| House of Livensky Ливентский | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ethnicity | Baltic German, Russian |
| Place of birth |  Russian Empire-  Courland Finland |
| Information | |
| Notable members | Prince Johann-Christoph von Lieven Prince Anatol von Lieven Prince George I Anatolyevich |
| Parent House | House of von Lieven |
| Current Head | Vassily I Georgievich, Crown Prince of Courland |
| Estate | Mežotne, Russian Empire (main) St. Petersburg, Russian Empire Mittburg, German Empire Helsinki, Finland Vyborg, Finland |
The House of Lieven (Russian: Ливенский, Livensky; German: von Lieven) is one of Russian Empire's local knyaz families, and the ruling sovereigns of Finland, and has also been found in Swedish nobilities. The Russian Livenskys are currently the ruling dynasty in the Principality of Livonia, and the Grand Principality of the Baltics, and is currently of mixed Baltic German-Russian heritage, though the ethnic identity is often dictated by the religion.
The House of Lievan is unique in that is legally considered both part of the Baltic German fürst and Russian knyaz classes, both essentially meaning "princely" class. The former coming from the line of Prince (as well as King) Anatol von Lieven, and the latter coming from his Russian wife, Princess Maria Grigoriyevna Gagarina, from the House of Gagarin.
Therefore, in spite of marrying Russian noblewomen, and adopting Russian identities, the Livenskys still continue to use the German honorific von Lieven, speak fluent German and are named according to German noble traditions, which is lacking in other nobilities of Baltic German origin that have assimilated into Russian culture such as the Ungern-Sternbergs and Wrangels, while considered part of the Russian princely class, is no longer considered part of the Baltic German noble hierarchy.
The Baltic line of the House of Livensky, or the Lievens, originate from Johann-Christoph von Lieven, a high-ranking military general of Catherine the Great, who herself, was also German. Although historically a Lutheran dynasty, the last Lutheran member was Anatol von Lieven, a prominent Imperial Russian general, and later White and Tsarist fighter during the Russian Civil War who was crowned as the Crown Prince of the Baltics and of Courland by Tsar Cyril I in 1921, but later also crowned as the King of Finland. Due to the unavailability of German equivalents willing to marry the Baltic German prince, he married Princess Maria Grigoriyevna Gagarin, granddaughter of Prince Grigory Ivanovich Gagarin. Despite her noble descent, she was non-titled. Their kids would be Russian Orthodox where the Russified form of Lieven, Livensky, was adopted although unofficially.
The two later divorced, amicably, with Anatol von Lieven focusing on his time as the King of Finland. He married Princess Stephanie of Schaumburg-Lippe, and the Finnish line would come from them.
With an estimated net worth of ₽88.5 billion, they are the second-wealthiest Baltic German princely family.
History[]
In the aftermath of the Russian Civil War, Antol von Lieven stayed in the city of Petrograd, and was later evacuated to the city to the city Tsarytsin, which was home to a Volga German population. Because he had served the Russian state, Generalissmus Pyotr Wrangel, also a Baltic German, gave orders to gave him special protection. He would marry Princess Alice Barclay de Tolly in Tsarytsin, a highly-honored wedding within the Volga German community. Generalissmo Wrangel and Stavka promoted him Brigadier General, and allowed him to assembly his own brigade.
He and Princess Alice birthed five children, Magnus, Alfred, Joanna and Josephina. After the Second World War, the Lievens reclaimed their historical estates in Latvia, what would become the Principality of Livonia. At this point in time, Prince Anatol von Lieven had achieved the rank of Marshal of the Russian Empire.
Russian line[]
Prince Alfred's second son, Prince Woldemar I Allfridovich von Lieven married Princess ???? Golytsin. He converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith, and via request from Golitsyin, that their inheritence will be passed to Russian Orthodox descendents. Prince Woldemar von Lieven becamce Prince Vladimir Alfridovich Lieven. More regnally, Vladimir I Alfridovich, Prince of the Volga. Prince Vladimir I's third son, Prince Sergey married regular Russian women, however Vladimir honored their marriages, and allowed their children to inherit titles and property. Prince Sergey's son, Prince Paul (or Pavel Lieven) would become one of Russia's wealthiest men.
Baltic German line[]
Prince Anatol von Lieven got a chance to produce Lutheran descendants, divorced his Russian wife, and married Alice Barclay de Tolly, who became Princess Alice I Andreyevna of Livonia. Through this marriage, the House of Barclay de Tolly retained their prominence.
Finnish sovereign line[]
However, Prince Anatol von Lieven got the opportunity to retain a Lutheran line. Russia's neighbor Finland up north was struggling politically, as the monarchists failed their quest to crown Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse as the King, as it violated the laws set forth by the League of Nations.
Tsar Cyril I was known for his strong views against the west, and acted upon the chance to help Finland crowned a monarch, a Baltic German monarch, who would be Lutheran in according to Finland's Lutheran heritage. In 1921-1922, the Russians helped the monarchists overthrow the republic, in which Anatol von Lieven not only partook in the operation, but also became crowned as the King of Finland, as Anatolius I.
In 1924, King Anatolius I divorced Princess Maria, due to the conflict it would cause. However, Maria remained a Princess as the title had been bestowed upon her by the Tsar himself, King Anatolius himself allowed the princess to retain headship of the Russian Livenskys, as well as his properties in the Baltics. In 1926, he married Princess Stephanie of Schaumburg-Lippe.
Along with the House of Rennenakampf and the House of Barclay de Tolly, the House of Lieven is known as one of the "Great Three" of the Baltic German nobility, namely in the fact that their founding patriarchs were those Baltic Germans who stayed in Russia, and remained loyal to the Tsar.
Friendly rivalry with the House of Rennenkampf[]
The House of Lieven would soon become a rival princely to the House of Rennenkampf, competing for influence over the Baltics as whole. The two families have competed primarily in business. The Lieven-owned Riga Royal Sports Conglomerate and the Rennenkampf-owned Royal Athletic Group Talinn, have constantly competed in the Grand Royal Baltic Competition. However, Prince Andrew I Edgarovich Rennenkampf and Prince Vassily I Georgievich Lieven have both stated that none of it is "personal", and in reality, the two families are very close-knit.
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