Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal (11 August 1730, Philippsthal
– 7 September 1801, Meiningen
), was Duchess and regent from 1763 to 1782 of Saxe-Meiningen
.
of Hesse-Philippsthal and his wife, Princess Christina of Saxe-Eisenach
. In 1750, when she was 20 years old, she married with the 63-year-old Duke Anton Ulrich
of Saxe-Meiningen to whom she gave eight children.
The Duke stipulated in his last will and testament that Charlotte Amalie would act as the sole guardian of their sons and regent of Saxe-Meiningen. Anton Ulrich had retired to Frankfurt
, away from the family squabbles, and lived there with his family. After her husband's death she first traveled to Philippsthal wo await an imperial decision confirming her as guardian and regent. Relatives from Gotha travelled to Meiningen, in anticipation of the inheritance. After the imperial decision confirmed her as regent and first guardian, she could move to Meiningen.
When she took over the regency in 1763, the country was financially and economically ruined. With strict austerity measures and reforms, economic reconstruction and promotion of spiritual life, she is considered the "savior of the Duchy". The appointment of new ministers, like Adolph Gottlieb von Eyben, allowed the central government to effectively function again within one year. With a sophisticated system of savings and financial analysis at the court she attracted the attention of Emperor Joseph II
, who appointed her as Director of the Commission to save the even more hopelessly indebted Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen
.
Since her sons were entitled to rule jointly, she ruled jointly with her eldest son Charles from 1775 to 1782, when George I was still a minor.
Her reign was the breakthrough of enlightened absolutism in Saxe-Meiningen; and she raised her sons to continue that policy. She founded the Masonic lodge ("Charlotte and the three carnations"). In accorance with her last wishes, she was not buried in the royal crypt, but in the town cemetery.
Philippsthal (Werra)
Philippsthal is a market community in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in eastern Hesse, Germany, right at the boundary with Thuringia.-Location:Philippsthal lies between the outliers of the Rhön and the Thuringian Forest on the river Werra...
– 7 September 1801, Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
), was Duchess and regent from 1763 to 1782 of Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
.
Life
Charlotte Amalie was a daughter of Landgrave Charles ICharles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal
Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal was a member of the House of Hesse and Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal from 1721 until his death.- Life :...
of Hesse-Philippsthal and his wife, Princess Christina of Saxe-Eisenach
Saxe-Eisenach
Saxe-Eisenach was the name of an Ernestine duchy ruled by the Saxon House of Wettin. The State intermittendly existed at three different times in the Thuringian region of the Holy Roman Empire...
. In 1750, when she was 20 years old, she married with the 63-year-old Duke Anton Ulrich
Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , was a duke of Saxe-Meiningen.He was the second but first surviving son of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and his second wife, Elisabeth Eleonore of Brünswick-Wolfenbüttel.When his father died in 1706, according to his will, he inherited the duchy...
of Saxe-Meiningen to whom she gave eight children.
The Duke stipulated in his last will and testament that Charlotte Amalie would act as the sole guardian of their sons and regent of Saxe-Meiningen. Anton Ulrich had retired to Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, away from the family squabbles, and lived there with his family. After her husband's death she first traveled to Philippsthal wo await an imperial decision confirming her as guardian and regent. Relatives from Gotha travelled to Meiningen, in anticipation of the inheritance. After the imperial decision confirmed her as regent and first guardian, she could move to Meiningen.
When she took over the regency in 1763, the country was financially and economically ruined. With strict austerity measures and reforms, economic reconstruction and promotion of spiritual life, she is considered the "savior of the Duchy". The appointment of new ministers, like Adolph Gottlieb von Eyben, allowed the central government to effectively function again within one year. With a sophisticated system of savings and financial analysis at the court she attracted the attention of Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, who appointed her as Director of the Commission to save the even more hopelessly indebted Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Saxe-Hildburghausen
Saxe-Hildburghausen was an Ernestine duchy in what is now southern Thuringia, Germany. Its territory was similar to that of the modern Hildburghausen district.-History:...
.
Since her sons were entitled to rule jointly, she ruled jointly with her eldest son Charles from 1775 to 1782, when George I was still a minor.
Her reign was the breakthrough of enlightened absolutism in Saxe-Meiningen; and she raised her sons to continue that policy. She founded the Masonic lodge ("Charlotte and the three carnations"). In accorance with her last wishes, she was not buried in the royal crypt, but in the town cemetery.
Issue
Charlotte Amalie from her marriage had the following children:- CharlottePrincess Charlotte of Saxe-MeiningenPrincess Marie Charlotte Amalie Ernestine Wilhelmine Philippine of Saxe-Meiningen was a member of the House of Saxe-Meiningen and a Princess of Saxe-Meiningen by birth and a member of the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Duchess consort of...
(1751–1827)
- married Duke Ernest II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1745-1804)
- Louise (1752–1805)
- married in 1781 Landgrave Adolph of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1743-1803)
- Elizabeth (1753–1754)
- Charles (1754–1782), Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
- married in 1780 princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (1764-1834)
- Frederick Francis (1756–1761)
- Frederick William (1757–1758)
- George I (1761–1803), Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
- married in 1782 princess Princess Louise Eleanore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1763-1837)
- Amalie (1762–1798)
- married in 1783 Prince Charles Henry Erdmann of Carolath-Bytom (1759-1817)