Frederick William, Elector of Hesse

Frederick William
Elector of Hesse
Reign 1847–1866
Predecessor William II
Successor Electorate abolished
Born (1802-08-20)20 August 1802
Hanau
Died 6 January 1875(1875-01-06) (aged 72)
Prague
Spouse Gertrude Falkenstein, Princess of Hanau
House House of Hesse
Father William II
Mother Princess Augusta of Prussia

Frederick William I (20 August 1802 – 6 January 1875) was, between 1847 and 1866, the last Prince-elector of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel).

Life

He was born at Hanau, the son of Prince William, later William II, Elector of Hesse, and Princess Augusta of Prussia, daughter of Frederick William II of Prussia.

During the French occupation of Hesse-Kassel (1806–1813) he stayed with his mother in Berlin. The relationship with his father was bad, because of his father's affair with Emilie Ortlöpp.

Frederick was educated at Marburg and Leipzig. He became co-regent on 30 September 1831, and Prince-elector in 1847.[1] Under influence of his minister Hans Daniel Ludwig Friedrich Hassenpflug he conducted a reactionary policy, which made him very unpopular. He was forced to give in to the demands of the March Revolution, but reinstated Hassenpflug in 1850 after the revolution had been crushed.

In the Austro-Prussian War (1866) he chose the side of Austria. His capital Kassel was occupied by Prussia, and, as a consequence of his refusal to negotiate,[1] he was transferred as a prisoner to Stettin on 23 June. Hessen-Kassel was annexed by Prussia in the same year.

Frederick William never accepted the Prussian dominance over his territory. Even after the creation of the unified German Empire (1871), he tried to regain his throne. He died at Prague in 1875.
Because of his morganatic marriage, his sons were excluded from succession. He was succeeded, as titular Prince-elector of Hesse, by Prince Frederick William of Hesse, from the house of Hesse-Rumpenheim.

Children

Coat of arms of the House of Hanau-Schaumburg, Frederick William`s morganatic descendants

Frederick William morganatically married on 26 June 1831 to Gertrude Falkenstein (Bonn, 18 May 1803 – Prague 9 July 1882), daughter of Johann Gottfried Falkenstein (son of Nicolaus Falkenstein and wife Margarethe Heyss) and wife Magdalena Schulz (daughter of Johann Ludwig Albert Schulz and wife Sophie Krupps).

Gertrude Falkenstein was the former wife (m. Graven-Rheindorf, 30 November 1822) of Lt Karl Michael Lehmann[2] (Bischofswerder, 16 June 1787 – Wandsbek, 1882), whom his father made Her Illustrious Highness Countess of Schaumburg in (1831), and whom he made Princess (Fürstin) of Hanau and to Horowitz in (1853).

They had nine children, some born before marriage, who were also made princes (Prinzen) of Hanau, and granted the style of Serene Highness in 1862.[3] Subsequently, the Prince-elector divorced Gertrud.

Ancestry

Notes and references

  1. 1 2  Gilman, D. C.; Thurston, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Frederick William I. (Hesse)". New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  2. "Austro-Hungarian Army – Otto Freiherr von Scholley".
  3. 1 2 3 4 Almanach de Gotha (Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1942), pages 431–432
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frederick William, Elector of Hesse.
Frederick William, Elector of Hesse
Cadet branch of the House of Hesse
Born: 20 August 1802 Died: 6 January 1875
Regnal titles
Preceded by
William II
Elector of Hesse
1847–1866
Monarchy abolished
Electorate annexed by Prussia
Political offices
Preceded by
William II
as Elector of Hesse
Head of State of Hesse-Kassel
1847–1866
Succeeded by
William I of Prussia
as German Emperor
Titles in pretence
Loss of title
 TITULAR 
Elector of Hesse
1866–1875
Succeeded by
Frederick William II
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