Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt
Encyclopedia
Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt (14 April 1606, Darmstadt
– 15 January 1659, Osterode am Harz
) was the wife of Count Ulrich II of East Frisia
and was regent
for her minor son Enno Louis from 1648 to 1651. Her parents were Landgrave Louis V
of Hesse-Darmstadt and Magdalene of Brandenburg, daughter of Elector John George
von Brandenburg.
Juliana arrived in East Frisia on 5 March 1631 and married count Ulrich II on the same day. She and her husband had three sons: Enno Louis, George Christian
and Edzard Ferdinand. Even during the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War
Ulrich managed to build a Lustschloss
for his wife at Sandhorst
. It was completed in 1648 even though East Frisia had to endure great hardship during the war, due to various foreign occupiers.
After her husbands death, she was appointed guardian of her minor sons, and regent
of the county. However, she sent her combursome sons abroad and lived a life of decadence
, leaving the management of the badly damaged county in the hands of her favourites, who did so badly. This led to increasing problems with the East Frisian Estates
.
Most notable among these favourites were Secret Councillor Johann von Marenholz and his wife Elisabeth von Ungnad zu Sonneck, who a been a lady-in-waiting
for Juliana. Juliana was alleged to have had an affair with Marenholz, which later proved his undoing. He was executed in Wittmund
on 21 July 1651, after a show trial. In the meantime, Juliana had moved the court from Aurich
to Sandhorst
to be able to indulge in the sweet life undisturbedly. Many East Frisians held that under Marenholz and his wife, the problems of the county had gotten out of hand and urged the young Count Enno Louis to return to his County.
Emperor Ferdinand III
declared Enno Louis to be an adult in 1651 and in May that year Enno Louis removed his mother from gouvernment. She was sent to her Wittum
at Berum Castle
. In 1654 she bought the farm Westerhof in Osterode am Harz
, where she died on 15 January 1659.
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...
– 15 January 1659, Osterode am Harz
Osterode am Harz
For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.Osterode am Harz often simply called Osterode, is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of government of the district of Osterode. The town is twinned with Scarborough,...
) was the wife of Count Ulrich II 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....
and was regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for her minor son Enno Louis from 1648 to 1651. Her parents were Landgrave Louis V
Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louis V of Hesse-Darmstadt was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1596 to 1626.He was born on 24 September 1577 as the son of George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Magdalene of Lippe....
of Hesse-Darmstadt and Magdalene of Brandenburg, daughter of Elector John George
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
von Brandenburg.
Juliana arrived in East Frisia on 5 March 1631 and married count Ulrich II on the same day. She and her husband had three sons: Enno Louis, George Christian
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...
and Edzard Ferdinand. Even during the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
Ulrich managed to build a Lustschloss
Lustschloss
A Lustschloss is a small palace which served the private pleasure of its owner, usually the ruler of the area. It is located in, and was inhabited for court, ceremonial, and state duties.A Lustschloss is often coupled with a Jagdschloss...
for his wife at Sandhorst
Sandhorst
Sandhorst is a district of Aurich, the county town of Aurich in East Frisia, Lower Saxony.The formerly independent municipality Sandhorst existed for several hundred years. It was annexed in 1972 by Aurich in the wake of the Lower Saxon local government reform. It covers an area of...
. It was completed in 1648 even though East Frisia had to endure great hardship during the war, due to various foreign occupiers.
After her husbands death, she was appointed guardian of her minor sons, and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of the county. However, she sent her combursome sons abroad and lived a life of decadence
Decadence
Decadence can refer to a personal trait, or to the state of a society . Used to describe a person's lifestyle. Concise Oxford Dictionary: "a luxurious self-indulgence"...
, leaving the management of the badly damaged county in the hands of her favourites, who did so badly. This led to increasing problems with the East Frisian 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...
.
Most notable among these favourites were Secret Councillor Johann von Marenholz and his wife Elisabeth von Ungnad zu Sonneck, who a been a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
for Juliana. Juliana was alleged to have had an affair with Marenholz, which later proved his undoing. He was executed in Wittmund
Wittmund
Wittmund is a town and capital of the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.-Geography:Wittmund is a town of 21,000 inhabitants located in Germany's historic coastal district of East Frisia, between the towns of Aurich and Jever...
on 21 July 1651, after a show trial. In the meantime, Juliana had moved the court from Aurich
Aurich
Aurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
to Sandhorst
Sandhorst
Sandhorst is a district of Aurich, the county town of Aurich in East Frisia, Lower Saxony.The formerly independent municipality Sandhorst existed for several hundred years. It was annexed in 1972 by Aurich in the wake of the Lower Saxon local government reform. It covers an area of...
to be able to indulge in the sweet life undisturbedly. Many East Frisians held that under Marenholz and his wife, the problems of the county had gotten out of hand and urged the young Count Enno Louis to return to his County.
Emperor Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
declared Enno Louis to be an adult in 1651 and in May that year Enno Louis removed his mother from gouvernment. She was sent to 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 :...
at Berum Castle
Berum Castle
Berum Castle is located in the Berum district the East Frisian town of Hage. It is one of the most important sites in East Frisian history.- History :...
. In 1654 she bought the farm Westerhof in Osterode am Harz
Osterode am Harz
For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.Osterode am Harz often simply called Osterode, is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of government of the district of Osterode. The town is twinned with Scarborough,...
, where she died on 15 January 1659.