Maria Amalia of Courland
| Maria Anna Amalia of Courland | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Landgravine consort of Hesse-Kassel | |
| Tenure | 21 May 1673 – 16 June 1711 |
| Born | 12 June 1653 Mitau |
| Died | 16 June 1711 (aged 58) Weilmünster |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Frederick I of Sweden Sophie Charlotte, Duchess of Mecklenburg William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Marie Luise, Princess of Orange Maximilian George Charles |
| House | Ketteler |
| Father | Jacob of Courland |
| Mother | Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg |
Princess Maria Anna Amalia of Courland (12 June 1653 – 16 June 1711) was Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel through her marriage to Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. She was the child of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia and Margravine Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg. Her eldest son was King Frederick I of Sweden. One of her daughters is the most recent common ancestor of all currently reigning monarchs in Europe.
Life
Maria Amalia was the daughter of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1610–1681) and his wife, Princess Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg (1617–1676).
During the Northern Wars, from 1658 to 1660 Maria Amalia and her family were kept as prisoners by the invading Swedes in Riga and later in Ivangorod.
She was first engaged to her first cousin William VII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1651–1670), but he died during his Grand Tour. She was then engaged to William's younger brother and heir, Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1654–1730), whom she married on 21 May 1673 in Kassel.
As landgravine, she participated in the creation of the Karlsaue Park in Kassel. The marmor fountain in the park contains a medallion by the Roman sculptor Pierre Etienne Monnot depicting Maria Amalia. In 1699, together with her son Maximilian, she bought Sensenstein Castle. She was described as modest, affable and pious.
Maria Amalia died in 1711 and was buried in the Martinskirche of Kassel. The village of Mariendorf in Hesse, Germany was named in her memory.
Issue
Maria Amalia and her husband Charles had seventeen children, nine of whom survived to adulthood. Their eldest surviving son, Frederick I succeeded his father as Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, while also becoming King of Sweden; their second-eldest surviving son William VIII also became landgrave after his brother's death
- William (1674–1676)
- Charles (1675–1677)
- Frederick I (1676–1751), Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, King of Sweden, married firstly Princess Louise Dorothea of Prussia (1680–1705) in 1700 and had no issue; married secondly Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (1688–1741) in 1715 and had no issue
- Christian (1677–1677)
- Sophie Charlotte (1678–1749), married Duke Frederick William of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1675–1713) in 1704 and had no issue
- Stillborn son (1679)
- Charles (1680–1702)
- William VIII (1682–1760), Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, married Princess Dorothea Wilhelmina of Saxe-Zeitz (1691–1743) in 1717 and had issue
- Leopold (1684–1704)
- Louis (1686–1706)
- Marie Luise (1688–1765), married Prince John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz (1687–1711) in 1709 and had issue; together with her husband, they are the most recent common ancestors of all currently reigning monarchs in Europe
- Maximilian (1689–1753), married Friederike Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1720, and had issue
- Daughter (1690)
- George Charles (1691–1755)
- Eleonore (1694)
- Wilhelmine Charlotte (1695–1722)
- Child (1696)
Ancestors
| Ancestors of Maria Amalia of Courland |
|---|
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
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- 1653 births
- 1711 deaths
- People from Jelgava
- House of Hesse-Kassel
- People from the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
- Landgravines of Hesse-Kassel
- 17th-century German people
- 18th-century German people