Christiane Henriette, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken
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Christiane Henriette of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (16 November 1725, Rappoltsweiler – 11 February 1816, Arolsen) was a Countess of Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld by birth and by marriage a Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont.
of Zweibrücken (1674–1735) from his marriage to Caroline
(1704–1774), daughter of Count Ludwig Crato of Nassau-Saarbrücken
. Christiane Henriette was the sister of the Duke Christian IV
, the Great Landgravine
and of Field Marshal Frederick Michael. She was also an aunt of the first Bavarian king Maximilian I.
She married on 19 August 1741 in Zweibrücken
prince Karl August of Waldeck-Pyrmont
(1704–1763). After the death of her husband, she was from 1764 to 1766 Regent of the principality and guardian for her in the for hir first-born son. In the years 1764 to 1778, the New Castle at Arolsen was built as her Wittum
by Franz Friedrich Rothweil.
Christiane Henriette was considered highly educated in arts and sciences. She was a close friend of the anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach
Christiane collected a comprehensive library, which by 1788 included about 6,000 volumes and in her Arolsen Castle
, she maintained an art and natural history collection.
When she died, Christiane left behind a considerable debt, which is why parts of her library and art collection had to be auctioned off in 1820 had.
Christiane Henriette died in 1816 and was buried in the park of her New Castle at Arolsen.
Life
Christiane Henriette was the daughter of the Count Palatine and Duke Christian IIIChristian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1731–1735. He was the son of Christian II of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Katharina Agathe, Countess of Rappoltstein...
of Zweibrücken (1674–1735) from his marriage to Caroline
Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken
Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken was Countess Palatine and by marriage Countess Palatine of Palatinate-Zweibrücken.- Biography :...
(1704–1774), daughter of Count Ludwig Crato of Nassau-Saarbrücken
Louis Crato, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken
Louis Crato, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken was the son of Count Gustav Adolph of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Clara Eleanor, Countess of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein. He was educated at Neuenstein with his uncle, Count Wolfgang Julius of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein, and later in Tübingen...
. Christiane Henriette was the sister of the Duke Christian IV
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1735 to 1775. He was the son of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.In 1751 he married, morganatically, Maria Johanna Camasse...
, the Great Landgravine
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:...
and of Field Marshal Frederick Michael. She was also an aunt of the first Bavarian king Maximilian I.
She married on 19 August 1741 in Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
prince Karl August of Waldeck-Pyrmont
Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Karl August Friedrich of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Commander of the Dutch forces in the War of Austrian Succession.-Royal life and military career:...
(1704–1763). After the death of her husband, she was from 1764 to 1766 Regent of the principality and guardian for her in the for hir first-born son. In the years 1764 to 1778, the New Castle at Arolsen was built as her Wittum
Wittum
Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...
by Franz Friedrich Rothweil.
Christiane Henriette was considered highly educated in arts and sciences. She was a close friend of the anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach was a German physician, physiologist and anthropologist, one of the first to explore the study of mankind as an aspect of natural history, whose teachings in comparative anatomy were applied to classification of what he called human races, of which he determined...
Christiane collected a comprehensive library, which by 1788 included about 6,000 volumes and in her Arolsen Castle
Arolsen Castle
Arolsen Castle is a baroque styled Schloss in Bad Arolsen, Hesse, Germany. It has served as the family home of the Waldeck and Pyrmont family. It was birthplace of Queen consort Emma of the Netherlands.-History:...
, she maintained an art and natural history collection.
When she died, Christiane left behind a considerable debt, which is why parts of her library and art collection had to be auctioned off in 1820 had.
Christiane Henriette died in 1816 and was buried in the park of her New Castle at Arolsen.
Offspring
From her marriage with Karl August, Christiane Henriette had the following children:- Charles (1742–1756)
- FriedrichFriedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontFriedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont from 1763 to 1812.-Early life:He was the second son of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Countess Palatine Christiane of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld...
(1743–1812), Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont - ChristianChristian August, Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontChristian August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was a general in the Austrian service, and last commander and Field Marshal of the Portuguese land army.- Life :...
(1744–1798), Portuguese Field Marshal - George IGeorge I, Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontGeorge I, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont from 1812 to 1813.He was the son of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Countess Palatine Christiane Henriette of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler.-Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont:...
(1747–1813), Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
- married in 1784 princess Auguste of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1768-1849)
- Caroline Louise (1748–1782)
- married in 1765 (divorced 1772) Peter von BironPeter von BironPeter von Biron was the last Duke of Courland from 1769 to 1795.Peter was born in Jelgava as the son of Ernst Johann von Biron, future Duke of Courland, and his wife Benigna von Trotha. When 16 years old, he was forced to follow his family into the Siberian exile. In 1769, Peter was given the...
, Duke of CourlandCourlandCourland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
(1724-1800)- Louise (1751–1816)
- married in 1775 Duke Frederick Augustus of Nassau-Usingen (1738-1816)
- Louis (1752–1793), Dutch General, killed in battle