William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Encyclopedia
William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (23 May 1629 – 16 July 1663), known as William the Just, was Landgrave
of Hesse-Kassel
from 1637 to 1663.
, he was the son of William V
(whom he succeeded) and his wife Amalie Elisabeth
, Gräfin of Hanau-Münzenberg (daughter of Philip Louis II of Hanau-Münzenberg
and his wife Countess Catharina Belgica of Nassau). His mother remained his guardian until he came of age. Despite Hesse-Kassel's defeat in the Thirty Years' War
, William's mother did not wish to acknowledge the accord of 1627. This required that the unmarried Marburg
er heir and the Landgraves of Hessen-Darmstadt
should fall, but Amalie Elisabeth had other ideas and led Hesse-Kessel in 1645 into the "Hessenkrieg", ruling as Landgräfin on her son's behalf. This war began when Hesse-Kassel's troops began to besiege the city of Marburg. Three years later, in 1648, the war ended with a victory for Kassel, although the citizens of Darmstadt also gained from it. Domination over the Marburger territories went over to the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel after the accord was dissolved and a new agreement was reached. William VI succeeded in what its ancestors had tried to do in vain since 1604, that is, to end the Hesse-Marburg landgraviate, and to annex the Marburger lands to Hesse-Kassel.
After these wars, William attended above all to the extension of the universities within his domains and the foundation of more new Lehranstalts. To finally resolve the quarrel with the landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, Wilhelm delivered to George II
the territory around Gießen
, along with Ämtern by Biedenkopf
.
Shortly before his death, William joined the League of the Rhine
on its foundation in 1658. He also sought to effect a union between his Lutheran and Reformed subjects, or at least to lessen their mutual hatred. In 1661 he had a colloquy held in Kassel
between the Lutheran theologians of the University of Rinteln
and the Reformed theologians of the University of Marburg.
William VI died at Haina
in 1663. Control of his Landgraviate went to his eldest son William VII, though - not yet of age - he remained under the guardianship of his mother Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg until his early death in 1670.
and Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palantine
. Their children were:
Landgrave
Landgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
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...
from 1637 to 1663.
Life
Born in KasselKassel
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 :...
, he was the son of William V
William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
William V of Hesse-Kassel was the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in the Holy Roman Empire from 1627 to 1637....
(whom he succeeded) and his wife Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth von Hanau-Münzenberg
Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg was Landgravine consort and Regent of Hesse-Kassel.She was a daughter of Philipp Ludwig II of Hanau-Münzenberg and Countess Catharina Belgica of Nassau. She married in 1619 to landgrave William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel...
, Gräfin of Hanau-Münzenberg (daughter of Philip Louis II of Hanau-Münzenberg
Philip Louis II of Hanau-Münzenberg
Philip Louis II of Hanau-Münzenberg , was one of the most notable counts of Hanau of the early modern period, his policies bringing about sweeping changes....
and his wife Countess Catharina Belgica of Nassau). His mother remained his guardian until he came of age. Despite Hesse-Kassel's defeat in 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....
, William's mother did not wish to acknowledge the accord of 1627. This required that the unmarried Marburg
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 :...
er heir and the Landgraves of Hessen-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....
should fall, but Amalie Elisabeth had other ideas and led Hesse-Kessel in 1645 into the "Hessenkrieg", ruling as Landgräfin on her son's behalf. This war began when Hesse-Kassel's troops began to besiege the city of Marburg. Three years later, in 1648, the war ended with a victory for Kassel, although the citizens of Darmstadt also gained from it. Domination over the Marburger territories went over to the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel after the accord was dissolved and a new agreement was reached. William VI succeeded in what its ancestors had tried to do in vain since 1604, that is, to end the Hesse-Marburg landgraviate, and to annex the Marburger lands to Hesse-Kassel.
After these wars, William attended above all to the extension of the universities within his domains and the foundation of more new Lehranstalts. To finally resolve the quarrel with the landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, Wilhelm delivered to George II
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...
the territory around Gießen
Gießen
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...
, along with Ämtern by Biedenkopf
Biedenkopf
Biedenkopf is a spa town in western Hessen, Germany with a population of 13,271.- Location :The town of Biedenkopf lies in the west of Marburg-Biedenkopf district. Ringed by mountains reaching up to 674 m above sea level – the Sackpfeife in the Rothaargebirge reaches this height – the town...
.
Shortly before his death, William joined the League of the Rhine
League of the Rhine
The League of the Rhine was a defensive union of more than 50 German princes and their cities along the River Rhine, formed in 14 August 1658 by Louis XIV of France and negotiated by Cardinal Mazarin , Hugues de Lionne and Johann...
on its foundation in 1658. He also sought to effect a union between his Lutheran and Reformed subjects, or at least to lessen their mutual hatred. In 1661 he had a colloquy held in 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 :...
between the Lutheran theologians of the University of Rinteln
Rinteln
Rinteln is a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located on the banks of the Weser river above the Porta Westfalica. Population: 28,500.It is accessed by the A2 autobahn .-History:...
and the Reformed theologians of the University of Marburg.
William VI died at Haina
Haina
Haina is a community in Waldeck-Frankenberg in northwest Hesse, Germany.-Location:Haina lies in Waldeck-Frankenberg south of Frankenberg and east of Burgwald at the southwest slope of the Kellerwald range...
in 1663. Control of his Landgraviate went to his eldest son William VII, though - not yet of age - he remained under the guardianship of his mother Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg until his early death in 1670.
Marriage and issue
He married Margravine Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg (1623–1683), daughter of daughter of George William, Elector of BrandenburgGeorge William, Elector of Brandenburg
George William of Brandenburg , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was margrave and elector of Brandenburg and duke of Prussia from 1619 until his death. His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War...
and Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palantine
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (1597-1660)
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate was the wife of George William, Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, and the mother of Frederick William of Brandenburg, the "Great Elector".- Biography :...
. Their children were:
- Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714), married Christian V of DenmarkChristian V of DenmarkChristian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
- William VIIWilliam VII, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselWilliam VII of Hesse-Kassel was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.- Life :William was the eldest son of Landgrave William VI of Hesse-Kassel and his wife, Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg. William VII inherited the landgraviate when his fatehr died in 1663...
(1651–1670) - Luise (11 September 1652 - 23. October 1652)
- CharlesCharles I, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselKarl 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...
(3 August 1654 - 23 March 1730), - Philipp (14 December 1655 - 18 June 1721), Landgrave of Hessen-Philippsthal, married Katharina Amalia Gräfin von Solms-Laubach
- Georg von Hessen-Kassel (1658–1675);
- Elisabeth HenriëtteElisabeth Henriëtte of Hesse-KasselElisabeth Henriëtte of Hesse-Kassel was the daughter of William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg a sister of Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg.-Biography:...
(8 November 1661 - 27 June 1683), married Frederick I of PrussiaFrederick I of PrussiaFrederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...