Duchess Sabine of Württemberg

Sabine of Württemberg (2 July 1549, in Montbéliard – 17 August 1581, in Rotenburg an der Fulda) was a princess of Württemberg by birth and by marriage, the first Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel.

Sabine of Württemberg
Born2 July 1549
Montbéliard
Died17 August 1581(1581-08-17) (aged 32)
Rotenburg an der Fulda
Burial
Spouse
(m. 1566)
Issue
HouseWürttemberg
FatherChristopher, Duke of Württemberg
MotherAnna Maria of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Life

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Sabine was a daughter of Duke Christopher of Württemberg (1515–1568) from his marriage to Anna Maria (1526–1589), daughter of Margrave George of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach.

She married on 11 February 1566 in Marburg Landgrave William IV of Hesse-Kassel, whose younger brother Louis IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Marburg was already married with Sabine's older sister Hedwig and whom she had met when William negotiated Louis's marriage with her father. Their wedding was celebrated very lavishly.

The countess looked after the welfare of the country and founded the Free Court Pharmacy in Kassel, which served not only to supply the court but also the entire population of Kassel.

Sabine and Wilhelm's marriage has been described as a happy one. Wilhelm determined in his first will that, in the event of his premature death, Sabine would act as regent of the country for her eldest son Maurice. She died, however, in 1581, before her husband and in a new testament, he declared his son Maurice to have reached majority.

Sabine died in 1581 and was buried in the Martinskirche, Kassel.

Offspring

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From her marriage Sabine had the following children:

married in 1589 Count Louis II of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1565–1627)
married in 1597 Count Ernst of Schaumburg (1569–1622)
  • Agnes (1569–1569)
  • Sophie (1571–1616)
  • Maurice (1572–1632), Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
married firstly, in 1593 Countess Agnes of Solms-Laubach (1578–1602)
married secondly, in 1603 Countess Juliane of Nassau-Siegen (1587–1643)
  • Sabine (1573)
  • Sidonie (1574–1575)
  • Christian (1575–1578)
  • Elisabeth (1577–1578)
  • Christine (1578–1658)
married in 1598 Duke John Ernest II of Saxe-Eisenach (1566–1638)
  • Julie (1581)

References

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  • Walther Ribbeck. (1898), "Wilhelm IV. (Landgraf von Hessen-Kassel)", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 43, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 32–39 (added material in her husband's entry)
  • Anke Hufschmidt: Adlige Frauen im Weserraum Zwischen 1570 und 1700: Status, Rollen, Lebenspraxis, Aschendorff, 2001, p. 202,
  • Pauline Puppel: Die Regentin, p. 310
Duchess Sabine of Württemberg
Born: 2 July 1549 Died: 17 August 1581
Royal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Christine of Saxony
as Landgravine of Hesse
Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel
31 March 1567 – 17 August 1582
Vacant
Title next held by
Agnes of Solms-Laubach