Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel
Encyclopedia
Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel (28 May 1689, Marburg
– 8 May 1753, Kassel
) was a prince of Hesse-Kassel
and a Generalfeldzeugmeister, Generalfeldmarschall and finally Reichsgeneralfeldmarschall in the army of the Holy Roman Empire
.
(1654–1730) and his wife Marie Amalia (1653–1711), daughter of Jacob Kettler
, duke of Kurland.
In 1720 he married Friederike Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt
(1698–1777), a daughter of Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
. The marriage was meant to symbolise the new harmony between Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, but was complicated by the two families' annoyance over his lavish lifestyle. In 1723 his father gave Maximilian the domain of Jesberg
, which included the Richerode estate. In Jesberg, Maximilian built the baroque
Schloss Jesberg and in nearby woodland built the 'Prinzessingarten' for his daughters. He was a passionate musician, maintaining a separate court-orchestra of his own, but this plunged him into debt.
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
– 8 May 1753, Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
) was a prince of Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
and a Generalfeldzeugmeister, Generalfeldmarschall and finally Reichsgeneralfeldmarschall in the army of 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...
.
Life
Maximilian was the ninth son of Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselCharles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Karl I was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1670 till his death.Born at Kassel, he was the son of Wilhelm VI of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg, daughter of Georg Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. After the early death of his father, his mother ruled as regent until 1675...
(1654–1730) and his wife Marie Amalia (1653–1711), daughter of Jacob Kettler
Jacob Kettler
Jacob Kettler was a Baltic German Duke of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia . Under his rule, the duchy was brought to its greatest peak in wealth and engaged in colonization.- Life :...
, duke of Kurland.
In 1720 he married Friederike Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt
Friederike Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt
Friederike Charlotte of Hessen-Darmstadt was a princess of Hesse-Darmstadt and through her marriage a princess of Hesse-Kassel-Life:...
(1698–1777), a daughter of Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1678 to 1739. His parents were Landgrave Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt and Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ....
. The marriage was meant to symbolise the new harmony between Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, but was complicated by the two families' annoyance over his lavish lifestyle. In 1723 his father gave Maximilian the domain of Jesberg
Jesberg
-Location:Jesberg lies from 210 to 675 m high in the Gilsa river valley eastsoutheast of the Wüstegarten, which at 675 m above sea level is both the Kellerwald range's and the Schwalm-Eder district's highest peak...
, which included the Richerode estate. In Jesberg, Maximilian built the baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
Schloss Jesberg and in nearby woodland built the 'Prinzessingarten' for his daughters. He was a passionate musician, maintaining a separate court-orchestra of his own, but this plunged him into debt.
Marriage and issue
He had eight children:- Karl (30 September 1721 in Kassel - 23 November 1722 in Kassel)
- Ulrike Friederike WilhelminePrincess Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-KasselPrincess Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel was a member of the House of Hesse-Kassel by birth, and of the House of Holstein-Gottorp through her marriage to Frederick Augustus I, Duke of Oldenburg...
(31 October 1722 in Kassel - 28 February 1787 in Eutin) ∞ 1752 Frederick August I, Duke of OldenburgFrederick August I, Duke of OldenburgFriedrich August, Duke of Holstein-Oldenburg was the son of Christian August, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and his wife Margravine Albertine Friederike of Baden-Durlach.-Marriage and issue:... - Christine Charlotte (11 February 1725 in Kassel - 4 June 1782 in Kassel), from 17 April 1765 canoness of Herford AbbeyHerford AbbeyHerford Abbey was the oldest women's religious house in the Duchy of Saxony. It was founded as a house of secular canonesses in 789, initially in Müdehorst by a nobleman called Waltger, who moved it in about 800 onto the lands of his estate Herivurth which stood at the crossing of a number of...
, from 12 July 1766 coadjutor abbess of Herford - Maria (25 February 1726 in Kassel - 14 March 1727 in Kassel)
- WilhelminaPrincess Wilhelmina of Hesse-KasselWilhelmina av Hessen-Kassel was a Prussian princess, married to prince Henry of Prussia.Wilhelmina was the daughter of prince Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel and Friederike Charlotte of Hessen-Darmstadt and the niece of landgrave William VIII of Hesse-Kassel and king Frederick of Sweden...
(1726–1808) ∞ 1752 Prince Henry of Prussia - A still-born child (born and died October 1729 in Kassel)
- Elisabetha Sophia Louisa (10 November 1730 in Kassel - 4 February 1731 in Kassel)
- Caroline Wilhelmina Sophia (10 May 1732 in Kassel - 22 May 1759 in Zerbst) ∞ 1753 Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstFrederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstFrederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the last ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....