Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt

Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (20 July 1671 in Darmstadt – 11 August 1736 in Vienna) was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, Imperial Field marshal and Governor of Mantua.

Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt
Born(1671-07-20)20 July 1671
Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire
Died11 August 1736(1736-08-11) (aged 65)
Vienna, Austria
SpousePrincess Marie Ernestine of Croÿ
IssueJoseph, Prince-Bishop of Augsburg
Princess Theodora of Hesse-Darmstadt
Prince Leopold of Hesse-Darmstadt
HouseHesse-Darmstadt
FatherLouis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
MotherElisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

Life

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Philip was a younger son of Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (1630–1678) and his second wife Princess Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1640–1709), daughter of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.[1]

Philip fought for the Habsburgs in the Spanish War of Succession and became in 1708 Field Marshal and Supreme Commander of the Imperial troops in newly conquered Naples. After the war in 1714, under influence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, he became governor of the former Duchy of Mantua until his death.

Philip was a great lover of music. When he commanded the Austrian Army in Naples, he was patron of Nicola Porpora, and when he was governor of Mantua, he made Antonio Vivaldi Maestro di Cappella of his court.[2] Vivaldi wrote the opera Tito Manlio in Philip's honor.[3]

Marriage and issue

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Joseph Ignaz Philipp von Hessen-Darmstadt, bishop of Augsburg, son of Philip marshal in Austria.

On 24 March 1693, in Brussels, Philip married Princess Marie Ernestine of Croÿ (1673–1714), daughter of Duke Ferdinand Joseph of Croy-Havré (1644-1694) and his wife, Countess Marie Joséphine Barbe van Halewijn de Hames (d. 1713).[4] For this marriage, he converted to Catholicism, despite heavy protest of his mother.
They had 5 children :

Literature

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References

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  1. ^ Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 71.
  2. ^ Talbot, Michael. "Vivaldi, Antonio." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed December 15, 2015, (subscription required), http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40120
  3. ^ Eric Cross. "Tito Manlio." The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, (subscription required), accessed December 28, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O009614[permanent dead link].
  4. ^ "Marie Ernestine Josèphe de Croÿ, Princesse de Croÿ d'Havré : Genealogics".
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