Elisabeth of Hesse, Hereditary Princess of Saxony

Elisabeth of Hesse ( born March 4, 1502 Marburg, † December 6, 1557 in Schmalkalden ) was a Hessian princess and by marriage Hereditary Princess of Saxony. After the death of her husband, the Hereditary Prince Johann of Saxony, she managed her jointure, the Saxon offices Rochlitz and Kriebstein and other possessions, self employed, earning her the nickname " Elisabeth of Rochlitz ."

Childhood and youth

Her childhood was marked by confrontations her mother Anna von Mecklenburg with the Hessian Estates, which formed after the death of her father William II in 1509, in defiance of his testamentary instructions, a five- member council chaired by the land steward Ludwig von Boyneburg to Stadtlengsfeld. This council took over the government for the still underage Landgrave, Elizabeth 's brother Philippe I, and took Anna and their children under guardianship.

Elizabeth lived since that time with her ​​mother, who was referred to her jointure in casting, while her brother remained in Kassel under the supervision of Ludwig von Boyneburg.

Elizabeth and her mother were financially dependent by the Council and were given not abundant. This is evident, among other things to an incident in 1512. This year, Anna's sister Katharina married the Duke Henry of Saxony. On this occasion Anna probably wanted to introduce her daughter Elizabeth at the Saxon court, as it had been a very early age the eldest son of George the Bearded, Hereditary Prince Johann promised. But the for the Council requested Damask did not. Therefore Elizabeth's mother took her daughter because of " poor clothes " not to Dresden. Elizabeth therefore grew well on very down to earth and in touch with ordinary commoners.

It was not until 1514 succeeded her mother to solve the Council guardianship over themselves and their children. Elizabeth, her brother and her mother lived since that time back together in Kassel. Anna received the guardianship back for their children, but remained dependent on the government of the country by an advisory board.

At the court in Dresden

On March 8, 1515 Engagement between Elisabeth and Johann took place after the Pope 's dispensation granted ( both were in the fourth degree related ). But Elizabeth continued to live with her mother in Kassel. On August 27, 1515 in Marburg contracted the marriage - an ecclesiastical act to which a document exchange, " eynug freuntlich " followed. The nuptials, the consummation of the marriage, was held in Marburg on 20 May 1516. It was not until January 1519 Elisabeth remained permanently at the court in Dresden.

In Dresden, she had, like their mother, constantly struggling for their independence against Duke George the Bearded and the court officials. Even the ever- ailing John could not prevail with his overbearing father. The couple remained childless and the pressure at the Court conducted with Elisabeth to chronic insomnia. But you already showed in this time their balancing nature and her diplomatic skills. So they took care of the family peace between her brother and her mother when her mother wanted to marry for the second time ( Philip I was against). Elisabeth mediated between the two even when it came to tensions because of the Reformation in Hesse (her mother kept the Catholic faith firmly ). She was also at this time nurse of Maurice of Saxony.

Rochlitz and Schmalkalden

When John died on January 11, 1537, Elizabeth moved to Rochlitz, she had been awarded already in their marriage as jointure. The Saxon court wanted her to leave but not have its own budget allowing them, would have been in the same situation as her mother in Giessen. But this they could avoid with the help of her brother. She received the Office Rochlitz ( Rochlitz with the city and the Mitt Weida and Geithain lock) and the Office Kriebstein ( with Waldheim and Hartha ). Therefore, it is frequently mentioned in the literature, with the nickname " Rochlitz ".

In their field Elisabeth permitted since 1537 the Lutheran doctrine, as her father still strictly held in the rest of Saxony on Catholicism. Her brother sent her the same year the evangelical preacher Johann contactor. During this time she was also counselor of Duke Moritz of Saxony, when he took over from his father. Elizabeth raised in Rochlitz, the daughter of her brother, Barbara, later Duchess of Württemberg- Montbéliard.

After the Smalcald League defeat Elizabeth had to leave their retirement home in Rochlitz. Her brother showed her the Hessian part of Schmalkalden to a widow seat. She lived here from 1547 the Hessischer Hof. My brother got into imperial captivity, and his wife, Christine of Saxony took steps to get him again. During this time, Elizabeth often stayed in Kassel, to care for the education of Philip's children. 1556 Elizabeth fell ill seriously, whereupon her brother in Schmalkalden, who set up the first pharmacy in the city. She eventually died on December 6, 1557 in Schmalkalden and was buried in the Church of St. Elizabeth in Marburg. It was one of the last landgrave burials in the Elisabeth Church.