Louise of Hesse

Louise of Hesse-Cassel, Luise Wilhelmine Friederike Caroline Auguste Julie von Hessen-Kassel (in Danish, Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie), (born Kassel 7 September 1817, died Bernstorff 29 September 1898), was a daughter of ancient German princely family, the Landgraves of Hesse, and became Queen of Denmark, being the Queen Consort from November 15, 1863 to her death.

Related Topics:
7 September - 1817 - 29 September - 1898 - Denmark - November 15 - 1863

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Her father Wilhelm, Landgrave of Hesse, and his father and uncles (Hesse princes) had lived in Denmark since 1760's. Of Landgrave Wilhelm, her father, Danish history textbooks tells e.g: "Landgrave Wilhelm (1787-1867) was an officer by upbringing and made from his youth his career in Denmark, which he regarded as his fatherland, and he was eagerly involved in era's flourishing Danish literature. In 1810 he married Charlotte, the youngest of daughters of Hereditary Prince Frederick (of Denmark and Norway) and Sophie Frederikke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin". Wilhelm had participated in army sent by Denmark to guard against France after Napoleon's fall. She was of German family, but spent all her life since her third year in Denmark and had Danish blood, which made her Danish for all practical purposes. In the political and dynastic conflicts during her lifetime she found herself, mainly because of her own hereditary position, in opposition to German nationalism and protective of Danish interests.

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She was daughter of Prince William of Hesse-Cassel and Princess Charlotte of Denmark (1789-1864). Her mother, a Royal Princess of Denmark, saw her become Hereditary Princess of Denmark and then Queen of Denmark.

Related Topics:
Prince William of Hesse-Cassel - Princess Charlotte of Denmark

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Louise's paternal grandparents were Prince Frederick of Hesse-Cassel, youngest brother of Elector William I of Hesse, and Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen; and her maternal grandparents Princess Sophie Frederikke of Mecklenburg-Scwerin and Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark, sometime Regent of Denmark and Norway, youngest son of Frederick V of Denmark.

Related Topics:
Prince Frederick of Hesse-Cassel - Elector William I of Hesse - Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen - Princess Sophie Frederikke of Mecklenburg-Scwerin - Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark - Frederick V

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She was a niece of Christian VIII (brother of her mother), who ruled Denmark 1839-48 and was briefly in 1814 King of Norway. As such, she was very close to succession after several individuals of the Royal House of Denmark who were elderly and childless. When coming to age, her brother Frederick William, sisters and she were closest relatives of the king Christian VIII who were probable to produce further generations. It was easy to see that the agnatic succession from Frederick III of Denmark (who was the first hereditary monarch of Denmark - before him the kingdom was officially elective) would probably become extinct within a generation. Louise was one of the females who were descended from Frederick III of Denmark and enjoyed the remainder provisions of the succession (=Semi-Salic Law) in case of his male line going extinct.

Related Topics:
Christian VIII - Christian VIII - Frederick III of Denmark - Semi-Salic

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However, her brother and she were not agnatic descendants of the House of Oldenburg/ the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, and thus ineligible to inherit the twin duchies, since there existed a number of agnatic lines very eligible to inherit those.

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She married in Amalienborg 26 May 1842 her second cousin (twice over) Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg (1818-1906) (who soon became chosen as a hereditary prince of Denmark and who later, in 1863 ascended the throne of Denmark as King Christian IX of Denmark).

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Through his father, Christian was member of a junior male branch of the royal Danish clan of Oldenburg and was (albeit a junior) agnatic descendant of Hedwig of Schauenburg (countess of Oldenburg), mother of the first king Christian of Denmark, whose sons were the "Semi-Salic" heiress of her childless brother Adolf VIII, d 1459, last Schauenburg Duke of Schleswig and Count of Holstein. As such, Christian was eligible to succeed in the twin duchies of Schleswig-Holstein, but not first in the line.

Related Topics:
Hedwig of Schauenburg - Christian of Denmark - Adolf VIII - Schleswig-Holstein

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Christian was also a great-grandson of King Frederick V of Denmark, through his mother Louise Caroline, Duchess of Lyksborg, whose mother Louise (Landgravine of Hesse) was King Frederick's third daughter. Christian, orphaned young, had grown up in the Danish Royal Household, under the tutelage of his maternal aunt Queen Marie Sophie Frederikke, wife of Frederick VI of Denmark.

Related Topics:
Frederick V of Denmark - Louise Caroline, Duchess of Lyksborg - Marie Sophie Frederikke - Frederick VI of Denmark

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