Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Encyclopedia
Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt was born 17 November 1700, Oranienbaum Castle (modern day Oranienbaum-Wörlitz
, Wittenberg
) near Dessau
and died 4 March 1771, Wildenbruch Castle
. He was Margrave
of Brandenburg-Schwedt
from 1711 to 1771 and a knight of the Order of the Black Eagle
. His parents were Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, and his wife Johanna Charlotte
of Anhalt-Dessau. He was the nephew of King Frederick I of Prussia
.
, his character closely resembled that of his second royal guardian. Like him he hated idleness, and was a terror to all loungers. The clergy were especial objects of his ridicule and persecution. His cane was as much feared as that of his royal namesake. His application of justice was needlessly harsh, so much so that King Frederick II (Frederick The Great) eventually found himself under the necessity of interfering and taking the exercise of justice entirely out of his hands.
In a highly militaristic society the margrave was notably unenthusiastic about military matters, and he chafed at his enforced service in the army and the wealth he was forced to expend in maintaining a cavalry-horse stud.
He was 19 years older than his wife Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
, who was his first cousin once removed. The marriage was at the express wish of King Frederick William, against the wishes of his daughter; the bride was given away by her brother the future Frederick II, as the king was unwell. The relationship of the couple was not happy. Sophia often fled to the protection of her brother King Frederick. The latter did not stop at friendly admonitions, but sent General Meir to Schwedt with unlimited authority to protect the margravine from insult. Eventually they lived in separate places: Sophia lived in the castle Montplaisir, and the Margrave lived in the castle of Schwedt. Apparently they were only reconciled when the margravine was in her terminal illness; she died in her husband's arms.
The Margrave acknowledged one illegitimate son, the only one of his male offspring to survive infancy. Due to his lack of surviving legitimate male issue, his lands and title were inherited by his younger brother Frederick Henry (ruled 1771–1788).
and they had five children.
He also fathered an illigimate son named Georg Wilhelm von Jägersfeld (1725–1797).
; the senior branch were the Counts of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
. The junior line produced electors of Brandenburg and kings and emperors of Prussia and Germany. Frederick William was a descendent of Burkhard I, Count of Zollern
. Through his daughter Sophia Dorothea he is an ancestor of Mary of Teck
(Queen Mary), the wife of George V of England, and therefore an ancestor of the present British royal family.
Oranienbaum-Wörlitz
Oranienbaum-Wörlitz is a town in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was formed on 1 January 2011 by the merger of the former municipalities Oranienbaum, Wörlitz, Brandhorst, Gohrau, Griesen, Horstdorf, Kakau, Rehsen, Riesigk and Vockerode.- References :...
, Wittenberg
Wittenberg (district)
Wittenberg is a district in the east of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Neighboring districts are Anhalt-Bitterfeld, the district-free city of Dessau-Roßlau, the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark, Teltow-Fläming and Elbe-Elster in Brandenburg, and the district of Nordsachsen in the Free State of Saxony.-...
) near Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
and died 4 March 1771, Wildenbruch Castle
Swobnica
Swobnica is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Banie, within Gryfino County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Banie, south of Gryfino, and south of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was part of Germany...
. He was Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Brandenburg-Schwedt
Brandenburg-Schwedt was a cadet line of the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg-Prussia who administered territories in the north of the Margraviate of Brandenburg...
from 1711 to 1771 and a knight of the Order of the Black Eagle
Order of the Black Eagle
The Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg . In his Dutch exile after WWI, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family...
. His parents were Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, and his wife Johanna Charlotte
Princess Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau
Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau was a princess of Anhalt-Dessau from the House of Ascania by birth and Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt by marriage...
of Anhalt-Dessau. He was the nephew of King Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
.
Life
Frederick William was known as a brutal man because of his short temper, severity and coarse manners. He was educated and raised by his uncle King Frederick I, and then by his cousin King Frederick William IFrederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
, his character closely resembled that of his second royal guardian. Like him he hated idleness, and was a terror to all loungers. The clergy were especial objects of his ridicule and persecution. His cane was as much feared as that of his royal namesake. His application of justice was needlessly harsh, so much so that King Frederick II (Frederick The Great) eventually found himself under the necessity of interfering and taking the exercise of justice entirely out of his hands.
In a highly militaristic society the margrave was notably unenthusiastic about military matters, and he chafed at his enforced service in the army and the wealth he was forced to expend in maintaining a cavalry-horse stud.
He was 19 years older than his wife Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia was the ninth child and fifth daughter of Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover...
, who was his first cousin once removed. The marriage was at the express wish of King Frederick William, against the wishes of his daughter; the bride was given away by her brother the future Frederick II, as the king was unwell. The relationship of the couple was not happy. Sophia often fled to the protection of her brother King Frederick. The latter did not stop at friendly admonitions, but sent General Meir to Schwedt with unlimited authority to protect the margravine from insult. Eventually they lived in separate places: Sophia lived in the castle Montplaisir, and the Margrave lived in the castle of Schwedt. Apparently they were only reconciled when the margravine was in her terminal illness; she died in her husband's arms.
The Margrave acknowledged one illegitimate son, the only one of his male offspring to survive infancy. Due to his lack of surviving legitimate male issue, his lands and title were inherited by his younger brother Frederick Henry (ruled 1771–1788).
Issue
In 1734, the Margrave married Sophia Dorothea of PrussiaPrincess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia was the ninth child and fifth daughter of Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover...
and they had five children.
- Sophia Dorothea (18 December 1736 - 9 March 1798); married Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
- Elisabeth Louise (22 April 1738 - 10 February 1820); married her uncle Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia
- George Philip (10 September 1741 - 28 April 1742)
- Philippine (10 October 1745 - 1 May 1800); married Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)
- George Frederick (3 May 1749 - 13 August 1751)
He also fathered an illigimate son named Georg Wilhelm von Jägersfeld (1725–1797).
Genealogy
Frederick William belonged to a junior branch of the House of HohenzollernHouse of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
; the senior branch were the Counts of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
. The junior line produced electors of Brandenburg and kings and emperors of Prussia and Germany. Frederick William was a descendent of Burkhard I, Count of Zollern
Burkhard I, Count of Zollern
Burkhard I, Count of Zollern is considered the first well-documented member of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Because of his name, it is assumed that the Hohenzollern family may descend from the medieval Burchardings family. His father may have been Frederick, a count in the Sülchgau area...
. Through his daughter Sophia Dorothea he is an ancestor of Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
(Queen Mary), the wife of George V of England, and therefore an ancestor of the present British royal family.
Ancestry
See also
- Frederick William, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg|align=right|Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia – and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia – from 1640 until his death. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is popularly known as the "Great Elector" because of his military and political prowess...