It could not have been because a prospective marriage would have been in contravention to the house rules of the former grand duchy, since in 1815 the Congress of Vienna declared that members of mediatized houses could be treated as "equals" for the purpose of dynastic marriages.
It's true that before World War I, they were nevertheless regarded as "second-class" royals -- only grudgingly accepted for intermarriage with members of sovereign houses. But their stock certainly would have risen sharply afterward, given the number of dynasties that got deposed.
And indeed, only a year after his own marriage to Habsburg Archduchess Valerie of Austria-Tuscany, Margrave Max approved the marriage of his only brother (Prince Ludwig) to Princess Marianne of Auersperg-Breunner -- who came from an Austrian princely family which was neither royal nor reigning. But I believe the union is nonetheless within Baden house rules.
Message Thread
« Back to index