Jacob Kettler
Jacob Kettler | |
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Kettler | |
Father | Wilhelm Kettler |
Mother | Duchess Sophie of Prussia |
Religion | Lutheranism |
Jacob Kettler (
Yet, in the end the results of his rule failed in the confrontation with much stronger powers both directly in the Baltic (Sweden) and overseas (Dutch Republic). A ruler "too rich and powerful to be a duke but too small and poor to be a king"[1] could not, with his small ancestral territory and very limited resources, play the powerful role he sought in European politics of that time.
Early life
Kettler was born in Goldingen (now known as
In 1633, he led a Curonian regiment in the Smolensk War between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia. In 1634, he made a grand tour of Europe, visiting Paris, London, and Amsterdam, where he studied shipbuilding. In 1638, he became co-ruler of the duchy and in 1642 sole Duke of Courland.
Reign
Under Kettler's rule, the duchy traded with the
The duchy was involved in colonisation. In 1651 Jacob sent a fleet to build Fort Jacob on the
Imprisonment
The duke was taken prisoner by the
However, the pope soon died, and the new pope was unwilling to support the plan.[citation needed] For the rest of his reign he tried to reach a pre-war level of wealth but managed to do this only partly.
The duke died in Mitau (Jelgava) on 1 January 1682.
Legacy
Kettler is remembered as a fair ruler who gave opportunities to the local Latvian peasants and even knew the Latvian language.[1]
Marriage and issue
Kettler married Princess Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg (1617–1676), the daughter of George William, Elector of Brandenburg and had issue:[2]
Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
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Louise Elisabeth Kettler | 12 August 1646 | 16 December 1690 | married Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg; had issue; died aged 44 |
Ladislaus Louis Frederick Kettler | 14 December 1647 | 31 March 1648 | died aged 3 months |
Christina Sophia Kettler | 15 May 1649 | 9 June 1651 | died aged 2 |
Frederick II Casimir Kettler | 6 July 1650 | 22 January 1698 | married (1) Countess Sophie Amalie of Nassau-Siegen; had issue (2) Margravine Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg ; had issue; died aged 48
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Charlotte Sophia Kettler | 17 September 1651 | 1 December 1728 | never married; became the Abbess in Herford; died aged 76 |
Maria Amalia Kettler | 12 June 1653 | 16 June 1711 | married Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel; had issue; died aged 58 |
Charles Jacob Kettler | 20 October 1654 | 29 December 1677 | never married; died aged 23 |
Ferdinand Kettler | 2 November 1655 | 4 May 1737 | married Princess Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Weissenfels; no issue; died aged 81 |
Alexander Kettler | 16 October 1658 | 28 June 1686 | never married; died aged 27 |
Ancestry
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References
- ^ a b "The ambitious journey of Duke Jacob Kettler". History & Culture Academy of Latgale. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ Jakob Kettler, Duke of Kurland & Semgallen in: Our Royal, Titled, Noble, and Commoner Ancestors & Cousins (over 164,000 names) [retrieved 8 May 2015].
External links
- Heinz Mattiesen (1974), "Jakob Kettler", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 10, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 313–315; (full text online)
- Theodor Schiemann (1881), "Jakob Kettler", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 13, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 540–546
- Coinage of Jacob Kettler