| Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark | |
|---|---|
| Electress of Hesse-Kassel Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel |
|
| Spouse | William I, Elector of Hesse |
| Issue | |
| Maria Frederica, Duchess of Anhalt-Bernburg Caroline Amalie, Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg Frederick William II, Elector of Hesse |
|
| Full name | |
| Danish: Vilhelmine Caroline | |
| House | House of Oldenburg (by birth) House of Hesse-Kassel (by marriage) |
| Father | Frederick V of Denmark |
| Mother | Louise of Great Britain |
| Born | 10 July 1747 Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen |
| Died | 14 January 1820 (aged 72) Kassel |
Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark (Danish: Vilhelmine Caroline, German: Wilhelmine Karoline) (10 July 1747 in Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen – 14 January 1820 in Kassel, was the Electress of Hesse-Kassel.
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She was one of the daughters of King Frederick V of Denmark (1723–1766), and his first wife Louise (1724–1751), daughter of King George II of Great Britain.
At Christiansborg Palace on 1 September 1764 she married Prince William of Hesse, Count of Hanau, one of the wealthiest rulers of the period. Wilhelmina and William had grown up together and played together as children, as William had been evacuated to the Danish court during the Seven years war (1755–63), and was early decided that they should marry when they became adults. The couple settled in Hanau.
William succeeded in 1785 as Landgrave William IX of Hesse and in 1803 was raised to the rank of Elector of Hesse-Kassel as William I. The marriage was unhappy: her spouse was unfaithful and had many lovers, notably Countess Schlotheim, whom he had appointed Countess of Hessenstien. Caroline herself was described as beautiful, distant, kind and sympathetic; in 1804, she still spoke Danish without accent and had a strong attachment to her birth country.
In 1806, Hesse was occupied by France. Her spouse and son fled to her brother-in-law Charles of Hesse in Schleswig, but she remained until a French governor was installed, after which she moved to her daughter Amalie in Gotha.[1] She spent the duration of the Kingdom of Westphalia (1806–13) in exile, among other places in Schleswig and in Prague. In 1813, the spouses returned to Kassel.
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Princess Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark
Born: 10 July 1747 Died: 14 January 1820 |
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| German royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt |
Landgravine consort of Hesse-Kassel 31 October 1785 – 1803 |
Title abolished |
| Title created | Electress of Hesse 1803 – 14 January 1820 |
Vacant
Title next held by
Augusta of Prussia |