Christine of Hesse

Christine of Hesse
Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp
Spouse(s)	Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp
Father	Philip I of Hesse
Mother	Christine of Saxony
Born	29 June 1543 Kassel
Died	13 May 1604 (aged 60) Kiel

Christine of Hesse (29 June 1543 – 13 May 1604) was Duchess consort of Holstein-Gottorp as the spouse of Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp. She exerted some political influence as a widow after 1586.

Biography

Christine was born in Kassel as a daughter of Landgrave Philip I of Hesse and his spouse Christine of Saxony. She was given a strict Protestant upringing by her aunt Elizabeth, Dowager Duchess of Saxony.

She received a proposal from King Eric XIV of Sweden, but this did not come about. Her wedding celebration resulted in a scandal, when the guests at the wedding reception consumed too much alcohol. In 1565, the Gottorf Castle was destroyed by fire, which cost her her personal possessions.

As Duchess, Christine supported churches and schools and scholarships to poor students in theology. She was interested in medicine, and also manufactured her own medicines.

As a widow after 1586, she defended the rights of her son Philip against the council. Christine composed the psalm-book Geistliche Psalmen und Lieder (1590).

Family and children

On 17 December 1564 she was married to Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and had the following children:

1. Frederick II (21 April 1568 – 15 June 1587).
2. Sophia (1 June 1569 – 14 November 1634), married on 17 February 1588 to John VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
3. Philip (10 August 1570 – 18 October 1590).
4. Christina (13 April 1573 – 8 December 1625), married on 27 August 1592 to King Charles IX of Sweden.
5. John Adolph (27 February 1575 – 31 March 1616).
6. Anna (27 February 1575 – 24 April 1625), married 28 January 1598 to Count Enno III of Ostfriesland.
7. Christian, died young in 1577.
8. Agnes (20 December 1578 – 1627).
9. John Frederick, prince-bishop of Bremen, Lübeck and Verden, (1 September 1579 – 3 September 1634).
10. Elisabeth, died young in 1584.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Christine of Hesse

16. Louis I, Landgrave of Hesse               8. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse                       17. Anna of Saxony               4. William II, Landgrave of Hesse                             18. Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg-Urach               9. Matilda of Württemberg-Urach                       19. Mechthild of the Palatinate               2. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse                                   20. Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg               10. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow                       21. Dorothea of Brandenburg               5. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                             22. Eric II, Duke of Pomerania               11. Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast                       23. Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp               1. Christine of Hesse                                         24. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony               12. Albert III, Duke of Saxony                       25. Margarete of Austria               6. George, Duke of Saxony                             26. George of Poděbrady               13. Sidonie of Poděbrady                       27. Kunigunde of Sternberg               3. Christine of Saxony                                   28. Władysław II Jagiełło               14. Casimir IV Jagiellon                       29. Sophia of Halshany               7. Barbara Jagiellon                             30. Albert II of Germany               15. Elisabeth of Austria                       31. Elizabeth of Luxembourg

External links

• (German) Article in the ABD