| Leiningen-Romanov Лейнинген-Романов | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Russian and German |
| Information | |
| Founder | Grand Duchess Maria Kirilovna Prince Karl of Leiningen |
| Parent House | House of Leiningen House of Romanov |
| Current Head | Prince Boris I Karlovich-Romanov |
The House of Leiningen-Romanov (Russian: Лейнинген-Романов) also known as the Karlovich-Romanov (Russian: Карлович-Романов) and originally the Karlovich (Russian: Карлович) is a noble dynasty in Russia, formed from the marriage of Grand Duchess Maria Kirilovna, the eldest daughter of Tsar Kiril I of Russia, and Prince Karl of Leiningan.
It is considered by most in Russia to be a faction within both the House of Romanov and House of Leiningen, usage of "Leiningen-Romanov" or "Karlovich-Romanov" is used solely for the purpose of making a distinction between Maria Kirilovna and Karl of Leiningen.
In both Germany and Russia, the "Leiningen-Romanov" specifically refers to the descendants of Karl and Maria who settled in Russia, and adopted a Russian nationality and identity, though Germany's jus sanguinis laws qualifies all of the Leiningen-Romanovs for German citizenship which have caused confusion.
The dynasty began in Germany after the Romanovs were forced to flee Russia after the civil war, and was restored after World War II when Grand Duchess Maria was finally able to return to Russia, after the empire was re-formed. At first, the Romanov lineage was not recognized due to male inheritance laws, however eventually, some of Maria and Karl's children began to migrate to Russia, and become Russian Orthodox. Their descendents would form some of Russia's wealthiest people.
After much debate within the Romanovs and monarchist circles, the family was first initially referred to as the Karlovich (Карлович).