Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt
(Elisabeth Amalie Magdalene; 20 March 1635 – 4 August 1709) was a princess of Hesse-Darmstadt
and wife of the Prince-elector
of the Palatinate.
, she was a daughter of George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
and Sophia Eleonore of Saxony
. Her siblings included Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt
, future Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Anna Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg
.
Elisabeth Amalie was brought up strictly by her mother who was a Lutheran. She had an attractive appearance with striking blond hair, a trait she kept until her old age and which was inherited by her daughters Eleonor Magdalene and Dorothea Sophie, the latter being known in particular for her blonde hair.
On 3 September 1653 she was married at Langenschwalbach
to Count palatine
Philip William of Neuburg, who later became Prince-elector of the Palatinate. Her husband was some twenty years older than she and was the heir to the Electoral Palatinate which was a one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire
.
She converted to Catholicism
on 1 November 1653 in the presence of the elector
and archbishop of Cologne, Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
.
The 37-year long marriage was regarded as extremely happy and over its course, produced 17 children, many of which have descendants today. In the early years of their marriage, the couple lived in Düsseldorf
, where they founded churches and monasteries. Later they moved to Neuburg
, where she died after outliving her husband by almost 20 years.
The writer William Nakatenus dedicated his work The Heavenly Palm little garden to her.
|-
! style="background:#ccccff;"|Issue
|-
|
{| style="text-align:center; width:100%" class="wikitable"
! width=20% | Name !! width=100px | Portrait !! Lifespan !! Notes !!
|-
| Eleonor Magdalene
Holy Roman Empress
||
|| 6 January 1655-
19 January 1720
|| Married in 1676 Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
and had issue;
|-
| Maria Adelheid Anna
||
|| 6 January 1656-
22 December 1656
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Sophia Elisabeth
||
|| 25 May 1657-
7 February 1658
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Johann Wilhelm
Elector Palatine
||
|| 19 April 1658-
8 June 1716
|| Married first Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria
and had issue;
married second Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
and had no issue
|-
| Wolfgang George Frederik
Weihbischof in Köln
||
|| 5 June 1659-
4 June 1683
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Ludwig Anton
Bishop of Worms
||
|| 9 June 1660-
4 May 1694
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Charles III Philip
Elector Palatine
||
|| 4 November 1661-
31 December 1742
|| Married first Ludwika Karolina Radziwiłł and had issue;
married second Teresa Lubomirska
and had issue;
married thrird Violante Theresia of Thurn and Taxis, no issue
|-
| Alexander Sigismund
Bishop of Augsburg
||
| |16 April 1663-
24 January 1737
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Francis Louis
Count Palatine
Archbishop of Wrocław
||
|| 18 July 1664-
6 April 1732
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Frederik Wilhelm
||
|| 20 July 1665-
23 July 1689
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Maria Sofia
Queen of Portugal
||
|| 6 August 1666-
4 August 1699
|| Married in 1687 Peter II of Portugal and had issue
|-
| Maria Anna
Queen of Spain
||
|| 28 October 1667-
16 July 1740
|| Married in 1690 Charles II of Spain
, no issue;
|-
| Philip William August
||
|| 19 November 1668-
5 April 1693
|| Married in 1690 Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg
and had issue
|-
| Dorothea Sophie
Duchess of Parma
||
|| 5 July 1670-
15 September 1748
|| Married in 1690 Odoardo Farnese and had issue;
|-
| Hedwig Elisabeth
Princess Sobieski
||
|| 18 July 1673-
10 August 1722
|| Married in 1691 James Louis Sobieski and had issue;
|-
| Johann
||
|| 1 February 1675-
2 February 1675
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Leopoldine Eleonora Josepha
||
|| 27 May 1679 -
8 March 1693
|| Died unmarried
|}
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....
(Elisabeth Amalie Magdalene; 20 March 1635 – 4 August 1709) was a princess 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 wife of the Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of the Palatinate.
Biography
Born at the New Palace in GießenGießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
, she was a daughter of George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
George II of Hesse-Darmstadt, was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1626 - 1661. He was the son of Ludwig V and Magdalena von Brandenburg.He married Sophia Eleonore of Saxony on April 1, 1627...
and Sophia Eleonore of Saxony
Sophia Eleonore of Saxony
Sophia Eleonore of Saxony was a Duchess of Saxony by birth and the Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1627 to 1661 through her marriage to Landgrave George II. She was the eldest surviving child of John George I, Elector of Saxony, and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia...
. Her siblings included Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1661 to 1678.He was the eldest of three sons of the Landgrave George II of Hesse-Darmstadt and Sophia Eleonore of Saxony.- Marriage and children :...
, future Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Anna Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg
Anna Sophia II, Abbess of Quedlinburg
Landgravine Anna Sophia of Hesse-Darmstadt was a German noblewoman who reigned as Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg under the name Anna Sophia II.- Early life :...
.
Elisabeth Amalie was brought up strictly by her mother who was a Lutheran. She had an attractive appearance with striking blond hair, a trait she kept until her old age and which was inherited by her daughters Eleonor Magdalene and Dorothea Sophie, the latter being known in particular for her blonde hair.
