Landgravine Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel

Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel
Electress Palatine
Charlotte at the time of her marriage in 1650, unknown artist
Spouse Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine
Issue
Charles, Elector Palatine
Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Orléans
Father William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Mother Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg
Born 20 November 1627(1627-11-20)
Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Died 26 March 1686(1686-03-26) (aged 58)
Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg, Germany
Religion Calvinism

Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel (Kassel, 20 November, 1627 – Heidelberg, 26 March, 1686) was the consort of Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine and mother of Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. Her living descendants include the royal houses in Europe such as the Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian, Austrian, Tuscan and Neapolitan Royal Families, descended from her through Louis Philippe of France, her daughter's great great great grandson.

Contents

Biography

Her parents were William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg. Her future marriage, between Charlotte and her cousin Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, was regarded as highly advantageous. However, it was her own mother who tried to warn the Elector of Charlotte's foul temper.

She married at Heidelberg Castle on February 22, 1650 Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine and had three children, two of whom survived infancy.

At first all went well as Charles Louis became wildly infatuated with his wife and with gusto started his task of providing the Palatinate with an heir. After all, she was a tall blonde girl, with long legs and a beautiful bust, so that Charles Louis could hardly keep his hands off her. According to his sister Sophia, 'his passion had impaired his intellect'.

If Charlotte so much as glanced at another man, Charles Louis was jealous. If she criticised him, he would go into a rage but their quarrels were made up at night with audible violence. In conversation Charlotte had only one topic, which was herself. She was a good horse-woman (as her daughter would also be), but Charles Louis objected to women on horseback; she loved gambling, which Charles Louis regarded as a waste of money.

To the joy of the Palatinate and Charles Louis, a son was born in 1651 and in 1652 a daughter. When Charles Louis went to the Electors' Diet in Prague, he infuriated Charlotte by not taking her with him. At this time the sixteen year-old Marie Luise von Degenfeld came to their court, where she was regarded as not very pretty and naive. Marie Luise, would later be Charles Louis' mistress and would bear him 13 children while he was still married to Charlotte, their first child being born in 1658.

After his return Charles Louis took his wife and his sisters, Princesses Elizabeth and Sophia, to the festivities accompanying the coronation of Archduke Charles as his father's successor. Charlotte was again furious as she was pregnant and unable to wear the French dresses especially bought for the occasion. However, the baby when born died a few hours later and Charlotte was very ill and could not be moved for weeks.

In 1654 Charles Louis's brother, Prince Rupert, came to visit Heidelberg and soon Charlotte realised Rupert was in love with Marie Luise; in order to prevent nocturnal visits, Charlotte made Luise sleep in her bedroom. Trying to protect Luise from Rupert, she had not realised that her own husband had fallen in love with the same girl.

However, one night Charlotte woke up and, maintaining that she had found her husband in bed with Luise, she attacked the girl, almost biting off her little finger. Charles Louis protected Louise and called in the guard to restrain Charlotte. The following day Charles Louis installed Luise in an apartment directly above his own, which was made accessible to him by a secret passage. Soon Charlotte found out and had to be prevented from ascending the same ladder with a knife in her hand and murder in her heart.

From now on Charlotte maintained that she was kept a prisoner in her apartments; she would beat her servants and, if they were found to be spying on her behalf, they were dismissed by her husband. Charles Louis made sure not to be anywhere near Charlotte, who was pitied by everyone. According to his ancient powers he divorced Charlotte but kept this a secret until after his sister Sophie's wedding. As soon as these festivities were over, Charles Louis published the divorce documents and declared himself to be married to Louise von Degenfeld. However, many questioned the legality of the divorce.

Marie Luise was given the unique title of Raugravine of the Palatinate (Raugräfin von der Pfalz, related to countess, but implying jurisdiction over uninhabited lands), and their children were known as the Raugraves and Raugravines of the Palatinate.

Charlotte ruined her relations with Sophie when she admitted that she had married Charles Louis against her own wishes, she would have preferred several others over this 'jealous old man'. Soon it was Charlotte who became jealous of Sophie who seemed to be on much better terms with Charles Louis. Charlotte felt herself excluded from their conversations and never understood their jokes.

As a result of her unhappy marriage, Charlotte's children were sent to live with their paternal aunt Sophia in Hanover. Her daughter Elizabeth Charlotte always said that her time with her aunt Sophie were the best years of her life and would often write about them to Sophie herself.

Charlotte's daughter made one of the most spendid marriages in the age; Elizabeth Charlotte was used as a pawn to encourage a pro-French course in foreign affairs and was engaged to Philippe de France, Duke of Orléans, known simply as Monsieur. Monsieur was the only subling of Louis XIV. The marriage was great match, Monsieur was the brother of the wealthiest ruler at that time but was a notorious homosexual; however, the couple had a good relationship producing three children, of whom two survive infancy, the future Philippe d'Orléans, Regent of France and Élisabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Lorraine - grandmother of Marie Antoinette.

In 1677 Marie Luise von Degenfeld died, most people put it down to her excessive pregnancies. Charles Louis married again 1679 to Elisabeth Höllander von Bernau, who was pregnant when he died on 28 August 1680. Their son, named Charles Louis after his deceased father, was baptized in Schaffhausen on 17 April 1681.[1]

Since her divorce, Charlotte lived the next twenty-three years in obscurity, only to emerge after the death of Charles Louis, when their son became the next Elector Palatine. However, she had remained difficult and ill-tempered until her death, six years later.

Her husband's sister, Electress Sophia of Hanover, commented, when Charlotte, after her death, was dressed for burial that it was the first time that she was dressed without attacking or hitting someone.

Issue

Name Birth Death Notes
Charles of the Palatinate 31 March, 1651 26 May, 1685 succeeded as Elector Palatine
married, 1671, Princess Wilhelmina Ernestine of Denmark; no issue;
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate 27 May, 1652 8 December, 1722 married, 1671, Philippe I, Duke of Orléans; had issue;
Frederick of the Palatinate 12 May, 1653 13 May, 1653 died in infancy;

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

References and notes

  1. ^ Genealogy of the House of Wittelsbach
Preceded by
Maria Anna of Austria		 Electress Palatine
22 February, 1650 - 1657		 Succeeded by
Wilhelmina Ernestine of Denmark