Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia
Elisabeth Christine Ulrike Princess of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel (* November 9, 1746 in Wolfenbüttel, † February 18, 1840 in Stettin) was up to her divorce from Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern in 1769 Crown Princess of Prussia.
Life
Elisabeth Christine was the daughter of Duke Charles I of Brunswick -Wolfenbüttel and Philippine Charlotte of Prussia, the younger sister of Frederick the Great. King Frederick ordered that his niece Elisabeth Christine, who was regarded as particularly witty and beautiful, her cousin, maternal and paternal should marry the future King Frederick William II, son August Wilhelm of Prussia and Louise of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel. Elisabeth Christine should direct the love life of the heir on track and provide an heir according to the wishes of the king. The marriage took place as originally planned in the Charlottenburg castle chapel, but on July 14, 1765 in Salzdahlum instead.
Marriage
However, the expectations of King Frederick II were not fulfilled. After the birth of a daughter tensions rose. The preference of the Crown Prince of French actresses and dancers was generally known. Its beautiful, confident woman sought and found consolation in young officers of the Potsdam Guard. The King wrote in a letter to his sister Philippine Charlotte:
When she became pregnant, as quoted Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer of Thule, and the end of January 1769 with her beloved Muzikant was planning an escape to Italy, she was betrayed. Ulrike finished by now her pregnancy with drugs. The divorce was conducted in April within a few days. The Crown Prince himself urged in agreement with the king on a divorce to ensure no claims of illegitimate descendants on the throne. The Brunswick court agreed. Within two days they left for Kuestrin. Frederick the Great forced his nephew to marry again already three months after the official separation. The Muzikant Pietro was arrested and taken to Magdeburg, where he was reportedly beheaded.
Captivity
Elisabeth Christine was brought as prisoners of state into the Szczecin Castle. You could initially have only a few attendants. Your situation improved soon. Since 1774 she had a former office building in Jasenitz available. After the accession of her former husband in 1786, she received greater personal freedoms. 1806 Stettin was occupied by the French. " Lisbeth Szczecin " was allowed to buy the so-called educators mill and set up as a modest summer palace ( Villa Friedrich grace). Her siblings and her daughter never saw her again. Frederick William IV was the only one who attended.
Elisabeth Christine was 93 years old. At her death, rang all the bells of the city. In the "old guy in Braunschweig" they did not want to be buried and built himself a mausoleum in their beloved park. As the garden in private hands went over, it was reburied in the night of July 19, 1849 in the Castle Church in Szczecin. Some sources indicate that Elisabeth Christine had been buried in the cathedral in Krakow later.
His marriage to Frederick William II sprang the daughter Friederike, the paternal alternately by her grandmother, Luise Amalie, and Friederike Luise, her father's second wife, was educated and 1791 Duke Friedrich August of York married.