August-Wilhelm I of Liothidia
| August-William I | |||||
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| Liothidian Emperor (more...) | |||||
| Reign | 10 May 1846 - 12 December 1858 | ||||
| Coronation | 13 May 1846 | ||||
| Predecessor | monarchy established | ||||
| Successor | Heinrich I | ||||
| Minister-Presidents | |||||
| King of Rahdenburg (more...) | |||||
| Reign | 4 October 1834 - 12 December 1858 | ||||
| Predecessor | August-Heinrich III | ||||
| Lord Minister | See list
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| Born | 22 March 1799 Schloss Engelweg, Rixdorf, Kingdom of Rahdenburg | ||||
| Died | 12 December 1858 Ersbwalde Palace, Rahden, Liothidian Empire | ||||
| Spouse | Charlotte-Augusta von Wissenland (m. 1826) | ||||
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| House | Hechenreyt | ||||
| Father | August-Friedrich III | ||||
| Mother | Margarete von Verrenhalle | ||||
| Religion | Fabrian Catholic | ||||
August-William I, or in Liothidian: August-Wilhelm I (full name: August William Frederick of Hechenreyt, Liothidian: August-Wilhelm Friedrich von Hechenreyt, 22 March 1799 – 12 December 1856), of the House of Hechenreyt, was King of Rahdenburg from 4 October 1834 and the first Liothidian Emperor from 10 May 1846 to his death, the first Head of State of a united Liothidia. Under the leadership of August-William and his Minister President Karl Franz von Auerswald, Rahdenburg achieved the unification of Liothidia and the establishment of the Liothidian Empire, following the Glorious Revolution. Following unification, August-William left much of governance to his Minister President Karl-Franz Auerswald.
The death of his wife and new-born son in 1837, denied August-William a male heir and failing to secure changes to the laws of succession, to enable his daughter, Hildegard, to succeed him brought the emperor into a decades-long depression. Toward the end of his life, he withdrew from the public and died of a heart attack within weeks of his daughter's wedding to Ghantish Prince Nathan III. He was succeed by his younger brother, Heinrich, Grand Prince of Stalendorf.
Early life and career
Born to August-Henry III by his wife Queen Margarete, he was the latter's favourite son, well documented in being the resentment of his brother, and successor, Heinrich. August-William was educated by private tutors, many of whom were experienced civil servants, such as Ruprecht-Franz von Voss. He was known to be a quick learner, an astute mathematician and held a keen passion for history.
He also gained military experience by serving in the Rahdener Army during the XXX War against XX in 1818, although he was an indifferent soldier. He preferred studying architecture, botany and had a strong interest in nascent industry emerging in Rahdenburg. Throughout his youth as the heir presumptive to the Kingdom of Rahdenburg, he became a prominent patron of science, arts and music. In 1829, he championed the construction of the Kaiserliches Opernhaus in Rahden and the König August-Heinrich Auditorium in Vechta.
In 1826, he married Charlotte-Augusta von Dannenburg, the daughter of the Grand Duke of Dannenburg. This marriage, though arranged by his father to maintain the dual-dominance of Rahdenburg and Dannenburg in the Liothidian Realm, was solidified by a much lauded love between the two. The marriage would produce two children, Hildegard (b. 1836) and Heinrich-Joachim (b. 1837 d. 1837), the latter died at childbirth, further complications would also see his wife, pass away three days later.