Leopold Eberhard, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard

Leopold Eberhard of Württemberg-Montbéliard (21 May 1670, Montbéliard – 25 March 1723, Montbéliard) was the last ruler of the Duchy of Württemberg-Montbéliard from 1699 until his death.

Leopold Eberhard was the eighth and youngest child of Duke George II of Württemberg-Montbéliard by his wife, Comtesse Anne de Coligny. He was the third son of his parents but the only one who survived infancy: his older brothers, Otto Frederick and Conrad Louis, died in infancy in 1653 and 1659 respectively, long before his birth. In 1680, the 10-year-old Leopold Eberhard became Comte de Coligny after the death of his mother, the sole surviving heiress of Comte Gaspard III de Coligny.

During his early youth, Leopold Eberhard followed the military career in Austria. Emperor Leopold I named him Colonel and made several campaigns in Hungary. Later, he commanded the place of Torkay when the Turks advance to Europe, and successfully he drove them of the country.

It was during his long permanence in Silesia that Leopold Eberhard met his first mistress, Anna Sabine von Hedwiger, lady-in-waiting at the court of Württemberg-Olesnica where the Hereditary Duke resided at that point; seduced by him, they secretly married in the town of Rejowiz near Poznań on 1 June 1695; this was completely ignored by his father George II, who was already prepared a marriage for him with a princess of royal blood.

In order to make this morganatic marriage more respectable, Leopold Eberhard urged the Emperor to give his wife a title. In order to obtain this, he showed proofs that the Hedwiger family had noble origins and served the Empire with loyalty and dedication during generations; even a genealogy was constructed to support the claim. However, the case remained in suspense for the next six years.

In the meanwhile, Anna Sabina bore her husband four children, of whom only two survive infancy:

However, soon the marriage failed, mostly because of Leopold Eberhard's unfaithfulness. During his campaigns against the Turks, the prince developed a friendship with Richard Curie, also known as "l'Espérance" (the Hope, a war nickname), Captain of the Imperial army and son of a sergeant of justice in Montbéliard. Richard had five children, one son and four daughters; the Curie sisters (in particular Henriette Hedwig and Elisabeth Charlotte) were able to seduce Anna Sabine's husband.

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