Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Regent of Saxe-Meiningen
Duchess consort of Saxe-Meiningen
Tenure 1782–1803
Born (1763-08-11)11 August 1763
Langenburg
Died 30 April 1837(1837-04-30) (aged 73)
Meiningen
Spouse George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Issue Adelaide, Queen of the United Kingdom
Ida, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Full name
Luise Eleonore
House Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Father Christian Albert, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Mother Caroline of Stolberg-Gedern

Princess Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (11 August 1763, in Langenburg 30 April 1837, in Meiningen) was a German noblewoman. She was duchess and (from 1803 to 1821) Regent of Saxe-Meiningen.

Family

Louise Eleonore was a daughter of Prince Christian Albert Louis of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and his wife Princess Caroline of Stolberg-Gedern (1732–1796).

Marriage

On 27 November 1782, in Langenburg, she married George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. They had four children:

Regency

When her husband died on 24 December 1803, she took over as regent of the duchy for their son Bernhard II. She ruled with energy, courage, and good sense during the Napoleonic Wars, which for the next decade ravaged the Saxon states.[1] The duchy was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine during these Wars and provide it with troops; afterwards the duchy was struck with famine, which Luise sought to prevent by importing wheat. Despite the fact that French and later Russian armies marched back and forth across the country, Luise refused to flee; she stayed with her infant son and two daughters inside their castle.[1] She used every strategy to preserve the autonomy of her regency, so that when she joined the Allies in 1813, she had saved the duchy for her son. He became the ruling Duke of Meiningen eight years later.[1] By adjustments in the duchy's administration she ensured the duchy was better managed and in 1821 opened the Gymnasium Bernhardinum in Meiningen (already begun by her husband).

Her children were carefully educated, with a grand tour to Italy under their tutor Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. After her son came of age, Luise went on several foreign trips, including one to England to visit her daughter Adelaide.

Ancestry

References

  1. 1 2 3 Koller, p. 30.

Sources

Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Born: 11 August 1763 Died: 30 April 1837
Royal titles
Preceded by
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal
Duchess consort of Saxe-Meiningen
1782-1803
Vacant
Title next held by
Marie Frederica of Hesse-Kassel
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