Hessen
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1. LANDGRAFEN von HESSEN
A. LANDGRAFEN HERREN von HESSEN
HEINRICH I 1264-1308
OTTO I 1308-1328, HEINRICH II 1328-1376, LUDWIG II 1336-1345
HERMANN II 1376-1413, LUDWIG III 1413-1458, HEINRICH III 1458-1483, WILHELM III 1489-1500
The heiress of a large part of Hessen in the early 12th century was Hedwig von Gudensberg (-1148) who married Ludwig I Landgraf of Thuringia. Hessen remained in the family of the Landgrafen of Thuringia until the death of Landgraf Ludwig IV "der Heilige" in 1227. His daughter Sophie, heiress of Hessen, married (as his second wife) Henri II Duke of Brabant. After the death in 1247 of Heinrich Raspe, last Landgraf of Thuringia and anti-king of Germany, his indirect heirs disputed the succession in the family lands in both Hessen and Thuringia. The claim of Heinrich, son of Sophie and the duke of Brabant, to the Hessian lands was recognised in 1264. He was confirmed as Landgrafen in Hessen in 1292.
HEINRICH I 1264-1308
HENRI de Brabant, son of HENRI II Duke of Brabant & his wife his second wife Sophie von Thüringen Heiress of Hessen (24 Jun 1244-Marburg 21 Dec 1308, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). Landgraf von Thüringen und Herr von Hessen. He succeeded in 1264 as HEINRICH I "das Kind" Landgraf Herr von Hessen. He renounced his rights to Brabant 25 Nov 1279. Created Fürst by Imperial Order 10 May 1292.
m firstly (before 26 Mar 1263) ADELHEID von Braunschweig, daughter of OTTO I “dem Kind” Herzog von Braunschweig & his wife his wife Mathilde von Brandenburg [Askanier] (-12 Jun 1274, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). The Cronica Principum Saxonie names (in order) "Mechtildim…Helenam…Alheidem…Helenam" as the daughters of "Ottonem de Lunenburch" & his wife, specifying that Adelheid married "Henricus dominus Hassie, filius filie beate Elisabet"[1]. The Cronica Reinhardsbrunnensis records the betrothal in 1258 of "Heinricus lantgravium Hesse" and "ducem de Brunswig Albertum filiam"[2].
m secondly (before 26 Feb 1276) MECHTILD von Kleve, daughter of DIETRICH VII Graf von Kleve (-21 Dec 1309).
children of first marriage:
1. SOPHIE (-after 12 Aug 1331). m (before 24 Nov 1276) OTTO Graf von Waldeck (-[11 Nov 1305]).
2. HEINRICH (-23 Aug 1298, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). Mitregent 1284. m (Donauwörth 15 Jan 1290) as her first husband, AGNES of Bavaria, daughter of LUDWIG II "der Strenge" Duke of Bavaria, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein & his wife his third wife Mechtild von Habsburg (-22 Jul 1345). She married secondly ([Nov 1298/19 May 1303], Papal dispensation Anagni 19 May 1303) Heinrich I "Ohneland" Markgraf von Brandenburg.
a) AGNES (-13 Jan 1332, bur Clarenthal). m ([12 Jan/13 May] 1307) GERLACH I Graf von Nassau-Wiesbaden, son of ADOLF Graf von Nassau King of Germany & his wife Imagina von Isenburg-Limburg (-11 Jan 1371, bur Kloster Liebenau).
3. MATHILDE ([1267]-after 1332). m firstly (before 25 Jun 1283) GOTTFRIED Graf von Ziegenhain (-30 Nov 1304). m secondly (after 11 Oct 1309) PHILIPP III "der Ältere" von Falkenstein Herr zu Münzenberg (-[19 Nov 1321/2 Apr 1322).
4. ADELHEID ([1268]-7 Dec 1315, bur Vessra). m (1284) BERTHOLD VII Graf von Henneberg (1271-Schmalkalden 3 Apr 1340).
5. ELISABETH "die Ältere" ([1269/70]-19 Feb 1293). m (before 23 Aug 1287) JOHANN Graf zu Sayn [Sponheim] (-23 Nov 1324).
6. son ([1270]-[1274]).
7. OTTO ([1272]-17 Jan 1328, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded his father in 1308 as OTTO I Landgraf Herr von Oberhessen. Herr von Niederhessen 1311.
children of second marriage:
8. ELISABETH "die Mittlere" ([1276]-after 6 Jul 1306). m firstly (1290) WILHELM Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg in Wolfenbüttel, son of ALBRECHT "der Große" Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg & his wife his second wife Alessina di Monferrato ([1270]-Braunschweig 30 Sep 1292, bur Braunschweig Cathedral). m secondly ([1 Dec] 1294) GERHARD V Herr von Eppstein. 1294.
