Maria Amalia of Courland

Maria Anna Amalia of Courland
Spouse(s)	Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Noble family	Ketteler
Father	Jacob of Courland
Mother	Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg
Born	12 June 1653 Mitau
Died	16 June 1711 (aged 58) Weilmünster
Buried	Martinskirche, Kassel

Maria Anna Amalia of Courland (12 June 1653, Mitau – 16 June 1711, Weilmünster) was a German noblewoman. A princess of Courland from the Ketteler family, she was also Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel via her marriage on 21 May 1673 to her first cousin Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. She was the child of Jacob Kettler and Margravine Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg, eldest daughter of George William, Elector of Brandenburg.

Life

Amalia was a daughter of the Duke Jacob of Courland (1610–1662) from his marriage to Louise Charlotte (1617–1676), eldest daughter of the Elector George William of Brandenburg.

On 21 May 1673, she married in Kassel her first cousin Landgrave Charles I of Hesse-Kassel (1654–1730). Amalia had previously been engaged with Charles older brother, William VII, but he died during his grand tour at the young age of 19 years.

The Landgravine participated in the creation of Karlsaue Park in Kassel. The marmor fountain in the park contains a medallion by the influential Roman sculptor Pierre Etienne Monnot (1657–1733) depicting Maria Amalia.

She was described as modest, affable and pious.

She and her son Maximilian acquired Sensenstein Castle in 1699.

She died in 1711 and was buried in the Martinskirche, Kassel.

The village of Mariendorf in Immenhausen district was named after her.

Descendants

• William (1674–1676)
• Charles (1675–1677)
• Frederick (1676–1751), Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, King of Sweden

married firstly in 1700 Louise Dorothea of Prussia (1680-1705)

married secondly in 1715 Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (1688-1741)

• Christian (1677-1677)
• Sophie Charlotte (1678–1749)

married in 1704 Duke Frederick William of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1675-1713)

• Charles (1680–1702)
• William VIII (1682–1760), Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel

married in 1717 Princess Dorothea Wilhelmina of Saxe-Zeitz (1691-1743)

• Leopold (1684–1704)
• Louis (1686–1706)
• Marie Luise (1688–1765)

married in 1709 Prince John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz (1687-1711)

• Maximilian (1689–1753)

married in 1720 Princess Frederica Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt (1698-1777)

• George Charles (1691–1755)
• Eleanor (1694-1694)
• Wilhelmine Charlotte (1695–1722)

References and sources

• Christian Röth: Geschichte von Hessen p. 305
• Ulrich Schoenborn (2010), Mit Herz und Verstand: Biographie und Lebenswelt der Töchter Herzog Jakobs von Kurland in Hessen-Homburg, Herford und Hessen-Kassel, Hamburg: Kovač, ISBN 978-3-8300-4667-7