Biography Duchess Sibylle of Saxe-Lauenburg

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 marriage
1.3 margravine of baden-baden
1.4 issue
1.5 regent
1.6 later years

biography
early life

franziska sibylle augusta born in 1675 @ schloss ratzeburg second daughter of julius francis, duke of saxe-lauenburg , wife countess palatine maria hedwig augusta of sulzbach.

in 1676 family moved schlackenwerth in bohemia , sister spent youth. older sister anna maria franziska of saxe-lauenburg future grand duchess of tuscany wife of gian gastone de medici future grand duke of tuscany. when mother died in 1681, education entrusted countess eva polyxena of werschowitz (d. 1699). education conducted in art of courtly etiquette in conversation, painting , music, deemed traditional education female in era. taught grand father christian augustus, count palatine of sulzbach.

as 2 sisters surviving children of duke , duchess of saxe-lauenburg, desirable candidates marriage due inheritance entitled @ father s death in 1689.

at father s death, sister become duchess of saxe-lauenburg in own right , pass duchy children. father apparently poisoned according court gossip, culprit allegedly countess werschowitz.

with death, lauenburg line of house of ascania extinct in male line. however, female succession possible saxe-lauenburgian laws. legal female heir throne, duchess anna maria franziska, , sister sibylle of saxe-lauenburg fought succession of former, elder of them. julius francis cousin, eleonore charlotte of saxe-lauenburg-franzhagen, claimed succession. weakness abused duke george william of neighbouring brunswick-lunenburgian principality of lunenburg-celle, invaded saxe-lauenburg troops, inhibiting anna maria s ascension duchess regnant.

also other monarchies claimed succession, evoking conflict further involving neighbouring duchies of mecklenburg-schwerin , of danish holstein, 5 ascanian-ruled principalities of anhalt, electorate of saxony, had succeeded saxe-wittenbergian ascanians in 1422, sweden , brandenburg. conflict settled on 9 october 1693 (hamburger vergleich), ousting dispossessed anna maria , sister. both sisters never gave claim.

emperor leopold rejected celle s succession , retained saxe-lauenburgian exclave of hadeln, out of celle s reach, in custody. in 1728 son emperor charles vi enfeoffed george ii augustus saxe-lauenburg, legitimising de facto takeover grandfather in 1689 , 1693. in 1731 george ii augustus gained hadeln imperial custody.

marriage

sibylle (l) sister anna maria franziska, c.1690 anonymous artist

sibylle due marry prince eugene of savoy preferred other candidate, older , impoverished margrave of baden-baden had lost practically due war france.

sibylle engaged louis william, margrave of baden-baden, 20 years older , childless. known turkish louis (türkenlouis) due famous exploits against ottomans , efforts against louis xiv in field , part of imperial army.

as result, louis william traveled meet young bride in bohemia.

margravine of baden-baden

he arrived in bohemia on 10 january 1690. couple officially betrothed on 14 january , actual marriage occurred on 27 march 1690, sibylle aged 15. couple supposed married @ schloss raudnitz, main residence of margrave, had been destroyed french. result, newlyweds stayed in ostrov. although reigning prince, louis of baden-baden retired general, twenty years older sibylle auguste.

the emperor had deemed sister marry prince eugene of savoy again due service in name of emperor. such married philipp wilhelm of palatinate, son of philip william, elector palatine , elisabeth amalie of hesse-darmstadt. when philipp wilhelm died in 1693, married again gian gastone de medici, grand prince of tuscany , son of cosimo iii de medici, grand duke of tuscany , marguerite louise d orléans (first cousin of louis xiv).

shortly after marriage sibylle margrave louis william, however, again engaged in war against ottomans. in battle of slankamen greatest triumph , took place in 1691.

the exchange of letters between young sibylle , husband have since been lost, sibylle had close relationship grandfather, christian august, count palatine of sulzbach; these letters obvious christian august adored youngest grand daughter.

in years of marriage, sibylle separated husband , had plenty of time cultivate personal interests. began worry management of property, experience drew benefit later. wanted future husband , moved side him camp camp, detrimental health.

issue

the couple had 9 children in all, destined see of them die in childhood. regards children, sibylle nicknamed unlucky: first pregnancy ended in miscarriage; first child lived 6 months, second 4 years, third 6 years, fourth 3 years, fifth died after 4 months. of couple s 9 children, 3 reached tenth year of life - 2 sons , daughter. of 2 sons, 1 childless , other had 1 daughter, in turn childless. sibylle s surviving progeny through daughter auguste, married louis d orléans, grandson of louis xiv. through auguste, sibylle great-grandmother of louis philippe i, king of french , ancestress of many modern royals. auguste died in childbirth @ age 21.

when second son charles joseph, hereditary prince of baden-baden, died in 1703, made first pilgrimage maria einsiedeln; followed 7 pilgrimages.

regent

her husband louis william, died in january 1707 aged 51 of war injury. succeeded eldest surviving son louis george had been hereditary prince of baden-baden since birth in 1702.

louis george aged 5 , such, sibylle created regent of baden-baden in name of son. sibylle s has been credited reconstruction of baden-baden, state had been ravaged french during various wars prior louis george s birth. sibylle held tight rein on states finances , time of louis george s majority in 1727, state once again flourishing , had considerably augmented own personal fortune. whenever could, made pilgrimages next secular advisors, such leopold, duke of lorraine , elector johann wilhelm, elector palatine. sought spiritual support too.

during regency, helped reconstruct create many new splendid buildings including palaces, villa s places of worship.

with treaty of rastatt in 1714, built einsiedeln chapel in rastatt in gratitude. louis george reached majority on 22 october 1727 @ age of 25. sibylle retired state administration schloss ettlingen in ettlingen. in dowager years, carried out various improvements finished in year of death in 1733.

as daughter still unmarried in 1723, siyblle tried find suitable candidate daughter known johanna. mother proposed 2 candidates; prince alexander ferdinand of thurn , taxis, son , heir of anselm franz of thurn , taxis, wealthy german noble of powerful thurn und taxis family , postmaster general of holy roman empire. second french nobleman louis d orléans, duke of orléans. mother preferred french match strengthen ties powerful neighbour prior johanna s birth, had ravaged baden-baden. johanna preferred german match due roots.

johanna, gave mother , agreed match louis d orléans , there proxy ceremony held @ schloss rastatt before married on 13 july 1724 louis d orléans, grandson of louis xiv of france. chosen for, among other reasons, family s catholic beliefs, brought comparatively small dowry of 80,000 livres house of orléans.

later years

having retired, made various pilgrimages , under influence of cardinal damian hugo philipp von schönborn, led religious life , visited various monasteries.

sibylle, born duchess of saxe-lauenburg, margravine of baden-baden , regent of baden-baden died @ schloss ettlingen on 10 july 1733 @ age of 58. instructed in buried @ schloss rastatt little pomp.