In 1871 the grand duchy became a state of the
German Empire
.
Oldenburg remained a monarchy until the
German Revolution of 1918-1919
, when the last grand duke,
Frederick Augustus II
, abdicated and Oldenburg became a constituent state of the
Weimar Republic
as the
Free State of Oldenburg
.
Gallery
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
Sources
[
edit
]
Works cited
[
edit
]
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