Magdalene of Lippe
Encyclopedia
Magdalena of Lippe was a German noblewoman. She was a Countess of Lippe by birth. By her marriage to George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
she was the first Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt.
of Lippe (1527-1563) from his marriage to Catherine (1524-1583), daughter of Count Philip III of Waldeck-Eisenberg.
After her father's death, she moved to the court of Landgrave William IV
of Hesse-Kassel, where she was regarded as a natural beauty. Here, she met George
. She married him on 17 August 1572. William paid the expenses of the marriage. The marriage was a happy one. Magdalena was regarded as so virtuous, pious and benevolent, that she was sometimes compared to Saint Elisabeth
. She even wrote a prayer book for her children. Magdalena and her husband laid the groundwork for the State and University library of Hesse.
She died in 1587, after 15 years of marriage, at the age of 35. She died after the birth of her last child. She was buried in the choir of the city church of Darmstadt. Her famous epitaph
can still be found behind the high altar. It was dedicated to her by her husband in 1589.
George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
George I of Hesse-Darmstadt was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1567 to 1596.Born on 10 September 1547 in Kassel, he was the fourth son of Philip I the Magnanimous of Hesse and Christine of Saxony....
she was the first Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt.
Life
Magdalena was the daughter of Count Bernhard VIIIBernhard VIII, Count of Lippe
Count Bernhard of Lippe VIII was from 1547 until his death in 1563 the ruling Count of Lippe.- Life :...
of Lippe (1527-1563) from his marriage to Catherine (1524-1583), daughter of Count Philip III of Waldeck-Eisenberg.
After her father's death, she moved to the court of Landgrave William IV
William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
William IV of Hesse-Kassel , also called William the Wise, was the first Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel . He was the founder of the oldest line, which survives to this day.-Life:...
of Hesse-Kassel, where she was regarded as a natural beauty. Here, she met George
George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
George I of Hesse-Darmstadt was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1567 to 1596.Born on 10 September 1547 in Kassel, he was the fourth son of Philip I the Magnanimous of Hesse and Christine of Saxony....
. She married him on 17 August 1572. William paid the expenses of the marriage. The marriage was a happy one. Magdalena was regarded as so virtuous, pious and benevolent, that she was sometimes compared to Saint Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary, T.O.S.F., was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary, Countess of Thuringia, Germany and a greatly-venerated Catholic saint. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. She then became one of the first members of the newly-founded Third Order of St. Francis,...
. She even wrote a prayer book for her children. Magdalena and her husband laid the groundwork for the State and University library of Hesse.
She died in 1587, after 15 years of marriage, at the age of 35. She died after the birth of her last child. She was buried in the choir of the city church of Darmstadt. Her famous epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
can still be found behind the high altar. It was dedicated to her by her husband in 1589.
Issue
Magdalena and George had ten children, of whom three sons and three daughters reached adulthood:- Philip William (1576-1576), Heriditary prince
- Louis VLouis V, Landgrave of Hesse-DarmstadtLouis 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....
(1577-1626), Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
- married in 1598 princess Magdalene of Brandenburg (1582-1616)
- Christine (1578-1596)
- married in 1595 Count Frederick Magnus of Erbach (1575-1618)
- Elisabeth (1579-1655)
- married in 1601 Count John Casimir of Nassau-Weilburg-Gleiberg (1577-1602)
- Marie Hedwig (1580-1582)
- Philip IIIPhilip III, Landgrave of Hesse-ButzbachLandgrave Philip III of Hesse-Butzbach was Landgrave of Hesse-Butzbach from 1609 to 1643.- Life :...
(1581-1643), Landgrave of Hesse-Butzbach
- married firstly, in 1610, Countess Anna Margarethe of Diepholz (1580-1629)
- married secondly, in 1632, Countess Christine Sophie of East Frisia (1600-1658)
- Anna (1583-1631)
- married in 1601 Count Albert Otto of Solms-Laubach (1576-1610)
- Frederick IFrederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-HomburgFrederick I of Hesse-Homburg , was the first Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and founder of the eponymous family line.- Life :...
(1585-1638), Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
- Frederick I
- married in 1622 Countess Margarethe of Leiningen-Westerburg (1604-1667)
- Magdalene (1586-1586)
- John (1587-1587)