Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt

Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt (11 March 1656, – 16 August 1715), was daughter of Louis VI of Hesse-Darmdstadt and his wife; Maria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. By her marriage to Henry, Duke of Saxe-Römhild, she was Duchess consort of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt
Duchess consort of Saxe-Römhild
Born(1656-03-11)11 March 1656
Darmstadt, Germany
Died16 August 1715(1715-08-16) (aged 59)
Römhild, Thuringia
Spouse(s)
(m. 1676; died 1710)
FatherLouis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt
MotherMaria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp

Early life

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Marie Elisabeth was born on 11 March 1456, she was the fourth-born of Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and his wife by marriage, Maria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, a daughter of Duke Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.

Marriage

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On 1 March 1676, Marie Elisabeth married Henry, Duke of Saxe-Römhild, who at the time of the marriage ruled Saxe-Gotha jointly alongside his six brothers. In 1680, the brothers divided the country and Henry became the Duke of Saxe-Römhild. He had resided there since 1676, in Römhild. After Henry's death, a dispute erupted among his remaining brothers over the inheritance of Saxe-Römhild. This dispute was settled definitively in 1765.

Henry loved his wife very much. He always called her by the name "Marielies", and had several luxurious buildings built in her honor, including a cave house called "Marie Elisabeth Delight". They however had no children. Henry died in 1710, leaving a massive debt. Marie Elizabeth outlived her husband by five years, before she died on 16 August 1715, at the age of 59 in Römhild, Thuringia.

Sources

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  • Association of Saxe-Meiningen history and cultural studies (ed.): New Geography of the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, Hildburghausen 1903
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