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Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine with his wife, Julia von Hauke

Julia von Hauke, Princess of Battenberg (November 12, 1825 (O.S.)/November 24, 1825 (N.S.)–September 19, 1895) was the wife of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine (1823–1888), the mother of Alexander of Bulgaria, and ancestress to the current generations of the British and the Spanish royal families.

Julia was born in Warsaw, in Congress Poland, then ruled in personal union by the Tsar of Imperial Russia. She was the daughter of Hans Moritz von Hauke (English: John Maurice von Hauke) (1775–1830) and his wife Sophie (née la Fontaine). Her father was German and a professional military man and fought in Napoleon's army in Austria, Italy, Germany and the Peninsular War. He then switched sides to fight for the Russians. Recognising his abilities, Tsar Nicholas I appointed him Deputy Minister of War of Congress Poland and elevated him to Count.

In the November Uprising of 1830 led by revolted army cadets, Grand Duke Constantine, Poland's de facto Viceroy, managed to escape, but Count von Hauke was shot by the cadets on the street of Warsaw. His wife died of shock shortly afterwards, and their children were made wards of the Tsar.

Julia served as Lady-in-Waiting to Empress Marie Alexandrovna, wife of Tsar Alexander II and sister of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, and met her future husband in St. Petersburg. The Tsar did not approve of any liaison between his brother-in-law, Prince Alexander, and a mere lady-in-waiting, and so the young lovers arranged to leave the Moscow Court. They were married on 28 October 1851 in Breslau in Prussian Silesia (now Wrocław in Poland).

Julia was considered to be of insufficient rank to have any of her children qualify for the succession on the throne of Hesse and by Rhine (Hesse-Darmstadt), hence the marriage was considered morganatic. Her husband's brother, Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse-Darmstadt, created her Countess of Battenberg in 1851, with the style of 'Illustrious Highness', and in 1858 elevated her to Hereditary Princess of Battenberg with the style of 'Serene Highness' (a non-royal title). As a result, the children of Julia and Alexander were also elevated to Prince or Princess and addressed as 'Serene Highness.' Thus, Battenberg became the name of a cadet branch of the Grand Ducal Family of Hesse.

Julia converted from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism on 12 May 1875. She died at Heiligenberg Castle, near Jugenheim in southern Hesse.

There were five children of the marriage, all princes and princesses of Battenberg:

• Marie (1852–1923), married in 1872 Gustav, Count of Erbach-Schönberg (d. 1908), with issue.
• Ludwig (1854–1921), created first Marquess of Milford Haven in 1917, married in 1884 Princess Victoria of Hesse and the Rhine (1863–1950), with issue (including Princess Andrew of Greece, Queen Louise of Sweden, and the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma).
• Alexander (1857–1893), created Reigning Prince of Bulgaria in 1879, abdicated in Bulgaria and created Count of Hartenau, married morganatically in 1889 Johanna Loisinger (1865–1951), with issue.
• Heinrich (1858–1896), married Beatrice, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland (1857–1944), with issue (including Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg later Queen of Spain). His children resided in the United Kingdom and became Lords and Ladies with the surname Mountbatten in 1917. His eldest son was created the first Marquess of Carisbrooke in 1917.
• Franz Joseph (1861–1924), married in 1897 Anna Princess Petrovich-Niegosh of Montenegro (1874–1971), with no issue.

Alexander and Julia's eldest son, Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg, became a British subject, and during World War I, due to anti-German feelings prevalent at the time, anglicised his name to Mountbatten (a literal translation of the German Battenberg), as did his nephews, the sons of Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice. The members of this branch of the family also renounced all German titles and were granted peerages by their cousin King George V of the United Kingdom: Prince Louis became the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, while Prince Alexander, Prince Henry's eldest son, became the 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke.

• Countess Julia von Hauke (November 12, 1825 (O.S.)/November 24, 1825 (N.S.)–1851)
• Her Illustrious Highness Countess Julia of Battenberg (1851–1858)
• Her Serene Highness Princess Julia of Battenberg (1858–September 19, 1895)