Christine of Hesse

Christine of Hesse ( born June 29, 1543 Kassel, † May 13, 1604 in Kiel ) was Princess of Hesse and by marriage Duchess of Holstein - Gottorp. Christine is both grandmother of the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf, and ancestress of the Russian Imperial family.

Life

Christine was a daughter of the Landgrave Philipp I of Hesse (1501-1567) from his marriage to Christine (1505-1549), daughter of Duke George of Saxony. Was carefully and strictly reformist educated Christine, whose mother died in her sixth year of life, by her aunt Elizabeth, widow of Duke George of Saxony. In 1543, King Eric XIV of Sweden competed for her hand, but chose Christine's father one of his confidants to her husband.

She married on 17 December 1564 Gottorp Duke Adolf of Holstein- Gottorp I. ( 1526-1586 ). The wedding was more of a humiliating event which degenerated into a big drinking session. Many of the loaded princely guests were not published. Duchess Anna Sophia of Mecklenburg reported about the wedding: "... The bride sey sey has been married man straight, and then place any knight game without getting drunk only flucks. "

Shortly after the marriage was on New Year's Day 1565 was the wing of the castle Gottorp, in which the couple had his private chambers, burned to the ground; while personal belongings and also ready money had been destroyed. Through his marriage Adolf remained in connection with the Protestant princes of Germany, under which he occupied an important position as a colonel of the Lower Saxon Circle.

Christine took care of conscientious about the education of their children. The Duchess sponsored churches and schools and supported theology students through scholarships. She worked intensively with medicine and established their own medications. After the death of her husband she defended the interests of their home. They supported in particular their son Philip in his obtaining the duke against the estates.

From their sons to her the castle had been assigned in Kiel as a widow seat. Christine wrote the scripture Psalms and Spiritual Songs ( Schleswig, 1590) as well as a prayer book ( Lubeck, 1601)