Christine of Hesse

Christine of Hesse
Bishop John Frederick
House	House of Hesse
Father	Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Mother	Christine of Saxony

Christine of Hesse (29 June 1543 – 13 May 1604) was Duchess consort of

. She exerted some political influence as a widow after 1586.

Biography

Christine was born in

. She was given a strict Protestant upbringing by her aunt Elizabeth, Dowager Duchess of Saxony.

Christine received a proposal from King Eric XIV of Sweden, but this did not come about. Her wedding celebration resulted in a scandal, when the guests at the wedding reception consumed too much alcohol. In 1565, the Gottorf Castle was destroyed by fire, which cost her her personal possessions.

As duchess, Christine supported churches and schools and scholarships to poor students in theology. She was interested in medicine, and also manufactured her own medicines.

As a widow after 1586, Christine defended the rights of her son Philip against the council.

Christine composed the psalm-book Geistliche Psalmen und Lieder (1590).

Family and children

On 17 December 1564 Christine was married to Duke

and had the following children:

1. Frederick II (21 April 1568 – 15 June 1587).
2. John VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
   .
3. Philip (10 August 1570 – 18 October 1590).
4. Christina (13 April 1573 – 8 December 1625), married on 27 August 1592 to King Charles IX of Sweden.
5. John Adolph
   (27 February 1575 – 31 March 1616).
6. Enno III of Ostfriesland
   .
7. Christian, died young in 1577.
8. Agnes (20 December 1578 – 1627).
9. Lübeck and Verden
   , (1 September 1579 – 3 September 1634).

Through her daughters Sophia and Anna, she is an ancestor of British Monarch Charles III.

Ancestors

External links

• Media related to Christine of Hesse at Wikimedia Commons
• (in German) Article in the ABD

Christine of Hesse House of Hesse Born: 29 June 1543 Died: 13 May 1604
Royal titles
Preceded by New title	Duchess consort of Holstein-Gottorp 1564–1586	Succeeded by Augusta of Denmark