9. AGNES ([1277]-1335, bur [Marburg Elisabethkirche]). m (after 3 Jan 1297) JOHANN I Burggraf von Nürnberg, son of FRIEDRICH III Burggraf von Nürnberg & his wife his second wife Helene von Sachsen ([1279]-25 Feb 1300).
10. JOHANN ([1278/82]-Kassel 16/22 Feb 1311, bur Kassel Kloster Ahnsberg). Herr von Niederhessen 1308. He died of plague. m (Jul 1306) ADELHEID von Braunschweig, daughter of ALBRECHT II Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg in Göttingen & his wife his wife Richza von Werle (25 Mar 1290-[14 Feb/2 Oct] 1311, bur Kassel Kloster Ahnsberg).
a) ELISABETH (-1339). m OTTO VI Herr von Ochsenstein (-before 1377).
11. LUDWIG ([1282/83]-18 Jul 1357, bur Münster Cathedral). Canon at Chartres Cathedral before 1307. Scholasticus at Mainz Cathedral and Canon at Trier Cathedral 1308-1310. Canon at Münster Cathedral 1309. Elected Bishop of Münster 1310/11, installed 1313.
12. ELISABETH "die Jüngere" (-after 30 Oct 1308). m (contract 17 Mar 1299) as his first wife, ALBRECHT III Graf von Görz, son of ALBRECHT II Graf von Görz & his wife his first wife Euphemia von Glogau [Piast] (-[1325/27]).
13. KATHARINA (-1322). m (before 30 Oct 1308) as his second wife, OTTO IV "der Reiche" Graf von Orlamünde Herr zu Plassenburg und Kulmbach, son of OTTO Graf von Orlamünde Herr zu Weimar & his wife his wife Agnes von Leiningen (1271-[16 May/20 Aug] 1318, bur Kloster Himmelkron).
14. JUTTA (-13 Oct 1317, bur Braunschweig Cathedral). m ([24 Mar/2 Oct] 1311) as his first wife, OTTO von Braunschweig, son of ALBRECHT II "der Fette/der Feiste" Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg in Göttingen und Braunschweig & his wife his wife Richza von Werle (25 Mar 1290-Göttingen 30 Aug 1344, bur Braunschweig Cathedral). He succeeded his father in 1318 as OTTO "der Milde" Joint Herzog von Braunschweig in Braunschweig und Göttingen, jointly with his two brothers.
OTTO von Hessen, son of HEINRICH I "das Kind" Landgraf Herr von Hessen & his wife his first wife Adelheid von Braunschweig ([1272]-17 Jan 1328, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded his father in 1308 as OTTO I Landgraf Herr von Oberhessen. He succeeded in 1311 as Herr von Niederhessen on the death of his younger brother Johann.
m (1297) ADELHEID von Ravensberg, daughter of OTTO III Graf von Ravensberg & his wife Hedwig zur Lippe (-after 3 Apr 1338, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
1. HEINRICH (before 1302-Kassel 3 Jun 1376, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). Mitregent 1320. He succeeded his father in 1328 as HEINRICH II "der Eiserne" Landgraf Herr von Hessen. m ([3 Feb 1318/25 Sep 1320], divorced before 1340) ELISABETH von Meissen, daughter of FRIEDRICH I "dem Freidigen" Markgraf von Meissen & his wife his second wife Elisabeth von Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk (Wartburg 1306-Eisenach 1367 before 10 Nov). The Cronica Reinhardsbrunnensis records the birth in 1306 of "Friderico marchioni filia Elizabeth in Wartperg" and her marriage to "Heinrico filio Ottonis lantgravii Hessie" in 1319[3].
a) OTTO von Hessen (-[9/11] Dec 1366). Mitregent as OTTO II "der Schütz" Herr von Hessen. m ([17 Sep 1338]) as her second husband, ELISABETH von Kleve, widow of GERHARD van Voorne Burggraf van Seeland, daughter of DIETRICH VII Graf von Kleve (1307-Spangenberg 13 Nov 1382).
b) ADELHEID (after 1323-after 25 May 1371). It is assumed that her marriage was encouraged by Karl of Bohemia to ensure that King Kazimierz did not fall under the influence of a more powerful father-in-law which would have threatened Bohemian interests[4]. Her husband exiled her to a distant castle soon after their marriage and never visited her, ostensibly because his father-in-law had failed to pay her promised dowry[5]. She complained of her treatment to Pope Innocent VI, demanding a thorough Papal investigation into her husband's conduct. After her husband's bigamous third marriage, she returned to Hessen[6]. She complained once more to the Pope after her husband's fourth marriage[7]. m (29 Sep 1341, divorced 1356) as his second wife, KAZIMIERZ III "Wielki/the Great" King of Poland, son of WŁADYSŁAW I "Łokietek/the Short" King of Poland & his wife his wife Jadwiga of Poland (30 Apr 1310-Krakow 5 Nov 1370, bur Krakow Cathedral).
