Christine of Hesse

Duchess Consort of Holstein-Gottorp
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroDuchess Consort of Holstein-Gottorp
PlacesGermany
wasWriter Hymnwriter
Work fieldLiterature Religion
Gender
Female
Birth29 June 1543, Kassel
Death13 May 1604Kiel (aged 60 years)
Family
Mother:Christine of Saxony
Father:Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Siblings:George I Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt Philip II Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels Louis IV Landgrave of Hesse-Marburg William IV Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Barbara of Hesse Agnes of Hesse Elisabeth of Hesse Electress Palatine Anna of Hesse
Spouse:Adolf Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Children:Christina of Holstein-Gottorp John Adolf Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Anna of Holstein-Gottorp John Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp Sophia of Holstein-Gottorp Philip Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Frederick II Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Agnes av Holstein-Gottorp
The details

Biography

Christine of Hesse (29 June 1543 – 13 May 1604) was Duchess consort of Holstein-Gottorp as the spouse of Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp. She exerted some political influence as a widow after 1586.

Biography

Christine was born in Kassel as a daughter of Landgrave Philip I of Hesse and his spouse Christine of Saxony. She was given a strict Protestant upringing by her aunt Elizabeth, Dowager Duchess of Saxony.

She 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, she 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 she was married to Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and had the following children:

  1. Frederick II (21 April 1568 – 15 June 1587).
  2. Sophia (1 June 1569 – 14 November 1634), married on 17 February 1588 to 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. Anna (27 February 1575 – 24 April 1625), married 28 January 1598 to Count Enno III of Ostfriesland.
  7. Christian, died young in 1577.
  8. Agnes (20 December 1578 – 1627).
  9. John Frederick, prince-bishop of Bremen, Lübeck and Verden, (1 September 1579 – 3 September 1634).

Ancestors

Ancestors of Christine of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Louis I, Landgrave of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Anna of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. William II, Landgrave of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg-Urach
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Matilda of Württemberg-Urach
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Mechthild of the Palatinate
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Dorothea of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Eric II, Duke of Pomerania
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Christine of Hesse
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Albert III, Duke of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Margarete of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. George, Duke of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. George of Poděbrady
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Sidonie of Poděbrady
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Kunigunde of Sternberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Christine of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Władysław II Jagiełło
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Casimir IV Jagiellon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Sophia of Halshany
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Barbara Jagiellon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Albert II of Germany
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Elisabeth of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Elizabeth of Luxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 

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