Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse- Kassel (* April 27, 1650 in Kassel, † March 27, 1714 in Copenhagen) was a princess of Hesse- Kassel and by marriage Queen of Denmark.

Life

Charlotte Amalie was the eldest daughter of the Landgrave William VI. of Hesse- Kassel (1629-1663) from his marriage to Hedwig Sophie (1623-1683), daughter of the Elector George William of Brandenburg. The princess was strictly reformist educated.

She married on 25 June 1667 Nykøbing the Danish Crown Prince and later King Christian V of Denmark and Norway. In the marriage contract has been established that they could keep their reformed faith. This makes it the only Danish Queen, who did not exceed the Lutheran faith. At first she was, however, impeded in the exercise of their faith. On the occasion of the coronation of King Christian V in 1670 demanded that the queen convert before their anointing. Charlotte Amalie switched successfully her mother and her uncle, the Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg to convey.

Substantially influence the queen had in receiving displaced Huguenots from France to Denmark. The king issued in 1685 extensive privileges for religious refugees. In 1689, established by a large proportion of Charlotte Amalie first Reformed church was consecrated in Copenhagen. The Queen is founder of all Reformed congregations in Denmark and is responsible for the free exercise of religion of all the Reformed in the Danish State, which also gave her rich ecclesiastical endowments.

Their popularity in Denmark increased significantly, as they took part in the organization for the defense of Copenhagen, as Charles XII. of Sweden invaded in 1700 Zealand. Their lands in Denmark they managed carefully.

The city of Charlotte Amalie in the former Danish West Indies and the Charlotte Borg Castle in Copenhagen are named after her. The latter they had rebuilt it moved in 1699 and lived there until her death. Since 1754, the building houses the Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Buried is Charlotte Amalie in Roskilde Cathedral.

Progeny

From their marriage, Charlotte Amalie had the following children:

• Frederick IV (1671-1730), King of Denmark

• Christian (1672-1673)
• Christian (1675-1695)
• Sophie Hedwig (1677-1735)
• Christiane Charlotte (1679-1689)
• Karl (1680-1729)
• Wilhelm (1687-1705)