Karolina of Legnica-Brieg
Encyclopedia
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
, 2 December 1652 - d. Wrocław, 24 December 1707), was a Princess of Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
-Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
and by marriage Duchess of Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
-Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg and Princess of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
She was the eldest daughter of Christian
Christian of Brieg
Christian of Brieg also known as of Legnica was a Duke of Legnica , Brzeg , Wołów and Oława...
, Duke of Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
-Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
-Wołów-Oława by his wife Louise
Louise of Anhalt-Dessau
Louise of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German princess of the House of Ascania in the branch of Anhalt-Dessau and by marriage Duchess of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława....
, daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
.
Youth
Karolina was the eldest child of her parents. They gave her first name, which was never endowed to other member of the Piast dynastyPiast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
before or after. Her baptism took place on 1 January 1653. As godfather was chosen the senior member of the family, Duke George Rudolf of Legnica; but at the time of her birth, he was seriously ill (he died thirteen days later, on 14 January), and for this, in the ceremony he was replace by her paternal uncle Louis IV
Louis IV of Legnica
Louis IV of Legnica , was a Duke of Brzeg since 1633 , of Wołów and Legnica since 1653 ....
.
During his early years Karolina witnessed the rule of his father as only child. In 1653 after the death of Duke George Rudolf, her uncles George III
George III of Brieg
George III of Brieg , was a Duke of Brzeg since 1633 and Legnica-Wołów during 1653-1654 ....
and Louis IV, together with her father Christian, inherited Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
and Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
for one year as co-rulers, until they decided to made the division of their domains (1654). In the division, Christian received the most poor parts of the Duchy, Wołów and Oława. However, in 1664, after the deaths of his only suriviving brother George III, Karolina's father united under his rule the whole Duchy of Legnica-Brzeg.
Christian and his wife supervised their daughter's upbringing under the strong terms of the Calvinist faith. On 28 July 1657 Karolina's first sibling was born, Louise, whose godmother was the Queen Louisa Maria
Ludwika Maria Gonzaga
Marie Louise Gonzaga was queen consort to two Polish kings: Władysław IV Vasa, and John II Casimir Vasa...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Sadly, the girl died on 6 February 1660 after only thirty-two months of life. Seven months later, on 29 September, Duchess Louise gave birth the first son and heir, George William
George William, Duke of Liegnitz
George William of Legnica was the last Duke of Legnica and Brieg since 1672 until his death.He was the eldest but only surviving son of Christian, Duke of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława by his wife Louise, daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.-Life:Duke Christian, who spent many years in...
. Three years and five months later, on 15 January 1664 the youngest child of the Ducal couple was born, a second son called Christian Louis. Forty-three days later, on 27 February, the young prince died. In all, from the four children born to Duke Christian and his wife Louise of Anhalt-Dessau, only Karolina and George William survive infancy.
Marriage
Duke Christian died on 28 February 1672 and was succeeded by his only surviving son George William, who was placed under the regency of his mother. A few months later, Karolina married with Frederick, Duke of SchleswigSchleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
-Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg. He was a great-great-grandson of King Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
in male line. The groom was from a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
family and served in the Imperial army as a Colonel Cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
. Karolina probably met him through a Jesuit, being surrounded by her mother. Motivated by love rather than for dynastic reasons, she adopted the Catholic faith. On 4 July 1672 Karolina and Frederick married secretly and almost one year later, on 3 May 1673, the official wedding took place. On 12 January 1674 was born their only child, Leopold. However, the marriage proved unsuccessful and with the consent of Emperor Leopold I in August 1680 they became formally separated. In accordance with the legal arrangement of the separation, their son remain under the custody of the father.
