Franz
Duke of Bavaria
Head of the House of Wittelsbach
Period	8 July 1996 - present
Predecessor	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Heir presumptive	Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria
House	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Mother	Countess Maria Drashkovich von Trakoshtyan
Born	14 July 1933 (1933-07-14) (age 76) Munich, Germany

Franz Bonaventura Adalbert Maria Herzog von Bayern^[1] (born 14 July 1933, as Franz Bonaventura Adalbert Maria Prinz^[2] von Bayern), styled as His Royal Highness The Duke of Bavaria, is head of the Wittelsbach family, the former ruling family of the Kingdom of Bavaria. His surname at birth was Prinz von Bayern (English: Prince of Bavaria).^[3] In 1997, after the death of his father, he changed his surname to Herzog von Bayern (English: Duke of Bavaria).^[4][5]

Franz 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 King Charles I of England and Scotland, and thus is considered by Jacobites to be the heir of the House of Stuart and the rightful ruler of England, Scotland, France and Ireland as King Francis II, though he himself does not advance the claim.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Wittelsbach dynasty today 3 Succession rights 4 Titles and styles 5 See also 6 References 6.1 Notes 6.2 Bibliography 7 External links

[edit] Early life

Franz was born in Munich, the morganatic son of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria and his first wife, Countess Maria Drashkovich von Trakoshtyan. On 18 May 1949 his parents' marriage was recognised as dynastic.

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 6 October 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.

[edit] Wittelsbach dynasty today

Bavarian Royal Family
HRH The Duke of Bavaria HRH The Duke in Bavaria HRH The Duchess in Bavaria HRH The Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein HRH Princess Marie-Caroline HRH Princess Hélène HRH Princess Elisabeth HRH Princess Maria Anna HRH The Princess of Waldburg-Zeil HRH The Princess of Quadt HRH Princess Irmingard HRH Prince Luitpold HRH Princess Beatrix HRH Prince Ludwig HRH Prince Heinrich HRH Prince Karl HRH Princess Auguste HRH Princess Alice Other members Other members to be added
v • d • e

Under German law royal titles are not recognised legally, but can be used as a part of a surname. Franz lives in an apartment in Nymphenburg Palace, the former summer residence of the kings of Bavaria, in Munich.

Franz is the current Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saint George for the Defense of the Immaculate Conception.^[6] He is also Grand Master of the Order of Saint Hubert and the Order of Saint Theresa (for Ladies).^[6] He is a Senator of the University of Munich and an Honorary Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He 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.

[edit] Succession rights

Franz has never married. On his death his position as head of the House of Wittelsbach will pass to his brother Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria. Because Max has no sons, the Bavarian titles will pass after his death to his first cousin Prince Luitpold 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.

[edit] Titles and styles

• 14 July 1933 — 18 May 1949: Franz Prinz von Bayern
• 18 May 1949 — 2 August 1955: His Royal Highness Prince Franz of Bavaria
• 2 August 1955 – 8 July 1996: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Prince of Bavaria
• 8 July 1996 — present: His Royal Highness The Duke of Bavaria

The Duke's full title is His Royal Highness Franz, Duke of Bavaria, of Fraconia and in Swabia; Count Palatine of the Rhine. In accordance with precedent Franz has not assumed the higher title of king.

[edit] See also

• English claims to the French throne

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

• Die Wittelsbacher. Geschichte unserer Familie. Adalbert, Prinz von Bayern. Prestel Verlag, München, 1979
• International Commission for Orders of Chivalry. 2006 register - DYNASTIC ORDERS

[edit] External links

• McFerran, Noel S. (2005-08-01). "Francis II". The Jacobite Heritage. http://www.jacobite.ca/kings/francis2.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
• McFerran, Noel S. (2006-11-22). "The Royal Family, the Nazis, and the Second World War". The Jacobite Heritage. http://www.jacobite.ca/essays/ww2.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
• Wilson, JP. "The Order of the Lion Rampant". http://www.DefendersOfScotland.org/monarch.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
• Alleyne, Richard; de Quetteville, Harry (07/04/2008). "Act repeal could make Franz Herzog von Bayern new King of England and Scotland". Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/07/nking107.xml. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 

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

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

v • d • e Ancestors of Franz, Duke of Bavaria

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