View source for Botho zu Eulenburg

{{Short description|Prussian politician (1831–1912)}}
{{Infobox Politician
| name = Count Botho zu Eulenburg
| image = Botho Wendt zu Eulenburg.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1831|7|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Pravdinsky District|Wicken]], [[Province of Prussia]], [[Kingdom of Prussia]]
| residence =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1912|2|5|1831|7|31|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Berlin]], Kingdom of Prussia, [[German Empire]]
| office = [[Minister-President of Prussia]] 
| term_start = 22 March 1892
| term_end = 26 October 1894
| monarch = [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II]]
| predecessor = Count [[Leo von Caprivi]]
| successor = Prince [[Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst]]
| office1 = 
| term_start1 = 
| term_end1 = 
| occupation = Jurist
| spouse = Elisabeth von Alvensleben
| children = Botho zu Eulenburg (1879&ndash;1881)
| relatives = [[August zu Eulenburg]] (brother)<br>[[Philipp zu Eulenburg]] (second cousin)
}}
'''Botho Wendt August [[Graf]]{{efn|{{German title Graf}}}} zu Eulenburg''' (31 July 1831 &ndash; 5 February 1912) was a [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] [[politician|statesman]]. Throughout the entire [[German Empire]] period he was, alongside [[Albrecht von Roon]] the only Minister President of Prussia not also to be [[Chancellor of Germany]], with the two offices being practically synonymous. 

==Early life and career==
Eulenburg was born in [[Pravdinsky District|Wicken]] (now in [[Pravdinsky District]])<ref>[http://oops.uni-oldenburg.de/volltexte/2000/618/pdf/register.pdf Biography] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719110755/http://oops.uni-oldenburg.de/volltexte/2000/618/pdf/register.pdf |date=July 19, 2011 }} at [[University of Oldenburg]]</ref> to Botho Heinrich zu Eulenburg (1804&ndash;1879) and Therese née von Dönhoff (1806&ndash;1882).<ref name=ADB>[https://archive.today/20121210060107/http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/0001/bsb00016320/images/index.html?seite=696 Biography] at [[Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie]] {{in lang|de}}</ref> He studied law at the universities of [[University of Königsberg|Königsberg]] and [[University of Bonn|Bonn]].

Eulenburg worked in high positions of the Prussian and German administration in [[Wiesbaden]] (1869&ndash;1872), [[Metz]] (president of the [[Département de la Lorraine]]; 1872&ndash;1873) and [[Oberpräsident|upper president]] of the [[Province of Hanover]] (1873&ndash;1878). 
In March 1878 Eulenburg succeeded his first cousin once removed [[Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg]] as [[Interior Minister of Prussia|Minister of the Interior]], serving under [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]]. He implemented a series of repressive [[Anti-Socialist Laws|anti-socialist measures]]. From 1881 to 1892 he was the president of the province of [[Hesse-Nassau]].<ref name=ADB/> 

==Prime Minister of Prussia==
{{see|Eulenburg cabinet}}
In 1892, he was appointed [[Prime Minister of Prussia]] in succession to [[Leo von Caprivi]], who however remained Chancellor of Germany. 

Though Caprivi had recommended the experienced administrator Eulenburg for this appointment, the new prime minister soon made life difficult for Caprivi, and often thought of pressing for his removal. Both Caprivi and Eulenburg were eventually dismissed by Wilhelm II following the renewal of anti-Socialist moves (and an anti-subversion bill) in 1894. Eulenburg often thought of himself as the only possible successor to Caprivi, and he was extremely unhappy to be dismissed at what he regarded as the moment of his destiny. 

From 1899 until his death, Eulenburg was a member of the [[Prussian House of Lords]]. He died in Berlin in 1912 and is buried in No. I cemetery of Trinity Church, [[Berlin-Kreuzberg]].

==Personal life and family==
Eulenburg was the older brother of [[August zu Eulenburg]], [[Hofmarschall|Marshal]] of the Prussian royal court, and a second cousin of [[Prince Philip of Eulenburg]], a close friend of [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor]], and an instrumental figure behind the scenes of German politics.

On 25 October 1875 he married at [[Wejherowo|Neustadt]], [[West Prussia]] Elisabeth von Alvensleben (22 September 1834 in [[Brandenburg]]/[[Havel]] &ndash; 5 September 1919 in [[Wejherowo|Neustadt]]), by whom he had an only son, Botho (15 February 1879 in Berlin &ndash; 30 May 1881 in Berlin).

