Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken
December 03, 2023
Eleonora Catherine of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken (17 May 1626 – 3 March 1692), was a cousin and foster sister of Queen Christina of Sweden and sister of King Charles X of Sweden. After her brother's accession to the throne (1654), she and her siblings were all considered royal princesses and princes of Sweden.[1] As the wife of Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege (1617–1655), she was by marriage Landgravine of Hesse-Eschwege, and after her husband's death acted as regent and administrator of his lands (1655–1692).[2]
Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken
Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken
The negotiations concerning her marriage with Landgrave Frederick of Hesse-Eschwege, son of Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, started in 1643. The landgrave was a second cousin of both her parents and nine years her senior. The negotiation process was difficult, but finally completed in June 1646. She was granted a fortune of 20,000 gulden by her father. The marriage took place at Tre Kronor in Stockholm on 6 September 1646.
After the wedding, Eleonora confessed before her husband, "on her knees", that she had had an affair with a Frenchlute-player and actor, named Beschon, from the French court theatre of Antoine de Beaulieu, and was pregnant with his child.[3][4] Frederick decided to act like nothing happened and hide the matter, but it became a known scandal. Beschon wrote a composition to Eleonora which he sent her along with a letter dated 28 February 1647, but she gave it to her brother; this document is now preserved in the Stegeborg collection.[3] In 1648, she referred to the queen's head lady-in-waiting Margareta Brahe as her "Dearest Protection", likely because Margareta Brahe had defended her when she gave birth to an illegitimate child.[5]
The marriage has been described as unhappy. Frederick took part in the war of his brother-in-law in Poland, where he was shot in 1655. Eleonora never remarried. It is said she was too embarrassed by the scandal with Beschon to return to the Swedish court, so she preferred to live in her fief Osterholz, where she founded a pharmacy and hired the first teacher and doctor of the town.[6] Eleonora was the administrator and regent of her husband's possessions in the Holy Roman Empire. Eleonora sent her daughter Juliana to be brought up at the Swedish royal court, where she was regarded as a prospective bride for Charles XI until she became pregnant in 1672. Eleonora did in fact visit Sweden a couple of times: in 1661, in 1674 and in 1681. During her 1674 visit, Lorenzo Magalotti described her as "a wicked, vain, strange, proud and melancholic woman" who spent most of her time in pious devotions.[3]
Eleonora died in Osterholz, Bremen (today's Germany) and is buried at the Altstädter Kirche ("Old City church") in Eschwege where now stands the Marktkirche ("Market Church").
Elizabeth (b. Eschwege, 7 April 1650 – d. Eschwege, 27 April 1651).
Juliana (b. Eschwege, 14 May 1652 – d. IJsselstein, 20 June 1693), prospective bride of Charles XI of Sweden; married in 1680 Johann Jakob Marchand, Baron of Lilienburg.
Charlotte (b. Eschwege, 3 September 1653 – d. Bremen, 7 February 1708), married firstly in 1673 with Prince August of Saxe-Weissenfels (son of Duke August) and secondly in 1679 with John Adolph, Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (divorced 1693).
Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Hesse-Eschwege (b. Eschwege, 30 November 1654 – d. Eschwege, 27 July 1655).
Ancestryedit
Ancestors of Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken
^Probably she was the child product of the affair with the lute-player. According to historiography, Eleonora Catherine confessed the affair to her husband at the beginning of 1647, when the pregnancy could no longer be concealed.
