Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg (14 July 1623, Berlin – 26 June 1683, Schmalkalden) was Landgravine consort of

Hesse-Kassel The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (german: Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel), spelled Hesse-Cassel during its entire existence, was a state in the Holy Roman Empire that was directly subject to the Emperor. The state was created in 1567 when the Lan ...

by marriage to

William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Wilhelm VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (23 May 1629 – 16 July 1663), known as William the Just, was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1637 to 1663. Life Born in Kassel, he was the son of William V (whom he succeeded) and his wife Amalie Elisabeth ...

, and regent from 1663 until 1677 during the minority of her sons,

William VII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel William VII of Hesse-Kassel (21 June 1651 – 21 November 1670) was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. Life William was the eldest son of Landgrave William VI of Hesse-Kassel and his wife, Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg. William VII inherited the lan ...

and Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

Life

She was the daughter of

George William, Elector of Brandenburg George William (german: Georg Wilhelm; 13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640), of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Margrave and Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia from 1619 until his death. His reign was marked by ineffective governance durin ...

and Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. She married

in 1649.

Regency

Upon the death of her spouse in 1663, he was succeeded by their son,

. As his mother and guardian, she became regent. Her regency was terminated upon the death of her son in 1670, but as he was succeeded by her second son, Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, who was also a minor, she was confirmed as such again. During her regency, she repaired the finances of the state, which had been drained during the Thirty Years' War, by raised taxes. She kept the peace despite French expansionism until 1673, when she allied with her brother in Brandenburg against France. During her last years as regent, she delayed her mandate to the dislike of her son until she was forced to hand over the regency in 1677.

Ancestry

References

* Hans Philippi, ''Die Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel 1648–1806'' = Veröffentlichungen der Historischen Kommission für Hessen 46 = Kleine Schriften 8, Marburg 2007. , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg, Princess 1623 births 1683 deaths House of Hohenzollern Landgravines of Hesse-Kassel 17th-century German people 17th-century women rulers Daughters of monarchs