Christine of Hesse Biography
Christine of Hesse (29 June 1543:– 13 May 1604) was *ss consort of Holstein-Gottorp as the spouse of Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp. She exerted some political influence as a widow after 1586.
Biography
Christine was born in K*el as a daughter of Landgrave Philip I of Hesse and his spouse Christine of Saxony. She was given a strict Protestant upbringing by her aunt Elizabeth, Dowager *ss of Saxony.
Christine received a proposal from King Eric XIV of Sweden, but this did not come about. Her wedding celebration resulted in a scandal, when the guests at the wedding reception consumed too much alcohol. In 1565, the Gottorf Castle was destroyed by fire, which cost her her personal possessions.
As *ss, Christine supported churches and schools and scholarships to poor students in theology. She was interested in medicine, and also manufactured her own medicines.
As a widow after 1586, Christine defended the rights of her son Philip against the council.
Christine composed the psalm-book Geistliche Psalmen und Lieder (1590).
Family and children
On 17 December 1564 Christine was married to Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and had the following children:
- Frederick II (21 April 1568:– 15 June 1587).
- Sophia (1 June 1569:– 14 November 1634), married on 17 February 1588 to John VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
- Philip (10 August 1570:– 18 October 1590).
- Christina (13 April 1573:– 8 December 1625), married on 27 August 1592 to King Charles IX of Sweden.
- John Adolph (27 February 1575:– 31 March 1616).
- Anna (27 February 1575:– 24 April 1625), married 28 January 1598 to Count Enno III of Ostfriesland.
- Christian, died young in 1577.
- Agnes (20 December 1578:– 1627).
- John Frederick, prince-bishop of Bremen, Lübeck and Verden, (1 September 1579:– 3 September 1634).
Through her daughters Sophia and Anna, she is an ancestor of British Monarch Charles III.
Ancestors
External links
- Media related to Christine of Hesse at Wikimedia Commons
- (in German) Article in the ABD
