Princess Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt
Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie Magdalene of Hesse-Darmstadt was a German princess of Hesse-Darmstadt who became Electress Palatine as the second wife of Philip William, Elector Palatine.
Biography
Born in 1635 at the New Palace in Gießen, Elisabeth Amalie was the daughter of George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Sophia Eleonore of Saxony. Her siblings included Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt, future Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Anna Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg.Elisabeth Amalie was brought up strictly by her mother, who was a devout Lutheran. She had an attractive appearance with striking blond hair, a trait she kept until her old age and which was inherited by her daughters Eleonor Magdalene and Dorothea Sophie, the latter being known in particular for her blonde hair.
On 3 September 1653 she was married at Langenschwalbach to Count palatine Philip William of Neuburg, who later became Prince-elector of the Palatinate. Her husband was some twenty years older than her and was the heir to the Electoral Palatinate, which was one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire.
The events surrounding the wedding ceremony between Elisabeth and Philip Willam are recorded as follows:
primarily to prevent his bride from having to communicate in Lutheran language before the wedding, or, with great annoyance, declare herself to her princely parents, whose mother was a staunch Saxon Lutheran, before the time of her conversion.She converted to Catholicism on 1 November 1653 in the presence of the elector and archbishop of Cologne, Maximilian Henry of Bavaria.
The writer William Nakatenus dedicated his work The Heavenly Palm little garden to her.
Issue
She and Philip William had at least sixteen children.| Issue | - | - | - | - |