Referencesedit
^Ulf Sundberg in Kungliga släktband, Historiska media, Lund, 2004, ISBN91-85057-48-7 p. 281
^ abNey, Theodor Julius (1898), "Wolfgang (Pfalzgraf)", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), vol. 44, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 76–87
^ abcdWolff, Fritz (2001), "Philipp der Großmütige", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 20, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 376–379; (full text online)
^ abHarleß, Woldemar (1898), "Wilhelm V. (Herzog von Jülich-Kleve-Berg)", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), vol. 43, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 106–113
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Eleonora Catherine of the Palatinate Zweibrucken 17 May 1626 3 March 1692 was a cousin and foster sister of Queen Christina of Sweden and sister of King Charles X of Sweden After her brother s accession to the throne 1654 she and her siblings were all considered royal princesses and princes of Sweden 1 As the wife of Frederick Landgrave of Hesse Eschwege 1617 1655 she was by marriage Landgravine of Hesse Eschwege and after her husband s death acted as regent and administrator of his lands 1655 1692 2 Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of ZweibruckenCountess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of ZweibruckenBorn 1626 05 17 17 May 1626Stegeborg Castle in OstergotlandDied3 March 1692 1692 03 03 aged 65 OsterholzNoble familyWittelsbachSpouse s Frederick Landgrave of Hesse EschwegeIssueDetailChristine Duchess of Brunswick Luneburg BevernJuliana Baroness of LilienburgCharlotte Countess of Bentheim TecklenburgFatherJohn Casimir Count Palatine of KleeburgMotherCatherine of Sweden Contents 1 Biography 2 Children 3 Ancestry 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography editEleonora was born at Stegeborg Castle in Ostergotland Sweden to Princess Catharina of Sweden and Johann Casimir Count Palatine von Zweibrucken Kleeburg Her mother was an elder half sister of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and the firstborn daughter of King Charles IX Her parents who were second cousins had lived in Sweden since 1622 and Eleonora and her siblings including her sister Maria Eufrosyne grew up in Sweden as foster siblings of their cousin Queen Christina of Sweden Eleonora was only about seven months older than Christina and had the same teacher Johannes Matthiae The negotiations concerning her marriage with Landgrave Frederick of Hesse Eschwege son of Maurice Landgrave of Hesse Kassel started in 1643 The landgrave was a second cousin of both her parents and nine years her senior The negotiation process was difficult but finally completed in June 1646 She was granted a fortune of 20 000 gulden by her father The marriage took place at Tre Kronor in Stockholm on 6 September 1646 After the wedding Eleonora confessed before her husband on her knees that she had had an affair with a French lute player and actor named Beschon from the French court theatre of Antoine de Beaulieu and was pregnant with his child 3 4 Frederick decided to act like nothing happened and hide the matter but it became a known scandal Beschon wrote a composition to Eleonora which he sent her along with a letter dated 28 February 1647 but she gave it to her brother this document is now preserved in the Stegeborg collection 3 In 1648 she referred to the queen s head lady in waiting Margareta Brahe as her Dearest Protection likely because Margareta Brahe had defended her when she gave birth to an illegitimate child 5 The marriage has been described as unhappy Frederick took part in the war of his brother in law in Poland where he was shot in 1655 Eleonora never remarried It is said she was too embarrassed by the scandal with Beschon to return to the Swedish court so she preferred to live in her fief Osterholz where she founded a pharmacy and hired the first teacher and doctor of the town 6 Eleonora was the administrator and regent of her husband s possessions in the Holy Roman Empire Eleonora sent her daughter Juliana to be brought up at the Swedish royal court where she was regarded as a prospective bride for Charles XI until she became pregnant in 1672 Eleonora did in fact visit Sweden a couple of times in 1661 in 1674 and in 1681 During her 1674 visit Lorenzo Magalotti described her as a wicked vain strange proud and melancholic woman who spent most of her time in pious devotions 3 Eleonora died in Osterholz Bremen today s Germany and is buried at the Altstadter Kirche Old City church in Eschwege where now stands the Marktkirche Market Church Some of her notable descendants are Wilhelm II German Emperor Nicholas II of Russia Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and the present kings of Sweden and the United Kingdom Carl XVI Gustaf and Charles III Children editMargarete