Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse
Encyclopedia
Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse (14 June 1753, Prenzlau
– 6 April 1830, Darmstadt
) was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (as Louis X) and later the first Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.
Louis was the son of Louis IX
, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and succeeded his father in 1790. He presided over a significant increase in territory for Hesse-Darmstadt during the imperial reorganizations of 1801-1803, most notably the Duchy of Westphalia, hitherto subject to the Archbishop of Cologne. Allied to Napoleon
, Louis in 1806 was elevated to the title of a Grand Duke of Hesse and joined the Confederation of the Rhine
, leading to the dissolution of the Empire. At the Congress of Vienna
in 1814/15, Louis had to give up his Westphalian territories, but was compensated with the district of Rheinhessen
, with his capital Mainz
on the left bank of the Rhine. Because of this addition, he amended his title to Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.
In 1844, a 33-metre column called Langer Ludwig (meaning Long Louis), was set up In his commemoration in the middle of the Luisenplatz, the largest square of Darmstadt
.
, son and heir of Catherine II "the Great", Empress of Russia. He received a monetary compensation when the engagement was broken. On 19 February 1777, Louis married his first cousin, Landgravine Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt
( 15 February 1761 – 24 October 1829), a daughter of Landgrave George William of Hesse-Darmstadt
. Together, they had six children:
Prenzlau
Prenzlau , a city in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg in Germany, had a population of about 21,000 in 2005.-International relations:Prenzlau is twinned with: Uster, Switzerland Barlinek, Poland Świdwin, Poland...
– 6 April 1830, Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
) was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (as Louis X) and later the first Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.
Louis was the son of Louis IX
Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1768 - 1790. He was a son of Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg and Müntzenberg....
, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and succeeded his father in 1790. He presided over a significant increase in territory for Hesse-Darmstadt during the imperial reorganizations of 1801-1803, most notably the Duchy of Westphalia, hitherto subject to the Archbishop of Cologne. Allied to Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, Louis in 1806 was elevated to the title of a Grand Duke of Hesse and joined the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
, leading to the dissolution of the Empire. At the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
in 1814/15, Louis had to give up his Westphalian territories, but was compensated with the district of Rheinhessen
Rheinhessen
Rhenish Hesse refers to the part of the former Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt located west of the Rhine river and now part of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is a hilly countryside largely devoted to vineyards, therefore it is also called the "land of the thousand hills." Its larger towns include:...
, with his capital Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
on the left bank of the Rhine. Because of this addition, he amended his title to Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.
In 1844, a 33-metre column called Langer Ludwig (meaning Long Louis), was set up In his commemoration in the middle of the Luisenplatz, the largest square of Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
.
Issue
In 1776, he became engaged to Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, eldest daughter of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg. The engagement was broken off so that Sophia Dorothea could marry Louis's recently widowed brother-in-law Tsarevich Paul PetrovichPaul 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:...
, son and heir of Catherine II "the Great", Empress of Russia. He received a monetary compensation when the engagement was broken. On 19 February 1777, Louis married his first cousin, Landgravine Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt
Landgravine Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt (1761–1829)
Louise Henriette Karoline of Hesse-Darmstadt , was the first Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine by marriage.- Life :...
( 15 February 1761 – 24 October 1829), a daughter of Landgrave George William of Hesse-Darmstadt
Landgrave George William of Hesse-Darmstadt
George William of Hesse-Darmstadt was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt and an ancestor of many royals of the 19th century. He was born in Darmstadt....
. Together, they had six children:
- Louis, later Grand Duke Louis II of HesseLouis II, Grand Duke of HesseLouis II was Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 1830 until 5 March 1848 . He was the son of Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse....
(26 December 1777 – 16 June 1848). Married Wilhelmine of BadenWilhelmine of BadenWilhelmine of Baden was Grand Duchess consort of Hesse and the Rhine.She was the youngest daughter of Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Amalia of Hesse-Darmstadt...
and had issue. - Louise (16 January 1779 – 18 April 1811). Married Louis of Anhalt-KöthenLouis of Anhalt-KöthenLouis of Anhalt-Köthen was a German prince of the House of Ascania.He was the third son of Karl George Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, and his wife Louise Charlotte, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.-Life:The death of his brother Karl William in 1793 made...
and had issue. - George (31 August 1780 – 17 April 1856). Married, morganatically, Caroline Török de Szendrö and had issue.
- Frederick (14 May 1788 – 16 March 1867)
- Emil (3 September 1790 – 30 April 1856)
- Gustav (18 December 1791 – 30 January 1806)