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.

Opportunities opening in the Danish succession

Crown of Denmark was very much in interests of Louise from her young days already. At the time of the accession of Christian VIII, 1839, the Royal Succession of Denmark and chief cognatic heirs was as follows:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Crown Prince Frederik, later Frederick VII of Denmark, only son of the king, born 1808, already once divorced and yet childless. He died 1863.
• Hereditary Prince Frederik Ferdinand of Denmark, youngest brother of the king, born 1792, married over 10 years and childless. He died also 1863, some months before his nephew the king.

And they were the only surviving agnatic heirs. After them, provisions of the succession order promulgated by Frederick III allowed succession through female line, but the law did not specify in what sort of order.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The female lines following are arranged according to the degree of proximity to the reigning monarch, King Christian VIII:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• king's elder surviving sister, Juliane of Denmark, Dowager Landgravine of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, born 1788, widow and childless. She died childless in 1850.
• king's youngest sister, Charlotte of Denmark, Landgravine Wilhelm of Hesse, born 1789 (Louise's own mother). She had several children, of whom below.
• king's first cousin once removed, the elder daughter of the late king Frederick VI (who was a first cousin of the present king), Caroline of Denmark, born 1793, wife of Ferdinand of Denmark (of whom above), married over 10 years and childless. She died 1881, childless.
• king's first cousin once removed, the youngest daughter of the late king Frederick VI (who was a first cousin of the present king), Wilhelmine Marie of Denmark, born 1808, divorced wife of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (of whom above), and secondly married with Duke Charles of Lyksborg. She was (yet) childless, but at the age of 40, she was not past child-bearing, but believed to be barren. In 1840's, it became totally evident that she will never have children. She died 1891, childless.
• king's first cousin, legally the daughter of late king Christian VII (though however believed to be bastard) and in any case, sister of late king Frederick VI, Louise Auguste of Denmark, Duchess of Augustenborg. born 1771, died 1843. She had several children, of whom below.

They were the living princesses of Denmark. All other cognatic heirs were descendants of deceased Princesses of Denmark, themselves members of other dynasties, and usually rather alien to Denmark. Ancestresses of many of them had renounced their rights when marrying "abroad". Following some sketch of closest of those lines:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Prince Gustavus Wasa, former Crown Prince of Sweden, grandson of Princess Sofia Magdalena of Denmark, who was eldest daughter of Frederick V and wife of King Gustav III of Sweden, mother of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden; then his sister: Grand Duchess Sophia of Baden, the eldest daughter of Gustav IV Adolf. She was born Princess of Sweden and married Grand Duke Leopold I of Baden and had produced children. And then: their sisters.
• William II, Elector of Hesse, b 1777, son of Princess Caroline of Denmark, who was second daughter of Frederick V. He died 1847. And there were plenty of his children and siblings.
• Frederick, Prince of Hesse, born 1771 in Gottorp, eldest son of Princess Louise of Denmark, who was third and youngest daughter of Frederick V. Then widower of a morganatic marriage. He died childless 1845.
• Marie Sophie Frederikke, Queen Dowager of Denmark, born 1767, née Princess of Hesse, eldest daughter of Princess Louise of Denmark, who was third and youngest daughter of Frederick V. She died 1852. Her children are listed above, as they both are Princesses of Denmark.
• Juliane Louise Amalie, Princess of Hesse, born 1773, daughter of Princess Louise of Denmark, who was third and youngest daughter of Frederick V. She was unmarried and died 1860 in Itzehoe.
• Louise Caroline, Princess of Hesse, born 1789 in Gottorp. Dowager Duchess of Lyksborg, widow of Duke William of Lyksborg, youngest daughter of Princess Louise of Denmark, who was third and youngest daughter of Frederick V. She had several children, of whom below.

After them, next cognatic heirs would have been descendants of younger children of forefathers of Frederick V.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As became obvious from information above, there were three thriving families with chief potential to inherit the Kingdom of Denmark and who had some secured own offspring to preserve the inheritance also in future generations. These three families were, in order of proximity with the reigning monarch, the Hesse, the Augustenborg and the Lyksborg families. Only a mother in two of the families (Augustenborg, Hesse) was a Princess of Denmark, but descendants bore non-Danish titles. Two of these, however, i.e Augustenborg and Lyksborg, were agnatic descendants of ancient Kings of Denmark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Augustenborg

