Amalie Adlerberg

Amalie Adlerberg (Russian: Амалия Максимилиановна Адлерберг, 1808–1888) was born as an out-of-wedlock child of Count Maximilian-Emmanuel Lerchenfeld (1772–1809) and Duchess Therese of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1773–1839), Princess consort of Thurn and Taxis. Teresa was the aunt of the Russian empress Alexandra Fyodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia), wife of Nicholas I of Russia. The husband of Teresa, Karl Alexander, 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (1770–1827) inherited Regensburg, the city of eternal Reichstag (since 1664). The prince was invited by Napoleon Bonaparte for his new projects, and lived in Paris for years. While he was absent, Princess Terese had a passionate affair with Bavarian diplomat, Count Maximilian-Emmanuel Lerchenfeld. The result of this relationship was the baby girl named Amalie born in 1808 in the city of Darmstadt.

After the death of her father, Count Maximilian on October 19, 1809, Amalie was in charge of Teresa's relatives von Sternfeld in Darmstadt, and the baby carried their family name after she was born. Later, she was brought to Regensburg, closer to princess Teresa and changed her last name to Stargard. She was finally taken care of by the family of Lerchenfeld and lived in their palace in Munich or at the family castle in Köfering near Regensburg. Finally, on August 1, 1823, the Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse gave the 15-year old Amalie the permission to carry the name of Lerchenfeld, but without rights to use the coat of arms and be listed in the family tree, which was the price for the love affair of her mother.