Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
Johanna Elisabeth von Schleswig -Holstein - Gottorp ( born October 24, 1712 Gottorp Castle, Schleswig, † May 30, 1760 in Paris) was Princess and 1747-1752 also Regent of Anhalt- Zerbst, and the mother of Russian Empress Catherine II
Life
Johanna Elisabeth was the youngest surviving daughter of Christian August (1673-1726) of Schleswig -Holstein - Gottorp and his wife Albertine Friederike (1682-1755), daughter of Margrave Friedrich Magnus VII of Baden-Durlach.
On November 8, 1727 fifteen year old married in Vechelde Prince Christian August of Anhalt- Zerbst ( 1690-1747 ). 1729 her husband was commander of Stettin, where three of the five children of this marriage were born in the Prussian service.
In January 1744, she accompanied the Countess of Reinbek her daughter Sophie Friederike Auguste to Russia, where this wife of the Russian heir Peter was in the following year. Johanna Elisabeth lived for two years at the Russian court of Empress Elizabeth, where he was involved in numerous intrigues, got into espionage and was finally allowed to no longer communicate in writing with her daughter on the orders of Empress.
After returning from Russia Johanna Elisabeth was 1747 regent for her son Frederick Augustus of Anhalt- Zerbst in after the death of her husband. Even before the Princess had a significant share of the state government. 1751 was the brother of Elizabeth Johanna Adolf Frederick King of Sweden.
Despite the neutrality Anhalt at the beginning of the Seven Years' War, Johanna Elisabeth hosted the French Marquis de Fraigne, who was accused of espionage. For Frederick II of Prussia was the occasion to occupy Anhalt military. The princess fled in 1758 to Paris, where she died as Countess of Oldenburg, two years later.
Progeny
- Sophie Auguste Frederike (1729-1796) ∞ 1745 Peter III. of Russia (1728-1762), Grand Duke and later Tsar of Russia
- Wilhelm Christian Friedrich (1730-1742), Prince of Anhalt
- Friedrich August (1734-1793), later Prince of Anhalt- Zerbst
- Auguste Christine Charlotte ( * / † 1736)
- Ulrike Elisabeth (1742-1745)