Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Encyclopedia
Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Augusta Caroline Friederika Luise; Brunswick
, 3 December 1764 – 27 September 1788 in Koluvere castle, Governorate of Estonia
) was a German princess, and first wife of Frederick of Württemberg. In the family, she was generally called "Zelmira".
Augusta was the eldest child of Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
and Princess Augusta of Great Britain. She was also the sister of Caroline of Brunswick
, wife of George IV of the United Kingdom
.
There were four children of this marriage:
, future Emperor of Russia.
In 1782, Frederick followed Sophie to Russia, where Empress Catherine II
appointed him governor of eastern Finland
.
The marriage was not a happy one. Frederick may have been bisexual
, and had a coterie of young noblemen. He was also reportedly violent towards his wife. As he was at 2.11 metre tall and weighed about 200 kg (440.9 lb), this would have been terrifying.
During a visit to Saint Petersburg
in December 1786, Augusta fled to the apartments of Empress Catherine to ask for protection. Catherine offered Augusta asylum and ordered Frederick to leave Russia. When Sophie protested at the treatment of her brother, Catherine replied curtly "It is not I who cover the Prince of Württemberg with opprobrium: on the contrary, it is I who try to bury abominations and it is my duty to suppress any further ones."
Augusta's father was less sympathetic, and refused his daughter's plea for divorce. In response, Catherine offered Augusta the use of one of her Imperial estates: Lohde castle, in Lohde (now Koluvere) in Kullamaa Parish
to the south-west of Tallinn
, Estonia
. She was put in the custody of former huntmaster Wilhelm von Pohlmann (9 April 1727–22 January 1796), who took advantage of his office and began a sexual relationship with her; it is unknown whether she was willing or was forced. She soon became pregnant by him.
On 27 September 1788, at the age of 23, Augusta went into premature labour with a stillborn child, followed by hemorrhaging. Fearful of both the illegitimate birth and his relationship to her being found out, von Pohlmann refused to send for a doctor or any other medical help, and Augusta died of blood loss. She was hurriedly buried in an unmarked grave in the church at Koluvere, and her death was announced to Catherine and her parents in a brief missive with the cause given as the breaking of a blood vessel. Sightings of her were reported for several years, but none proved to be true. The facts of her death only came to light many years later, when her eldest son had the matter investigated and her body was exhumed. The castle and lands of Koluvere were afterwards granted to Count Frederik Vilhelm Buxhoevden.
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, 3 December 1764 – 27 September 1788 in Koluvere castle, Governorate of Estonia
Governorate of Estonia
The Governorate of Estonia or Estland, also known as the Government of Estonia or Province of Estonia, was a governorate of the Russian Empire in what is now northern Estonia.-Historical overview:...
) was a German princess, and first wife of Frederick of Württemberg. In the family, she was generally called "Zelmira".
Augusta was the eldest child of Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
Charles William Ferdinand , Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was a sovereign prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and a professional soldier who served as a Generalfeldmarschall of the Kingdom of Prussia...
and Princess Augusta of Great Britain. She was also the sister of Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, wife of George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
.
Marriage and children
On 15 October 1780 in Brunswick, at the age of 15, she married Frederick of Württemberg. He was the eldest son of Frederick Eugene, youngest brother of Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, and heir presumptive to the duchy (neither of his uncles having any sons).There were four children of this marriage:
- WilliamWilliam I of WürttembergWilliam I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:...
(1781–1864), who succeeded his father as King William I of Württemberg; - CatherineCatharina of WürttembergPrincess Catharina Frederica of Württemberg was the second wife of Jérôme Bonaparte.-Family:Catharina was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia to the later King Frederick I of Württemberg and Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel...
(1783–1835); who married Jérôme BonaparteJérôme BonaparteJérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, French Prince, King of Westphalia, 1st Prince of Montfort was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him king of Westphalia...
, King of Westphalia; - Sophia Dorothea (1783–1784)
- PaulPrince Paul of WürttembergPrince Paul of Württemberg was a German prince and the fourth child and second son of Frederick I of Württemberg and Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.-Early life:...
(1785–1852).
Life during marriage
Frederick's sister Sophie was married to Tsesarevich PaulPaul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
, future Emperor of Russia.
In 1782, Frederick followed Sophie to Russia, where Empress Catherine II
Catherine II of Russia
Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
appointed him governor of eastern Finland
Old Finland
thumb|right|260px|The areas that Sweden lost to Russia in the wars of 1721 and 1743Old Finland is a name used for the areas that Russia gained from Sweden in the Great Northern War and in the Russo-Swedish War...
.
The marriage was not a happy one. Frederick may have been bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
, and had a coterie of young noblemen. He was also reportedly violent towards his wife. As he was at 2.11 metre tall and weighed about 200 kg (440.9 lb), this would have been terrifying.
During a visit to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in December 1786, Augusta fled to the apartments of Empress Catherine to ask for protection. Catherine offered Augusta asylum and ordered Frederick to leave Russia. When Sophie protested at the treatment of her brother, Catherine replied curtly "It is not I who cover the Prince of Württemberg with opprobrium: on the contrary, it is I who try to bury abominations and it is my duty to suppress any further ones."
Augusta's father was less sympathetic, and refused his daughter's plea for divorce. In response, Catherine offered Augusta the use of one of her Imperial estates: Lohde castle, in Lohde (now Koluvere) in Kullamaa Parish
Kullamaa Parish
Kullamaa is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Lääne County. It has a population of 1398 and an area of 224.6 km².-Populated places:Kullamaa Parish has 14 villages:...
to the south-west of Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. She was put in the custody of former huntmaster Wilhelm von Pohlmann (9 April 1727–22 January 1796), who took advantage of his office and began a sexual relationship with her; it is unknown whether she was willing or was forced. She soon became pregnant by him.
On 27 September 1788, at the age of 23, Augusta went into premature labour with a stillborn child, followed by hemorrhaging. Fearful of both the illegitimate birth and his relationship to her being found out, von Pohlmann refused to send for a doctor or any other medical help, and Augusta died of blood loss. She was hurriedly buried in an unmarked grave in the church at Koluvere, and her death was announced to Catherine and her parents in a brief missive with the cause given as the breaking of a blood vessel. Sightings of her were reported for several years, but none proved to be true. The facts of her death only came to light many years later, when her eldest son had the matter investigated and her body was exhumed. The castle and lands of Koluvere were afterwards granted to Count Frederik Vilhelm Buxhoevden.