William I
King William (a.k.a. Wilhelm Heinrich Ludwig Ferdinand)
William Henry Louis Ferdinand von Lexington was the fourth King of America from 1843 to 1867. He previously served as Crown Prince of America as the oldest child of Augustus II and Elizabeth, and the older brother of Princess Hortensia and Prince John.
Though publicly known as William, he originally had a Prussian style of his name as Wilhelm until his father's decree in 1818 to Americanize the Royal Family. William was educated at the American Royal Military Academy and was commissioned in the Army in 1822. Being the Crown Prince at the time, he was legally barred from field command and active combat, a rule set in place after the death of his uncle, Louis Ferdinand.
In 1825, he was arranged in a royal marriage to Infanta Ana de Jesus of Portugal, younger sister of Emperor Pedro I. In 1826, he accompanied American delegates to the Congress of Panama, as his father had hoped it would help hone his negotiation skills. Following the Congress, he paid an official visit to Brazil to discuss continental policy.
In 1828, the couple welcomed their first child, Princess Maria Josephine Anna Elizabeth , who became the first female heir presumptive of America. She descended the line of succession at the birth of their second child, Prince Edward Henry James Augustus, in 1830. Their third child, Prince Andrew Ferdinand William Louis, was born in 1833. Their last child, Princess Sophia Alexandria Isabella Margarette, was born in 1837.
During the Texas Rebellion beginning in 1839, William was barred from active combat, though served as a chief diplomat in securing international support or neutrality in the cause. In 1840, upon the establishment of the territory of Sequoyah as a Principality, William was designated as Prince Regent. While in this post, he worked on his skills as a negotiator, remaining chiefly in the capital of Pensacola, securing land grants to prominent members of the Five Tribes.
He ascended to the throne upon the death of his father, and was crowned in 1844. In 1845, he created the title of Grand Duke of Pennsylvania, and granted it to his brother, Prince John, as well as assigned him the position of Prince Regent of Sequoyah.
In 1865, his daughter, Maria, was killed in Mexico after a republican coups overthrew her husband, Vicente II. He declared war on the provisional government of Mexico, and sieged Mexico City, briefly reinstating his grandson, Miguel, as Emperor of Mexico.
Social
Reign
Preceded by: Augustus II
Succeeded by: Edward I
As Crown Prince: 1811 - 1843
Contacts & Relations
Daniel Webster: 1843 - 1846
John P. Hale: 1846 - 1850
Franklin Pierce: 1850 - 1854
Winfield Scott: 1854 - 1858
John C. Fremont: 1858 - 1862
Robert E. Lee: 1862 - 1867
Family Ties
Relationships
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