Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken

Eleonora Catherine of Pfalz-Zweibrücken.

Eleonora Catherine of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken (17 May 1626 – 3 March 1692) was a cousin and foster sister of Queen Christina of Sweden and sister of King Charles X of Sweden. After her brother's accession to the throne (1654), she and her siblings were all considered royal princesses and princes of Sweden.^[1] As the wife of Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege (1617–1655), she was by marriage a German landgravine, and after her husband's death acted as regent and administrator of his lands (1655–1692).^[2]

Biography

Eleonora was born at Stegeborg Palace in Östergötland, Sweden to Princess Catharina of Sweden and John Casimir of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Her mother was an elder half-sister of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and the firstborn daughter of King Charles IX. Her parents, who were second cousins, had lived in Sweden since 1622, and Eleonora and her siblings, including her sister Maria Eufrosyne, grew up in Sweden as foster siblings of their cousin, Queen Christina of Sweden. Eleonora was only about seven months older than Christina and had the same teacher, Johannes Matthiæ.

The negotiations concerning her marriage with Frederick (9 May 1617 – 24 September 1655), son of Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, started in 1643. The landgrave was a second cousin of both her parents and nine years her senior. The negotiation process was difficult, but finally completed in June 1646. She was granted a fortune of 20,000 gulden by her father. The marriage took place at Tre Kronor in Stockholm on 6 September 1646.

After the wedding, Eleonora confessed before her husband, "on her knees", that she had an affair with a French lute-player and actor, Beschon from the French court theatre of Antoine de Beaulieu, and was pregnant with his child. Frederick decided to act like nothing and hide the matter, but it became a known scandal.

Frederick took part in the war of his brother-in-law in Poland, where he was shot in 1655. Eleonora never remarried. It is said she was too embarrassed by the scandal to return to the Swedish court, so she preferred to live in the palace in Eschwege, although she did visit Sweden. She was the administrator and regent of her husband's possessions in the Holy Roman Empire.

She had five children. Her daughter, Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege, was brought up at the Swedish court as the prospective bride of Charles XI of Sweden. Another daughter, Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Eschwege (1648–1702), married Ferdinand Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (a great-grandson of Princess Elizabeth of Sweden) and was the mother of Duke Ferdinand Albert II.

Eleonora died in Osterholz, Bremen (today's Germany) and is buried at the Altstädter Kirche ("Old City church") in Eschwege where now stands the Marktkirche ("Market Church").

Some of her notable descendants include Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Nicholas II of Russia; Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom; Charles, Prince of Wales; and the present king of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf.

Children

Eleonore had at least three children who survived infancy.

• Christine Wilhelmine (30 October 1648 – 18 March 1702), married Ferdinand Albrecht I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg on 25 November 1667 in Eschwege.
• Margarethe (31 March 1647 – 19 October 1647), died young.
• Elisabeth (7 April 1650 – 27 April 1651), died young.
• Juliane (14 May 1652 – 20 June 1693)
• Charlotte (3 September 1653 – 7 February 1708), married August (1650–1674), son of Duke August of Saxe-Weissenfels in 1673; secondly, married Count Johann Adolf von Bentheim-Tecklenburg (1637–1704) in 1679, divorced in 1693; died 1708 in Bremen, Germany; buried in Altstadter Kirche, Eschwege.
• Friedrich (30 November 1654 – 27 July 1655), died young.

Ancestry

References

1. ^ Ulf Sundberg in Kungliga släktband, Historiska media, Lund, 2004, ISBN 91-85057-48-7 p. 281
2. ^ [1]

External links

• Eleonora Katarina av Pfalz på Projekt Runeberg
• http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1640.htm
• http://runeberg.org/nfbg/0204.html
• "Fab pedigree"

Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrücken House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken Cadet branch of the House of Wittelsbach Born: 17 May 1626 Died: 3 March 1692
German royalty
Vacant Title last held by Juliane of Nassau-Dillenburg as Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel	Landgravine consort of Hesse-Eschwege 8 September 1646 – 24 September 1655	Succeeded by Eleonora of Solms-Lich

Persondata
Name	Zweibrücken, Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine Of
Alternative names
Short description	German noble
Date of birth	17 May 1626
Place of birth
Date of death	3 March 1692
Place of death