1 Thaler Kingdom of Württemberg (1806-1918) Silver Charles I of W ...

Obverse: Bearded head of Charles I. as king of Wurttemberg right. Comment: Engraver’s initials (C. SCHNITZSPAHN) at bust truncation. Legend: KARL KOENIG VON WUERTTEMBERG

Reverse: Crowned helmet on coat-of-arms of Wurttemberg, supported by a crowned lion and a deer, which are standing on a floral baze, which contains motto ("Fearless and faithful!") Legend: EIN VEREINSTHALER . XXX EIN PFUND FEIN 1866

Charles I (German: Karl Friedrich Alexander, Koenig von Wurttemberg) was the third King of Wurttemberg, from 25 June 1864 until his death in 1891.

He was born 6 March 1823 at Stuttgart, as HRH Charles Frederick Alexander, Crown Prince of Wurttemberg the son of William I, King of Wurttemberg (1781-1864) and his third wife (and first cousin) Pauline of Wurttemberg (1800-1873).

He studied in Berlin and Tubingen.

On 13 July 1846 he married Olga Nikolaievna of Russia, daughter of Tsar Nicholas I and Charlotte of Prussia. Charlotte was a daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She took the name Alexandra upon her marriage.

Karl acceded to his father’s throne in 1864, making Olga Queen of Wurttemberg.

The couple had no children, perhaps because of Karl’s homosexuality. Karl became the object of scandal several times for his closeness with various men. The most notorious of these was the American Charles Woodcock, a former chamberlain whom Karl elevated to Baron Savage in 1888. Karl and Charles became inseparable, going so far as to appear together in public dressed identically. The resulting outcry forced Karl to renounce his favorite. Woodcock returned to America, and Karl found private consolation some years later with the technical director of the royal theater, Wilhelm George.

In 1870, Olga and Karl adopted Olga’s niece Vera Konstantinova, the daughter of her brother Grand Duke Konstantin.

Under Charles' leadership, Wurttemberg became, in 1871, part of the German Empire.

He died, childless, at Stuttgart on 6 October 1891, and was succeeded as King of Wurttemberg by his agnatic cousin, his sister’s son, William II of Wurttemberg. He rests, together with his wife, in the Old Castle in Stuttgart.