Landgravine Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

Princess Friederike
Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt
Born	20 August 1752 Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire
Died	22 May 1782 (aged 29) Hanover, Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Full name Friederike Caroline Luise
House	Hesse-Darmstadt
Father	Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt
Mother	Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg

Princess Friederike Caroline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt (20 August 1752 – 22 May 1782) was a member of the House of Hesse and by marriage a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

She is a direct matrilineal ancestor (through women only) of Queen Margarethe II of Denmark, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Albert II of Belgium, King Harald V of Norway, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg.

Life

Friederike was born in Darmstadt, the eldest daughter of Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt, second son of Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg.

She married Duke Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on 18 September 1768 in Darmstadt.^[1] They had ten children together. Two daughters became queens consort as Louise would marry Frederick William III of Prussia and Frederica would marry Ernest Augustus I of Hanover.

Friederike died of complications resulting from child birth in Hanover, where her husband was field marshal of the household brigade. After her death her husband married her younger sister Charlotte in 1784. In 1794 her husband succeeded to the throne of Mecklenburg-Strelitz as Charles II and in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna, he was raised to the title grand duke.

She died at the age of 29, three days after giving birth to her tenth child, Augusta, who lived just one day. Friederike is buried in the royal crypt of the church of St John the Baptist in Mirow.^[2]

Issue

Friederike had ten children, five of whom survived to adulthood. Two of her daughters married royalty, Louise becoming Queen of Prussia and Frederica becoming Queen of Hanover.

Issue

Name Portrait Lifespan Notes Duchess Charlotte Georgine Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen 17 November 1769- 14 May 1818 Married in 1785 to Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and had issue; Duchess Karoline Auguste 17 February 1771- 11 January 1773 Died in infancy Duke Georg Karl 4 March 1772- 21 May 1773 Died in infancy Duchess Therese Mathilde Princess of Thurn and Taxis 5 April 1773- 12 February 1839 Married Prince Karl Alexander of Thurn and Taxis and had issue; Duke Friedrich Georg 1 September 1775- 5 November 1775 Died in infancy Duchess Louise Auguste Queen of Prussia 10 March 1776- 19 July 1810 Married in 1793 to Frederick William III of Prussia and had issue; Duchess Frederica Louise Princess of Prussia Princess of Solms-Braunfels Queen of Hanover 3 March 1778- 29 June 1841 Married first in 1793 Prince Louis Charles of Prussia and had issue; married second in 1798 to Prince Frederick William of Solms-Braunfels and had issue; married third in 1815 to Ernest Augustus I of Hanover and had issue; George Friedrich Grand Duke of Mecklenburg 12 August 1779- September 1860 Married in 1817 Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel and had issue; Duke Friedrich Karl 7 January 1781- 24 March 1783 Died in infancy Duchess Auguste Albertine 19 May 1782- 20 May 1782 Died in infancy

Ancestry

Ancestors of Landgravine Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

16. Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt               8. Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                       17. Princess Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg               4. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                             18. Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach               9. Margravine Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach                       19. Countess Sophie Margarete of Oettingen-Oettingen               2. Landgrave George William of Hesse-Darmstadt                                   20. Count Johann Reinhard II of Hanau-Lichtenberg               10. Johann Reinhard III, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg and Münzenberg                       21. Anna Magdalena, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler               5. Countess Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg and Münzenberg                             22. John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach               11. Margravine Dorothea Friederike of Brandenburg-Ansbach                       23. Princess Johanna of Baden-Durlach               1. Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt                                         24. Georg Wilhelm, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg               12. John, Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg                       25. Countess Anna Elisabeth of Daun-Falkenstein               6. Count Christian Karl Reinhard of Leiningen-Dachsburg-Falkenburg-Heidesheim                             26. Count Johann Reinhard II of Hanau-Lichtenberg (=20)               13. Countess Johanna Magdalene of Hanau-Lichtenberg                       27. Anna Magdalena, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler (=21)               3. Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg                                   28. Johann August, Count of Solms-Rödelheim and Assenheim               14. Georg Ludwig, Count of Solms-Rödelheim and Assenheim                       29. Countess Eleonore Cratz von Scharffenstein               7. Countess Katharina Polyxena of Solms-Rödelheim                             30. Count Frederik Ahlefeldt               15. Countess Charlotte Sybille Ahlefeldt                       31. Countess Maria Elisabeth of Leiningen-Hartenburg

References

1. Huberty, Michel; Alain Giraud; F. et B. Magdelaine. L'Allemagne Dynastique, Tome VI : Bade-Mecklembourg. p. 211. ISBN 978-2-901138-06-8.
2. "Friederike Caroline Luise von Hessen-Darmstadt". Find a grave.