Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel
Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel Hessian Palatinate | |||||||||
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1567–1803 | |||||||||
Status | Landgraviate | ||||||||
Capital | Kassel | ||||||||
Common languages | |||||||||
Religion |
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Government | Absolute monarchy | ||||||||
Landgrave | |||||||||
• 1567–1592 | William IV | ||||||||
• 1730–1751 | Frederick I, King of Sweden | ||||||||
• 1751–1760 | William VIII | ||||||||
• 1760–1785 | Frederick II | ||||||||
• 1785–1803 | William IX (Elector of Hesse to 1821) | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
• Established | 1567 | ||||||||
• Raised to Electorate | 1803 | ||||||||
Population | |||||||||
• 1775 | 300,000[1] | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of | Germany |
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (German: Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel), spelled Hesse-Cassel during its entire existence,[a] also known as the Hessian Palatinate (German: Hessischen Pfalz),[2][3] was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. The state was created in 1567 when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half of the Landgraviate and the capital of Kassel. The other sons received the Landgraviates of Hesse-Marburg, Hesse-Rheinfels and Hesse-Darmstadt.
During the
History
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel was founded by William IV the Wise, the eldest son of Philip I. On his father's death in 1567, the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided into four parts. William IV received about half of the territory, with Kassel as his capital. Hesse-Kassel expanded in 1604 when Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel inherited the Landgraviate of Hesse-Marburg from his childless uncle, Louis IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Marburg (1537–1604).
Thirty Years' War
In 1605, Maurice became
Amalie Elisabeth vigorously advanced the interests of Hesse-Kassel. After expelling Imperial troops from Hesse-Kassel, she sent troops to take the city of Marburg, which her father-in-law had lost to their Hesse-Darmstadt relatives. At the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Hesse-Kassel was further rewarded with most of the County of Schaumburg and the newly secularized Hersfeld Abbey. Amalie Elisabeth also introduced the rule of primogeniture to prevent Hesse-Kassel from being divided again in the future. However, her health was ruined by the stresses of the war, and she died in 1651.
17th and 18th centuries
On Frederick I's death in 1751, he was succeeded by his brother
End of the landgraviate
Following the reorganization of the German states during the German mediatisation of 1803, the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel was raised to the Electorate of Hesse and Landgrave William IX was elevated to Imperial Elector, taking the title William I, Elector of Hesse. The principality thus became known as Kurhessen (aka Kurfürstentum Hessen), although still usually referred to as Hesse-Kassel.
In 1806, William I was dispossessed by
Hessian troops in foreign service
The Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel were famous for renting out their army to European Great Powers during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a widespread practice at the time for small countries to rent out troops to larger countries in exchange for subsidies. International jurists drew a distinction between mercenaries and auxiliaries (Hilfstruppen). Mercenaries served in foreign armies as individuals, while auxiliaries were sent by their prince to the aid of another prince.[5]
Hesse-Kassel took the practice to an extreme, maintaining 5.3% of its population under arms in 1730.[6] This was a higher proportion than even Prussia,[6] a country that was so heavily militarized that it was described as "not a country with an army, but an army with a country". The Hessian army served as a readily available reserve for the Great Powers.[7]
During the
Namesakes
The village of Hessen Cassel, Indiana, near Fort Wayne, founded by German immigrants, is named for the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel.[citation needed]
See also
- New Netherland
- New Sweden
- Pennsylvania Dutch
- Rulers of Hesse
Notes
- ^ Following the German spelling reform of the early 20th century, the town of Cassel became Kassel, long after the dissolution of Hesse-Kassel itself.
References
- ^ Brendan Morrissey. "The American Revolution The Global Struggle for National Independence." Salamander: 2001. Page 240.
- ^ The Bavarian State Library (1892). House documents. p. 179.
- ^ The Bavarian State Library (1886). Wie's klingt am Rhei' mundartliche Gedichte aus der hessischen Pfalz. p. 112.
- ^ Satow, Ernest Mason (1932). A Guide to Diplomatic Practice. London: Longmans.
- ISBN 9780521526371.
- ^ ISBN 9781135369552.
Whereas in the mid-eighteenth century Austria and Russia had between approximately 1.1 per cent and 1.5 per cent of their population in the army, the percentage for Prussia for 4.2. ... In 1730, a year of peace but also of war preparations, Hesse-Cassel had 1 in 19 of the population under arms.
- ISBN 1-55786-368-7.
- ^ Kennedy, David M. (2012). The American Pageant. Cengage Learning. p. 147.
Because most of these soldiers-for-hire came from the Germany principality of Hesse, the Americans called all the European mercenaries Hessians.