Elisabeth of Hesse (1503–1563)
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Hesse was a Landgravine of Hesse
by birth and by marriage Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken
and later Countess Palatine of Simmern
.
(1466–1520) from his marriage to Anna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1460–1520), daughter of Duke William II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
. Elizabeth was raised as a Protestant. In 1518, she was kidnapped by just Landgrave Philip I
of Hesse, who had just come of age, to prevent a marriage which her mother Anna had planned, but which Elisabeth herself was opposed to.
She married on 10 September 1525 in Kassel
, Count Palatine and Duke Louis II of Zweibrücken
(1502–1532). This marriage of a princess inclined to the Reformation
with a close relative of Philip the Magnanimous
, the largest promoter of the Reformation, gave a considerable boost to the Reformation in the Duchy of Zweibrücken. The marriage had been planned for the spring of 1525, but the German Peasants' War
interfered. Elizabeth was regarded as extremely pious, affable and benevolent. She used her considerable inheritance to compensate the victims of the peasant uprising in the Duchy. After her husband's early death, Emperor Ferdinand I
appointed Elisabeth and Count Palatine Rupert
of Veldenz as joint regents for her young son.
On 9 January 1541, Elisabeth married her second husband, Count Palatine George
of Simmern (1518–1569). She made a significant contribution when she and George finally managed to enforce the reformation in Simmern.
From her second marriage to George of Simmern-Sponheim, she had a son:
Landgraviate of Hesse
The Landgraviate of Hesse was a Landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed as a unity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided between the sons of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.-History:...
by birth and by marriage Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...
and later Countess Palatine of Simmern
Palatinate-Simmern
Palatinate-Simmern was one of the collateral lines of the Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach.The Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach was divided into four lines after the death of Rupert III in 1410, including the line of Palatinate-Simmern with its capital in Simmern. This line...
.
Life
Elizabeth was the youngest of five daughters of Landgrave William I of HesseWilliam I, Landgrave of Hesse
William I of Hesse was the Landgrave of Hesse from 1471 to 1493.His parents were Louis the Frank and Mechthild, daughter of Count Louis I of Württemberg...
(1466–1520) from his marriage to Anna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1460–1520), daughter of Duke William II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Wilhelm , called William the Younger, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1559 until his death. Until 1569 he ruled together with his brother Henry of Dannenberg....
. Elizabeth was raised as a Protestant. In 1518, she was kidnapped by just Landgrave Philip I
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Philip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....
of Hesse, who had just come of age, to prevent a marriage which her mother Anna had planned, but which Elisabeth herself was opposed to.
She married on 10 September 1525 in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Count Palatine and Duke Louis II of Zweibrücken
Louis II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Louis II of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken from 1514 to 1532.He was the son of Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Margarete of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein. He was married in 1525 to Elisabeth of Hesse, daughter of William I, Landgrave of Lower Hesse, and they...
(1502–1532). This marriage of a princess inclined to the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
with a close relative of Philip the Magnanimous
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Philip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....
, the largest promoter of the Reformation, gave a considerable boost to the Reformation in the Duchy of Zweibrücken. The marriage had been planned for the spring of 1525, but the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
interfered. Elizabeth was regarded as extremely pious, affable and benevolent. She used her considerable inheritance to compensate the victims of the peasant uprising in the Duchy. After her husband's early death, Emperor Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
appointed Elisabeth and Count Palatine Rupert
Rupert, Count Palatine of Veldenz
Rupert was the Duke of Veldenz from 1543 until 1544.-Life:Rupert was born in Zweibrücken in 1506 as the youngest son of Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. As a younger son, Rupert was designated by his father into a church career. In 1517 he became a member of the Cathedral of Strasbourg,...
of Veldenz as joint regents for her young son.
On 9 January 1541, Elisabeth married her second husband, Count Palatine George
George, Count Palatine of Simmern-Sponheim
George was the Count Palatine of Simmern-Sponheim from 1559 until 1569.George was born in 1518 to John II, Count Palatine of Simmern. In 1559 his elder brother Frederick inherited the Electoral Palatinate and gave George his old territories inherited from his father in 1557...
of Simmern (1518–1569). She made a significant contribution when she and George finally managed to enforce the reformation in Simmern.
Issue
From her first marriage to Louis II of Zweibrücken, she had two children:- WolfgangWolfgang, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenCount Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1559.-Biography:...
(1526–1569), Count Palatine of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, married in 1545 Anna of HesseAnna of HesseAnna of Hesse was a princess of Hesse by birth and marriage Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken.- Life :...
(1529–1591) - Christine (1528–1534)
From her second marriage to George of Simmern-Sponheim, she had a son:
- John (1541–1562)
External links
- Women in Power 1500-1540, viewed on 12 July 2010, part of: Martin K.I. Christensen: Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership