Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp

Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Christian Albert of Holstein-Gottorp
Born	(1641-02-03)3 February 1641 Gottorp
Died	6 January 1695(1695-01-06) (aged 53) Gottorp
Noble family	House of Holstein-Gottorp
Spouse(s)	Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark
Issue	Frederick IV of Holstein-Gottorp Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp Marie Elisabeth
Father	Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Mother	Marie Elisabeth of Saxony

Christian Albert (13 February [O.S. 3 February] 1641, Gottorp – 6 January 1695 [O.S. 27 December 1694], Gottorp) was a duke of Holstein-Gottorp and bishop of Lübeck.

He was a son of Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and his wife Princess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. Christian Albert became duke when his father died in the Castle Tönning, besieged by the King Christian V of Denmark. Christian Albert was forced to flee and the remainder of his life was characterized by his fight with Denmark. Even the marriage with the daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark, arranged in the hope for peace, changed nothing. During Christian Albert's reign, the connection with Sweden, having been initiated by his father, was strengthened, which provided some protection. However, this also led to the duchy being pulled into all of Sweden's conflicts, including the Great Northern War and several wars with Denmark.

From 1675 to 1689, Christian Albert lived in exile in Hamburg. However, with the aid of the Holy Roman Emperor and the European allies, he managed to force the Danish king to sign the so-called Altonaer Vergleich, which allowed to him regain his former position.

On 5 October 1665, he founded the University of Kiel. The painter Jürgen Ovens worked more than 30 years for him and his father Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp. In 1678 the duke took part in the founding of the Hamburg Oper am Gänsemarkt.

Family and children

The duke and his wife Frederica Amalia

Christian Albert married, on 24 October 1667, Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark, daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. They had the following children:

1. Sophie Amalie (19 January 1670 – 27 February 1710), married on 7 July 1695 to Prince Augustus William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
2. Duke Frederick IV of Holstein-Gottorp (18 October 1671 – 19 July 1702).
3. Duke Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp (11 January 1673 – 24 April 1726).
4. Marie Elisabeth (21 March 1678 – 17 July 1755), Abbess of Quedlinburg.

Agnatic progeny of his elder son ended up on the throne of Russia, and agnatic progeny of the younger son - on the thrones of Sweden and Oldenburg.

See also

• History of Schleswig-Holstein

Ancestors

Family of Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp

16. Frederick I of Denmark 8. Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp 17. Sophie of Pomerania 4. John Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp 18. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse 9. Christine of Hesse 19. Christine of Saxony 2. Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp 20. Christian III of Denmark 10. Frederick II of Denmark 21. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg 5. Augusta of Denmark 22. Ulrich III of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 11. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 23. Elizabeth of Denmark 1. Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp 24. Augustus, Elector of Saxony 12. Christian I, Elector of Saxony 25. Anne of Denmark, Electress of Saxony 6. John George I, Elector of Saxony 26. John George, Elector of Brandenburg 13. Sophie of Brandenburg 27. Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach 3. Duchess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony 28. Albert, Duke of Prussia 14. Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia 29. Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg 7. Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia 30. William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg 15. Marie Eleonore of Cleves 31. Archduchess Maria of Austria