Frederick William, Elector of Hesse
| Frederick William | |
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| Reign | 1847-1866 |
| Predecessor | William II |
| Successor | Electorate abolished |
| Consort | Gertrude Falkenstein, Princess of Hanau |
| House | House of Hesse |
| Father | William II |
| Mother | Princess Augusta of Prussia |
| Born | 20 August 1802 Hanau |
| Died | 6 January 1875 (aged 72) Prague |
Frederick William I (August 20, 1802 – January 6, 1875) was, between 1847 and 1866, the last Elector of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel).
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[edit] Life
He was born at Hanau, the son of Prince William, later William II, Elector of Hesse, and Princess Augusta of Prussia, daughter of Frederick William II of Prussia.
During the French occupation of Hesse-Kassel (1806–1813) he stayed with his mother in Berlin. The relationship with his father was bad, because of his father's affair with Emilie Ortlöpp.
Frederick was educated at Marburg and Leipzig. He became co-regent on September 30, 1831, and Elector in 1847.[1] Under influence of his minister Hans Daniel Ludwig Friedrich Hassenpflug he conducted a reactionary policy, which made him very unpopular. He was forced to give in to the demands of the March Revolution, but reinstated Hassenpflug in 1850 after the revolution had been crushed.
In the Austro-Prussian War (1866) he chose the side of Austria. His capital Kassel was occupied by Prussia, and, as a consequence of his refusal to negotiate,[1] he was transferred as a prisoner to Stettin on June 23. Hessen-Kassel was annexed by Prussia in the same year.
Frederick William never accepted the Prussian dominance over his territory. Even after the creation of the unified German Empire (1871), he tried to regain his throne. He died at Prague in 1875.
[edit] Children
Frederick William morganatically married on June 26, 1831 to Gertrude Falkenstein (Bonn, 18 May 1803 – Prague 9 July 1882), daughter of Johann Gottfried Falkenstein (son of Nicolaus Falkenstein and wife Margarethe Heyss) and wife Magdalena Schulz (daughter of Johann Ludwig Albert Schulz and wife Sophie Krupps).
Former wife (m. Graven-Rheindorf, 30 November 1822) of Lt Karl Michael Lehmann[2] (Bischofswerden, 16 June 1787 – Wandsbek, 1882), whom his father made Her Illustrious Highness Countess of Schaumburg in (1831), and whom he made Princess (Fürstin) of Hanau and to Horowitz in (1853).
They had nine children, some born before marriage, who were also made princes (Prinzen) of Hanau, and granted the style of Serene Highness in 1862.[3] Subsequently, the Elector divorced Gertrud.
- Augusta Marie Gertrude (1829–1887), married 1849 Ferdinand Maximilian III Prince (Fürst) zu Isenburg-Büdingen in Wächtersbach (1824–1903). They were the grandparents of Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
- Alexandrine (1830–1871), married 1851 Prince Felix zu Hohenlohe-Oehringen (1818–1900)
- Frederich Wilhelm (1832–1889), married morganatically twice: 1856 Auguste Birnbaum; and in 1875, Ludowika Gloede; their children were Counts von Schaumburg, but post-1918 descendants bear the title Prince/ss von Hanau.[3]
- Moritz (1834–1889), married morganatically 1875 Anne von Lossberg; no children
- Wilhelm (1836–1902), married 1stly 1868 (divorced 1870) Princess Elisabeth, daughter of George William, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe; 2ndly 1890 Countess Elisabeth zur Lippe-Weissenfeld (1868–1952); no children
- Maria (1839–1917), married 1857 (divorced 1872) Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1831–1890): she and her children were granted the titles HSH Prince/ss of Ardeck after her divorce.[3]
- Karl (1840–1905), married 1882 Countess Hermine Grote; no children.
- Heinrich (1842–1917), married morganatically Martha Riegel
- Philipp (1844–1914), married morganatically Albertine Hubatschek-Stauber; countly descendants, but post-monarchy bear the princely Hanau title.[3]
[edit] Ancestry
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b
"Frederick William I. (Hesse)". New International Encyclopedia. 1906. - ^ "Austro-Hungarian Army - Otto Freiherr von Scholley". http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/biog/scholleyotto.htm.
- ^ a b c d Almanach de Gotha (Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1942), pages 431-432
[edit] Sources
- [1] - Genealogy of the Hesse-Kassel line.
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Frederick William, Elector of Hesse
Cadet branch of the House of Hesse
Born: 20 August 1802 Died: 6 January 1875 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by William II |
Elector of Hesse 1847 — 1866 |
Monarchy abolished Electorate annexed by Prussia
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| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by William II as Elector of Hesse |
Head of State of Hesse-Kassel 1847 — 1866 |
Succeeded by William I of Prussia as German Emperor |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Loss of title |
— TITULAR — Elector of Hesse 1866-1875 |
Succeeded by Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel |
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