c) ELISABETH (-7 Mar 1390, bur Göttingen Franziskanerkirche, transferred 1821 to Hannover). m (before 2 Mar 1340, dispensation 10 Aug 1342) ERNST Herzog von Braunschweig in Braunschweig und Göttingen, son of ALBRECHT II "der Fette/der Feiste" Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg in Göttingen und Braunschweig & his wife his wife Richza von Werle ([1305]-13 Jul 1366, bur Göttingen St Paul).
d) JUTTA (-1374, bur Kassel Kloster Ahnaberg).
e) MARGARETA (-after 28 Nov 1353). Cistercian Nun at Haydau 1339.
2. OTTO (1301-Wolmirstedt 28 or 30 Apr 1361, bur Magdeburg Cathedral). Canon at Münster and Paderborn Cathedrals before 1325. Canon at Köln Cathedral 1325. Elected Archbishop of Magdeburg 1327, installed 1331, until 1357.
3. LUDWIG (-2 Feb 1345). Custodian of Magdeburg Cathedral 1331. He succeeded in 1336 as LUDWIG II Landgraf Herr von Hessen zu Grebenstein. m (Oct 1340) as her second husband, ELISABETH von Sponheim, widow of RUDOLF I Graf von Hohenberg, daughter of SIMON II Graf von Sponheim in Kastellaun. 1331/40.
a) OTTO (-[3 Feb/2 Dec] 1357). Canon at Halberstadt and Bamberg Cathedrals before 1357. Canon at Magdeburg Cathedral 1357.
b) HERMANN ([1342]-10 Jun 1413, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). Canon at Magdeburg Cathedral to 1367. Mitregent 1367. He succeeded in 1376 as HERMANN II "der Gelehrte" Landgraf Herr von Hessen.
c) AGNES (-Eisenach 28 Dec 1393). Abbess of St Katharina at Eisenach 1384-1391.
4. HERMANN (-[30 Jul 1368/27 Jan 1370]). He succeeded in 1336 as HERMANN I Landgraf Herr von Hessen, Herr zu Nordeck. Herr zu Grebenstein 1349.
5. ELISABETH (-30 May 1373, bur 1883 Wittenberg Schloßkirche). m (before 8 May 1336) RUDOLF II Herzog zu Sachsen Elector of Saxony, of RUDOLF I Herzog von Sachsen-Wittenberg & his wife his first wife Judith von Brandenburg (-6 Dec 1370, bur Wittenberg Franciscan Monastery). He succeeded his father in 1356 as RUDOLF II "der Jüngere" Herzog zu Sachsen, Elector of Saxony.
HERMANN von Hessen, son of LUDWIG II Landgraf Herr von Hessen zu Grebenstein & his wife his wife Elisabeth von Sponheim ([1342]-10 Jun 1413, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). Canon at Magdeburg Cathedral to 1367. Mitregent 1367. He succeeded in 1376 as HERMANN II "der Gelehrte" Landgraf Herr von Hessen.
m firstly (Kassel [30 Jan/11 Feb] 1377) JOHANNA von Nassau-Weilburg, daughter of JOHANN I Graf von Nassau-Weilburg (1362-Marburg 1 Jan 1383, bur [Marburg Elisabethkirche]).
m secondly (Kulmbach 15 Oct 1383) MARGARETA von Nürnberg, daughter of FRIEDRICH V Burggraf von Nürnberg & his wife Elisabeth von Meissen ([1363]-Gudensberg 15 Jan 1406, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
children of second marriage:
1. ANNA (-young).
2. HEINRICH (Marburg [10 Nov] 1387-13 Jul 1394, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
3. ELISABETH (1388-22 Jul 1394, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
4. MARGARETA (Marburg 1389-Rotenburg an der Fulda 1446). m (Kassel 30 Jan 1409) as his second wife, HEINRICH II Herzog von Braunschweig-Lüneburg, son of BERNHARD I Herzog von Braunschweig und Lüneburg & his wife his wife Margareta von Sachsen-Wittenberg (-Ülzen 14 Oct 1416, bur Braunschweig).
5. AGNES (1391-Münden 16 Jan 1471, bur Kassel St Martin). m (Marburg 26 Sep 1406) OTTO "der Einäugige" Herzog von Braunschweig in Göttingen, son of OTTO "der Quade" Herzog von Braunschweig in Göttingen & his wife his second wife Margareta von Berg ([1384]-Uslar 18 Feb 1463).
6. HERMANN ([Kassel] 18 Oct 1396-Gudensberg 15 Jan 1406).
7. FRIEDRICH (7 Mar 1398-Spangenberg 25 Nov 1402).
8. LUDWIG (Spangenberg 6 Feb 1402-Spangenberg 17 Jan 1458, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded his father in 1413 as LUDWIG III "der Friedsame" Landgraf Herr von Hessen. Graf von Ziegenhain und Nidda 1450. m (Kassel 8 Sep 1433) ANNA von Sachsen, daughter of FRIEDRICH I "der Streitbare" Elector of Saxony & his wife his wife Katharina von Braunschweig (5 Jun 1420-17 Sep 1462, bur Spangenberg Stadtkirche).
a) LUDWIG (7 Sep 1438-Reichenbach 8 Nov 1471, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded his father in 1458 as LUDWIG IV "der Freimütige" Landgraf zu Hessen, Graf zu Ziegenhain und Nidda, Herr von Niederhessen.
- LANDGRAFEN von HESSEN.
b) HEINRICH (15 Oct 1440-Marburg 13 Jan 1483, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded his father in 1458 as HEINRICH III Landgraf zu Hessen, Graf zu Ziegenhain und Nidda, Herr von Oberhessen. Regent of Oberhessen 1471-1483. Graf von Katzenelnbogen und Dietz 1479. m (St Goar 24 Jan 1458) ANNA von Katzenelnbogen, daughter of PHILIPP "dem Älteren" Graf von Katzenelnbogen (5 Sep 1443-Marburg 16 Feb 1494, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
i) FRIEDRICH (1459-young).
ii) LUDWIG der Jüngere (chr Marburg 29 Dec 1460-Rauschenberg 1 Jul 1478, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
iii) ELISABETH (Marburg May 1466-Köln 17 Jan 1523, bur Marburg). m (Marburg 11 Feb 1482) JOHANN V Graf von Nassau und Dietz (1455-30 Jul 1516, bur Siegen Franziskanerkirche).
iv) WILHELM ([8 Sep] 1471-Rauschenberg 17 Feb 1500, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche). He succeeded in 1489 as WILHELM III "der Jüngere" Landgraf von Hessen in Oberhessen, Katzenelnbogen und Dietz. m (Frankfurt-am-Main 16 Oct 1498) as her first husband, ELISABETH Pfalzgräfin, daughter of PHILIPP Elector Palatine & his wife Margareta von Bayern (Heidelberg 16 Nov 1483-Baden-Baden 24 Jun 1522, bur Baden-Baden Stiftskirche). She married secondly (3 Jan 1503) Philipp von Baden, who succeeded in 1515 as PHILIPP I Markgraf von Baden in Baden, ½ Eberstein, Lahr und Mahlberg.
Illegitimate son by an unknown mother.
(a) HEINRICH Battenberg . 1515/17, at Heidelberg University.
v) MATHILDE (Blankenstein Jul 1473-Köln 19 Feb 1505, bur Kleve Stiftskirche). m (Soest 3 Nov 1489) JOHANN II "der Kindermacher" Herzog von Kleve Graf von der Mark (1458-15 Jan 1521, bur Kleve Stiftskirche).
vi) HEINRICH (1474-young).
c) HERMANN (1450-Poppelsdorf 19 Oct 1508, bur Köln Cathedral). Canon at Mainz Cathedral 1461. Canon at Köln Cathedral 1463. Provost at Worms Cathedral 1467/68. Provost at Fritzlar 1468, resigned 1472. Deacon of St Gereon at Köln 1470-1480. Elected Bishop of Hildesheim 1471-72. Coadjutor of Köln 1473. Scholasticus at Worms Cathedral 1478/79. Archbishop of Köln 1480. Coadjutor of Paderborn 1495. Bishop of Paderborn 1498.
Illegitimate son by an unknown mother.
i) HERMANN von Hessen (-[1523/29]). Canon of St Cassius at Bonn 1491. Priest at Winningen am Mosel before 1496. Canon of St Severin at Köln. Canon of St Maria 1496-1516. Provost of St Aposteln at Köln 1503-1505.
d) ELISABETH (chr Kassel 14 Dec 1453-22 Apr 1489, bur Weilburg). m (1464) JOHANN III Graf von Nassau-Weilburg (1441-15 Jul 1480).
e) FRIEDRICH (posthumous before 17 Feb 1458-[1 Nov] 1463, bur Marburg Elisabethkirche).
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[1] Cronica Principum Saxonie, MGH SS XXV, p. 476.
[2] Cronica Reinhardsbrunnensis 1258, MGH SS XXX.1,
p. 622.
[3] Cronica Reinhardsbrunnensis 1306 and 1319, MGH
SS XXX.1, pp. 647 and 652.
[4] Knoll, p. 111.
[5] Knoll, pp. 112 and 208.
[6] Knoll, pp. 208-9.
[7] Knoll, p. 221.