Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1042

 086 GERMAN EMPIRE: — WURTTEMBERG

Their total area was 71,195 hectares. They supported 30,299 persohs of whom 11,937 were actively engaged in agriculture. Railways, 6 miles. British Ministcr-Uesident—^h- A. C. Stephen, K.C.M.G.j C.B. Gons%tl-Gencral.—\\ iWidinx Ward (Hamburg).

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Waldeckischer Lamles-Kalender aufdas Jahi-. 1899. Mengeringliansen. 1S9S.

WtJRTTEMBERG.

(KONIGREICH WDRTTEMBKRO.)

Reigning King.

Wilhelm II., King of Wiirttemberg, born February 25, 1848 ; son of thfe late Prince Friedrich of V/iirttemberg (cousin of the late king Karl I.) and Princess Katharine of Wiirttemberg (sister of the late king) ; ascended the throne on the death of Karl I., October 6, 1891. Married (1), February 15, 1877, to Princess il/aWeof Waldeck-Pyrmont, who died April 30, 1882 ; issue of this union, Princess Paidinc, born December 19, 1877, married October 29, 1898, to Prince Friedrich of Wied. (2), April 8, 1886, Princess Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe.

Aunt of the King.

Princess Augusta, born October 4, 1826; married June 17, 1851, to Prince Hermann of Saxe- Weimar ; issue, five children. nj

The former Duchy and Electorate of Wiirttemberg was erected into a Kingdom by the Peace of Pressburg, 1805, and by a decree of January 1, 1806. The civil list of the king amounts to 1,999,337 marks, with additional grants of 137,563 marks, for the other members of the royal family.

Constitution and Government.

Wiirttemberg is a constitutional hereditary Monarchy, the Constitution of which bears date September 25, 1819. It vests certain powers in the Landstiinde, or two ' Estates ' of the realm, called together every three years, or ofteuer if necessary. The Upper Chamber, or House of Standesherren, is com- posed of the princes of the royal family, of the heads of twenty mediatised houses which were before 1806 endowed with votes in the Imperial Diet, and a number of members nominated by the king hereditarily or for life, which number, however, must not exceed one-third of that of the two other categories (there are now eight, two hereditary). The Second Chamber, or House of Deputies (Abgeordnetcn), consists of thirteen members of the nobility, elected by the Rittcrschaft (Ecpiestrian Order) of the Kingdom : six dignitaries of the Evangelical clergy ; three dignitaries of the Catholic clergy • the chancellor of the University of Tiibingen ; seven deputies of towns V g^^te Stiidte '), and sixty -three of districts ('Oberiiniter'), elected by all citizens over twenty-five years of age by secret ballot. All the members of the Second Chamber are chosen for six years, and they must be thirty years of age ; property qualifica- tion is not necessary. The president of the Upper Chamber is appointed by the king, the vice-president is elected by the Chamber from among the hereditary members ; the president and vice-president of the Second Chamber are both elected by the deputies. The debates of both Chambers are public. Whenever the Chambers are not sitting they are represented by a committee of twelve persons, consisting of the presidents of both Chambers, two members of the Upper, and eight of the Lower House. A special court of justice, called the Staats-Gerichtshof, is appointed guardian of the Constitution. It is com-