Vilhelm I, Prince of Albania

German and Albanian royalty. Prinz Wilhelm Friedrich Heinrich zu Wied was born into a German royal family of princely rank, a younger son of Wilhelm, Fürst zu Wied, and his wife, Princess Marie of the Netherlands. He served as a Prussian cavalry officer and on the German General Staff. Wilhelm was married at Waldenburg on November 30, 1906 to Prinzessin Sophie von Schönburg-Waldenburg, with whom he had two children. As a nephew of Queen Elisabeth of Romania, the consort of King Carol I, Wilhelm was deemed a suitable candidate for the throne of Albania and he benefitted from her influence and support of his candidature. He reigned briefly as sovereign of the Principality of Albania as Vilhelm I from March 7, 1914 to September 3, 1914 [Vilhelm is Albanian for Wilhelm]. His reign was not successful, however, characterized by revolts and unpopularity with the Albanian people. Vilhelm left the country on September 3, 1914 and eventually returned to Germany, where he rejoined the German a