Elisabeth of Hesse (13 February 1539 – 14 March 1582) was a German noblewoman, by birth a member of the

House of Hesse The House of Hesse is a European dynasty, directly descended from the House of Reginar, House of Brabant. They ruled the region of Hesse, one branch as prince-electors until 1866, and another branch as grand dukes until 1918.Burke's Peerage, Bur ...

and by virtue of marriage Electress of Pfalz-Simmern.

Early life

She was born as the seventh child and fourth daughter of

Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (13 November 1504 – 31 March 1567), nicknamed (), was a German nobleman and champion of the Protestant Reformation, notable for being one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany. He was ...

and his wife, Duchess

Christine of Saxony Christine of Saxony (25 December 1505 – 15 April 1549) was a German noblewoman, landgravine consort of Hesse by her marriage to Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. She was the regent of Hesse during the absence of her spouse in 1547–1549. Life S ...

, daughter of George, Duke of Saxony.

Family

On 8 July 1560 she married Louis VI, Elector Palatine. They had twelve children in just fifteen years, but only four of them survived childhood: # Anna Marie (b. Heidelberg, 24 July 1561 - d. Eskilstuna, 29 July 1589), married

Charles IX of Sweden Charles IX, also Carl (; 4 October 1550 – 30 October 1611), reigned as King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I () and of his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, the brother of King Eric XIV and of ...

# Elisabeth (b. Heidelberg, 15 June 1562 - d. Heidelberg, 2 November 1562), died in infancy. # Dorothea Elisabeth (b. Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 12 January 1565 - d. Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 7 March 1565), died in infancy. # Dorothea (b. Amberg, 4 August 1566 - d. Amberg, 10 March 1568), died in childhood. # Frederick Philip (b. Amberg, 19 October 1567 - d. Amberg, 14 November 1568), died in infancy. # Johann Friedrich (b. Amberg, 17 February 1569 - d. Amberg, 20 March 1569), died in infancy. # Ludwig (b. Amberg, 30 December 1570 - d. Amberg, 7 May 1571), died in infancy. # Katharina (b. Amberg, April 1572 - d. Amberg, 16 October 1586), died unmarried. # Christine (b. Schloß Hirschwald, 6 January 1573 - d. Zweibrücken, 21 July 1619), died unmarried. # Frederick IV, Elector Palatine (b. Amberg, 5 March 1574 - d. Heidelberg, 9 September 1610). # Philip (b. Amberg, 4 May 1575 - d. Amberg, 9 August 1575), died in infancy. # Elisabeth (b. Amberg, 24 November 1576 - d. Heidelberg, 10 April 1577), died in infancy.

Later life and death

She died (from an illness associated with painless discharge of pus and blood from the intestines, as is evident from Marius' letters and councils to Elisabeth's husband, Elector Ludwig VI) a year before her husband and was buried on April 1, 1582, in the Church of the Holy Spirit (Heidelberg).Exeqviae, das ist: Predigt bey dem begengnus der Durchleuchtigsten vnd Hochgebornen Fürstin vnd Frawen, Frawen Elisabeth, Pfaltzgräffin bey Rhein ... : zu Amberg gehalten, am Sontag Judica, welcher war der erste Aprilis, dieses zwey vnd achtzigsten Jars, t. Gedruckt zu Regenspurg, durch Johann Burger. M.D. LXXXII. Durch M. Martinum Oberndörffer, 31 Blätter

Ancestors

References

Sources

* * , - {{Authority control 1539 births 1582 deaths Electresses of the Palatinate House of Hesse Princesses of the Palatinate House of Wittelsbach 16th-century German nobility 16th-century German women Burials at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg Daughters of monarchs Mothers of German monarchs