Maria Anna Amalia of Courland
Landgravine consort of Hesse-Kassel
Tenure21 May 1673 – 16 June 1711
Born(1653-06-12)12 June 1653
Mitau
Died16 June 1711(1711-06-16) (aged 58)
Weilmünster
Burial
Martinskirche, Kassel
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1673)​
IssueFrederick I of Sweden
Christian
Sophie Charlotte, Duchess of Mecklenburg
Karl
William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Leopold
Ludwig
Marie Luise, Princess of Orange
Maximilian
George Charles
Eleonore Antoine
Wilhelmine Charlotte
HouseKetteler
FatherJacob of Courland
MotherLouise Charlotte of Brandenburg
ReligionLutheranism

Princess Maria Anna Amalia of Courland (12 June 1653 – 16 June 1711) was a Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel by her marriage to Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. She was a daughter 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 was the most recent common ancestor of all the currently reigning monarchs of Europe from 1939 to 1941 and 1943 to 2022.

Life

Maria Amalia was a daughter of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1610–1681) and his wife, Princess Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg (1617–1676).

From 1658 to 1660, during the Northern Wars, 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 French 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

Frederick I of Sweden, Maria Amalia's eldest surviving son

Maria Amalia and her husband Charles had fourteen children, ten 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.

Maria Amalia also suffered many miscarriages:

  • A miscarried daughter (1679)
  • A miscarried daughter (1681)
  • A miscarried daughter (1683)
  • A miscarried son (1685)
  • A miscarriage (1687)
  • A miscarried daughter (1690)
  • A miscarried son (1693)
  • A miscarried son (1697)
  • A miscarried daughter (1698)
  • A miscarried son (1699)
  • A miscarried daughter (1701)
  • A miscarriage (1703)

Ancestors

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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