The Augustenborg family was the next senior agnatic branch of Schleswig-Holstein and of the Royal House of Oldenburg, immediately after the male line of the then King of Denmark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There was issue of Louise Auguste, sister of Frederick VI:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1. Christian (aka Christian August), Duke of Augustenborg, born 1798 in Copenhagen (Christian Carl Frederik August). Had married 1820 Countess Lovisa-Sophie Danneskjold-Samsøe (1797-1867) who was a Danish noblewoman and relative of kings of Denmark, belonging to a bastard branch of House of Oldenburg. Duke Christian sold his rights to the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark in aftermath of Treaty of London, but later renounced his rights to the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein in favor of his son Frederick August. He was the brother-in-law of the present King (Christian VIII). And nephew of late Frederick VI. Duke Christian August died 1869. Several children:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Frederik August (Friedrich Christian August), Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, born 1829 in Augustenborg. He was nephew of Caroline Amalie, the incumbent Queen Consort of Denmark, and "nephew-in-law" of the king himself. As well as a great-nephew of Frederick VI. In 1863 claimed to succeed King Frederik VII of Denmark as Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. Died 1880. He became father of one surviving son and a number of daughters.
• Frederik Christian Carl August (1831-1917), later (1866) married a Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, and settled in England.
• Louise Auguste (1823-1872)
• Caroline Amelie (1826-1901)
• Caroline Christiane Auguste Emilie Henriette Elisabeth (1833-1917)

2. Friedrich Emil August, born 1800 in Kiel. Had married 1829 Countess Henriette Danneskjold-Samsøe (1806-58) who was a Danish noblewoman and relative of kings of Denmark, belonging to a bastard branch of House of Oldenburg. Later he was created Prinz von Noer (1864) and died 1865. Children:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Friedrich Christian Karl August (Gottorp 1830-Noer 1881)
• Luise Karoline Henriette Auguste Gfn von Noer (Schleswig 1836-1866)

3. Caroline Amalie, born 1796 in Copenhagen. had married 1815 King Christian VIII of Denmark, the present monarch, who died 1848. She died childless 1881, as HM The Queen Dowager of Denmark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lyksborg

The Glucksburg family was a younger agnatic branch of Schleswig-Holstein and of the Royal House of Oldenburg. There were children of Louise Caroline of Hesse, granddaughter of Frederick V of Denmark:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1. Charles (Karl, Carl), Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, born 1813 in Gottorp 1813; had 1838 married in Copenhagen Princess Wilhelmine of Denmark (see above). He died childless in 1878 in Luisenlund.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2. Frederick (Friedrich), Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (Schleswig 1814-Schleswig 1885), then married Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe, later got plenty of descendants.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

3. William (Wilhelm), (Gottorp 1816-Fredensborg 1893)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

4. Christian (1818-1906), who in 1840's became Hereditary Prince of Denmark (though his brothers did not become such) and 1863 became King Christian IX of Denmark. He married 1842 Louise herself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

5. Julius (Gottorp 1824-Itzehoe 1903)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

6. Johann (Hans) (Gottorp 1825-Copenhagen 1911)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

7. Nikolaus (Gottorp 1828-Berlin 1849)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8. Louise Marie Frederikke (Gottorp 1810-1869), had 1837 married a Mr von Lasperg.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

9. Frederikke Caroline Juliane (Gottorp 1811-1902), had 1834 married Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

10. Luise (Gottorp 1820-Itzehoe 1894)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hesse

There was the issue of Charlotte of Denmark, sister of Christian VIII, siblings of Louise herself:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1. an only son Frederik (Friedrich Wilhelm Georg Adolf), Landgrave of Hesse, who was born 1820 in Kassel. In 1840's, he renounced his claims of Denmark in favor of Louise. He later married, twice, and with his second wife Anna of Prussia produced several children, beginning in 1850's. He died 1884.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2. Marie Louise Charlotte, born 1814 in Copenhagen. Had 1832 married a Prince of Anhalt-Dessau. She died 1895 and left children and grandchildren. She is said to have renounced her rights of Denmark to Louise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

3. Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie, i.e Louise herself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

4. Auguste Sophie Friederike Marie Caroline Julie, who was born 1823 in Copenhagen. She later married a Scandinavian nobleman, Baron Blixen-Fineke. She died 1873.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Louise's brother Frederik of Hesse renounced in 1851 his rights to Danish succession in favor of Louise, (as put by Danish historians:) "after lengthy negotiantions where their father Wilhelm took active part". Frederik succeeded in 1875 as the Head of House of Hesse, when the main branch of Hesse-Kassel went extinct by the death of former Elector Frederick William of Hesse - they assumed the historical name "of Hesse and Brabant". Landgrave Frederik's third son Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse was in 1918 elected as King of Finland.

Related Topics:
House of Hesse - Frederick William of Hesse - Frederick Charles of Hesse - King of Finland

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~