From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Pretender Franz, Duke of Bavaria
Born	July 14, 1933 (1933-07-14) (age 74) Munich
Title(s)	Duke of Bavaria
Throne(s) claimed	Bavaria
Pretend from	July 18, 1996
Monarchy abolished	1918
Last monarch	Ludwig III
Connection with	Great-grandson
Royal House	Wittelsbach
Father	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Mother	Countess Maria Draskovich von Traskotjan
Predecessor	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria

Franz Bonaventura Adalbert Maria Herzog von Bayern (born July 14, 1933), styled as His Royal Highness The Duke of Bavaria, is head of the Wittelsbach family, the former ruling family of the Kingdom of Bavaria. He was born in Munich, the son of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria and of his first wife, Countess Maria Draskovich von Traskotjan. He is a great-grandson of the last King of Bavaria, Ludwig III, who was deposed in 1918. He is also the current senior co-heir-general of Charles I, a King of England, Scotland, and Ireland in the 17th century, and thus is considered by Jacobites to be the heir of the House of Stuart and the rightful ruler of England, Scotland, and Ireland, though he himself does not advance the claim.

Contents 1 History 2 Education 3 Wittelsbach Dynasty today 4 Succession rights 5 Ancestry 5.1 Patrilineal descent 6 External links

The Wittelsbachs were opposed to the Nazi regime in Germany, and in 1939 Franz's father Albrecht took his family to Hungary. They lived in Budapest for four years before moving to Somlovar Castle in late 1943. In March 1944, Nazi Germany occupied Hungary. On October 6, 1944 , the entire family including Franz, then aged 11, were arrested. They were sent to a series of Nazi concentration camps including Oranienburg and Dachau. At the end of April 1945 they were liberated by the United States Third Army.

After the war Franz received his high-school education at the Benedictine Abbey of Ettal. He then studied business management at the University of Munich and in Zurich. Franz developed a passion for collecting modern art; today many items from his private collection are on permanent loan to the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.

Bavarian Royalty
House of Wittelsbach

Maximilian I Children    Ludwig I    Princess Augusta    Princess Amalie Marie    Princess Charlotte    Prince Karl Theodor    Prince Karl Friedrich    Elisabeth Ludovika, Queen of Prussia    Princess Amalie Auguste    Archduchess Sophie of Austria    Princess Maria Anna, Queen of Saxony    Princess Ludovika    Princess Maximiliana Ludwig I Children    Maximilian II    Mathilde, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine    Otto, King of the Hellenes    Princess Theodelinde    Prince Regent Luitpold    Adelgunde, Duchess of Modena    Archduchess Hildegarde of Austria    Princess Alexandra    Prince Adalbert Grandchildren    Ludwig II    Ludwig III    Prince Leopold    Princess Therese    Prince Arnulf Great Grandchildren    Princess Elisabeth Marie    Archduchess Auguste of Austria    Prince Georg    Prince Konrad    Prince Heinrich Maximilian II Children    Ludwig II    Otto I Ludwig II Otto I Ludwig III Children    Crown Prince Rupprecht    Princess Adelgunde    Maria, Duchess of Calabria    Prince Karl    Prince Franz    Princess Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha    Prince Wolfgang    Princess Hildegarde    Princess Notburga    Wiltrud, Duchess of Urach    Princess Helmtrud    Princess Dietlinde    Princess Gundelinde Children of Crown Prince Rupprecht    Prince Luitpold    Princess Irmingard    Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria    Prince Rudolf    Prince Heinrich    Princess Irmingard    Princess Editha    Princess Hilda    Gabrielle, Duchess of Cröy    Sophie, Duchess of Arenberg Children of Duke Albrecht    Princess Marie Gabrielle    Princess Marie Charlotte    Franz, Duke of Bavaria    Prince Max Children of Prince Max    Princess Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein    Princess Marie-Caroline    Princess Hélène    Princess Elizabeth    Princess Maria Anna

The Wittelsbachs continue to be held in high esteem in Bavaria. Under German law their titles are only recognised legally as a part of their surnames. Franz is a Senator of the University of Munich and an Honorary Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and holds many honorary positions in civic and religious organisations in Bavaria.

Franz is the heir-general of the Royal House of Stuart and thus is regarded by Jacobites as the rightful King of England and Scotland. Jacobites refer to him as King Francis II of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, though he himself does not use these titles.

