Prince Franz of Bavaria (German: Franz Maria Luitpold Prinz von Bayern; 10 October 1875 – 25 January 1957) was a member of the royal House of Wittelsbach and a career military officer.
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Early life and military career
Prince Franz was born at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg, Bavaria, as the third son of King Ludwig III of Bavaria and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este. He entered the Bavarian Army as a career officer, initially serving as the commander of the 2. Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Carl von Bayern". Shortly before the outbreak of World War I, he was given command of the 3. bayerische Infanterie-Brigade, which was later reorganized into the 4. Infanterie-Brigade. Under his leadership, this brigade took part in major Western Front engagements, including operations near Fort Douaumont, the Battle of Passchendaele, and the assault on Kemmelberg.
For his tactical leadership during these operations, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on 25 May 1916. He was subsequently promoted to command the entire 4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division on 28 October 1916. During the spring offensives of 1918, Prince Franz received the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on 26 April 1918, followed by Prussia's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, on 25 May 1918. After sustaining severe casualties during the Allied counter-offensives on the Somme in the summer of 1918, his division was transferred to the Italian Front for border protection duties, where he remained until the end of the conflict.
Marriage
On 12 July 1912, Prince Franz married Princess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ, daughter of Duke Karl Alfred of Croÿ and Princess Ludmilla of Arenberg.The wedding took place at the Schloss Weilburg in Baden near Vienna, Austria-Hungary. They had six children:
Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (1913–2008); married Princess Irmingard of Bavaria (1923–2010).
Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria (1914–2011); married Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza (1909–1981).
Princess Adelgunde Maria of Bavaria (1917–2004); married Baron Zdenko von Hoenning-O'Carroll (1906–1996).
Princess Eleonore Marie of Bavaria (1918–2009); married Count Konstantin of Waldburg-Zeil (1909–1972).
Princess Dorothea Therese of Bavaria (1920–2015); married Archduke Gottfried of Austria (1902–1984).
Prince Rasso Maximilian Rupprecht of Bavaria (1926–2011); married Theresa of Austria (b. 1931). Rasso and Theresa are the parents of Father Florian.
Death
Prince Franz of Bavaria died on 25 January 1957 at Schloss Leutstetten in Starnberg, Bavaria and is buried in the Colombarium in the Michaelskirche in Munich, Bavaria.
Decorations and honors
Prince Franz received numerous domestic and foreign military honors throughout his career:
Bavaria
Order of St. Hubertus
Military Order of Max Joseph, Knight's Cross (1916) and Commander's Cross (1918)
Military Merit Order, Star to 2nd Class with Swords
Military Merit Order, 2nd Class with Swords
Military Merit Order, 3rd Class with Crown
Jubilee Medal
Service Distinction Cross 2nd Class, for 25 years' service
Prussia
Order of the Black Eagle 19.09.1909
Iron Cross (1914), 1st Class
Iron Cross (1914), 2nd Class
Wound Badge (1918) in Black
Pour le Mérite (25 May 1918)
Order of the Crown, 2nd Class with Star and Swords
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Honor Cross 1st Class with Swords
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Honor Cross 1st Class
Other German states
Baden: House Order of Fidelity