George William's death and Last Years
On 21 November 1675 Karolina's brother George William, the last Piast ruler of Legnica-Brzeg, died underage and without male heirs. The Princess explore the possibility to succeeded him in his domains. However, the Emperor Leopold I, despite he was a Catholic, objected her plans. Only by Imperial Decree dated on 14 September 1680 she received an annual salary of 6,000 talers during her lifetime (later, the sum was reduced to 4,000 talers). Karolina settled his residence in Wrocław, the old city of her ancestors. She lived there alone, leading a devout life and giving to charitable activities.Death
Karolina died on 24 December 1707 in Wrocław. Her heart was placed in a silver urn in the local church of St. Klara (in the chapel of St. Hedwig), and her body was buried in the monastery of TrzebnicaTrzebnica
Trzebnica is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Trzebnica. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
. This happened against her mother's wishes, who before her own death in 1680 had prepared her place in the mausoleum of the Dukes of Legnica, called Piasteum. In the place who supposedly had to contain the Karolina's remains was left an empty place.
Legacy
Leopold of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg, Karolina's only child, succeeded his father as Duke when he died in 1724. He had only five daughters from his marriage with Marie Elisabeth, daughter of Hans-Adam I, Prince of LiechtensteinHans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein was the Prince of Liechtenstein. He was the son of Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein and Johanna Beatrix, Countess of Dietrichstein to Nikolsburg .In 1699 he acquired the domain of Schellenberg, and in 1712 the county of Vaduz...
:
- Theresia, who married with Johann Aloys I, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen-SpielbergSpielbergSpielberg may refer to:* Spielberg fortress, Czech Republic* Spielberg, Styria, a city in Styria, Austria; known as the former location of the Austrian Grand Prix at the A1-RingSpielberg is a German surname, meaning Play mountain and may refer to:...
. One of her granddaughters, Countess Maria Eleonora of Kaunitz-RietbergRietbergRietberg is a town in the district of Gütersloh in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approx. 10 km south of Gütersloh and 25 km north-west of Paderborn in the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The town is located at the river Ems. There are 28,878 people living in...
, was the first wife of Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich. - Eleonora, who married with Giuseppe GonzagaGiuseppe GonzagaGiuseppe Gonzaga was the last Duke of Guastalla.He was the second son of Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla and Maria Vittoria Gonzaga, and was mentally handicapped....
, the last Duke of GuastallaGuastallaGuastalla is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.-Geography:Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River...
. - Gabriela, who married with Karl Frederick of FürstenbergFürstenbergFürstenberg and can refer to the following.- Historical states :* Fürstenberg , county * Fürstenberg-Baar, county * Fürstenberg-Blumberg, county...
-Möskirch. - Charlotte, who married with Karl Thomas of LöwensteinLöwensteinLöwenstein is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was first mentioned in 1123. The castle of Löwenstein served as a residence for the counts of Löwenstein-Wertheim. In 1634 the castle was destroyed by the imperial forces....
-WertheimWertheimWertheim may refer to:* Wertheim vacuum cleaner, a brand of vacuum cleaner* Wertheim am Main, Baden-Württemberg, Germany* Wertheim , a chain of German department stores...
-RosenbergRosenberg- Places :* Rosenberg, Baden, a municipality in the district of Neckar-Odenwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany* Rosenberg , a municipality in the district of Ostalbkreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
. Her only daughter, Leopoldine, was the direct ancestor of the House of HohenloheHohenloheHohenlohe is the name of a German princely family and the name of their principality.At first rulers of a county, its two branches were raised to the rank of principalities of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and 1764 respectively; in 1806 they lost their independence and their lands formed part of...
-WaldenburgWaldenburgWaldenburg is the name of several places:* Waldenburg, Saxony, Germany* Waldenburg, Baden-Württemberg* Waldenburg, Switzerland*the former German name for Wałbrzych, Poland* Waldenburg, Arkansas, USAWaldenburg is also a surname:* Louis Waldenburg...
-SchillingsfürstSchillingsfürstSchillingsfürst is a municipality in the district of Ansbach, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 12 km southeast of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and 23 km west of Ansbach.-Notable people:...
. - Antonia, who died aged fourteen.