Franz is also, according to the provisions of 1843 Greek Constitution, the heir of the deposed king Otto of Greece, his late great-great-granduncle who died in 1867. Otto had always declined to convert to the Orthodox creed, but it was intended that his successors should be Orthodox. Also, the reign of Franz' great-grandfather Louis III in Bavaria (1913-18), a kingdom other than Greece, may have impeded the theoretical Greek succession, since the Greek Constitution forbade the sovereign to be ruler of another country. Theoretically, it is possible in 1913, that the rights to the throne of Greece would have devolved to Prince Leopold of Bavaria, next brother of King Louis, and son-in-law of the Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria.

He is current Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saint George for the Defense of the Immaculate Conception.

Franz has never married and on his death his position as head of the House of Wittelsbach will pass to his brother Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria, (that is Duke "in", not "of", Bavaria). Because Max has no sons, the Bavarian titles will pass after his death to a cousin, Prince Luitpold of Bavaria or Luitpold's son, Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, and his descendants, while the position of heir of the House of Stuart will pass to Max's daughter Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein.

16. Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

8. Ludwig III of Bavaria

17. Archduchess Augusta of Tuscany

4. Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria

18. Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este

9. Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este

19. Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria

2. Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria

20. Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria

10. Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria

21. Princess Ludovika of Bavaria

5. Duchess Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria

22. Miguel of Portugal

11. Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal

23. Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg

1. Franz, Duke of Bavaria

24. Count Kelroly Draskovich of Trakostyán

12. Count Pál Draskovich of Trakostyán

25. Countess Erzsébet Batthyány

6. Count Dionys Draskovich of Trakostyán

26. Count Denes Festetics of Tolna

13. Countess Mária Festetics of Tolna

27. Karolina Zichy

3. Countess Mária Draskovich of Trakostyán

28. Wilhelm Albrecht, Prince of Montenuovo

14. Alfred, Prince of Montenuovo

29. Countess Juliane Batthyány

7. Princess Juliana of Montenuovo

30. Count Ferdinand Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau

15. Countess Francesa Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau

31. Princess Maria of Liechtenstein

Franz's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.

Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that Franz’s historically accurate royal house was the House of Luitpold.

1. Luitpold, Margrave of Bavaria, d. 907
2. Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria, d. 937
3. Berthold of Bavaria, 915 - 980
4. Henry I of Schweinfurt, 960 - 1017
5. Henry II of Schweinfurt, 1017 - 1043
6. Otto I, Count of Scheyern, 1044 - 1072
7. Otto II, Count of Scheyern, d. 1108
8. Otto IV, Count of Wittelsbach, 1083 - 1156
9. Otto I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria, 1117 - 1183
10. Louis I, Duke of Bavaria, 1173 - 1231
11. Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria, 1206 - 1253
12. Louis II, Duke of Bavaria, 1229 - 1294
13. Rudolf I, Duke of Bavaria, 1274 - 1319
14. Adolf, Count Palatine of the Rhine, 1300 - 1327
15. Rupert II, Elector Palatine, 1325 - 1398
16. Rupert of Germany, 1352 - 1410
17. Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken, 1385 - 1459
18. Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1424 - 1489
19. Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1462 - 1514
20. Louis II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1502 - 1532
21. Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1526 - 1569
22. Karl I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld, 1560 - 1600
23. Christian I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld, 1598 - 1654
24. Christian II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1637 - 1717
25. Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, 1674 - 1735
26. Count Palatine Frederick Michael of Zweibrücken, 1724 - 1767
27. Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, 1756 - 1825
28. Ludwig I of Bavaria, 1786 - 1868
29. Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, 1821 - 1912
30. Ludwig III of Bavaria, 1845 - 1921
31. Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, 1869 - 1955
32. Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, 1905 - 1996
33. Franz, Duke of Bavaria, 1933 -

• Francis II (Jacobite)
• Francis II King of Scots (de jure)
• The (Bavarian and Jacobite) Royal Family, the Nazis, and the Second World War

Franz, Duke of Bavaria House of Wittelsbach Born: 14 July 1933
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Duke Albrecht	— TITULAR — King of Bavaria July 8, 1996 – present Reason for succession failure: Kingdom abolished in 1918	Incumbent Designated heir: Duke Max
	Jacobite succession July 8, 1996 – present

Pretenders to the Bavarian throne since 1918
King Ludwig III (1918-1921) Crown Prince Rupprecht (1921-1955) Duke Albrecht (1955-1996) Duke Franz (1996-)
See also House of Wittelsbach