Christian of Hessen-Darmstadt (25 November 1763, Bouxwiller

Bouxwiller, Haut-Rhin

Bouxwiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...

 - 17 April 1830, Darmstadt

Darmstadt

Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...

) was landgraf of the house of Hesse-Darmstadt

Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt

The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1567 following the division of the Landgraviate of Hesse between the four sons of Philip I, the last Landgrave of Hesse....

 and a Dutch general. He was also a keen Freemason, rising to grandmaster.

Life

The youngest son of landgraf Louis IX

Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1768 - 1790. He was a son of Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg and Müntzenberg....

 and his wife Caroline

Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken

Caroline of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken was wife of the Landgrave of Hessen-Darmstadt and one of the most learned women of her time.-Biography:...

, one of his brothers was grand-duke Louis I

Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse

Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and later the first Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine....

. Landgraf Christian studied in Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...

 and then chose a military career in the service of the Dutch Republic

Dutch Republic

The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...

. As lieutenant-general he fought for William V

William V, Prince of Orange

William V , Prince of Orange-Nassau was the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and between 1795 and 1806 he led the Government of the Dutch Republic in Exile in London. He was succeeded by his son William I...

 against the French from 1793 to 1794 and was badly wounded in the siege of Menen

Menen

Menen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Menen proper and the towns of Lauwe and Rekkem. The city is situated on the French/Belgian border. On January 1, 2006, Menen had a total population of 32,413...

 in April 1794. After the Dutch were defeated in 1795 he went into exile in England and later continued the war against France in the Austrian army. From 1799 he lived in Darmstadt

Darmstadt

Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...

, and is buried in the Alten Friedhof there.

Ancestry

External links

• http://www.knerger.de/Die_Personen/regenten/regenten_2/regenten_3/hauptteil_regenten_3.html