== Honours ==
He received the following orders and decorations:<ref name = "handbuch">''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat fur das jahr 1908'', [https://archive.org/details/handbuchberdenk01staagoog/page/n91/mode/2up p. 57]</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg}} [[Kingdom of Prussia]]:
** [[Order of the Black Eagle|Knight of the Black Eagle]], with Collar
** [[Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown]]
** [[Order of the Red Eagle|Grand Cross of the Red Eagle]], with Crown, Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
** Grand Commander's Star of the Royal [[House Order of Hohenzollern]], with Swords and Diamonds
** [[Iron Cross]] (1870), 2nd Class on White Band with Black Edge
** [[Red Cross Medal (Prussia)|Red Cross Medal]], 2nd Class
** Landwehr Service Medal, 1st Class
** Knight of Justice of the [[Johanniter Order]]
* {{flagicon|Anhalt}} [[Duchy of Anhalt]]: [[Order of Albert the Bear|Grand Cross of Albert the Bear]]
* {{flag|Denmark}}: [[Order of the Dannebrog|Grand Cross of the Dannebrog]], ''30 July 1890''<ref>{{cite book |year=1903 |orig-year=1st pub.:1801 |editor1-last=Bille-Hansen |editor1-first=A. C. |editor2-last=Holck |editor2-first=Harald |title=Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1903 |trans-title=State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1903 |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/921839.pdf#page=41 |format=PDF |series=Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender |language=da |location=Copenhagen |publisher=J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri |pages=11–12 |access-date=10 February 2021 |via=[[:da:DIS Danmark]]}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Saxe-Coburg and Gotha}} {{flagicon|Saxe-Altenburg}} {{flagicon|Saxe-Meiningen}} [[Ernestine duchies]]: Grand Cross of the [[Saxe-Ernestine House Order]]
* {{flag|Grand Duchy of Hesse}}: Grand Cross of the [[Ludwig Order]]
* {{flag|Netherlands}}: [[Order of the Netherlands Lion|Grand Cross of the Netherlands Lion]]
* {{flagicon image|Early 20th Century Qajar Flag.svg}} [[Qajar Iran|Persian Empire]]: [[Order of the Lion and the Sun]], 1st Class
* {{flag|Russian Empire}}: [[Order of Saint Stanislaus (House of Romanov)|Knight of St. Stanislaus]], 2nd Class with Star
* {{flag|Kingdom of Saxony}}: Grand Cross of the [[Albert Order]], with Silver Star
* {{flag|Kingdom of Serbia}}: [[Order of the White Eagle (Serbia)|Grand Cross of the White Eagle]]
* {{flagicon image|Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg}} [[Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont]]: Order of Merit, 1st Class
}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{succession box
|title  = [[Province of Hanover#Presidents of the Province of Hanover|Oberpräsident of Hanover]]
|before = [[Karl Heinrich von Boetticher]]
|after  = [[Adolf Hilmar von Leipzig]]
|years  = 1873{{spaced ndash}}1878
}}
{{succession box
|title  = [[Hesse-Nassau#Oberpräsidents|Oberpräsident of Hesse-Nassau]]
|before = [[August von Ende]]
|after  = [[Eduard von Magdeburg]]
|years  = 1881{{spaced ndash}}1892
}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box
|title  = [[Interior Minister of Prussia]]
|before = Count [[Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg]]
|after  = [[Robert von Puttkamer]]
|years  = 1878{{spaced ndash}}1881
}}
{{succession box
|title  = [[Prime Minister of Prussia]]
|before = Count [[Leo von Caprivi]]
|after  = Prince [[Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst]]
|years  = 1892{{spaced ndash}}1894
}}
{{succession box
|title  = [[Interior Minister of Prussia]]
|before = Count [[Ludwig Herrfurt]]
|after  = [[Ernst von Koeller]]
|years  = 1892{{spaced ndash}}1894
}}
{{end}}
{{Interior Ministers of Prussia}}
{{Prime Ministers of Prussia}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eulenburg, Botho Zu}}
[[Category:1831 births]]
[[Category:1912 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Pravdinsky District]]
[[Category:People from the Province of Prussia]]
[[Category:Counts in Germany]]
[[Category:German Conservative Party politicians]]
[[Category:Minister presidents of Prussia]]
[[Category:Interior ministers of Prussia]]
[[Category:Members of the Prussian House of Lords]]
[[Category:University of Königsberg alumni]]
[[Category:University of Bonn alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870), 2nd class]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog]]
[[category:Recipients of the Order of the Netherlands Lion]]
[[Category:Members of the Reichstag of the North German Confederation]]