Christine Charlotte of Württemberg
Encyclopedia
Christine Charlotte of Württemberg (21 October 1645, Stuttgart
– 16 May 1699, Bruchhausen
) was a princess of Württemberg by birth and a princess consort of East Frisia
, married in 1662 to George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
. She served as the regent of East Frisia during the minority of her son from 1665 until 1690. She was considered extraordinarily beautiful, intelligent and eloquent, but in addition also as a domineering, unforgiving, unrepentant and wasteful. Her reign was marked by disputes within East Frisia. Historians have a negative view of her overall performance, which may be due to her conflicts with the Estates
.
of Württemberg from his first marriage to Anna Dorothea of Salm-Kyrburg. At the age of 17 she married on 10 May 1662 Count George Christian of East Frisia
, who was raised in the same year to the rank of heritable Prince
. The marriage lasted only three years since her husband died suddenly on 6 June 1665. The brief marriage produced three children, two girls who died in infancy, and finally, four months after of George Christian's death, Christine Charlotte gave birth to a son, Christian Everhard
.
As the mother of the new-born prince, she became is guardian and regent of East Frisia. She tried to rule as an absolutist princess, which led to a series of conflict with the equally self-conscious Estates
of East Frisia and borugh the country to the brink of civil war several times. In the end, her efforts failed when the Emperor confirmed the Estates and declared her son of age.
Her major foreign policy success was a border treaty with Oldenburg on 22 December 1666. This treaty created the so-called Golden line
, which separates East Frisia from Oldenburg Friesland
to this day.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
– 16 May 1699, Bruchhausen
Bruchhausen-Vilsen
Bruchhausen-Vilsen is a municipality in the Diepholz district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated southeast of Bremen. The nearby communities of Berxen, Bruchhöfen, Bruchmühlen, Dille, Gehlbergen, Heiligenberg, Homfeld, Nenndorf, Riethausen, Stapelshorn, Wöpse, Oerdinghausen, Scholen,...
) was a princess of Württemberg by birth and a princess consort of East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
, married in 1662 to George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
George Christian was a member of the Cirksena family and succeeded his brother Enno Louis as ruler of East Frisia. He ruled from 1660 to 1665. Under his reign, the Cirksena family acquired on 18 April 1662 the hereditary title of Imperial Prince.George Christian grew up with his brother at the...
. She served as the regent of East Frisia during the minority of her son from 1665 until 1690. She was considered extraordinarily beautiful, intelligent and eloquent, but in addition also as a domineering, unforgiving, unrepentant and wasteful. Her reign was marked by disputes within East Frisia. Historians have a negative view of her overall performance, which may be due to her conflicts with the Estates
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
.
Life
Christine Charlotte was a daughter of Duke Eberhard IIIEberhard III, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1628 until his death in 1674....
of Württemberg from his first marriage to Anna Dorothea of Salm-Kyrburg. At the age of 17 she married on 10 May 1662 Count George Christian of East Frisia
George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
George Christian was a member of the Cirksena family and succeeded his brother Enno Louis as ruler of East Frisia. He ruled from 1660 to 1665. Under his reign, the Cirksena family acquired on 18 April 1662 the hereditary title of Imperial Prince.George Christian grew up with his brother at the...
, who was raised in the same year to the rank of heritable Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
. The marriage lasted only three years since her husband died suddenly on 6 June 1665. The brief marriage produced three children, two girls who died in infancy, and finally, four months after of George Christian's death, Christine Charlotte gave birth to a son, Christian Everhard
Christian Everhard, Prince of East Frisia
Prince Christian Everhard of East Frisia was a Prince of East Frisia from the House of Cirksena from the day he was born in 1665, but remained under guardianship until 1690.- Life :...
.
As the mother of the new-born prince, she became is guardian and regent of East Frisia. She tried to rule as an absolutist princess, which led to a series of conflict with the equally self-conscious Estates
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
of East Frisia and borugh the country to the brink of civil war several times. In the end, her efforts failed when the Emperor confirmed the Estates and declared her son of age.
Her major foreign policy success was a border treaty with Oldenburg on 22 December 1666. This treaty created the so-called Golden line
Golden line
The golden line is a type of Latin dactylic hexameter frequently mentioned in Latin classrooms in English speaking countries and in contemporary scholarship written in English.-Definition:...
, which separates East Frisia from Oldenburg Friesland
Friesland (district)
Friesland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Wesermarsch, Ammerland, Leer and Wittmund, and by the North Sea...
to this day.