Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
Princess Friederike Luise of Hesse- Darmstadt ( born October 16, 1751 Prenzlau, † February 25, 1805 in Berlin Monbijou Castle ) was Queen of Prussia by marriage.
Life
Childhood and youth
Friederike was a daughter of the Landgrave Ludwig IX. of Hesse- Darmstadt (1719-1790) and his wife Henriette Karoline (1721-1774), daughter of the Count Palatine and Duke Christian III. of Zweibrücken- Birkenfeld. The princess was born in Prenzlau, where her father was stationed in the Prussian service. The princess with unimposing exterior was regarded as quiet, little gifted and restrained.
Friederike was educated primarily by her mother, who was known as the Great Countess. Frederick the Great, who held much of Friederike's mother and has been sponsored by Friederike had even sought the marriage of his nephew and heir, with Friederike.
Queen of Prussia
Friederike married on July 14, 1769 in the chapel of the Schloss Charlottenburg later to become King Frederick William II of Prussia, from which it was called the Hessian Lizzie. For the Prince, it was the second marriage, after he was divorced from his first wife Elisabeth of Brunswick because of their extra-marital affairs. At the time of marriage was his connection with Wilhelmine Enke - the later Countess of Lichtenau - already known.
The marriage between the unattractive Friederike and the sensuous prince who became king in 1786, was not happy. Friedrich Wilhelm had many love affairs and spent most of his time with his mistress Wilhelmine von Lichtenau. The Queen picked up quite often wise advice from her mother, who tried to influence their increasingly bizarre expectant daughter positive. After the death of Friederike's mother Friedrich Wilhelm II was twice a left-handed marriage with the Countess of Inge home and Dönhoff. The Queen, who suffered all his life from the financial difficulties, understood funds negotiate, when it came to their agreement with the two morganatic marriages of the king.
Since 1788 the Queen spent her summer stay in Freiwalde, which led to economic and cultural development of the city. There were public facilities and buildings, especially after the death of her husband in 1797, built, that were only the queen and her court reserved. 1799 a summer palace here was built for them by David Gilly.
Friederike took little time for the education of their children who grew up with her in the Monbijou castle. At the age she was considered always whimsical. They neglected their appearance and allegedly saw ghosts and spirits, slept during the day and woke up at night because she was afraid. In the public perception of their time as well as in history it has scarcely any traces.
The Queen chose the city Freiwalde with the Elector source from 1797, the retirement home. She died of a stroke on her widow's residence Monbijou and rests in the Berlin Cathedral.
Progeny
From their marriage Friederike Luise had the following children:
- Friedrich Wilhelm III. (1770-1840), King of Prussia
- Christine (1772-1773)
- Ludwig (1773-1796)
- Wilhelmine (1774-1837)
- Auguste (1780-1841)
- Heinrich (1781-1846), Grand Master of the Hospitallers Prussian
- Wilhelm (1783-1851)