b Erfurt 31 March 1647 d Erfurt 19 October 1647 a Christine b Kassel 30 October 1649 d Bevern 18 March 1702 married in 1667 to Ferdinand Albert I Duke of Brunswick Luneburg Bevern Elizabeth b Eschwege 7 April 1650 d Eschwege 27 April 1651 Juliana b Eschwege 14 May 1652 d IJsselstein 20 June 1693 prospective bride of Charles XI of Sweden married in 1680 Johann Jakob Marchand Baron of Lilienburg Charlotte b Eschwege 3 September 1653 d Bremen 7 February 1708 married firstly in 1673 with Prince August of Saxe Weissenfels son of Duke August and secondly in 1679 with John Adolph Count of Bentheim Tecklenburg divorced 1693 Frederick Hereditary Prince of Hesse Eschwege b Eschwege 30 November 1654 d Eschwege 27 July 1655 Ancestry editAncestors of Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrucken16 Louis II Count Palatine of Zweibrucken 13 8 Wolfgang Count Palatine of Zweibrucken 9 17 Elisabeth of Hesse 13 4 John I Count Palatine of Zweibrucken 7 18 Philip I Landgrave of Hesse 14 30 9 Anna of Hesse 9 19 Christine of Saxony 14 31 2 John Casimir Count Palatine of Kleeburg20 John III Duke of Cleves 15 10 William Duke of Julich Cleves Berg 10 21 Maria of Julich Berg 15 5 Magdalene of Julich Cleves Berg 7 22 Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor 10 11 Maria of Austria 10 23 Anne of Bohemia and Hungary 10 1 Eleonora Catharina of Pfalz Zweibrucken24 Erik Johansson Vasa 16 12 Gustav I of Sweden 11 25 Cecilia Mansdotter 16 6 Charles IX of Sweden 8 26 Erik Abrahamsson Leijonhufvud 17 13 Margaret Leijonhufvud 11 27 Ebba Eriksdotter Vasa 17 3 Catharina of Sweden28 Frederick III Elector Palatine 18 14 Louis VI Elector Palatine 12 29 Marie of Brandenburg Kulmbach 18 7 Maria of the Palatinate Simmern 8 30 Philip I Landgrave of Hesse 14 18 15 Elisabeth of Hesse 12 31 Christine of Saxony 14 19 Notes edit Probably she was the child product of the affair with the lute player According to historiography Eleonora Catherine confessed the affair to her husband at the beginning of 1647 when the pregnancy could no longer be concealed References edit Ulf Sundberg in Kungliga slaktband Historiska media Lund 2004 ISBN 91 85057 48 7 p 281 Women in Power 1640 1700 a b c Eleonora Catharina in Riksarkivet se in Swedish retrieved 11 June 2014 Frederick of Hesse Eschwege News from the great Fritz in Weser Kurier de in German retrieved 11 June 2014 Fabian Persson 1999 Servants of Fortune The Swedish court between 1598 and 1721 Lund Wallin amp Dalholm ISBN 91 628 3340 5 p 171 Eleonora Catharine in heimatverein lilienthal de Archived 2014 06 06 at the Wayback Machine in German retrieved 5 January 2015 a b Kromnow Ake 1975 Johan Kasimir Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 20 p 204 a b Kromnow Ake 1977 Katarina Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 21 p 1 a b Press Volker 1974 Johann I Neue Deutsche Biographie in German vol 10 Berlin Duncker amp Humblot pp 513 514 full text online a b c d Wurzbach Constantin von ed 1861 Habsburg Maria Herzogin zu Berg Julich und Cleve Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich Biographical Encyclopedia of the Austrian Empire in German Vol 7 p 19 via Wikisource a b Palme Sven Ulric 1975 Karl IX Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 20 p 630 a b Skoglund Lars Olof 1987 Maria Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 25 p 150 a b Ney Theodor Julius 1898 Wolfgang Pfalzgraf Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ADB in German vol 44 Leipzig Duncker amp Humblot pp 76 87 a b c d Wolff Fritz 2001 Philipp der Grossmutige Neue Deutsche Biographie in German vol 20 Berlin Duncker amp Humblot pp 376 379 full text online a b Harless Woldemar 1898 Wilhelm V Herzog von Julich Kleve Berg Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ADB in German vol 43 Leipzig Duncker amp Humblot pp 106 113 a b Bain Robert Nisbet 1911 Gustavus I Eriksson In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 12 11th ed Cambridge University Press a b Dahlback Goran 1987 Margareta Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 25 p 139 a b Press Volker 1987 Ludwig VI Neue Deutsche Biographie in German vol 15 Berlin Duncker amp Humblot pp 414 415 full text online External links editEleonora Katarina av Pfalz pa Projekt Runeberg http www guide2womenleaders com womeninpower Womeninpower1640 htm http runeberg org nfbg 0204 htmlCountess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of ZweibruckenHouse of Palatinate ZweibruckenCadet branch of the House of WittelsbachBorn 17 May 1626 Died 3 March 1692German royaltyVacantTitle last held byJuliane of Nassau Siegenas Landgravine of Hesse Kassel Landgravine consort of Hesse Eschwege8 September 1646 24 September 1655 Succeeded byEleonora of Solms Lich Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrucken amp oldid 1165941575, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
