Wilhelmina Maria Fryderyka von Rochlitz
Encyclopedia
Wilhelmina Maria Frederica, Countess of Rochlitz was a Polish
noblewoman of German
descent. She was the illegitimate daughter of John George IV
, Elector of Saxony, and Magdalene Sibylle, Countess of Rochlitz
, his official mistress
. Her parents, who may have been half-siblings, both died from smallpox
soon after her birth, and she was raised in Poland at the royal court
of her uncle and guardian, Augustus II the Strong
of Poland.
n family of Haugwitz and the wife of a Lusatian noble named Rudolf von Neitschütz. She had many lovers in her younger years, and one of them was the electoral prince of Saxony, John George
, later Elector as John George III. Her eldest daughter, Magdalene Sibylle
, called Billa, was officially recognized as the daughter of her husband but may have been the daughter of John George III. Later the Elector's son and successor, John George IV
, began an affair with Billa, which his father tried to prevent by banishing Ursula and Billa from court, suggesting a fear of incest
. However, when John George III died, his son lived openly with Billa and tried to marry her. Wilhelmina Maria Frederica was the product of their affair.
ed at less than a year old by both her parents' deaths from smallpox
. For the first year of her life (until her father's death) she was in a way a stepsister of Caroline of Ansbach
, future queen consort of Great Britain, being the daughter of Caroline's then-stepfather. Her first two names, Wilhelmina Maria, were given in honour of the King and Queen of England, William
and Mary
; however, contrary to popular assumption, the English monarchs were not her godparent
s. Sir William Dutton Colt, the English
envoy to Dresden since 1689, was her actual godfather. The name Frederica was given to please the Danish royal family. (Frederick was the name of her grandmother, the Dowager Electress Anna Sophie's father, Frederick III of Denmark
.) Her godfather having died when she was two months old, she was raised at the royal court
of her uncle and guardian, Augustus II the Strong
, King of Poland.
In 1720 she married a Polish nobleman, Count Świętosław Piotr Dunin
(died 1736), Castellan
of Radom
. They had four or five children:
Through her daughter Antonina, she was the great-grandmother of Polish romantic
poet Antoni Malczewski
.
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...
noblewoman of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
descent. She was the illegitimate daughter of John George IV
John George IV, Elector of Saxony
John George IV was Elector of Saxony from 1691 to 1694.He was the eldest son of the Elector John George III and Anna Sophie of Denmark.-First years as elector:...
, Elector of Saxony, and Magdalene Sibylle, Countess of Rochlitz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz , later Countess of Rochlitz, was a German noblewoman and the mistress of John George IV, Elector of Saxony...
, his official mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
. Her parents, who may have been half-siblings, both died from smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
soon after her birth, and she was raised in Poland at the royal court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
of her uncle and guardian, Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
of Poland.
Parents
Her mother's mother, Ursula Margaretha von Neitschütz, was a member of the noble Upper LusatiaUpper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
n family of Haugwitz and the wife of a Lusatian noble named Rudolf von Neitschütz. She had many lovers in her younger years, and one of them was the electoral prince of Saxony, John George
John George III, Elector of Saxony
Johann Georg III was Elector of Saxony from 1680 to 1691.-Early life:Johann Georg was the only son of the Elector Johann Georg II and Magdalene Sybille of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
, later Elector as John George III. Her eldest daughter, Magdalene Sibylle
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz , later Countess of Rochlitz, was a German noblewoman and the mistress of John George IV, Elector of Saxony...
, called Billa, was officially recognized as the daughter of her husband but may have been the daughter of John George III. Later the Elector's son and successor, John George IV
John George IV, Elector of Saxony
John George IV was Elector of Saxony from 1691 to 1694.He was the eldest son of the Elector John George III and Anna Sophie of Denmark.-First years as elector:...
, began an affair with Billa, which his father tried to prevent by banishing Ursula and Billa from court, suggesting a fear of incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
. However, when John George III died, his son lived openly with Billa and tried to marry her. Wilhelmina Maria Frederica was the product of their affair.
Life
She was born in Frankfurt am Main and orphanOrphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed at less than a year old by both her parents' deaths from smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. For the first year of her life (until her father's death) she was in a way a stepsister of Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
, future queen consort of Great Britain, being the daughter of Caroline's then-stepfather. Her first two names, Wilhelmina Maria, were given in honour of the King and Queen of England, William
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
; however, contrary to popular assumption, the English monarchs were not her godparent
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
s. Sir William Dutton Colt, the English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
envoy to Dresden since 1689, was her actual godfather. The name Frederica was given to please the Danish royal family. (Frederick was the name of her grandmother, the Dowager Electress Anna Sophie's father, Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
.) Her godfather having died when she was two months old, she was raised at the royal court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
of her uncle and guardian, Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
, King of Poland.
In 1720 she married a Polish nobleman, Count Świętosław Piotr Dunin
Dunin (surname)
The Polish surname Dunin originated with the 12th century with Piotr Włost Dunin. He was Palatine of Poland and the castellan of Wroclaw , as well as, Brother in law of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth...
(died 1736), Castellan
Castellans of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Castellans of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were the lower rank officials who could sit in the Senate of Poland. Their numbers varied with time and shifting borders of the Commonwealth....
of Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
. They had four or five children:
- Frederick Peter (Fryderyk Piotr; 1729–1788), a generalGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
; - Antonina, married Ignacy Malczewski;
- Marianna, married Antoni Tomkowicz;
- Josepha (Józefa), a nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
.
Through her daughter Antonina, she was the great-grandmother of Polish romantic
Romanticism in Poland
Romanticism in Poland was a literary, artistic and intellectual period in the evolution of Polish culture that began around 1820, coinciding with the publication of Adam Mickiewicz's first poems in 1822. It ended with the suppression of the January 1863 Uprising against the Russian Empire in 1864. ...
poet Antoni Malczewski
Antoni Malczewski
Antoni Malczewski was an influential Polish romantic poet, known for his only work, "a narrative poem of dire pessimism", Maria ....
.
Sources
- Sharp, Tony. Pleasure and Ambition: The Life, Loves and Wars of Augustus the Strong, 1670-1707. London: I.B. Tauris, 2001. Google Books. Web. 24 May 2010.