On 3 September 1653 she was married at Langenschwalbach
Bad Schwalbach
Bad Schwalbach is the district seat of Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany.- Geographic Location :Bad Schwalbach is a spa town some 20 km northwest of Wiesbaden. It lies at 289 to 465 m above sea level in the Taunus, along the small river Aar...
to Count palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
Philip William of Neuburg, who later became Prince-elector of the Palatinate. Her husband was some twenty years older than she and was the heir to the Electoral Palatinate which was a one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
She converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
on 1 November 1653 in the presence of the elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
and archbishop of Cologne, Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
thumb|154 px|Maximilian Heinrich of BavariaMaximilian Henry of Bavaria was the third son and fourth child of Albert VI, landgrave of Leuchtenberg and his wife, Mechthilde von Leuchtenberg. In 1650, he was named Archbishop of Cologne, Bishop of Hildesheim and Bishop of Liège succeeding his uncle,...
.
The 37-year long marriage was regarded as extremely happy and over its course, produced 17 children, many of which have descendants today. In the early years of their marriage, the couple lived in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, where they founded churches and monasteries. Later they moved to Neuburg
Neuburg an der Donau
Neuburg an der Donau, literally Neuburg on the Danube River, is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany.-Divisions:The municipality has 16 divisions:-History:...
, where she died after outliving her husband by almost 20 years.
The writer William Nakatenus dedicated his work The Heavenly Palm little garden to her.
Issue
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width=100% align="center"|-
! style="background:#ccccff;"|Issue
|-
|
{| style="text-align:center; width:100%" class="wikitable"
! width=20% | Name !! width=100px | Portrait !! Lifespan !! Notes !!
|-
| Eleonor Magdalene
Holy Roman Empress
||
|| 6 January 1655-
19 January 1720
|| Married in 1676 Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
and had issue;
|-
| Maria Adelheid Anna
||
|| 6 January 1656-
22 December 1656
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Sophia Elisabeth
||
|| 25 May 1657-
7 February 1658
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Johann Wilhelm
Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine
Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine was Elector Palatine , Duke Palatine of Neuburg/Danube , Duke of Jülich and Berg , and Duke of Upper Palatinate and Cham...
Elector Palatine
||
|| 19 April 1658-
8 June 1716
|| Married first Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria
Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria
Maria Anna Josepha of Austria was the youngest surviving daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his third wife Eleonora Gonzaga.-Biography:Maria Anna Josepha's mother Eleonora was the third wife of Ferdinand...
and had issue;
married second Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici was the last scion of the House of Medici. A patron of the arts, she bequeathed the Medici's large art collection, including the contents of the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti and the Medicean villas, which she inherited upon her brother Gian Gastone's death in 1737, and her...
and had no issue
|-
| Wolfgang George Frederik
Weihbischof in Köln
||
|| 5 June 1659-
4 June 1683
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Ludwig Anton
Bishop of Worms
||
|| 9 June 1660-
4 May 1694
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Charles III Philip
Elector Palatine
||
|| 4 November 1661-
31 December 1742
|| Married first Ludwika Karolina Radziwiłł and had issue;
married second Teresa Lubomirska
Teresa Lubomirska
Princess Teresa Katharina Lubomirska was a Polish noble lady. She was the second wife of Count Palatine Charles Philip of Neuburg, who became Elector Palatine four years after her death....
and had issue;
married thrird Violante Theresia of Thurn and Taxis, no issue
|-
| Alexander Sigismund
Bishop of Augsburg
||
| |16 April 1663-
24 January 1737
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Francis Louis
Count Palatine
Archbishop of Wrocław
||
|| 18 July 1664-
6 April 1732
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Frederik Wilhelm
||
|| 20 July 1665-
23 July 1689
|| Died unmarried
|-
| Maria Sofia
Queen of Portugal
||
|| 6 August 1666-
4 August 1699
|| Married in 1687 Peter II of Portugal and had issue
|-
| Maria Anna
Queen of Spain
||
|| 28 October 1667-
16 July 1740
|| Married in 1690 Charles II of Spain
Charles II of Spain
Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain and the ruler of large parts of Italy, the Spanish territories in the Southern Low Countries, and Spain's overseas Empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies...
, no issue;
|-
| Philip William August
Philip William August, Count Palatine of Neuburg
Philip William August, Count Palatine of Neuburg was a Prince and Count Palatine of Neuburg.- Life :...
||
|| 19 November 1668-
5 April 1693
|| Married in 1690 Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg
Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg
Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg was the legal Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg in the eyes of the Holy Roman Emperor, the overlord of Saxe-Lauenburg, from 1689 until 1728; however, because her distant cousin George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, conquered the duchy by force in 1689, she...
and had issue
|-
| Dorothea Sophie
Duchess of Parma
||
|| 5 July 1670-
15 September 1748
|| Married in 1690 Odoardo Farnese and had issue;
|-
| Hedwig Elisabeth
Princess Sobieski
||
|| 18 July 1673-
10 August 1722
|| Married in 1691 James Louis Sobieski and had issue;
|-
| Johann
||
|| 1 February 1675-
2 February 1675
|| Died in infancy
|-
| Leopoldine Eleonora Josepha
||
|| 27 May 1679 -
8 March 1693
|| Died unmarried
|}
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 20 March 1635 – 3 September 1653 Her Serene Highness Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt
- 3 September 1653 – 26 May 1685 Her Serene Highness the Electoral Princess of the Palatinate
- 26 May 1685 – 2 September 1690 Her Serene Highness the Electress Palatine
- 2 September 1690 – 4 August 1709 Her Serene Highness the Dowager Electress Palatine