[morgaine]

The Name Battenberg comes from a small area in Hessen Germany.

1841 the young Marie of Hesse Darmstadt marries the Tsarevich Alexander of Russia, the later Alexander II. With her, she brings her brother Alexander of Hesse Darmstadt to Russia to comfort her in her new Home Country. Here Alexander falls in Love with Julia Haucke, Lady in Waiting to his Sister Marie.
Against the Wishes of the Russian imperial Family and his own he marries Julia Haucke morganatically on 28 October 1851. After this Julia is created from the Hessen Darmstadt Family to be a Countess of Battenberg and so be all her Descendants.

Alexander and Julia have 5 children:

1. Marie 1852 - 1923 ( married to the Count of Erbach)
2. Ludwig 1854 - 1921 ( married to Victoria of Hesse Darmstadt, the eldest Sister of the last Tsarina. They are the Parents of Alice of Battenberg and the famous Louis Battenberg, Georg and Luise)
3. Alexander 1857 - 1893 ( married to the actress Johanna Loisinger after a long courtingship for Victoria of Prussia- Bismarck had forbidden the match in the End)
4. Heinrich 1858 - 1896 ( married to Victorias I youngest daughter Beatrice and was the Father of 5 sons and Daughter Victoria Eugenie, the famous " Ena" of Spain)
5. Franz Joseph 1861 - 1924 ( married to Anna of Montenegro)

Here are some Pictures: