Countess Palatine Ernestine of Sulzbach (15 May 169714 April 1775) was the wife of Landgrave William "the Younger" of

Hesse-Wanfried The mini-state Hesse-Wanfried existed from about 1700 to 1731. It was a principality (Landgraviate) of the Holy Roman Empire in the area of the today's Land of Hesse. Governed by a cadet line of the House of Hesse under the sovereignty of the land ...

and after his death prioress of the

Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Car ...

monastery in

Neuburg an der Donau Neuburg an der Donau (Central Bavarian: ''Neiburg an da Donau'') is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany. Divisions The municipality has 16 divisions: * Altmannstetten * Bergen, Neu ...

as Sister Teodora.

Early life

She was the third daughter of the Duke Theodore Eustace of Sulzbach and his wife

Landgravine Maria Eleonore of Hesse-Rotenburg Princess Maria Eleonore of Hesse-Rotenburg (Maria Eleonore Amalia; 25 February 1675 – 27 January 1720) was Landgravine of Hesse-Rotenburg by birth and was the Countess Palatine of Sulzbach by marriage. She is an ancestor of Albrecht, Duke ...

. The Dukes and Counts Palatine of Sulzbach were a collateral line of the

House of Wittelsbach The House of Wittelsbach () is a German dynasty, with branches that have ruled over territories including Bavaria, the Palatinate, Holland and Zeeland, Sweden (with Finland), Denmark, Norway, Hungary (with Romania), Bohemia, the Electorate ...

Life

Ernestine and her older sister

Countess Palatine Francisca Christina of Sulzbach Countess Palatine Francisca Christina of Sulzbach (born 16 May 1696 in Sulzbach; died: 16 July 1776 in Essen) was the Princess-abbess of Essen Abbey and Thorn Abbey. She led Essen Abbey from 1726 to 1776, the longest of any Essen abbess. Her t ...

were brought up in

Essen Abbey Essen Abbey (''Stift Essen'') was a community of secular canonesses for women of high nobility that formed the nucleus of modern-day Essen, Germany. It was founded about 845 by the Saxon Altfrid (died 874), later Bishop of Hildesheim and saint ...

. Emperor Charles VI arranged her marriage with the 48-year-old William the Younger of Hesse-Wanfried-Rheinfels. The marriage took place on 19 September 1719 and remained childless. After her husband died in 1731, she initially lived at

Rheinfels Castle Rheinfels Castle (german: Burg Rheinfels) is a castle ruin located above the left (west) bank of the Rhine in Sankt Goar, Germany. It was started in 1245 by Count Diether V of Katzenelnbogen. After expansions, it was the largest fortress in the M ...

, later she moved into the

Carmelites , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Car ...

monastery in

, where she was known under the

religious name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for a religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholic Church, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should ...

Sister Teodora and eventually became prioress. According to Torsy and Kracht, she was ''a model for her sisters of obedience, humility and love of poverty''. She had a reputation of sanctity when she died in 1775. She was buried in the Court Church in Neuburg.

References

* Chronicle of Wanfried (Unpublished) * J. Torsy and H.J. Kracht: ''Der Große Namenstagskalender'', Freiburg, Basel and Vienna, 2002

External links

Article about Ernestine of Sulzbach
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1697 births 1775 deaths 17th-century German people 18th-century German people German countesses Carmelite nuns House of Wittelsbach Burials in Bavaria {{Germany-countess-stub