Peter I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg
Peter I Friedrich Ludwig von Oldenburg ( born January 17, 1755 in Riesenburg, † May 21 1829 in Wiesbaden) was longtime Regent and eventually even the Grand Duke of Oldenburg country from the house of Gottorp 's Oldenburg.
Life and work
Peter Friedrich Ludwig grew initially at the court of his uncle, the Prince-Bishop of Lübeck Friedrich August, then later on with his cousin, the Empress Catherine II (" the Great"). He was also the nephew of Adolf Frederick, King of Sweden.
In 1776 Peter was appointed coadjutor in the Bishopric of Lübeck, as the Hereditary Prince Peter Friedrich Wilhelm was incapable of governing. Peter married in 1781 Friederike von Württemberg, who bore him two sons. After the death of Prince-Bishop Friedrich August in July 1785, Peter was administrator of the duchy of Oldenburg and Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, the previous residence was moved from Eutin in the city of Oldenburg. He took over all the business of government, without setting the title of duke, which he accepted in 1823 after the death of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm. In November 1785 his wife died at the age of 20 years from the effects of the birth of her third child. She was buried in 1790 completed mausoleum on the cemetery Gertrude, as the former royal crypt should no longer be used because of the planned construction of the new St. Lambert's Church (Oldenburg ). The Mausoleumsbau is the first classical building Oldenburg; He was followed by other buildings in the same style that characterize the face of the city to this day. 1786 was established under Peter Friedrich Ludwig, the oldest savings bank in the world since then existing; the former Ersparungs -Casse still exists today as Landessparkasse to Oldenburg.
1803 Peter gained for Oldenburg in Reichsdeputationshauptschluss in exchange for the Elsflether Weser customs as compensation the Hanover Office Wildeshausen and from fürstbischöflich - münsterischem owned the offices Vechta and Cloppenburg. The bishopric of Lübeck was converted into a Oldenburgisches Erbfürstentum.
1806, the duchy was occupied by Dutch troops. Varel and Kniphausen who belonged to Oldenburg, were assigned to the Kingdom of Holland, which was at that time under the reign of Louis Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I.. Had to join Peter on the Erfurt in 1808 the Confederation of the Rhine. Nevertheless, Oldenburg was founded in 1810 under Napoleon occupied part of the French Empire and French. Peter was the Principality of Erfurt as a replacement. This he refused, however, and went in 1811 with his family to the Russian exile.
After the fall of Napoleon in 1813, he returned and took over the government in Oldenburg and Jever. He introduced universal conscription and put the Oldenburg Infantry Regiment.
At the Vienna conference proceedings 1815, he received the title of Grand Duke, but he was not, it was his son Paul Friedrich August was called in 1829 Grand Duke. Oldenburg won the Vienna Convention, the Principality of Birkenfeld ( on the Nahe ) and 1818, the dominion of Jever including Kniphausen glory.
In the reign of Peter Friedrich Ludwig the establishment of the first Landesrabbinates for the Duchy of Oldenburg with the appointment of Nathan Marcus Adler was the Chief Rabbi 1828 In addition, the Duke drove the reform of the pilot system at the Weser progress and improvements in infrastructure and education. Oldenburger Lehrerseminar was the forerunner of the later University of Education, from the public ducal library at today's state Library developed. The system of the still busy palace gardens is due to Peter Friedrich Ludwig. From his longtime court painter Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, he acquired several paintings, many of which are on display in Oldenburg castle. To finance construction of a hospital Duke founded in 1826 a fund, but only after his death that Peter Friedrich Ludwig's Hospital was completed in 1841 with these funds and other grants.
Progeny
From the marriage with Friederike of Württemberg (* July 27, 1765, † November 24, 1785 ) had two sons:
- August (1783-1853), Grand Duke
- Georg (1784-1812)