Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Adolphe
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign	23 November 1890 – 17 November 1905
Predecessor	William III
Successor	William IV
Prime Minister	Paul Eyschen
Duke of Nassau
Reign	20 August 1839 – 20 September 1866
Predecessor	William
Successor	Nassau annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia
Born	(1817-07-24)24 July 1817 Biebrich Palace, Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau
Died	17 November 1905(1905-11-17) (aged 88) Schloss Hohenburg, Lenggries, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Burial	Schlosskirche of Schloss Weilburg (since 1953)
Spouse	Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mikhailovna of Russia ​ ​ (m. 1844; died 1845)​ Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau ​ ​ (m. 1851)​
Issue	William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Prince Friedrich Princess Marie Prince Francis Joseph William Hilda, Grand Duchess of Baden
House	Nassau-Weilburg
Father	Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau
Mother	Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Religion	Protestantism
Signature

Adolphe (Adolf Wilhelm August Karl Friedrich; 24 July 1817 – 17 November 1905) was Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 23 November 1890 to his death on 17 November 1905. The first grand duke from the House of Nassau-Weilburg, he succeeded King William III of the Netherlands, ending the personal union between the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Adolphe was Duke of Nassau from 20 August 1839 to 20 September 1866, when the Duchy was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia.

Adolphe became Duke of Nassau in August 1839, following the death of his father William. The Duchy was annexed to Prussia after Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War. From 1815 to 1839, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was ruled by the kings of the Netherlands as a province of the Netherlands. Following the Treaty of London (1839), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg became independent but remained in personal union with the Netherlands. Following the death of his sons, the Dutch king William III had no male heirs to succeed him. In the Netherlands, females were allowed to succeed to the throne. Luxembourg, however, followed Salic law which barred females from succession. Thus, upon King William III's death, the crown of the Netherlands passed to his only daughter, Wilhelmina, while that of Luxembourg passed to Adolphe in accordance with the Nassau Family Pact. Adolphe died in 1905 and was succeeded by his son, William IV.